Guaranteeing reliable access to water and clean energy has been one of the most debated topics to promote sustainable development, which has made the Water−Energy Nexus (WEN) a relevant field of study. However, despite much development of the WEN, there are still many gaps to be addressed. One of these gaps is the understanding of temporal features. To address this, this study aimed to identify, categorize, and analyze the main temporal features applied in WEN studies based on a review of academic publications from 2010 to 2021. The results showed that most of the recent literature has focused on understanding the WEN from a quantitative perspective, often does not provide clear motivations for their choice of time, and lacks understanding of the role of historical processes. To improve the temporal understanding in WEN research, there is a need to include more methodological diversity, enhance the understanding of historical developments, and diversify the data use. The presented meas... [more]

Humanity is exceeding planetary boundaries, and it seems that it is unlikely to meet internationally agreed sustainable development goals. Current trends and challenges in the domain of urban sustainability assessment have proven that measuring and interpreting results regarding quality of life requires a complex analysis. The aim of this paper is to investigate the possibility of comparing, in a transparent way, urban quality of life using sustainable development indicators based on the ISO 37120 standard, taking as case studies seven selected cities: Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Gdynia, London, Los Angeles and Zagreb. The hypothesis reads as follows: the ISO 37120 indicators, converted into partial and total utility value, then grouped within sustainable development dimensions (environmental, economic and social) may be used to measure the level of urban quality of life. Research results indicate that there are some significant and interesting differences between the compared citi... [more]

Brown coal remains an important energy source in Europe, including countries such as Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Greece. Open-pit mines disturb the environment in terms of air quality, hydrology, and chemical and biological transformations in rivers receiving mine waters. In the present study, we assessed the impact of mine waters from four brown coal open-pit mines on the contamination of river sediments. Chemical analysis included the quantification of 62 elements, including heavy metals (HMs) and rare earth elements (REEs). The contamination of sediments by HMs was evaluated using the contamination factor (CF), the pollution load index (PLI), and the Nemerow multi-factor index (PI). The potential toxic effects of HMs on aquatic organisms were assessed using the potential ecological risk index (PERI). Detailed analysis of chondrite-standardized concentrations of REEs was performed to describe the effects of mine water on their pattern in sediments. Cluster analysis (CA)... [more]

Transport is one of the most important sources of environmental pollution. More and more information has shown that one of the greatest sources of emissions from transport are emissions related to the release of microplastics from tyres. This is one of the most underestimated sources of emissions into the environment. In this study, environmental samples are analysed for the presence of these particles. For this purpose, optical methods and spectroscopic methods are used. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is used to identify synthetic rubber, most likely derived from car tyres. A complementary confocal microscopy method is used to confirm the FTIR results. The soil samples and road dust from the areas with heavy traffic are tested. An average of 372 ± 50 fragments per kilogram dry weight are detected in the soil samples. In the case of samples from the road, this number is 515 ± 20 fragments per kilogram of dry matter. In the samples, most of the microplastics come from ty... [more]

This study examines the sources of energy related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the hazards of climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the global solar energy potential, renewable energy sustainability indicators, impediments, and the environmental implications of fossil fuels. The purpose of this study is to investigate viewpoints on solar energy technologies for sustainable development, with a particular emphasis on photovoltaic (PV), as well as the literature on solar energy technology performance, in order to ascertain worldwide solar energy adoption trends. The discussions address the solar industry’s fundamental ideas, the global energy scenario, the highlights of research conducted to improve the solar industry, prospective applications and future challenges for a more efficient solar industry that may help alleviate the energy crisis. A review of the framework and development of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and Renewable Energy Laws (REL) on a global scale was co... [more]

Air pollution is a major concern, particularly in developing countries. Road transport and mobile sources are considered the root causes of air pollutants. With the implementation of zero-carbon and zero-energy concepts at the district scale, cities can make great strides towards sustainable development. Urban planning schemes are moving from mere building solutions to the larger positive energy district (PED) scale. Alongside other technology systems in PEDs, increased uptake of electro-mobility solutions can play an important role in CO2 mitigation at the district level. This paper aims to quantify the exhaust emissions of six conventional and two fully hybrid vehicles using a portable emission measurement system (PEMS) in real driving conditions. The fuel consumption and exhaust pollutants of the conventional and hybrid vehicles were compared in four different urban and highway driving routes during autumn 2019 in Iran. The results showed that hybrid vehicles presented lower fuel co... [more]

The paper presents an assessment of thermal energy consumption for heating in 10 buildings made in the OWT-67N prefabricated large-panel technology from 1983 to 1986. The work covers the years 2002−2020 in three periods: before and after thermal modernization and after the use of an innovative weather prediction heating system control in buildings. The analysis made it possible to assess the impact of carrying out a deep thermal modernization, and then installing a modern forecast regulation system in terms of reducing heat energy consumption for central heating purposes, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, such as CO2, SOx, NOx, CO and benzo(a)pyrene, into the atmosphere. The implementation of deep thermal modernization in buildings allowed for savings of 19.8−35% of thermal energy consumption for heating. The use of additional regulation based on prediction saved from 4.8 to 23.5%, except for one building BU10, where there was an increase in final energy consumption by 2.1%... [more]

Producing ice using adsorption systems can represent a sustainable solution and meet the recent global environmental regulations as they use natural refrigerants and can be driven by solar energy. However, the beds used in these systems still have low thermal and adsorption characteristics. This study investigates numerically the use of an emerging aluminum foamed bed packed with advanced Maxsorb adsorbent in a two-bed adsorption system and reports cases of performance improvements compared to the classical finned-tube based system used to produce ice. A comprehensive 2-D transient pressure distribution model for the two beds was developed and validated. The model considers the temporal and spatial variations of the two beds’ parameters, while the effect of the thermal mass and heat transfer effectiveness of the condenser and evaporator components are imitated at the boundary conditions for bed openings using two zero-dimensional models. The results show the interrelated effects of var... [more]

Digital Business Services (DBS), industries that have grown rapidly in recent years, played important roles in facilitating the adoption of digital technologies, as well as having applications in innovative products, transforming business processes across the economy. If DBS firms are committed to reducing negative environmental impacts, they should be able to make more positive contributions to their clients’ performance; for instance, promoting the digitalization of businesses process in ways that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and inefficient energy usage. But what are DBS business practices, in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and related topics? This study examines the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosures of leading companies providing consultancy, advertising/marketing, and information technology services. The plans, targets, and actions of DBS companies with above-average ESG scores, as indexed by the Refinitiv dataset, are examined. The results indicate... [more]

The progress of civilization and the related technological development have made electricity a necessary component of production processes and a necessary condition for the functioning of households and individuals [...]

With the goals set for sustainable development and renewable energy technologies, major advancements have been observed in the domain of multi-source systems [...]

Increasingly, demanding environmental standards reflect the need for improved energy efficiency and reduced externalities in the transportation sector. Reference driving cycles provide standard speed profiles against which future developments and innovations may be tested. In the paper, we develop such profiles for a class of electric L-category vehicles, which are anticipated to play an increasing future role in urban areas. While such driving cycles exist for regular L-category vehicles, these may not be suitable in the case of electric vehicles, due to their power output limitations. We present a methodology for deriving these new driving cycles, developed from empirically deduced power relationships, before demonstrating their application under different assumptions on the terrain and vehicle characteristics. The applications demonstrate the feasibility of the method in developing appropriate driving patterns for alternative real-world contexts. On flat terrain, the adjustments mad... [more]

Indonesia has vast solar energy potential, far more than needed to meet all its energy requirements without the use of fossil fuels. This remains true after per capita energy consumption rises to match developed countries, and most energy functions are electrified to minimize the use of fossil fuels. Because Indonesia has relatively small energy potential from hydro, wind, biomass, geothermal and ocean energy, it will rely mostly on solar for its sustainable energy needs. Thus, Indonesia will require large amounts of storage for overnight and longer periods. Pumped hydro comprises 99% of global energy storage for the electricity industry. In this paper, we demonstrate that Indonesia has vast practical potential for low-cost off-river pumped hydro energy storage with low environmental and social impact; far more than it needs to balance a solar-dominated energy system.

The choice of optimal plant species for phytoremediation and organic fertilization plays an important role in stabilizing the functions of soils contaminated with heavy metals. The influence of nickel, cobalt and cadmium on the biomass yield and calorific value of Festuca rubra, heavy metal concentrations in soil and plants and the microbiological, biochemical and physicochemical proprieties of soil were analyzed in a pot experiment. The tolerance index (TI) describing Festuca rubra’s ability to tolerate heavy metals, as well as the translocation (TF), accumulation (AF) and bioaccumulation (BF) factors of heavy metals in Festuca rubra were calculated. The experiment was conducted in two series: In soil fertilized and not fertilized with compost. Nickel and cobalt significantly inhibited the growth and development of Festuca rubra. The experiment demonstrated that this plant species can be grown on soil contaminated with heavy metals. Festuca rubra contained on average 46.05% C, 34.59%... [more]

Wireless power transfer promises to revolutionize the way in which we use and power mobile devices. However, low transfer efficiencies prevent this technology from seeing wide scale real-world adoption. The aim of this work is to use quasioptics to develop a system composed of a dielectric lens fed by a phased array to reduce spillover losses, increasing the beam efficiency, while working on the antenna system’s Fresnel zone. The DC-RF electronics, digital beamforming and beam-steering by an FPGA, and radiating 4 × 4 microstrip patch phased array have been developed and experimented upon, while the lens has been designed and simulated. This paper details these preliminary results, where the phased array radiation pattern was measured, showing that the beam is being generated and steered as expected, prompting the lens construction for the complete system experimentation.

Can Pakistan’s environmental-related technologies (ERT) and nuclear and renewable energy mitigate environmental pollution? As global warming and climate change rise dramatically, economies shift to friendly energy substitutions and eco-friendly technologies, contributing to the mitigation of environmental contamination. In this scenario, policy and academic analysts have paid more concentration to renewable and nuclear energy deployment with ERT installation. To achieve this goal, the present study scrutinizes the asymmetric effects of nuclear energy, renewable energy, and ERT on the ecological footprint of Pakistan. The current research applies a novel non-linear autoregressive distributive lag method from 1991 to 2020. The results of the current analysis show that negative changes in nuclear energy increase emissions levels in the long run, while positive and negative changes in renewable energy deployment significantly overcome the burden on the environment. Similarly, positive and... [more]

Low permeability tight gas resources account for 90% of the Xihu Sag. Under the background of extensive development of low permeability and tight reservoirs, the key to economic and effective development is to find sweet reservoir formation. To clarify the origin and distribution of a sweet reservoir in the study area, it is important to study the formation and evolution mechanisms of chlorite. In this study, based on the analysis of thin section, X-ray diffraction and SEM, through the analysis of the key factors in the formation of authigenic chlorite of the Huagang Formation in the middle and north of the central inversion structural belt, we reasoned the formation and evolution process of chlorite in the whole life cycle. According to the sedimentary diagenetic response characteristics of chlorite, two types of favorable sedimentary facies belts of chlorite are identified. The results showed that the development of pore-lined chlorite is a natural advantage of reservoirs in the East... [more]

Energy security could be jointly maintained through the cooperation of different countries or regions. In this circumstance, there has been a large number of energy-related international investment studies. However, the existing academic literature lacks a systematic scientometric analysis of this research topic, so this paper will fill this gap. Using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and HisCite, this paper analyzes 1014 articles published in the WoS SSCI Collection from January 1998 to March 2022 on the energy-related international investment. This paper comprehensively analyzes this field from four evolutionary dimensions. In the discipline and mainstream journals dimension, the largest change lies in the fact that more than three different disciplines flow into mathematics, while the journal “Environmental Science and Pollution Research” shows a dramatic growth in relevant publications after 2015. Keyword evolution shows a gradual deepening emphasis from attracting energy-related internationa... [more]

Buildings worldwide use a large amount of energy and, hence, contribute to increasing the level of greenhouse gases emission (GHG). It was realized that most electrical energy is used in buildings for heating, cooling, and ventilation purposes. To deal with environmental issues, the concepts of renewable energies and clean or green energy sources have been a part of academic discussions. A review of the literature unveils that most of the prior research in the GHG domain focused on the production side of producing renewable energy by opting for different cleaner energy sources (for example, solar energy). Although such studies have contributed significantly to advancing the field, it is also important to change the energy consumption behavior at the level of individuals for decarbonization. However, such a debate to promote the pro-environmental behavior (PEB) of employees from the perspective of energy consumption remains an understudied area. Against this backdrop, this research was... [more]

Atmospheric environmental quality affects the high quality and sustainable development of the economy. The optimisation and upgrading of the industrial system are important to improve the operation efficiency of the economy and society. Firstly, this paper constructs the theoretical analysis framework of coupling and coordination between the atmospheric environment system and the industrial system and analyses the internal mechanism of the interaction and coordinated development of the two systems. Then, it puts forward the combination of the coupling coordination model and the VAR model (Vector autoregressive model) and presents the analysis and evaluation method of the relationship between them from the two perspectives of “static” and “dynamic”. Finally, the empirical study is conducted in Taiyuan, a resource-based city in China. The results show that: (1) The two systems in Taiyuan have an obvious interaction and develop in the direction of benign coupling. (2) The impact of the tw... [more]

Beach-bar reservoirs have been promising hydrocarbon-bearing exploration advances in the Beibuwan Basin, especially in the WZ12-2 area within the Weixinan sag. The sedimentary characteristics, distribution and formation mechanisms of beach-bar sand bodies in Mbr2 (Member 2) of the Paleogene Liushagang Fm. in the WZ12-2 area within the Weixinan sag were analyzed based on well-log, seismic and core data on thin section and heavy mineral data. Mbr2 in the WZ12-2 area comprises a third-order sequence, which consists of three systems tracts (lowstand systems tract, transgressive systems tract and a locally developed highstand systems tract). Thick beach-bar sand bodies are developed in the WZ12-2 area during the lowstand systems tract stage. The formation of sandy beach-bar sand bodies can be divided into five stages. By integrating lithology, mineral composition, sedimentary structures and geophysical characteristics, it can be concluded that the beach-bar sand bodies in the study area wer... [more]

In recent decades, China’s cement production has been the highest in the world, but the extensive development model, which has been formed for a long time, has brought serious damage to the natural environment. In order to promote the transformation of the production mode of China’s cement industry, this paper adopts the nonparametric frontier method to analyze the environmental efficiency of China’s cement manufacturing industry using the input−output and pollutant emission data of China’s cement manufacturing industry from 2004 to 2016. The results show that the overall environmental efficiency of China’s cement industry is low, and there is still much room for improvement. Moreover, there are serious imbalances from very low to very high between different regions. Further investigation found that during the study period, strict environmental supervision brought an average compliance cost of CNY 23.41 billion to China’s cement manufacturing industry, but the overall environmental eff... [more]

The global climate, ecological, and energy crisis has increased the interest in the green economy (GE) concept that aims to resolve environmental problems while promoting economic growth, social stabilization, and creating favorable conditions for sustainable economic growth. The implementation of GE solutions requires an assessment system for evaluating the extent to which business operations are consistent with GE principles. In this study, the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of the quality of life were identified, and agricultural factors were considered to determine the progress in the implementation of GE principles. The correlation between the success of GE implementation and the utilization of environmental funding provided by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was analyzed. A composite GE index composed of 19 variables was developed for this purpose with the use of Hellwig’s taxonomic measure of development. The strength of the correlation between GE implementa... [more]

Gaseous sulfur compounds are emitted from many facilities, such as wastewater facilities or biomass power plants, due to the decay of organic compounds. Gaseous dimethyl sulfide removal by ozone catalytic oxidation was investigated in this study. A Vacuum-Ultra-Violet (VUV) xenon excimer lamp of 172 nm was used for ozone generation without NOx generation, and activated carbon impregnated with iodic acid and H2SO4 was utilized as a catalyst. Performance assessment of dimethyl sulfide removal ability was carried out by a dynamic adsorption experiment. Empty-Bed-Contact-Time (EBCT), superficial velocity, concentration of dimethyl sulfide, temperature and humidity were set at 0.48 s, 0.15 m/s, 3.0 ppm, 25 °C and 45%, respectively. Without ozone addition, the adsorption capacity of impregnated activated carbon was 0.01 kg/kg. When ozone of 7.5 ppm was added, the adsorption capacity of impregnated activated carbon was increased to 0.15 kg/kg. Methane sulfonic acid, a reaction product of dime... [more]

South Korea announced an energy transition roadmap, CO2 roadmap, and national greenhouse gas reduction target of nationally determined contribution (NDC) for the Paris Agreement. Furthermore, the government has also set a goal of reducing its CO2 emissions to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Additionally, the Korean government submitted an enhanced update of the first NDC at the end of 2021. In the electricity sector, the updated NDC proposed the GHG emissions target of 149.9 million tons in 2030. In this study, we model eight scenarios based on future energy mix and demand forecast considering the government’s latest plans to evaluate the possible emission reduction and impacts in the electricity sector. The scenario-based analysis is conducted to check whether it can satisfy the CO2 reduction target by using PLEXOS, a production simulation model. The results show that emission reduction targets are difficult to accomplish in the short term and can lead to significant changes... [more]