In this study, a comparative sizing design for renewable power systems was developed based on HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources) and iHOGA (improved Hybrid Optimization by Genetic Algorithms) simulators. A comparative analysis of the solutions obtained with iHOGA and HOMER simulators for the same hybrid renewable power system (HRPS) is presented in detail. The system contained a new hybrid configuration that used fuel cell (FC) as a green energy source, replacing the polluting diesel generator system, as well as other renewable energy sources, namely, photovoltaic panels, wind turbine, a battery stack, power converters, and electric load. The same case study was carried out for the design of the hybrid system using HOMER and iHOGA simulators to perform a comparative analysis of the solutions obtained for potential investment. The analysis showed a higher share of renewable energy for iHOGA (92%) compared to HOMER (81%), so the first design produced 51.61 kg/year l... [more]

Understanding how the pressure level affects the efficiency of liquid piston gas compression is essential for a greater applicability of the technology in compressed air energy storage. To explore the impacts, compression starting at three different initial pressure levels (1, 2, 3 bar) with a pressure ratio of 2 is performed, and how isothermal compression efficiencies are affected depending on the initial pressures is analyzed. Under the experimental conditions, higher initial pressure leads to lower isothermal efficiency. Air dissolution during the compression is also investigated because the chamber is a pressure-varying and a liquid-containing environment, where the gas solubility changes during the process. Evaluating the dissolution is critical as it affects the energy output when the compressed air is expanded to regenerate the energy. The changes in the air mass and the retrievable volume of the air after expansion are quantified based on Henry’s law. For a compression at high... [more]

Implementing hybrid renewable energy systems in hospitals, as an applicable solution to improve the sustainability of power systems, was studied. Several hybrid renewable configurations with detailed technical and economic information were proposed by HOMER Pro software, and the most cost-effective system was introduced as a combination of PV (350 kW), WT (1 unit, 25 kW), and DG (700 kW), with a total net present cost of USD 3.25 million and cost of energy of USD 0.0543/kWh. To consider all aspects of sustainability for choosing the optimal system, a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making approach, considering technical, environmental, economic, and energy security criteria, was applied using the TOPSIS method. According to ISO 21929, the weighting of the criteria was performed depending on how indicators affected the key areas of protection. By using the TOPSIS technique, a system with a larger renewable proportion, more variety, and less reliance on diesel was chosen. Thus, the optimal choic... [more]

Is it really necessary for the more than 200 million tons of municipal waste produced by the EU to end up in landfills? Nowadays, there are many methods for using the raw materials and energy potential of waste in ways that are economical and environmentally acceptable. But first it is necessary to understand what waste is being produced, the possibilities for recycling, and the amount of waste deposited in landfills. Many studies show that, with the ever-increasing standard of living, which is accompanied by increasing consumption as well as increasing waste production, increasing separation of waste is a positive trend. However, it is essential to realize that many materials cannot be recycled indefinitely. Therefore, in our research, we focused on reducing the share of waste that goes into landfill with the goal of zero waste to landfill, so as to increase recycling and the amount of energy obtained from waste. We focused on the analysis of waste production in individual EU states,... [more]

The Paris Agreement’s objectives related to climate change put aviation under great pressure and environmental inspection. In particular, the aviation industry is committed to achieving a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. A shift to alternative aviation fuels seems imperative. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified the production of drop-in sustainable liquid fuels (SAFs) as the most promising strategy, at least short term, to reduce the environmental impact of the sector. Within this review, a critical summary of the current alternative aviation fuels/pathways is presented and a comparative analysis of the dominant technologies is performed considering techno-economic assessment, environmental evaluation, and future projections. The impact of the ‘ReFuelEU Aviation’ initiative on the current dominant policies and market incentives is assessed. Hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA), Fischer−Tropsch (FT) synthesis, alcohol-... [more]

The new perspectives of the water−energy nexus, water-for-energy and energy-for-water, emphasize the current and future need to find ways to produce as much energy with as low an amount of water as possible and to obtain as much water with as little energy as possible. In order to promote and implement the concept of sustainable development, the understanding of the dynamic and complex relationship between water and energy is crucial, especially in the context of energy transition. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the recent approaches regarding water and energy and the interlink during implementation, operation and servicing of various water and energy production systems. This endeavor is placed in the context of current energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. A qualitative and quantitative analysis is performed with various literature solutions from water-for-energy and energy-for-water perspectives for a broader view of the impact of implement... [more]

Solar energy utilization for covering and offsetting the heating loads of buildings, is a sustainable way to reduce energy consumption (electricity, gas, etc.) for space heating. As such, a Trombe wall technology is a classic passive solar heating system used in buildings, that can be modified and applied to cold climate regions. This work presents a case study on a Trombe wall’s application in relation to its thermal energy output for space heating purposes at a factory building in central Latvia. The solar radiation and temperature measurements were carried out throughout the months of June to October. The results show that the examined wall has a monthly energy yield of 120 to 290 kWh, suggesting that Trombe wall systems are applicable as a secondary space heating source in cold climate regions such as northern Europe, however, a number of design and structural aspects have to be thoroughly considered.

As tidal current and marine hydro-kinetic energy converters start to be deployed in pre-commercial arrays, it is critical that the design conditions are properly characterised. Turbulence is known to influence fatigue loads and power production, so developers use turbulence models to generate unsteady flows in order to simulate device performance. Most such models construct a synthetic flow field using a combination of measured parameters and theoretical assumptions. The majority in use today are based on atmospheric flow conditions and may have limited applicability in tidal environments. In the present work, we compare key turbulence model assumptions (which are recommended by the tidal turbine standards and are used in design software) to turbulence measurements from two tidal test sites in Scotland and Canada. Here, we show that the two sites have different levels of conformity to theoretical models, with significant variability within nearby locations at the same site. The agreeme... [more]

The present review describes the current achievements in the applications of a planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) method for the diagnostics of liquid films, bubbles, individual droplets, and sprays. Such flows are related with strongly curved interphases, which often results in additional high errors during the PLIF data quantification because of laser light reflection, refraction, and absorption. The present review demonstrates that a two-color PLIF approach and a PLIF modification for regularly structured illumination resolves the reflection- and refraction-caused errors. The latter modification ensures proper phase separation in the measurement cross-section and visualization of the interface dynamics. The former approach provides the accurate evaluation of the local temperature and concentration both in liquid and gaseous phases even in the case of strong variations of the laser sheet intensity. With intensified cameras, the PLIF method is used for multi-parameter diagnostic... [more]

The main goal of this paper is to assess the life cycle environmental impacts of a multifunctional smart window luminescent solar concentrator (SW−LSC) prototype through the application of the Life Cycle Assessment methodology. To the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies on the topic. The analysis followed a cradle to gate approach, considering the assembly and maintenance phase as well as the end of life, examined separately through a recycling/landfill scenario. A comparison of the impacts of LSC modules with those of some building-integrated photovoltaic technologies was carried out. Results showed that the global warming potential (100 years) for SW−LSC was 5.91 × 103 kg CO2eq and the manufacturing phase had the greatest impact (about 96%). The recycling/landfill scenario results showed the possibility to reduce impacts by an average of 45%. A dominance analysis of SW−LSC components showed that the aluminum frame was the main hotspot (about 60% contribution), follow... [more]

There has been so far no energo-environmental system, whose design is considered energy-wise as well as cleanliness-wise, put in practical use despite the fact that those systems would be of huge potential importance as disaster shelters for casualties and/or infectious disease patients, in particular, those of COVID-19. We have designed the energo-environmental system based on the 2-Dimensional PhotoRecepto-Conversion Scheme (2DPRCS) and Clean Unit System Platform (CUSP) technologies. We have demonstrated the energo-environmental system can be as clean as US 209D class 1000 or better, quite handily, in a couple of minutes. As for the solar-cell-based energy generation part, we have shown that the needed electric power could be generated using our original technology of the 2DPRCS by simulations, as the possible first application of casualties’ and patients’ highly clean rest-space that has monitoring ability of the status of those people including sleep assessment. This energo-environ... [more]

In recent years, new energy power generation has been widely used. As household energy storage will be widely promoted in the future, many households’ energy storage will soon need to be replaced. It is of great significance to study the recycling of household energy storage to reduce environmental pollution and promote the sustainable development of the household energy storage market. However, the lack of research on the design of household energy storage and recovery network from the perspective of manufacturing enterprises hinders the sustainable development of household energy storage. Based on the above, a household energy storage recycling model considering carbon emissions was established in this paper. This model evaluated the recovery status of household energy storage online through a big data platform and proposed three different recovery schemes based on the evaluation results. Through a case study of Sichuan and Chongqing, the overall profit of the household energy storag... [more]

Among so many fault basins around Ordos presenting good geothermal background, Yinchuan Plain is the key development and protection area of the Ecological and Economic Belt along the Yellow River in Ningxia and Yinchuan Metropolitan Area. The study of geothermal resources in this region is of great significance to the sustainable economic development of Yinchuan Plain. Most scholars suggested that Yinchuan Plain geothermal resources are low-to-medium temperature geothermal resources and have high value in terms of development and utilization due to their large reserves, good water quality conditions, and wide distribution. However, there is much controversy over the geothermal mechanism of this region. As an effective means to study geothermal mechanism, geophysical methods can be used to study regional basement uplift and structural distribution characteristics. Based on the discussion of regional geothermal geology background, this paper studies the distribution rules of Moho and Cur... [more]

Sustainability is a strategic approach to develop a more sustainable economy to support the environment and socio-economic development. Literature on sustainability has been concerned mainly with global warming and environmental degradation issues, whereas the Circular Economy (CE) concept has recently been suggested as an alternative solution to support market sustainability and deal with both environmental and socio-economic challenges. In order to tackle these challenges, countries must switch from linear economies that follow the “take-make-dispose” principle to circular and sustainable economies. This study applies a structural and conceptual literature review to elucidate the most decisive determinants in the formation of circular strategies, particularly in the context of the energy sector. This study examines obstacles that hinder CE adoption and formulates drivers and measures to overcome them. The strategic literature review shows that the circular approach is critical in ach... [more]

The oil & gas transport and storage (OGTS) engineering, from the upstream of gathering and processing in the oil & gas fields, to the midstream long-distance pipelines, and the downstream tanks and LNG terminals, while using supply chains to connect each part, is exploring its way to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprints. This work provides an overview of current methods and technological improvements and the latest trends in OGTS to show how this industry strives to achieve sustainable development goals. The critical analyses are from increasing flexibility, energy saving, emission reduction, and changing energy structure. The study shows the need to focus on improving energy efficiency further, reducing energy/water/material consumption and emissions, and maintaining safety for such an extensive oil & gas network.

To understand hydrocarbon migration in terms of the mechanisms, accumulations and exploration targets, it is essential to correctly identify and characterize the carrier systems that control fluid-migration history and oil/gas reservoir formation. The Yinggehai Basin in China is an important area for natural gas exploration and production. However, due to the argillaceous sand sedimentary environment and the absence of faults from the Neogene thermal subsidence period, traditional migration pathways are absent in the Yinggehai Basin, posing significant challenges to target evaluation in this area. Exploration shows that most of the existing gas reservoirs are associated with vertical migration. In this work, coherence cube and curvature seismic techniques are used in the central diapir zone of the Yinggehai Basin to identify diapir-associated fractures and regional stress. Together with geological analysis, two categories of carrier system are discussed in detail to explain the complex... [more]

The idea of a circular economy (CE) has gained ground over the past ten years as a means of addressing sustainable development and getting around the limitations of the current and linear dominant production and consumption patterns. The primary goal of a CE is to encourage the adoption of closing-the-loop production methods to improve resource use efficiency, modify chemical processes, and increase product and material lifespan. According to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which focuses on 17 Sustainable Development Goals, 14 of which call for the appropriate application of green chemistry (GC) concepts and patterns, the role that chemistry may play in the shift toward more sustainable models is critical. By serving as the foundation for novel products made from renewable feedstocks and designed to be reused, recycled, or recovered with the associated minimum energy requirements, green and sustainable chemistry could be the key to unlocking the economic potential of the C... [more]

Long-distance oil and gas pipelines buried in permafrost areas will inevitably encounter typical geological disasters, such as frost heave and thaw settlement and sliding, which easily cause pipeline displacement, bending, or deformation. When there are certain defects in the pipeline, additional complex, external stress will further lead to the failure of the pipeline or weld and can even lead to serious accidents such as pipeline leakage, pipe burst, or fracture. This paper introduces in detail the typical defects and risks of buried pipelines in permafrost areas and summarizes the in-line inspection technologies, off-line inspection technologies, and integrated monitoring systems for pipelines in the pipeline industry. Regarding pipelines in permafrost areas, in-line inspection methods may be employed. These include magnetic flux leakage, electromagnetic eddy current, ultrasonic, IMU, and electromagnetic acoustic transducer inspections. Off-line inspection is also one of the importa... [more]

A detailed review was conducted to explore waste cooking oil (WCO) as feedstock for biodiesel. The manuscript highlights the impact on health while using used cooking oil and the scope for revenue generation from WCO. Up to a 20% blend with diesel results in less pollutants, and it does not demand more modifications to the engine. Also, this reduces the country’s import bill. Furthermore, it suggests the scope for alternate sustainable income among rural farmers through a circular economy. Various collection strategies are discussed, a SWOC (strength, weakness, opportunity, and challenges) analysis is presented to aid in understanding different countries’ policies regarding the collection of WCO, and a more suitable method for conversion is pronounced. A techno-economic analysis is presented to explore the viability of producing 1 litre of biodiesel. The cost of 1 litre of WCO-based biodiesel is compared with costs Iran and Pakistan, and it is noticed that the difference among them is... [more]

The high-efficiency operation of photovoltaic and wind systems is affected by many factors and parameters that should be continuously monitored. Since most of the variable factors are related to weather conditions, they are difficult to predict. Therefore, in order to optimize the operating point of a photovoltaic or wind power plant, it is necessary to observe changes in the subject area. The operation of photovoltaic and wind power plants can complement each other. The results recorded at the hybrid power plant of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of Bialystok University of Technology are useful for a comprehensive analysis of the power plant operation and the ways to optimize it. This paper presents the influence of environmental factors on the operation of a hybrid photo-voltaic−wind power plant located in the city of Bialystok, Poland. The aim of the study was to present the variable factors on the optimal adjustment of the location of the power plant elements at the stage of... [more]

This work aims to provide an energy and critical analysis of the new “ecological scenario” that sees the world shift the transport sector from the classic fossil-fueled traction towards a purely electric traction. Is it a transition to a cleaner and more environmentally friendly world? This is the central question we need to answer. In this context of forced electrification of passenger vehicles, the authors estimated the electricity surplus needed in Italy to face this transition with a projection up to 2050, considering the electricity demand of purely electric vehicles and for the production of green hydrogen for the fuel supply of fuel cell vehicles. Throughout this investigation, the authors discovered that, in 2050, the surplus of electricity to be produced compared to the current production in Italy (year 2021) is equal to +27.6% (1). This value increases if two limit scenarios are considered: it becomes +40.0% within a limit scenario in which the entire private car fleet is mad... [more]

Being one of the major energy consumers, cooking is a necessary part of daily life. Non renewable cooking fuel sources, such as wood or cow dung cause hazardous pollution and a poor ecosystem worldwide. Over the past few decades, solar-powered cooking has undergone numerous improvements. Solar cooking has been predominantly used as a substitute for reducing oil and gas dependence, increasing environmental sustainability, and reducing global warming threats. This paper talks about the recent development of the box-type solar cooker. The paper discusses the principles and classifications of various parameters that affect the performance, energy, and exergy related to the solar cooking system. In line with the sustainable development goals of the UN agenda 2030 and especially the heed to the accomplishment of SDG 7 and SDG 13, various economic factors, such as the payback period (PP), net present value (NPV), benefit−cost (B−C) ratios, internal rate of return (IRR), levelized cost of heat... [more]

The increasing demand for food, the lack of natural resources and arable land, and the recent restrictions on energy consumption require an immediate solution in terms of agricultural activities. This paper’s objective was to review hydroponics (a new soilless cultivation technology) and compare it with conventional agriculture (soil cultivation) regarding its environmental impact and water and energy consumption. The soil loss, the crop/soil contamination, and the greenhouse gas emissions were the criteria for the environmental comparison of conventional agriculture and hydroponics. As for resource consumption, the water consumption rates (L/kg), energy consumption rates (kWh), and energy required (kW) were the criteria for comparing conventional agriculture with hydroponics. Tomato and cannabis cultivation were used as case studies in this review. The review results showed that the advantages of hydroponics over conventional cultivation include zero-soil cultivation, land-use efficie... [more]

As part of the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), SDG target 7.1 recognizes universal electrification and the provision of clean cooking fuel as two fundamental challenges for global society. Faltering progress toward SDG target 7.1 calls for innovative technologies to stimulate advancements. Hydrogen has been proposed as a versatile energy carrier to be applied in both pillars of SDG target 7.1: electrification and clean cooking. This paper conducts a semi-systematic literature review to provide the status quo of research on the application of hydrogen in the rationale of SDG 7.1, covering the technical integration pathways, as well as the key economic, environmental, and social aspects of its use. We identify decisive factors for the future development of hydrogen use in the rationale of SDG target 7.1 and, by complementing our analysis with insights from the related literature, propose future avenues of research. The literature on electrification proposes th... [more]

Demand response modeling in smart grids plays a significant role in analyzing and shaping the load profiles of consumers. This approach is used in order to increase the efficiency of the system and improve the performance of energy management. The use of demand response analysis in determining the load profile enhances the scheduling approach to the user profiles in the residential sector. In accordance with the behavioral pattern of the user’s profile, incentive-based demand response programs can be initiated in the residential sector. In modeling the behavioral pattern of the user’s profile, the machine learning approach is used to analyze the profile patterns. The incentive-based demand response is demonstrated in order to show the importance of maintaining the privacy of residential users, during interactions between demand- and load-profile patterns. In this work, real-time demand response modeling for residential consumers, with incentive schemes, are analyzed. The incentive sche... [more]