Currently, Pakistan is in a stage of urbanization and industrialization, raising its energy demand and supply and carbon dioxide emissions (CO2Es) due to the excessive use of fossil fuels. In meeting future demand and supply predictions, much emphasis should be given to both energy consumption and the level of inter-factor and inter-fuel substitution possibilities. Specifically, future outcomes for energy demand are more valid when production models contemplate substitution elasticity occurring during the period. To analyze the potential for little reliance on fossil fuels and diminish CO2Es, the present research has examined the potential for the substitution of energy and non-energy factors (i.e., natural gas, electricity, petroleum, labor, and capital) by using translog productions function over the period between 1986−2019. The ridge regression method is applied to evade the multicollinearity issue in the data. The model analyzes the output elasticity, substitution elasticity, tech... [more]

Poly-generation systems are a feasible alternative to conventional energy production techniques in buildings. A poly-generation system allows for the concurrent production of electricity, heat, cold, and fresh water, with considerable advantages regarding technology, finances, energy recovery, and the environment. In the present study, the organic Rankine cycle (ORC), the humidification−dehumidification desalination system (HDH), and the desiccant cooling system (DCS) are merged with three unique solar-driven poly-generation systems (BS, IS-I, and IS-II) and numerically examined. The proposed options provide energy, space cooling, domestic heating, and potable water to buildings of small/medium scale. Using n-octane ORC working fluid, the impact of operational circumstances on system productivity and execution characteristics was considered. The findings show that (i) the suggested poly-generation systems can provide electrical power, conditioned space cooling, local heating, and fresh... [more]

The growing economic efforts and investment for the production of green hydrogen make the definition of new competitive and environmentally friendly storage methods. This article deals with the proposal of gas hydrate production with binary or ternary H2-based gaseous mixtures for hydrogen storage. In the text, the physical and chemical elements necessary to confirm the technical feasibility of the process are given. The proposed solution is also compared with the traditional ones in terms of energy costs, energy density, environmental sustainability, safety, ease of transport, future perspectives, and innovation level.

Environmental taxes, including energy taxes, are applied in all EU Member States. They are considered important instruments in the implementation of the EU energy and climate policies. The main purpose of the research presented in this article is to identify trends in the EU Member States in shaping environmental tax revenues, with particular emphasis on their most important group, i.e., energy taxes. The researchers sought answers to the research question regarding the existence of converging trends in this respect. The “letter values” method was used in the research procedure, which is an extension of the box-plots method. The analysis covered 27 EU Member States. The data used in the research came from the Eurostat database (2009−2020). As a result of the research, it was found that in the EU as a whole, there is a slight downward trend in the share of environmental tax revenues in GDP and the share of environmental tax revenues in total tax revenues, while the share of energy tax r... [more]

South Asian countries have seen remarkable economic growth and development in the past few decades. This has been driven by financial sector reforms, industrialization, and expansion of foreign trade. The present study is designed to identify the long- and short-run relationships among environmental degradation, economic growth, energy consumption, and trade openness in the South Asian region. Our research contributes to the literature by employing a new approach (the NARDL method). We examine annual data for four South Asian countries between 1971 and 2014. We found that there was a long-run equilibrium relationship between environmental degradation, economic growth, energy consumption, and trade openness. The results confirmed the inverted U-shaped EKC hypothesis only for India and Pakistan. However, the long-term coefficients related to energy consumption were statistically significant only in Pakistan. The most interesting finding was that only in Sri Lanka did the long-run coeffic... [more]

The overall transition towards a low-carbon economy is expected to pose a solution for several global problems, including the ongoing climate change while ensuring economic and social development. Large oil and gas companies are aware of the need to transform their business, turn to renewable and clean energy sources to build a positive image and reputation, and have the economic power to do so. This paper aims to evaluate the marketing communication of leading European oil and gas companies on their Instagram accounts in the context of reputation building through using social media and identify to what extent the companies reflect the environmental aspects of corporate social responsibility. Content analysis and the Social Blade tool were used to examine the marketing communication of the five biggest companies by revenue. All the companies are active on Instagram, but it has been found that the Russian companies have remained inactive and have even been losing followers since March 2... [more]

Hydrogen has received substantial attention because of its diverse application in the energy sector. Steam methane reforming (SMR) dominates the current hydrogen production and is the least expensive endothermic reaction to produce grey hydrogen. This technology provides the advantages of low cost and high energy efficiency; however, it emits an enormous amount of CO2. Carbon capture storage (CCS) technology helps reduce these emissions by 47% to 53%, producing blue hydrogen. Methane pyrolysis is an alternative to SMR that produces (ideally) CO2-free turquoise hydrogen. In practice, methane pyrolysis reduces CO2 emissions by 71% compared to grey hydrogen and 46% compared to blue hydrogen. While carbon dioxide emissions decrease with CCS, fugitive methane emissions (FMEs) for blue and turquoise hydrogen are higher than those for grey hydrogen because of the increased use of natural gas to power carbon capture. We undertake FMEs of 3.6% of natural gas consumption for individual processes... [more]

In recent years, energy harvesters using pendulum systems have often been applied in ultra-low-frequency environments, such as ocean waves, human motion, and structural vibration. To illustrate the research progress in pendulum-type energy harvesting, a comprehensive review is provided in the present study. Specifically, single- and double-pendulum energy harvesters based on different energy-conversion mechanisms are separately grouped. In addition, different improvement techniques and design schemes used in studies on pendulum energy harvesters are summarized. Theoretical studies have explored the dynamic characteristics of single and double pendulums. Various key aspects, including the fundamental mechanisms, optimization methods, core structures, and applications, to improve the performance of single- and double-pendulum energy harvesters are discussed. Finally, several potential research directions and applications are proposed.

The installed capacity of PVs in the distribution grid is affected not only by network constraints, but also by the economic viability of the related investments. Depending on the market participation models, this is determined critically by the Day Ahead Market (DAM) prices. Increasing RES installations in a country usually results in a long term drop in the market prices and, as a consequence, a reduction in the income of the PVs investors and possible market cannibalization. This paper models the effect of large-scale penetration of PVs on the market prices and identifies the optimal penetration level for the viability of PV projects. The optimal penetration is highly related to the installation of new PVs and this is a parameter for the analysis. Therefore, the paper identifies different penetration costs for the different installation cost. Furthermore, the PV network hosing capacity can be increased by distribution network reinforcements. Therefore, in the paper, the investments... [more]

According to data provided by the International Energy Agency, buildings consume more than one-third of the energy produced globally and represent a major source of carbon dioxide-related emissions [...]

The emergence of new transformational technology, known as the fourth industrial revolution, has crucially opened a new window to green economic growth. The transition to low carbon, green economy, and green sustainability has gained momentum simultaneously in developed and developing countries. The greening policy echoes the pending climate change and its entrenching disruptions. Financial technology, or FinTech seems to be a promising direction in unlocking the green dilemma; to be concrete, FinTech and the green economy are separately documented in the literature. Against this background, the current study investigates the intersection between green economic growth and FinTech by conducting a systematic-cum-bibliometric analysis of published papers in the Scopus database with the goal of first examining the role and opportunities of implementing green FinTech as a stimulus for transition towards green economic growth in African countries and, second, identifying knowledge gaps and f... [more]

From the late 1900s onward, hydrocarbon exploitation has led to severe environmental footprints in the Khuzestan province, Iran. However, no comprehensive study has been conducted to evaluate such issues. In this research, an inclusive analysis was performed to investigate these environmental impacts. To do this, first, two datasets related to a 15-year period (2006−2021) were collated: the satellite data from the Sentinel-1 mission and the seismic data recorded by the National Iranian Geophysics Institute as well as the catalog of the global Centroid Moment Tensor project (CMT). These datasets were processed using generic mapping tools (GMT), differential synthetic aperture radar (D-InSAR) techniques, and multiple processing algorithms using a specific toolbox for oil spill application in the sentinel application platform (SNAP) programming, respectively. The results revealed three critical footprints, including regional earthquakes, land subsidence, and oil spill issues in the area.... [more]

A complex method developed to assess quality within a proposed framework and at a certain scope of measurement for circular economy (CE) quality indicators is presented. This was used to compare three different scenarios for municipal waste management systems: 1—incineration; 2—recycling and reuse of separated municipal waste and the transformation of the organic fraction into biodiesel and bio-coal; and 3—an upgraded Scenario 2 including decreased recycling of waste streams and the bioprocessing of paper/cardboard and processing the non-recycled fraction into bio-diesel, bio-coal, and second-generation biofuel. For the evaluation of the CE quality indicator, a set of technical, environmental, economic, and social elements was selected by a panel of experts, who also assigned them a qualitative assessment and weighting on the basis of the factors identified. The calculated Relative Increase in the CE indicator for the scenarios analyzed showed that Scenarios 3 and 2 are much more benef... [more]

With an expected annual increase of 1.2%, the industrial sector already consumes over 54% of all the energy generated globally. The majority of industrial sectors presently relies on fossil fuels to fulfil their needs for heat energy, but renewable sources, especially solar energy, can be substituted for them. For an underdeveloped country such as Pakistan, its industrial sector is important for the country’s economic development and long-term growth. The use of solar thermal energy potentially offers a significant and cheap alternative to fossil fuels. The current study focuses on a process heating system based on flat-plate solar collectors, developed to provide low to moderate temperature process heat. The innovative model’s thermal efficiency and economic feasibility have undergone a thorough investigation and analysis through TRNSYS simulations. The system portrayed a 79% thermal energy efficiency and 4.31% exergy efficiency during peak hours. The optimized system for three differ... [more]

Over the years, anaerobic digestion (AD) has evolved as a competent technology to retrieve energy potential from various organic substrates, including wastewater. However, the energy metabolisms of anaerobic microorganisms, biochemical reactions, and biogas production are affected by various parameters, including heavy metals. It is important to understand the interaction of heavy metals with anaerobes and their potential influence on the process to enhance energy potential. This review methodically outlines the occurrence and role of heavy metals in the AD process. Additionally, the repercussions of the most common heavy metals (i.e., Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe, and Ni) on each stage of AD (i.e., hydrolysis, acidogenesis, and methanogenesis) have been discussed. We found that traces of heavy metals can endorse anaerobic digestion, but inhibition increases with increasing concentration. Methanogenic archaea are more susceptible to heavy metal inhibition than hydrolytic and acidogenic archaea. An i... [more]

In agricultural production, it is important to determine where input usage saving can be implemented by taking energy use into consideration and to analyze the greenhouse gas emissions of agricultural activities. This study has been conducted to review orange (Citrus sinensis L.) production in terms of energy balance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study was carried out during the 2015/2016 production season in Adana, a province in Turkey. Energy balance and GHG emissions have been defined by calculating the inputs and outputs of agricultural nature used in orange production. The findings of the study indicate that the distribution of energy inputs in orange production are 11,880 MJ ha−1 (34.10%) of electricity, 10,079.75 MJ ha−1 (28.93%) of chemical fertilizer energy, 7630 MJ ha−1 (21.90%) of chemical energy, 3052 MJ ha−1 (8.76%) of diesel fuel energy, 1348.91 MJ ha−1 (3.87%) of human labor energy, 378 MJ ha−1 (1.09%) of irrigation water energy, 351.22 MJ ha−1 (1.01%) of mach... [more]

This paper assesses the use of gas from a landfill located in Kiełcz for energy purposes, considering energy, environmental and socioeconomic aspects. The literature review contains information on waste management methods in various regions of the world and the legal acts regulating them. The reference was also made to the methods of degassing landfills and the methods of reducing pollutants from this process. The research methodology describes, among other things, the method of measuring exhaust gas quality and temperature or gas composition. This section also presents the catalyst that was used as a reducer of flue gas emissions. The use of a catalyst in the flue gas duct allowed for the reduction in CO emissions by 85%, NOX by 53%, SO2 by 95%, and PM by 82%. For the socio-economic analysis, formulas and quantities were given that allow for the parameterization of profits. Three leading indicators were selected, i.e., the impact of the energy produced on the producer, the reduction i... [more]

The global renewable energy landscape is changing rapidly. Green energies reduce greenhouse gas emissions, diversify the energy supply, and lower dependence on volatile and uncertain fossil fuel markets. The future looks promising for green energy sources, which are taking on an increasingly important role, especially in the current context, as governments are trying to identify viable solutions to the energy crisis and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Worldwide, there is a growing interest in and support for green energy sources, a factor that could help accelerate the current energy transition. Despite these positive developments, much remains to be done globally to make the energy transition a reality. In this respect, the European Union member states have committed to a wide neutrality target by establishing an increase in the total share of energy from renewable sources to 55% (by 2030) and, at the same time, reducing the net greenhouse gas effect emissions by at least 55% until... [more]

As one of the most promising thermal management solutions, spray cooling has the advantages of high heat-transfer coefficient and maintaining a low temperature of the cooling surface. By summarizing the influential factors and practical applications of spray cooling, the current challenges and bottlenecks were indicated so as to prompt its potential applications in the future. Firstly, this paper reviewed the heat-transfer mechanism of spray cooling and found that spray cooling is more advantageous for heat dissipation in high-power electronic devices by comparing it with other cooling techniques. Secondly, the latest experimental studies on spray cooling were reviewed in detail, especially the effects of spray parameters, types of working fluid, surface modification, and environmental parameters on the performance of cooling system. Afterwards, the configuration and design of the spray cooling system, as well as its applications in the actual industry (data centers, hybrid electric ve... [more]

The paper presents an innovated method for territorial zoning and its implementation in the territory of the Zdíkovský stream catchment area. The basis for projecting is ananthropo-ecological approach to the territory and the proposition of determining the new GES (geo-ecological units). Four essential territorial zones differing by anthropo-ecological burden and the degree of protection are suggested. A procedure for determining ecocritical lines (situations) in the territory, their regime, and possible solutions is suggested in the spirit of sustainability for future generations. The formulae and procedure for calculating the CES (coefficient of ecological stability) or ZSES (essential degrees of ecological stability), which divide the tested territory into appropriate zones, are also suggested. A comparison of zoning prior to 1989 and following was carried out, and it was proven that the significant presence of agricultural and forest subsystems in the territory with the extensive f... [more]

The Tanshan area is located in the southern section of the west margin of the Ordos basin. The Middle Jurassic Yan’an Formation is relatively thick and rich in coal and oil shale layers, having positive potential for energy development. In order to explore the sedimentary environment of oil shale and the controlling factors of organic matter accumulation, 18 oil shale samples collected from two boreholes (Guyou-3 and Guyou-4) in the Tanshan area were selected as the research objects, and organic geochemical and elemental geochemical tests were carried out systematically. The results show that oil shales have the characteristics of medium oil content, medium ash, high calorific value, low sulfur and low maturity stage, which constitutes good hydrocarbon generation potential. The organic matter is mainly humic type, resulting from terrigenous debris and higher plant debris. The indictors of C-value (mean 81.90), Th/U ratio (mean 3.44), CaO/(MgO·Al2 O3) ratio (mean 0.07), δEu (mean 0.71),... [more]

The energy industry has a major impact on the sustainability level of global economies, from job creation to resource efficiency and environmental impact. The aim of our study was to examine the phenomenon of energy production and its main determinants in 37 European economies during the period of 2011−2021. The methodological approach entailed the use of the panel first-difference generalized method of moments (GMM). The empirical results show that the relationship between energy production and predictors such as imports, energy prices, energy productivity, and energy efficiency was monotonic. At the same time, our results indicate a relationship between energy supply and energy production, imports, productivity, and prices. Moreover, energy production depends significantly on the energy productivity, primary energy consumption, and energy imports.

The use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the transportation sector is increasing, and boil-off gas (BOG) management systems are considered viable options to increase economic efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at LNG refueling stations. The present study proposed an economically optimized method by investigating four refueling station scenarios, including different BOG management systems. Among the four scenarios, the scenario in which compressed natural gas was produced from BOG had the lowest minimum selling price (MSP) and was the most economical. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses were conducted for the economically optimal scenario, which identified the factors with the most influential impact and their uncertainties on the MSP. Finally, to determine the feasibility of the business through profitability analysis, the net present value, discounted payback period, and present value ratio due to changes in the discount rate were presented, and the discounted cash flow... [more]

Aluminum AA5052 is an inexpensive and lightweight metal that has been used in a variety of applications, including the Bipolar Plate in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (BPs PEMFC). The alloy has good electrical conductivity and low corrosion. Corrosion rate (CR) increases during PEMFC operation with increasing temperature. Inorganic dyes, such as chromate, are commonly used to reduce metal corrosion. Unfortunately, they are toxic and have a negative impact on the environment. Chitosan, which is a green, cheap, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly organic solvent, can be used to solve this problem. Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD) technique was used to coated the surface of AA5052 with chitosan. CR was measured using electrochemical and weight loss methods (in 0.5 M H2SO4). The best research results are as follows. The lowest CR values were obtained at the EPD time of 20 min at a chitosan concentration of 0.5% wt. The results of the study using the weight loss method indicated th... [more]

This review is devoted to an overview of the prospects for the development of the global hydrogen market and the strategies of individual countries aimed at transforming energy systems in favor of decarbonization and greening through the use of hydrogen. Special attention is paid to the prospects for the development of the Russian hydrogen market. The authors of the review used the method of comparative analysis and analytical generalization of publications, programs and regulatory documents from different countries. The results of the comparative analysis led to the conclusion that most of the publications currently focus on the technical and technological aspects of hydrogen energy, solving the problem of increasing the efficiency of methods for the production, transportation, distribution and storage of hydrogen fuel. The results of the analytical generalization led to the conclusion that in all countries of the world, the technology for the production of highly environmentally frie... [more]