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The pulp and paper industry (PPI) has several opportunities to contribute to meeting prevailing climate targets. It can cut its own CO2 emissions, which currently account for 2% of global industrial fossil CO2 emissions, and it has an opportunity to produce renewable energy, fuels, and materials for other sectors. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of the decarbonization prospects of the PPI. The study provides insights on the magnitude of needed annual renewal rates for several possible net-zero target years of industrial fossil CO2 emissions in the PPI and discusses decarbonization opportunities, namely, energy and material efficiency improvement, fuel switching, electrification, renewable energy production, carbon capture, and new products. The effects of climate policies on the decarbonization opportunities are critically evaluated to provide an overview of the current and future business environment of the European PPI. The focus is on Europe, but other regions are analyzed briefly to widen the view. The analysis shows that there are no major technical barriers to the fossil-free operation of the PPI, but the sector renovates slowly, and many new opportunities are not implemented on a large scale due to immature technology, poor economic feasibility, or unclear political environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deploying renewable generation to replace conventional fossil-fuel-based energy supplies provides an important pathway for the decarbonization of steelmaking plants. Meanwhile, it is also crucial to improve the flexibility of blast-furnace-gas-fired combined-cycle power plants (BFGCCs) to ease the accommodation of uncertain renewable generation. To this end, this paper proposes the deployment of a molten salt heat storage (MSHS) system in BFGCCs to store the heat of gas turbine flue gas so that the power–heat coupling of these BFGCCs can be unlocked to enhance the flexibility of the energy supply. A stochastic capacity optimization of an integrated BFGCC–MSHS–wind–solar (BMWS) energy system is presented to determine the optimal installed capacities of a BFG holder, MSHS, wind turbine, and PV panel, aiming to achieve an economic and safe energy supply for the entire system. Multiple scenarios considering uncertain fluctuations in load demands and renewable generation are generated with the Monte Carlo method based on a typical scenario. These scenarios are then reduced to representative scenarios using the synchronous substitution and reduction method for stochastic capacity optimization to enhance the reliability of the results. The case study results demonstrate that configuring MSHS reduces the total annualized cost of the BMWS system by 2.28%. Furthermore, considering the uncertainties of the power/heating load and wind/PV generation can reduce the expected annualized total cost of the BMWS system and the corresponding standard deviation by 5.66% and 81.45%, respectively. The BMWS system can achieve 730.68 tons of equivalent CO2 reduction in 24 h due to the successful utilization of renewable energy. This paper provides an effective approach for the decarbonization of energy generation systems in steelmaking plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of power system decarbonization, the demand-side strategy for increasing the share of renewable energy is studied for two constrained energy systems. This strategy, which is currently widely suggested in policies on the energy transition, would impact consumer behavior. Despite the importance of studying the latter, the focus here is on decisions regarding the type, location, and timeframe of implementing the related measures. As such, solutions must be assessed in terms of cost and feasibility, technological learning, and by considering geographical and environmental constraints. Based on techno-economic optimization, in this paper we analyze the evolution of the power system and elaborate plausible long-term trajectories in the energy systems of two European islands. The case studies, Procida in Italy and Hinnøya in Norway, are both electrically connected to the mainland by submarine cables and present issues in their power systems, which are here understood as relatively isolated power systems. Renewable energy integration is encouraged by legislative measures in Italy. Although not modeled here, they serve as a backbone for the assumptions of increasing these investments. For Procida, rooftop photovoltaics (PV) coupled with energy storage are integrated in the residential, public, and tertiary sectors. A price-based strategy is also applied reflecting the Italian electricity tariff structure. At a certain price difference between peak and off-peak, the electricity supply mix changes, favoring storage technologies and hence decreasing imports by up to 10% during peak times in the year 2050. In Norway, renewable energy resources are abundant. The analysis for Hinnøya showcases possible cross-sectoral flexibilities through electrification, leading to decarbonization. By fine-tuning electric vehicle charging tactics and leveraging Norway's electricity pricing model, excess electricity demand peaks can be averted. The conclusions of this double-prospective study provide a comparative analysis that presents the lessons learnt and makes replicability recommendations for other territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction in GHG emissions has become one of the most important objectives in Europe. One of these clean technologies in the quest for large-scale decarbonisation is the blending of hydrogen and natural gas (H2NG). The significance of this article lies in conducting a technical–economic analysis that relies on simulating annual consumption patterns. This study focuses on the utilization of H2NG at different proportions within a distribution network in Bucharest, Romania's largest city. The paper is a fallow up of another paper and presents a case study for the injection through all four entry points in the city of different percentages of hydrogen and the dynamic of the mix through the gas distribution network. The study found that the variation in H2 in the network is high and depends on the entry point levels and consumption. An economic analysis was conducted on seasonal real consumption, which confirmed the investment's profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reach climate neutrality by 2050, a goal that the European Union set itself, it is necessary to change and modify the whole EU's energy system through deep decarbonization and reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions. The study presents a current insight into the global energy-transition pathway based on the hydrogen energy industry chain. The paper provides a critical analysis of the role of clean hydrogen based on renewable energy sources (green hydrogen) and fossil-fuels-based hydrogen (blue hydrogen) in the development of a new hydrogen-based economy and the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions. The actual status, costs, future directions, and recommendations for low-carbon hydrogen development and commercial deployment are addressed. Additionally, the integration of hydrogen production with CCUS technologies is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is an emerging technology changing the context of heating with cleaner combustion than traditional fossil fuels. Studies indicate the potential to repurpose the existing natural gas infrastructure, offering consumers a sustainable, economically viable option in the future. The integration of hydrogen in combined heat and power systems could provide residential energy demand and reduce environmental emissions. However, the widespread adoption of hydrogen will face several challenges, such as carbon dioxide emissions from the current production methods and the need for infrastructure modification for transport and safety. Researchers indicated the viability of hydrogen in decarbonizing heat, while some studies also challenged its long-term role in the future of heating. In this paper, a comprehensive literature review is carried out by identifying the following key aspects, which could impact the conclusion on the overall role of hydrogen in heat decarbonization: (i) a holistic view of the energy system, considering factors such as renewable integration and system balancing; (ii) consumer-oriented approaches often overlook the broader benefits of hydrogen in emission reduction and grid stability; (iii) carbon capture and storage scalability is a key factor for large-scale production of low-emission blue hydrogen; (iv) technological improvements could increase the cost-effectiveness of hydrogen; (v) the role of hydrogen in enhancing resilience, especially during extreme weather conditions, raises the potential of hydrogen as a flexible asset in the energy infrastructure for future energy supply; and finally, when considering the UK as a basis case, (vi) incorporating factors such as the extensive gas network and unique climate conditions, necessitates specific strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a well-known issue that the 2050 target of carbon emissions neutrality will be reached only with the co-operation of all the interested sectors, and the construction sector could be one of the main contributors to this change. With the built environment globally responsible for about 40% of annual global energy-related CO2 emissions, the construction sector offers an important opportunity to drive transformative change and presents the most challenging mitigation potential among all industrial sectors, which also brings opportunities for adopting sustainability practices and increasing resilience. This paper presents a systematic literature review of those two pivotal concepts to reach the decarbonization goal: sustainability and resilience. Starting from an extensive literature review (2536 scientific documents) based on the PRISMA statement, the definitions and assessment methodologies of those concepts for the construction sector have been studied. The methodological approach followed for their analysis has been conducted on a first selection of 42 documents, further reduced to 12 by using clear inclusion criteria to identify the integrated assessment procedures. The main goal of this study is to clarify the correlation between sustainability and resilience concepts for constructions and their integrated assessment, in line with the latest regulations and market needs. The results show that, currently, sustainability and resilience are mainly evaluated in a distinct way to obtain building energy performance certificates, as well as to quantify the building market value and its complementary contribution to the 'energy efficiency first' principle and energy-saving targets towards the emergent issue of climate change. Few works focus on the integrated assessment of both concepts considering the construction industries' point of view about materials and/or systems for buildings. The novelty of this study is the critical review of the current sustainability and resilience integrated assessment methods used for the construction value chain, declined for four main target groups. Researchers, policymakers, industries, and professionals could gain dedicated insights and practical suggestions to put in practice the elements of circular economy, ecological innovation, and cleaner production, which are essential in order to drive the decarbonization of the built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water electrolysis to generate green hydrogen is the key to decarbonization. Tracking the state-of-health of electrolyzers is fundamental to ensuring their economical and safe operation. This paper addresses the challenge of quantifying the state-of-health of electrolyzers, which is complicated by the influence of operating conditions. The existing approaches require stringent control of operating conditions, such as following a predefined current profile and maintaining a constant temperature, which is impractical for industrial applications. We propose a data-driven method that corrects the measured voltage under arbitrary operating conditions to a reference condition, serving as a state-of-health indicator for electrolyzers. The method involves fitting a voltage model to map the relationship between voltage and operating conditions and then using this model to calculate the voltage under predefined reference conditions. Our approach utilizes an empirical voltage model, validated with actual industrial electrolyzer operation data. We further introduce a transfer linear regression algorithm to tackle model fitting difficulties with limited data coverage. Validation on synthetic data confirms the algorithm's effectiveness in capturing the true model coefficients, and application on actual operation data demonstrates its ability to provide stable state-of-health estimations. This research offers a practical solution for the industry to continuously monitor electrolyzer degradation without the need for stringent control of operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing global focus on environmental issues, controlling carbon dioxide emissions has become an important global agenda. In this context, the development of new energy vehicles, such as electric vehicles, is flourishing. However, as a crucial power source for electric vehicles, the safety performance of lithium-ion batteries under mechanical abuse has drawn widespread attention. Evaluating the safety performance of lithium-ion batteries requires in-depth research. This paper provides a review of recent experimental and numerical simulation studies on the mechanical abuse of lithium-ion batteries. It showcases the main methods and conclusions of experimental research, compares different response forms under quasi-static and dynamic loading, discusses the causes of strain-rate dependence in lithium-ion batteries, and briefly describes the impact of the state of charge (SOC) on safety performance under mechanical abuse, as well as the influence of mechanical abuse on battery capacity and impedance characteristics. Furthermore, this paper summarizes the methods of numerical simulation research, analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of detailed modeling and homogenized modeling methods, summarizes the strain-based internal short circuit failure criteria, and reviews numerical predictive models based on multiphysics coupling. Finally, it presents the latest progress in studying the safety performance of battery packs through numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a set of comprehensive guidelines aimed at facilitating the widespread adoption of hydrogen in the industrial hard-to-abate sectors. The authors begin by conducting a detailed analysis of these sectors, providing an overview of their unique characteristics and challenges. This paper delves into specific elements related to hydrogen technologies, shedding light on their potential applications, and discussing feasible implementation strategies. By exploring the strengths and limitations of each technology, this paper offers valuable insights into its suitability for specific applications. Finally, through a specific analysis focused on the steel sector, the authors provide in-depth information on the potential benefits and challenges associated with hydrogen adoption in this context. By emphasizing the steel sector as a focal point, the authors contribute to a more nuanced understanding of hydrogen's role in decarbonizing industrial processes and inspire further exploration of its applications in other challenging sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continual expansion of urban road networks and global commitments to net zero, electric vehicles (EVs) have been considered to be the most viable solution to decarbonize the transportation sector. In recent years, the electric road system (ERS) has been introduced and piloted in a few countries and regions to decarbonize heavy-duty vehicles. However, little research has been carried out on its reliability. This paper fills the gap and investigates the reliability of electric truck power supply systems for electric road (ETPSS–ER), which considers both the power system and truck traffic networks. First, a brief introduction of electric roads illustrates the working principle of EV charging on roads. Then, an optimized electric truck (ET) travel pattern model is built, based on which the corresponding ET charging load demand, including both static charging and dynamic charging, is conducted. Then, based on the new ET travel pattern model, a daily travel-pattern-driven Monte Carlo simulation-based reliability assessment method for ETPSS–ER system is presented. Case studies based on the IEEE RBTS system shows that ETs driving on ERS systems can meet the daily travel demands. The case studies also examine the impacts of increasing number of ETs, extra wind power, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) on the reliability of ERS power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an empirical investigation into the effects of energy transition and digitization on carbon dioxide emissions, serving as a proxy for environmental sustainability, across 28 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2021. Utilizing both static and dynamic regression analyses, the study reveals a significant driving effect of the energy transition on environmental sustainability, primarily through a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Notably, this influence is more pronounced in the eastern region of China, followed by the central and western regions, indicating regional heterogeneity in the impact of the energy transition. Furthermore, digitization is found to have a substantial moderating effect, enhancing energy conservation and emission reductions. As digitization progresses, its capability to diminish the impact of energy transitions on carbon dioxide emissions becomes more apparent, particularly in the eastern region, while this effect is less marked in central and western China. The study also delves into the nonlinear relationship between energy transitions and carbon dioxide emissions, discovering that increased levels of digitization can exacerbate the negative effects of energy transitions on emissions. These findings offer valuable insights into the dynamics of energy transition and digitalization, highlighting their crucial roles in shaping environmental sustainability in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As researchers and ultimately deployers of energy decarbonisation solutions, we collectively see significant but often siloed efforts that in isolation may appear as an appropriate solution to an aspect of energy decarbonisation. However, when systemwide thinking is applied, a former attractive solution may become more challenging and, likewise, a less attractive silo may become more appropriate as part of an energy systemwide approach. Thus, the aim of this paper is to combine proposed energy decarbonisation concepts, e.g., electrification, hydrogen, biogas etc., with the status of the system in which they intend to operate, and then highlight the barriers, opportunities, and alternatives that may come into play when the whole system is taken into account. This is a hypothetical study using the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK as an example and reflects, in part, the city's desire to decarbonise while enhancing its economic prosperity. The "system" is defined as the region boundaries, i.e., Northern Ireland will supply the energy (all or in part) to the city of Belfast. The methodology deployed here therefore is a framework of energy thinking that is the basis of such energy decarbonisation plans at a city-wide level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public transport can play a central role in representing a viable and sustainable mobility solution, especially in urban areas. Average energy consumption and emissions per passenger are much lower than for private cars. At the same time, current buses often mostly rely on diesel, and there are different solutions that can contribute to public transport decarbonization. Biomethane is among the options to exploit local low-carbon resources to decrease the emissions of public transport in urban environments. This paper presents the analysis of a real case study considering real data on the fuel consumption and mileage of the existing bus fleet in the city of Turin, Italy, composed by diesel and natural gas buses. The aim of this study is to estimate the effect of different penetration levels of biomethane in substitution of the current fuels. The results show that the use of biomethane in urban buses could save to up to 71% of emissions compared to the current situation, and savings would increase to 75% when deploying biomethane and electric buses together. Average emissions per pkm could decrease from a current level of 85.5 gCO2/pkm to 21.3–63.4 gCO2/pkm depending on the penetration of biomethane and electric buses. The sensitivity analysis shows even higher savings when accounting for the future decrease of the electricity carbon intensity in Italy and for the additional benefits related to avoided emissions from manure disposal. The results of the analysis demonstrate the potential contribution of biomethane in decarbonizing urban buses, and the findings presented for this case study can be of use for policy makers and researchers that deal with a similar situation in other cities and countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the International Energy Agency (IEA) 15 MW Reference Wind Turbine (RWT), on floating platforms, deployed in commercial-scale arrays at multiple locations around Scotland in the ScotWind leasing round. Site-specific energy production and vessel operations are provided by a dedicated offshore wind farm operations and maintenance (O&M) model, COMPASS, allowing service operation vessel (SOV) O&M impacts to be assessed with increased confidence. For climate change, the median global warming impact varied from 17.4 to 26.3 gCO2eq/kWh across the four sites within a 95% confidence interval using an uncertainty assessment of both foreground and background data. As is common with other offshore renewable energy systems, materials and manufacture account for 71% to 79% of global warming impact, while O&M comprise between 9% and 16% of the global warming impacts. High-voltage direct current (HVDC) export cables, floating platforms, and composite blades are significant contributors to the environmental impacts of these arrays (by mass and material choice), while the contributions from ballast, vessel transportation emissions, and power-train components are lower. The results suggest that material efficiencies, circularity, and decarbonizing material supply inventories should be a priority for the Scottish floating wind sector, followed by minimizing vessel operations and the decarbonization of vessel propulsion, while avoiding burden shifting to other impact categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trend in the development of maritime and river propulsion systems is to make a transition from hydrocarbon to more environmentally friendly solutions. This contributes positively to the solution of the problems identified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding the high emissions of polluting gases emitted by maritime transportation. Currently, there is a wide variety of systems available due to the development of mobility technologies focused on decarbonization. This paper presents an analysis of technological alternatives for boats with electromobility applications and propulsion systems in the waterway field. First, a description of the operation of boats with electric motors, the different energy sources, and the alternative propulsion options is presented. Then, the electromobility technologies are characterized, analyzing the different configurations between the power source and the propulsion system. The results show a comparative table of technologies and their advantages and disadvantages. In addition, the most environmentally friendly technologies present significant challenges for large-scale implementation due to their recent development. In the short term, hybrid systems technologies present advantages over the others, as current systems are available, with the addition of equipment with higher efficiency and lower environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests are a potentially carbon-negative energy source and function as carbon sinks. However, both of these functions have become threatened significantly by spruce bark beetle infestation in Czechia. This paper assesses how this ecological issue may affect the future energy mix, and in the process, affect carbon emission reduction targets and the available share of renewable energy sources (RESs). We assess several forest development scenarios with three policy incentives: subsidising wood pellet production, striving for climate neutrality, and adhering to ecological constraints. We build a spatially enriched energy system model, TIMES-CZ, based on Eurostat's NUTS3 regions. We find that the spruce bark beetle infestation may not exert a lasting influence on overall decarbonisation pathways, the energy mix, or system-wide costs in any forest scenario. The RESs share is affected only until 2030, and the effect is minimal, at <1.5 percentage points. Nevertheless, Czechia's RES contribution is far below the 45% 2030 EU target. Subsidising wood pellet production is a costly transition that does not contribute to meeting the target. Limiting forest biomass availability and adhering to ecological constraints increase the overall system costs and worsen the chances of meeting decarbonisation targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The steelmaking industry is responsible for 7% of global CO2 emissions, making decarbonization a significant challenge. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of current steel-production processes, assessing their environmental impact in terms of CO2 emissions at a global level. Limitations of the current pathways are outlined by using objective criteria and a detailed review of the relevant literature. Decarbonization strategies are rigorously evaluated across various scenarios, emphasizing technology feasibility. Focusing on three pivotal areas—scrap utilization, hydrogen integration, and electricity consumption—in-depth assessments are provided, backed by notable contributions from both industrial and scientific fields. The intricate interplay of technical, economic, and regulatory considerations substantially affects CO2 emissions, particularly considering the EU Emissions Trading System. Leading steel producers have established challenging targets for achieving carbon neutrality, requiring a thorough evaluation of industry practices. This paper emphasizes tactics to be employed within short-, medium-, and long-term periods. This article explores two distinct case studies: One involves a hot rolling mill that utilizes advanced energy techniques and uses H2 for the reheating furnace, resulting in a reduction of 229 kt CO2-eq per year. The second case examines DRI production incorporating H2 and achieves over 90% CO2 reduction per ton of DRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distributed energy system (DES) represents an innovative approach to energy generation and distribution that promotes decentralization and diversification of energy sources. DESs can offer numerous benefits, including increased resiliency, reduced transmission losses, improved efficiency, and lower carbon emissions. The optimal design of a DES requires careful consideration of various factors such as geographical location, climate conditions, and energy demand patterns. This paper utilizes a multi-objective genetic algorithm to optimize the combination of technologies and their corresponding sizes in a distributed energy system for three types of commercial buildings—hospitals, large offices, and large hotels across eight different climate zones in the U.S. A range of technologies are considered for integration into the DES. These technologies include photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, combined heat and power systems, solar thermal collectors, and electrical and thermal energy storage. The two objectives considered are maximizing the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and minimizing the life cycle costs for the DES. The purpose of this study is to optimize and evaluate the multi-objective design of distributed energy systems aimed at decentralizing and diversifying energy sources. The analysis of optimized DES designs across all 24 case scenarios shows that a balance between cost saving and emission reduction has been achieved. Although this study primarily focuses on specific buildings and climate zones, the methods and findings can be adapted for a wider variety of building types across different geographical locations, thus paving the way for more widespread adoption of optimized distributed energy systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world's largest carbon emitter, China is facing great pressure to reduce emissions. With the country's proposed timeline for carbon peaking and carbon neutralization, a new goal has been established for China's low-carbon development. Based on the improved equal proportion allocation method, this paper allocates the overall carbon emission control goal for 2025 among 30 provinces and cities, based on 2015 figures, and measures and studies the country's carbon emission allocation efficiency on this basis. The results show that Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Inner Mongolia need to increase their emission reduction capacity, while Jiangxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Qinghai, Hainan and Guangxi have relatively low emission reduction targets. Based on this allocation scheme, more provinces can reduce carbon emissions by increasing their efficiency with up-to-date technology, and a new vision for national allocation that is more easily accepted by all provinces and regions can be developed. Based on the research results of this paper, each province and region can choose its own low-carbon economic development path within the constraints of China's carbon intensity emission reduction targets, without compromising its own economic development characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The freight sector is expected to keep, or even increase, its fundamental role for the major modern economies, and therefore actions to limit the growing pressure on the environment are urgent. The use of electricity is a major option for the decarbonization of transports; in the heavy-duty segment, it can be implemented in different ways: besides full electric-battery powertrains, electricity can be used to supply catenary roads, or can be chemically stored in liquid or gaseous fuels (e-fuels). While the current EU legislation adopts a tailpipe Tank-To-Wheels approach, which results in zero emissions for all direct uses of electricity, a Well-To-Wheels (WTW) method would allow accounting for the potential benefits of using sustainable fuels such as e-fuels. In this article, we have performed a WTW-based comparison and modelling of the options for using electricity to supply heavy-duty vehicles: e-fuels, eLNG, eDiesel, and liquid Hydrogen. Results showed that the direct use of electricity can provide high Greenhouse Gas (GHG) savings, and also in the case of the e-fuels when low-carbon-intensity electricity is used for their production. While most studies exclusively focus on absolute GHG savings potential, considerations of the need for new infrastructures, and the technological maturity of some options, are fundamental to compare the different technologies. In this paper, an assessment of such technological and non-technological barriers has been conducted, in order to compare alternative pathways for the heavy-duty sector. Among the available options, the flexibility of using drop-in, energy-dense liquid fuels represents a clear and substantial immediate advantage for decarbonization. Additionally, the novel approach adopted in this paper allows us to quantify the potential benefits of using e-fuels as chemical storage able to accumulate electricity from the production peaks of variable renewable energies, which would otherwise be wasted due to grid limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate anomalies are affecting the world. How to reduce carbon emissions has become an important issue for governments and academics. Although previous researchers have discussed the factors of carbon emission reduction from environmental regulation, economic development, and industrial structure, limited studies have explored the carbon emission reduction effect of a city's spatial structure. Based on 108 Chinese cities from the Yangtze River Economic Belt between 2003 and 2017, this paper examines the impact of the city cluster policy on city carbon emissions using the difference-in-differences (DID) method. We find that: (1) The city cluster policy has significantly reduced the cities' carbon emissions by 7.4%. Furthermore, after a series of robust and endogenous tests, such as parallel trend and PSM-DID, the core conclusion still remains. (2) We further identify possible economic channels through this effect, and find that city cluster policy would increase city productivity, city technological innovation, and industrial structure optimization. The conclusions of this paper have important practical significance for China to achieve carbon neutrality and facilitate future deep decarbonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global call for an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and reliable energy system looks for the optimal integration of different technologies to allow a smooth and economically viable transition towards electrification. In this context, small, medium, and large industrial processes are relevant contributors to global CO2 emissions production due to the simultaneous requirement of electricity, heating, and cooling power generally obtained through fossil fuel combustion. In this context, Combined Heat and Power Energy converters based on internal combustion engines, such as reciprocating engines, gas turbines, and gas turbine combined cycles, and external combustion, such as backpressure and condensing steam power plants, are the most suitable solutions for the efficient and reliable generation of the above-mentioned assets. Typically, the industrial demand for heat and electricity differs in terms of heat-to-power ratio when compared to the heat-to-power ratio of the CHP plant, and this has led to requiring the selection of a control strategy to follow, partially or fully, the heat load or the electric load. In this paper, the authors propose an operating and design strategy addressed to fully covering the heat load demands by the heat generated by the CHP, allowing the system to have an excess of electricity generated. This electricity can be used for different purposes, as regards the novel electrification roadmap. Indeed, the authors have explored four configurations in which the excess of the CHP-generated electricity can be exported to the national grid, used for high-tension fast-charging electromobility systems, for running reverse osmosis desalination plants, and for the production of alternative fuels such as hydrogen. The authors propose a methodology for providing an extensive environmental techno-economic assessment that looks at 2050 CO2 targets. Accordingly, the environmental techno-economic assessment results are presented and discussed by considering the Net Present Value, payback period, and CO2 emission savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decarbonisation of the electricity grid is expected to create new electricity flows. As a result, it may require that network planners make a significant amount of investments in the electricity grids over the coming decades so as to allow the accommodation of these new flows in a way that both the thermal and voltage network constraints are respected. These investments may include a portfolio of infrastructure assets consisting of traditional technologies and smart grid technologies. One associated key challenge is the presence of uncertainty around the location, the timing, and the amount of new demand or generation connections. This uncertainty unavoidably introduces risk into the investment decision-making process as it may lead to inefficient investments and inevitably give rise to excessive investment costs. Smart grid technologies have properties that enable them to be regarded as investment options, which can allow network planners to hedge against the aforementioned uncertainty. This paper focuses on key smart technologies by providing a critical literature review and presenting the latest mathematical modelling that describes their operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decarbonization of energy matrices is crucial to limit global warming below 2 °C this century. An alternative capable of enabling zero or even negative CO2 emissions is bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). In this sense, the Brazilian sugar–energy sector draws attention, as it would be possible to combine the production of fuel and electricity from renewable biomass. This paper is the final part of a study that aimed to research carbon capture and storage (CCS) in energy systems based on sugarcane. The case studied is CCS in thermal power plants considering two different technologies: the steam cycle based on the condensing–extraction steam turbine (CEST) and the combined cycle integrated to biomass gasification (BIG-CC). The results for the thermal power plant indicate that the CO2 capture costs may be lower than those in cogeneration systems, which were previously studied. The main reasons are the potential scale effects and the minimization of energy penalties associated with integrating the CCS system into the mills. In the best cases, capture costs can be reduced to EUR 54–65 per ton of CO2 for the CEST technology and EUR 57–68 per ton of CO2 for the BIG-CC technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy security is a main challenge in today's economies [[1]]. Bielowicz in the paper entitled "Petrographic Characteristics of Coal Gasification and Combustion By-Products from High Volatile Bituminous Coal" showed the benefits of coal gasification in a fluidized bed reactor with CO SB 2 sb as a gasifying agent at the temperature 889-980 °C [[18]]. Among the clean coal technologies, the new, innovative thermochemical conversion of coal technologies such a (combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, and hydrogenation) and co-gasification with biomass/biowaste/sewage sludge will be discussed. In this special issue "The effectiveness of clean coal technologies in global carbon dioxide mitigation", seven research papers were published as examples of recent developments in widely understand area of clean thermochemical conversion of fossil fuels with maximization of CO SB 2 sb emission reduction. [Extracted from the article]

The main purpose of this paper is to develop possible scenarios for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Serbia by switching from coal-fired to natural gas-fired electricity generation by the end of 2050. Accordingly, the challenges are to establish scenarios and identify measures that are best suited to all Western Balkan countries. In particular, this paper proposes a number of energy mix scenarios that offer some options for reducing CO2 emissions while maintaining an economic way of consumption. Projections of these reduction scenarios are obtained by combining the Kaya identity with the emission factor method. A simplified methodology based on sensitivity analysis is used as a source of data to estimate the nonstatistical uncertainty limits for the projections of the reduction scenarios. The sensitivity analysis is carried out using historical data from Serbia for the period from 1990 to 2019. In addition, a direct verification of the proposed methodology is performed based on historical data for 2020. The developed scenarios 1 and 2 show that CO2 emissions could be reduced by 10.94% and up to 74.44% from baseline in 1990, respectively. The obtained results are also contrasted with the data available for some other countries with similar experiences. Finally, it is found that the developed scenarios are achievable only at significantly decreased levels of coal-fired electricity generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction of carbon emissions in the power industry will play a vital role in global decarbonization. The power industry has three main strategies to achieve this reduction in emissions: to implement lean marketing strategies that effectively target users of power and encourage them to adopt decarbonizing technologies and services; to optimize the efficiency of these users of power; and to improve the efficiency of renewable energy sources. This paper establishes a comprehensive evaluation system of indexed data from power industry customers for the development of lean marketing strategies. This system evaluates indexes derived from customer data on renewable energy sources, carbon emissions, energy efficiency, and customer credit. It adopts the DEMATEL–CRITIC combination weight assignment and VIKOR method for system evaluation and conducts simulation experiments on customer data in a region of Northeastern China to give an example of how this method could be applied in practice to lean marketing. The results show that the evaluation system proposed in this paper can govern the lean marketing decision-making of power sales enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The income gap and global warming have always been topics of common concern to scholars worldwide. Internationally, there is no consensus yet about the impact of the income gap on carbon emissions, and there are few studies about that in China. To explore the effect of the income gap on carbon emissions at the provincial level in China, this paper first theoretically and qualitatively analyzes the non-linear impact of the income gap on carbon emissions. Then, the Gini coefficient of the resident income of different regions in China from 2010 to 2019 is calculated. Finally, a threshold regression model is used to quantitatively test the existence of a threshold effect between the income gap and carbon emission intensity in China. The threshold value is the per capita disposable income of residents. The results show that the income gap is positively related to carbon emission intensity in poor regions. In high-income areas, the widening income gap inhibits the increase in carbon emission intensity. Based on this, this paper proposes policy recommendations to narrow the income gap and reduce the intensity of carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ten nations of Southeast Asia, collectively known as ASEAN, emitted 1.65 Gtpa CO2 in 2020, and are among the most vulnerable nations to climate change, which is partially caused by anthropogenic CO2 emission. This paper analyzes the history of ASEAN energy consumption and CO2 emission from both fossil and renewable energies in the last two decades. The results show that ASEAN's renewable energies resources range from low to moderate, are unevenly distributed geographically, and contributed to only 20% of total primary energy consumption (TPEC) in 2015. The dominant forms of renewable energies are hydropower, solar photovoltaic, and bioenergy. However, both hydropower and bioenergy have substantial sustainability issues. Fossil energies depend heavily on coal and oil and contribute to 80% of TPEC. More importantly, renewable energies' contribution to TPEC has been decreasing in the last two decades, despite the increasing installation capacity. This suggests that the current rate of the addition of renewable energy capacity is inadequate to allow ASEAN to reach net-zero by 2050. Therefore, fossil energies will continue to be an important part of ASEAN's energy mix. More tools, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen, will be needed for decarbonization. CCS will be needed to decarbonize ASEAN's fossil power and industrial plants, while blue hydrogen will be needed to decarbonize hard-to-decarbonize industrial plants. Based on recent research into regional CO2 source-sink mapping, this paper proposes six large-scale CCS projects in four countries, which can mitigate up to 300 Mtpa CO2. Furthermore, this paper identifies common pathways for ASEAN decarbonization and their policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A collection of twelve papers published in Energies, in a Special Issue on "Building Energy Audits-Diagnosis and Retrofitting", was bound together and published in 2021, focusing on the built environment. The aim was to systematically collect and analyze relevant data for obtaining adequate knowledge on the energy use profile of buildings, and was extended for the sustainability assessment of the built environment. To date, all papers have been very well received, attaining a total of 97 citations and over 15,300 views. The papers addressed historic and various building types, baselines for non-residential buildings from energy performance audits and from in-situ measurements, monitoring and data analysis, assessment of indoor environmental quality, model calibration and verification of energy savings, along with an urban audit and rating method for assessing the sustainability of the built environment. Following on from the success of this Special Issue, the decision was made to reopen and extend it to include papers related to decarbonization and sustainability, at building, city, region, and national scales. This Editorial reviews the performance of the first Special Issue and outlines the second volume on Building Energy Audits-Diagnosis and Retrofitting Towards Decarbonization and Sustainable Cities, as a Special Issue in Energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses existing trends and prospects for decarbonization in the Commonwealth of Independent States (the CIS), an international organization that regroups Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The CIS occupies a significant share of Eurasia, representing a large share of global energy consumption and production with a corresponding carbon footprint. These countries and their decarbonization prospects are rarely discussed in the English-language scientific literature. This paper fills in this gap by offering a comprehensive analysis based on statistical data, policy documents, and scenario-based future projections. The results underline that revisiting Nationally Determined Contributions, increasing energy efficiency, and decoupling GDP growth from greenhouse gas emissions are essential to the implementation of the Paris Agreement. The future energy mix should include larger shares of renewable energy, hydrogen, fossil fuels (highly efficient with carbon capture), and nuclear energy to achieve energy security and decarbonize the economy of the region in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Republic of Korea has unique geographical characteristics similar to those of an island, resulting in an isolated power system. For this reason, securing sufficient operating reserves for the system's stability and reliability in the face of the intermittency of increasing variable renewable energy (VRE) is paramount, and this will pave the way to achieving the nation's decarbonization target and carbon neutrality. However, the current reserve-operation method in Republic of Korea does not take into account energy-system conditions, such as the intermittency of the VRE. Therefore, this paper presents an analysis of the impact of changes in reserve-operation methods on the electricity market in the future Republic of Korean power system, with the increased levels of VRE that are currently envisioned. Specifically, three reserve-operation methods, including Korea's current reserve-power-operation standards, were applied to the two power-system plans announced by the Korean government to analyze the annual generator operation and costs. The analysis results show that securing reserves proportional to the VRE would exert negative effects, such as increased power-generation costs and the curtailment of nuclear and VRE generation. These results can contribute to the estimation of operational reserves needed for high levels of VRE and to the design of new the Korean reserve market, to be introduced in 2025. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge of achieving net-zero carbon emissions in the shipping sector is a pressing issue that is yet to be fully overcome. While new fuels and technologies hold promise for the future, they are not currently viable solutions on a large scale in the short-term. One strategy that is being considered as a way to reduce CO2 and CO emissions in the immediate future is carbon capture technology. Additionally, the possibility of a carbon tax being implemented in the future further strengthens the case for the adoption of this technology, which is already quite mature and in use in industries, although it has yet to be developed in the maritime sector. In this paper, the authors start from the definition of carbon capture technology to provide a technical overview of the solutions that are currently available to the maritime sector. Given the absolute innovation of such systems for application on board ships, the authors studied their installation and developed appropriate schemes to illustrate the feasibility of integration of these new technologies on board. Furthermore, the authors highlight the different levels of technological readiness of the proposed systems based on their potential for implementation on board commercial vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European steel industry is experiencing new challenges related to the market situation and climate policy. Experience from the period of pandemic restrictions and the effects of Russia's armed invasion of Ukraine has given many countries a basis for including steel along with raw materials (coke, iron ore, electricity) in economic security products (CRMA). Steel is needed for economic infrastructure and construction development as well as a material for other industries (without steel, factories will not produce cars, machinery, ships, washing machines, etc.). In 2022, steelmakers faced a deepening energy crisis and economic slowdown. The market situation prompted steelmakers to impose restrictions on production volumes (worldwide production fell by 4% compared to the previous year). Despite the difficult economic situation of the steel industry (production in EU countries fell by 11% in 2022 compared to the previous year), the EU is strengthening its industrial decarbonisation policy ("Fit for 55"). The decarbonisation of steel production is set to accelerate by 2050. To sharply reduce carbon emissions, steel mills need new steelmaking technologies. The largest global, steelmakers are already investing in new technologies that will use green hydrogen (produced from renewable energy sources). Reducing iron ore with hydrogen plasma will drastically reduce CO2 emissions (steel production using hydrogen could emit up to 95% less CO2 than the current BF + BOF blast furnace + basic oxygen furnace integrated method). Investments in new technologies must be tailored to the steel industry. A net zero strategy (deep decarbonisation goal) may have different scenarios in different EU countries. The purpose of this paper was to introduce the conditions for investing in low-carbon steelmaking technologies in the Polish steel market and to develop (based on expert opinion) scenarios for the decarbonisation of the Polish steel industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islands face unique challenges on their journey towards achieving carbon neutrality by the mid-century, due to the lack of energy interconnections, limited domestic energy resources, extensive fossil fuel dependence, and high load variance requiring new technologies to balance demand and supply. At the same time, these challenges can be turned into a great opportunity for economic growth and the creation of jobs with non-interconnected islands having the potential to become transition frontrunners by adopting sustainable technologies and implementing innovative solutions. This paper uses an advanced energy–economy system modeling tool (IntE3-ISL) accompanied by plausible decarbonization scenarios to assess the medium- and long-term impacts of energy transition on the energy system, emissions, economy, and society of the island of Mayotte. The model-based analysis adequately captures the specificities of Mayotte and examines the complexity, challenges, and opportunities to decarbonize the island's non-interconnected energy system. The energy transition necessitates the adoption of ambitious climate policy measures and the extensive deployment of low- and zero-carbon technologies both in the demand and supply sides of the energy system, accounting for the unique characteristics of each individual sector, while sectoral integration is also important. To reduce emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, such as transportation and industry, the measures and technologies can include the installation and use of highly efficient equipment, the electrification of end uses (such as the widespread adoption of electric vehicles), the large roll-out of renewable energy sources, as well as the production and use of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromobility is generally seen as an efficient means of decarbonizing the transport sector. Ensuring both a broad propagation of electric vehicles and a stable energy system requires intelligent charging strategies in the form of use cases. Most use cases do not combine both the prospect of profit and systemic advantages. This paper analyzes combinations of use cases that merge different use cases to combine profitability and systemic benefits. We present a novel methodological approach for analyzing and comparing the synergies of different use case combinations. The focus is on evaluating the potential for reducing the technical implementation effort resulting from the simultaneous implementation of two to three different use cases. Our findings show that the simultaneous implementation of complex use cases, often involving in-front-of-meter pooling of vehicles, produces the greatest synergies. Combinations that include ancillary services and spot market trading lead to considerable reductions in the implementation effort. Balancing profitability and systemic benefits with little absolute effort requires combinations that include use cases implemented behind-the-meter, for example, optimization of self-consumption. Challenges in the implementation of the combinations investigated arise primarily from technical hurdles and the fact that some use cases have not yet been fully defined in regulatory terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decarbonisation of the building sector is crucial for Portugal's goal of achieving economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050. To mobilize communities towards energy efficiency measures, it is important to understand the primary drivers and barriers that must be overcome through policymaking. This paper aims to review existing Energy Policies and Actions (EPA) in Portugal and assess their effectiveness in improving Energy Efficiency (EE) and reducing CO2 emissions in the building sector. The Local Energy Planning Assistant (LEPA) tool was used to model, test, validate and compare the implementation of current and alternative EPAs in the North of Portugal, including the national EE plan. The results indicate that electrification of heating and cooling, EE measures, and the proliferation of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) are crucial for achieving climate neutrality. The study found that the modelling of alternative EPAs can be improved to reduce investment costs and increase Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reduction. Among the alternatives assessed, the proposed one (Alternative 4) presents the best returns on investment in terms of cost savings and emissions reduction. It allows for 52% investment cost savings in the residential sector and 13% in the service sector when compared to the current national roadmap to carbon neutrality (Alternative 2). The estimated emission reduction in 2050 for Alternative 4 is 0.64% for the residential sector and 3.2% for the service sector when compared to Alternative 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Car-sharing services are developing at an ever-increasing pace. Taking into account the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and pursuit of the sustainable development of transport, implementing electric cars in car-sharing fleets is being proposed. On the one hand, these types of vehicles are referred to as emission-free, but on the other hand, their environmental friendliness is questionable due to the emission of carbon dioxide during the production of energy to power them. Although many scientific papers are devoted to the issue of reducing emissions through car sharing, there is a research gap concerning the real production of carbon dioxide by car-sharing vehicles during car-sharing trips. To fill this research gap, the objective of the article was to analyze the actual level of carbon dioxide emissions from combustion and electric vehicles from car-sharing systems produced when renting rides. The test results showed that the electric car turned out to be significantly less emitting. The use of electric vehicles in car-sharing fleets can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from 14% to 65% compared to using cars with internal combustion engines. However, the key role during car-sharing trips is played by the driving style of the drivers, which has been omitted from the literature to date. This should be properly regulated by service providers and focus on the proper use of energy from electric vehicle batteries, especially at low temperatures. The article provides support for operators planning to modernize their fleet of vehicles and fills the research gap concerning car-sharing emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonization of existing electricity generation portfolios with large-scale renewable resources, such as wind and solar photo-voltaic (PV) facilities, is important for a transition to a sustainable energy future. This paper proposes an ultra-fast optimization method for economic dispatch of firm thermal generation using high granularity, one minute resolution load, wind, and solar PV data to more accurately capture the effects of variable renewable energy (VRE). Load-generation imbalance and operational cost are minimized in a multi-objective clustered economic dispatch problem with various generation portfolios, realistic generator flexibility, and increasing levels of VRE integration. The economic feasibility of thermal dispatch scenarios is evaluated through a proposed method of levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for clustered generation portfolios. Effective renewable economics is applied to assess resource adequacy, annual carbon emissions, renewable capacity factor, over generation, and cost to build between thermal dispatch scenarios with incremental increases in VRE penetration. Solar PV and wind generation temporally complement one another in the region studied, and the combination of the two is beneficial to renewable energy integration. Furthermore, replacing older coal units with cleaner and agile natural gas units increases renewable hosting capacity and provides further pathways to decarbonization. Minute-based chronological simulations enable the assessment of renewable effectiveness related to weather-related variability and of complementary technologies, including energy storage for which a sizing procedure is proposed. The generally applicable methods are regionally exemplified for Kentucky, USA, including eight scenarios with four major year-long simulated case studies and 176 subcases using high performance computing (HPC) systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonization of urban mobility requires complex, interconnected actions. The instruments for decarbonizing urban mobility include urban collective transport, bicycles and means of personal transport, cybermobility and electromobility. The article presents the results of research on the transport behavior of the creative class, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the functioning of urban mobility, and the results of research on the efficiency of electromobility in the field of the implementation of battery-powered buses. The research was aimed at a critical assessment of the current mobility model and creation of the basis for change in this area. In particular, these studies focused on changes in transport needs and greater use of cyberspace for various activities, which should reduce the volume of physical flows of people in urban transport networks. The aim of the article is to present the conclusions of these studies in terms of their use to change mobility models in cities. The practical significance of the presented research consists in indicating the factors of building individualized urban mobility strategies, with particular emphasis on the issues of sustainable development and decarbonization. The authors' contribution to the development of science is demonstration of the possibilities of changing the mobility model in the city and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, this applies to urban metropolises that are moving away from heavy mining and processing industries, i.e., the number of jobs in business and educational services is increasing, and the industry of new technologies is developing. The conclusions formulated in the paper indicate, in particular, the significant decarbonization potential of cybermobility and the use of zero-emission means of transport, such as bicycles and scooters, which can be released by changing the approach to the organization of work and learning, in particular their virtualization and deconcentration of travel sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the spatial heterogeneity of the social-economic situations across different regions in China, the decomposition of emission reduction targets should be designed according to the actual characteristics of the industrial economy. There is concern about the loss of industrial competitiveness and leakage of CO2 emissions if just seven pilot carbon markets operate independently, so the national carbon market of the power sector was established in 2021. In this study, a China two-region CGE model including Guangdong (GD) and the rest of China (ROC) is built on an analysis of the long-term effects of CO2 prices in industrial sectors at the target 2030 peak. Based on this model, we constructed one business-as-usual scenario and six comparison carbon tax scenarios to quantify the CO2 cost impact for a wide range of manufacturing sectors and identify specific economic activities that face relatively high CO2 costs between the two regions. Based on the China two-region CGE model, the risks of leakage and competitiveness distortions in these potentially exposed sectors are qualitatively assessed. The results show that chemical, nonferrous metal, and machinery are GD's competitive sectors, and agriculture, food, textile, paper, cement, construction, and service belong to ROC's competitive industry. Both GD and ROC need to further unify carbon pricing policies at the same time to effectively coordinate the carbon intensity reduction target and industrial development, which is 2.6% and 3.2% of the severe GDP loss compared with BaU when implementing carbon tax policy. The results can support the setting of the carbon tax and industrial competitiveness promotion policy and with a strong reference to support the provincial emission reduction path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel control strategy to manage the integration of a wind turbine (WT) and an energy storage unit to an existing stand-alone microgrid servicing an oil and gas (O&G) rig is the topic of this paper. The control strategy includes a primary and a secondary controller that, using the battery in tandem with the WT, does not require any dump load (A). The secondary controller includes an energy management system (EMS) which uses the estimated wind production and other specific local information to size the battery to avoid the curtailment of the WT (B) and simultaneously provide the framework for the economic analysis (C). Points A, B and C are the main novelties introduced with this work. Additionally, a primary controller operates the original microgrid source, a gas turbine (GT), at its maximum efficiency through an active power control strategy to lower fuel consumption, by prioritizing the exploitation of the renewable energy source through the combination EMS and battery sizing. The microgrid is simulated and the combined controller of the battery and GT bench-tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep geothermal energy can aid in the decarbonization of heat within the UK; this is required to meet net zero carbon emissions targets by 2050. The Cheshire Basin represents a significant opportunity for the development of deep geothermal resources; there are vast quantities of high permeability sandstones in hydraulic continuity, with temperatures favorable for direct heat use and, potentially, for power generation. Newly produced basal temperature maps in this study indicate the likely maximum temperatures for the basin, with the hottest temperature expected to be between 100 and 131.2 °C in the Crewe area. There have also previously been a range of estimates highlighting a geothermal resource within the basin to be in the region of 44.1 to 75 × 1018 J; however, previous estimates for heat in place are limited to simple volumetric or geometrical constraints. Therefore, this paper uses digitized depth and temperature maps to provide new estimates for the heat in place. Results suggest the resource has been underestimated and there is a need for more detailed evaluation. Depending on the geothermal gradient, the resource could be between 91 and 144 × 1018 J (1.26 to 1.45 × 1017 J/km2). Although there is a significant amount of heat in place, geological issues preventing development remain, such as the uncertainty in the quality of the reservoir at depth due to data limitations and the lateral continuity of the Manchester Marls Formation, which could act as a barrier to flow. Nevertheless, further regional assessment of the basin and data acquisition is required to build confidence in the reservoir quality and reduce uncertainty. This could unlock the basin for geothermal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new energy–economy system modelling approach, developed specifically for energy system planning in non-interconnected islands, aiming for decarbonization. Energy system planning is an essential tool to shape the energy transition to reach carbon neutrality in the medium- and long-term horizon. Islands, as small-scale energy systems, have a limited contribution to the global climate targets, but due to their geographical and natural limitations, they present the potential to become frontrunners in the clean energy transition, especially regarding the efficient use of resources. The specificities and complexities of geographical islands cannot be adequately covered by the available energy modelling tools and new advanced approaches need to be developed to provide the appropriate support in designing the future decarbonized energy systems at insular level. Our methodological approach follows the adaptation and customization of well-established energy–economy modelling tools towards the development of an integrated island-scale energy–economy system model, capturing energy demand and supply by sector, heating/cooling and mobility requirements, energy efficiency potentials and their complex interactions through energy prices, storage, flexibility services and sectoral integration. By soft-linking the energy and economy system modelling tools through the consistent exchange of model parameters and variables, we developed a fully fledged modelling framework called IntE3-ISL, designed for islands with a horizon up to 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the total carbon emission data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2000 to 2020, this paper used non-parametric kernel density estimation and traditional and spatial Markov probability transfer matrix methods to explore the temporal and spatial dynamic evolution characteristics of carbon dioxide emissions in China and then used a super-SBM model to calculate the carbon emission reduction potential of each province. The results showed that: (1) from 2000 to 2020, the total carbon emissions in China showed an upward trend of fluctuation, from 1.35 Gt to 4.90 Gt year by year, with an annual growth rate of 13.10%. (2) The core density curve showed a double peak form of "main peak + right peak," indicating that a polarization phenomenon occurred in the region. (3) The overall trend of carbon dioxide emissions shifting to superheavy carbon emissions was significant, and the probability of transition was as high as 74.69%, indicating that it was challenging to achieve leapfrog transition in the short term. (4) Based on the principle of fairness and efficiency of provincial carbon emission reduction, mainland China's 30 provincial administrative regions can be divided into four types. Finally, the carbon emission reduction path is designed for each province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes decarbonization pathways for Thailand based on a review of the status of renewable and fossil energies, technology evaluation and scenario studies. Results show that renewable electricity generation needs to grow at a 7.1% average annual growth rate (AAGR) between now and 2050 for the power sector to achieve net-zero by 2050. This would require it to reach 400 TWh, exceeding its technical potential. We propose a more achievable scenario of between 5% and 6% AAGR wherein renewable electricity will grow from 51 TWh to 217–291 TWh between 2020 and 2050. Gas-powered electricity will grow from 127 TWh to 185–111 TWh, requiring carbon capture and storage (CCS) to mitigate 75–45 Mtpa CO2 by 2050. For the transport sector, electric vehicles have the highest decarbonization potential, but they would add 45 TWh of electricity demand by 2050. For the industry sector, installing CCS in existing plants has the highest decarbonization potential. Overall, CCS is a key decarbonization technology and its large-scale implementation will be needed for Thailand to achieve net-zero by 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their positive effects on the decarbonization of energy systems, renewable energy sources can dramatically influence the short-term scheduling of distributed energy resources (DER) in smart grids due to their intermittent and non-programmable nature. Renewables' uncertainties need to be properly considered in order to avoid DER operation strategies that may deviate from the optimal ones. This paper presents a comprehensive tool for the scenario generation of solar irradiance profiles by using historical data for a specific location. The tool is particularly useful for creating scenarios in the context of the stochastic operation optimization of DER systems. Making use of the Roulette Wheel mechanism for generating an initial set of scenarios, the tool applies a reduction process based on the Fast-Forward method, which allows the preservation of the most representative ones while reducing the computational efforts in the next potential stochastic optimization phase. From the application of the proposed tool to a numerical case study, it emerged that plausible scenarios are generated for solar irradiance profiles to be used as input for DER stochastic optimization purposes. Moreover, the high flexibility of the proposed tool allows the estimation of the behavior of the stochastic operation optimization of DER in the presence of more fluctuating but plausible solar irradiance patterns. A sensitivity analysis has also been carried out to evaluate the impact of key parameters, such as the number of regions, a metric, and a specific parameter used for the outlier removal process on the generated solar irradiance profiles, by showing their influence on their smoothness and variability. The results of this analysis are found to be particularly suitable to guide users in the definition of scenarios with specific characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Market-based instruments such as white certificates offer the potential to increase efficiency gains, reduce primary energy consumption and make energy systems more resilient. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the white certificate scheme through a case study analysis. In light of increasing decarbonization and energy efficiency targets, it is important to rethink the role that policy instruments play in the energy transition, including the energy efficiency obligation schemes within which white certificate schemes fall. We focus on Italy's white certificate scheme because it is among the longest-lived and has achieved notable results. The scheme is characterized by annually increasing energy savings targets, flexibility, the opportunity to include many interventions, and the role of energy services companies. We provide evidence based on an empirical survey and fill the research gap left by the latest updates to the scheme along with an appraisal of those updates, which covers prominent scheme innovations such as its stability mechanism. Our research can serve as a baseline for policymakers in designing white certificate schemes in countries with little related previous experience and provide useful information from countries where similar schemes have been implemented to fine-tune similar market-based mechanisms to improve energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel transition can decarbonize shipping and help meet IMO 2050 goals. In this paper, HFO with CCS, LNG with CCS, bio-methanol, biodiesel, hydrogen, ammonia, and electricity were studied using empirical ship design models from a fleet-level perspective and at the Tank-To-Wake level, to assist operators, technology developers, and policy makers. The cargo attainment rate CAR (i.e., cargo that must be displaced due to the low-C propulsion system), the ES (i.e., TTW energy needed per ton*n.m.), the CS (economic cost per ton*n.m.), and the carbon intensity index CII (gCO2 per ton*n.m.) were calculated so that the potential of the various alternatives can be compared quantitatively as a function of different criteria. The sensitivity of CAR towards ship type, fuel type, cargo type, and voyage distance were investigated. All ship types had similar CAR estimates, which implies that considerations concerning fuel transition apply equally to all ships (cargo, containership, tankers). Cargo type was the most sensitive factor that made a ship either weight or volume critical, indirectly impacting on the CAR of different fuels; for example, a hydrogen ship is weight-critical and has 2.3% higher CAR than the reference HFO ship at 20,000 nm. Voyage distance and fuel type could result in up to 48.51% and 11.75% of CAR reduction. In addition to CAR, the ES, CS, and CII for a typical mission were calculated and it was found that HFO and LNG with CCS gave about 20% higher ES and CS than HFO, and biodiesel had twice the cost, while ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen had 3–4 times the CS of HFO and electricity about 20 times, suggesting that decarbonisation of the world's fleet will come at a large cost. As an example of including all factors in an effort to create a normalized scoring system, an equal weight was allocated to each index (CAR, ES, CS, and CII). Biodiesel achieved the highest score (80%) and was identified as the alternative with the highest potential for a deep-seagoing containership, followed by ammonia, hydrogen, bio-methanol, and CCS. Electricity has the lowest normalized score of 33%. A total of 100% CAR is achievable by all alternative fuels, but with compromises in voyage distance or with refuelling. For example, a battery containership carrying an equal amount of cargo as an HFO-fuelled containership can only complete 13% of the voyage distance or needs refuelling seven times to complete 10,000 n.m. The results can guide decarbonization strategies at the fleet level and can help optimise emissions as a function of specific missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]