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Energy development in industrial parks promotes both industrial and inter-park economies. However, as the number of industrial parks increases and the economic level of the parks rises, energy consumption is also increasing rapidly. The rapid expansion of inter-park trading markets is accompanied by a surge in carbon emissions, making industrial parks increasingly significant contributors to carbon emissions within the industrial sector. In response to this environmental challenge, this paper proposes an integrated trading approach within industrial parks that considers carbon constraints. By implementing a spot trading method for surplus industrial energy, the goal is to mitigate the carbon emission pressure within these parks. Firstly, the paper conducts an analysis of the characteristics of combined heat and power units in industrial parks. It introduces an integrated analysis method within the target region, consolidating information from various park units to enhance flexibility in energy utilization. Secondly, an energy storage model is established. This model efficiently leverages energy storage capacity to balance fluctuations in energy supply and demand within industrial parks, thereby alleviating carbon emission pressure. Finally, the study and analysis of an industrial park in Liaoning Province were conducted using the Yalmip + Gurobi commercial software on the MATLAB platform. Compared with the traditional industrial park, the carbon dioxide emission of the industrial park is reduced by 91.49t, and the energy cost is saved by 11.2 million RMB. Numerical results from instances indicate that this method surpasses traditional trading approaches, aligning with the rigorous standards of scientific research. • An energy storage model is proposed to address the shortage of energy storage in waste heat trading in industrial parks. • A coordinated scheduling program is presented to reduce energy scheduling imbalances between multiple campuses. • The carbon-constrained energy storage device is integrated to improve the decarbonization capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's climate and environmental problems remained prominent. Energy transition was the key to improve climate and pollution, and it was at a critical period. Previous studies mostly focused on the impact of climate policies on the reduction of air pollutants and the environmental health impacts of individual sector or pathway policies. Thus, focusing on the synergistic abatement of CO 2 and air pollutants and health effects of energy transition in carbon neutrality was significant for building beautiful and healthy China. LEAP-HEA model was constructed to project energy demand, CO 2 and air pollutants, and assess energy transition's environmental health effects from 2020 to 2060. LMDI model was adopted to decompose the abatement contribution. Synergistic assessment index was used to estimate the coordinated abatement effects. Cost-effectiveness of energy transition and regional heterogeneity of PM 2.5 toxicity were not considered. The results indicated: (1) energy demand would decrease and structure would be optimized significantly under deep energy transition scenario. (2) Deep energy transition could promote earlier realization of carbon neutrality. It would contribute significantly to CO 2 and air pollutants abatement with strong synergistic effects. (3) Energy transition would reduce health risks with large economic benefits. Recommendations were proposed based on the conclusions. The framework of LEAP-HEA model. [Display omitted] • The synergistic abatement and health effect of energy transition were explored. • The models of LEAP, LMDI, exposure-response and the data of 2020 were used. • Energy transition would have significant synergistic abatement and health effect. • The paper has significance for promoting carbon neutrality and healthy China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gliding arc plasma has the advantages of strong reactivity, high energy density, and easy scale-up, so it is very competitive in the field of plasma-based N 2 fixation. In this work, we designed an underwater transfer arc discharge plasma N 2 fixation system based on a reverse vortex flow gliding arc. In full contact with air and water, the plasma could realize the efficient conversion of N 2 , O 2 , and H 2 O, obtaining gaseous NO, NO 2 , and activated water rich in NO x *. The experiment showed that an underwater transfer arc discharge was formed when the current was greater than 0.6 A. Under this operating condition, the conversion rate of N 2 reached 1.63%, the concentration of NO x reached 2.4%, and the production rate of nitrogen-containing products was about 3.41 mol/h. In addition, the energy consumption was as low as 2.21 MJ/mol, the lowest reported value for atmospheric-pressure rotary gliding arc plasma-based N 2 fixation. The generated activated water had abundant NO 3 − and NO 2 − ions, which could be directly applied as N 2 fertilizer in agriculture, promoting plant germination and growth. This paper describes an environmentally friendly and efficient technical route toward developing industrial N 2 fixation/green agriculture, strongly supporting the carbon neutrality concept. • A reverse vortex flow gliding arc under water was developed for N 2 fixation. • The transfer or non-transfer arc can discharge stably in air or under water. • The N 2 fixation energy consumption was reduced to 2.21 MJ/mol. • The plasma-activated water was rapid produced while N 2 fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy-saving construction has promoted the sustainable development of cities and is an important measure to achieve carbon neutrality and peak carbon. This paper uses the synthetic control method(SCM), propensity score matching difference-in-difference model(PSM-DID), spatial Durbin difference-in-difference model (SDM-DID) and other methods to explore the policy effect of energy-saving policy on the green innovation efficiency of Chinese cities based on the New Energy Demonstration City(NEDC) policy as a quasi-natural experiment. The paper has found that establishing NEDC can significantly improve the green innovation efficiency of pilot cities, and its positive impact continues to increase over time. The effect of energy-saving policy has regional heterogeneity, and NEDC can promote the improvement of urban green innovation efficiency more in eastern and central China. The results of PSM-DID further verify the robustness of the previous conclusion. The results of SDM-DID show that NEDC has a positive spatial spillover effect on the improvement of urban green innovation efficiency. NEDC policy can effectively promote the improvement of green innovation efficiency in neighboring cities of pilot cities. Mechanism analysis shows that NEDC affects urban green innovation efficiency by optimizing industrial structure, reducing resource dependence and gathering innovative elements. This paper enriches the research on the effect of urban energy-saving policies and provides policy references for improving urban green innovation capabilities. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

- The integration of multi-energy sources in microgrids offers a promising approach to address the challenges of energy efficiency and bolster environmental stewardship. This paper presents a novel optimization scheduling model for multi-energy microgrids (MEMG) with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology in various renewable energy scenarios. The model effectively coordinates integrated demand response (IDR) and the flexible operation of waste heat utilization, enhancing energy utilization efficiency while ensuring user satisfaction. Furthermore, introducing flexible operation combined with ladder-type carbon trading minimizes operating costs and carbon emissions. The improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is employed to solve the eco-economic economic scheduling model. Simulation analysis shows that integrating CCS into MEMG can reduce carbon emissions by 74.4%, while lowering the overall cost by 37.9%. These findings not only improve MEMG's low-carbon and economic efficiency but also pave the way for environmentally responsible energy management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explores net carbon-neutral road transport options in the EU27 in 2050 from a well-to-wheel (WtW) perspective. To this aim, three scenarios have been developed regarding the evolution of the road vehicle fleet composition in terms of the degree of electrification of powertrains, and technical measures such as vehicle efficiency improvements, transport flow, and transport volumes have been considered. The fleet scenarios are further combined with four scenarios deploying different mixes of alternative fuels in 2050, including electricity, e-fuels, liquid/gaseous advanced biofuels and remaining fossil fuel components. Two different electricity production pathways are considered, as well, one of them assuming fully renewable electricity production, and an alternative one including residual shares of nuclear and natural gas power plants plus carbon capture and storage. The Joint Research Centre's DIONE model was used for the scenario calculations. From a tank-to-wheel (TtW) perspective, each scenario reduces energy consumption, mainly due to powertrain electrification, with EU27 TtW road vehicle energy consumption in 2050 ranging from roughly 650 to 1650 TWh, which is 20%–53% of that of 2019. For the most strongly electrified fleet scenario with optimistic assumptions on measures to improve vehicle efficiency, transport flow and transport volumes and renewable electricity production, well-to-tank (WtT) energy consumption is around 110–160 TWh, depending on the fuel scenario. If a moderately electrified fleet is propelled with e-fuels, even when assuming fully renewable electricity and optimistic measures, the WtT energy consumption increases ten times or more, to 1300 TWh (2150 TWh with pessimistic measures). The results show that fleet electrification is the strongest lever for WtW transport energy consumption reduction among the options considered. Other efficiency measures contribute significantly to energy savings, but their benefit decreases with increasing fleet electrification. The production pathways of fuels make a substantial difference for WtW fleet energy requirement if the fleet is moderately electrified, in which case e-fuels require significant amounts of additional renewable electricity. Nevertheless, fuel production pathways become irrelevant from an energetic point of view under very ambitious electrification scenarios since fuel volumes become marginal. The economic feasibility and the societal acceptability of different pathways towards WtW carbon-neutrality of road transport is out of scope of this paper and requires further investigation. • The study examines well-to-wheel scenarios for 2050 carbon neutral road transport. • Electrification is the strongest driver in transport energy consumption reduction. • Vehicle efficiency and activity impacts decrease with fleet electrification. • With high fleet electrification fuel production barely impacts energy consumption. • E-fuels require particularly large amounts of additional renewable electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the traditional dispatching optimization model is to find the most economical scheduling mode, while ignoring the efficient use of renewable energy. To properly arrange thermal power generation and renewable energy power generation, this paper constructs an optimization model of the combined wind–photovoltaic (PV)–thermal dispatching system under a carbon emissions trading (CET) mechanism. The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, a dispatching optimization model is proposed, which not only considers the total cost but also takes into account the impact of the renewable energy spillage rate on the dispatching system. As a factor affecting renewable energy consumption, a carbon emissions trading mechanism has also been introduced into the dispatching system. The second contribution is to develop a model for predicting the output of renewable energy generation. Then, the optimization model is applied to the auxiliary power dispatching system of the Tianzhong ±800 kV UHV DC transmission channel in Xinjiang. The results indicate that under a carbon emissions trading mechanism, thermal power generation will be limited by the carbon emissions cost, thereby reducing the total cost of the system. Optimizing the spillage rate increases the share of renewable energy in the dispatching system, resulting in a 3.5% reduction in the actual spillage rate. The proposed model alleviates the serious problem of electricity being abandoned in the existing scheduling mode and helps to realize economical low-carbon dispatching of the power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transnational power cooperation contributes to promoting the large-scale use of renewable energies in Asia, but how to develop the structure of power transmission network deserves careful investigation. This paper thoroughly investigates the structure of power investment and transmission network in China and neighbouring countries, aiming to promote the large-scale use of renewable energies around Asia. Various power-generation and power-transmission technologies are considered in detail, and transnational power interconnection risk cost and carbon emission cost are embedded into a bottom-up optimization model. The future power-generation structures and networks installed under various policy scenarios are analysed in detail, and the corresponding economic, carbon emission reduction and renewable energy consumption benefits are evaluated. The results show that power transmission between China's internal regions and neighbouring countries can save $56.7 billion for the entire power system through the large-scale grid integration of renewable energy. The installed capacities of wind power, solar power, and hydropower renewable energy power generation could be increased by 141 GW, 163 GW, and 58 GW, respectively. The construction of transnational transmission lines from Central Asia to Northwest China, Mongolia to North China, the Russian Far East to Northeast China, and Northeast China to South Korea could effectively promote the utilization of renewable energy in the Russian Far East, Mongolia and Central Asia and further reduce carbon emissions in China, Japan and South Korea. • It examines how to construct a power investment and transmission network in Asia. • Various technologies, risks and costs are considered based on bottom-up model. • Huge benefits exist for power transmission between China and neighbouring countries. • Various power-generation structures and networks installed are analysed in detail. • Suggestions about power investment and transmission are given for Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals are proposed by the Chinese government, which aims to reach the highest level of CO 2 emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. It is of great significance to accelerate green production and lead high-quality development. Energy carbon emissions account for 88% of total CO 2 emissions, while forest carbon sequestration account for 80% of China's terrestrial ecosystems. In this paper, we analyzed the spatial and temporal evolutions of industrial energy consumption carbon emissions and forest carbon sequestration of Hubei Province, then demonstrated the offsetting effect of forest carbon sequestration on the industrial CO 2 emissions. Our results documented energy carbon emissions and forest carbon sequestration in Hubei Province both increased from 2000 to 2020, with the growth rates of 4.9423 Mt/yr and 0.28015 Mt/yr. Forest carbon sequestration could offset energy carbon emissions before 2005, while the offsetting effect was weak due to the continuous increase in industrial energy consumption after 2005. Significant spatial heterogeneity was observed in both energy carbon emissions and forest carbon sequestration. Wuhan had the biggest carbon emission with annual average carbon emission of about 20.046 Mt, while Enshi had the biggest carbon sequestration with annual average forest carbon sequestration of about 14.411 Mt. Spatial autocorrelation between energy carbon emissions and forest carbon sequestration was significant in Hubei Province in the past two decades. Our findings provided evidence that local-scale forest carbon sequestration could offset carbon emissions caused by industrial energy consumption at a certain extent, helping to draw up the scientific energy-saving and emissions-reducing measures. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meeting energy needs and ensuring ecological sustainability are important tasks for policymakers. In particular, changing the energy mix used in daily electricity generation can have a major effect on ecological conditions, and this is a previously neglected research topic. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the influence of daily electricity generation from nuclear power and renewables on the achievement of carbon neutrality targets in the four largest nuclear power countries (i.e., the U.S., China, France, and Russia). The study applies the wavelet-transform coherence (WTC), quantile-on-quantile regression (QQR), and Granger causality in quantiles (GCQ) approaches for the period from January 2, 2019 to December 29, 2022. The outcomes present that electricity generation from nuclear energy reduces carbon (CO 2) emissions only in Russia, while hydropower generation does not contribute to CO 2 emission reduction in any country. Solar electricity generation decreases CO 2 emissions in different quantiles in the U.S. and Russia, while electricity generation from wind power reduces CO 2 emissions in the U.S. and France. The empirical outcomes also reveal that expanding solar, wind, and nuclear power in the energy mix can enhance the potential of the U.S., France, and Russia to achieve carbon neutrality and secure a sustainable future. However, China is using nuclear and renewables inefficiently regarding carbon neutrality. Therefore, the empirical evidence for China is highly controversial compared to former studies. [Display omitted] • The study examines renewable and nuclear electricity effect on carbon neutrality. • The study focuses on top four major nuclear power countries. • The study applies nonlinear approaches by using high-frequency (daily) data. • Renewable and nuclear electricity have time, frequency, & quantile-varying effect. • The best electricity source change according to each country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The five major power generation corporations dominate the power industry in China, and play vital roles in China's carbon trading scheme. Under this circumstance, this paper studies the allocation of carbon emission quotas to China's five major power generation corporations based on the fairness and efficiency principles, which proves the primary prerequisite for setting up the national carbon market. Specifically, a bi-level programming model is developed to optimally allocate carbon emission quotas to the corporations, and then a zero sum gains data envelopment analysis (ZSG-DEA) model is adopted to evaluate the efficiency of the allocation so as to adjust towards the optimal solution. The results indicate that power generation has significantly positive influence on the allocation of carbon emission quotas. Moreover, the difference between the sum of optimal carbon emissions and the sum of carbon quotas allocated is 1.431 billion tons, which implies that the emission reduction potential of the five major power generation corporations is tremendous. Finally, the bi-level model in this paper can well capture the context of China's power industry and provide effective results for the allocation of carbon quotas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry is one of the most energy-intensive industries in China, which contributes to high carbon emissions and hinders efforts to reduce the emissions. The high energy consumption and emission have seriously constrained the growth of low carbon economy in China's construction industry. And reducing the carbon emission from construction industry (CECI) has become the key to sustainable development and the achievement of "double carbon target". The paper firstly decomposes the main influencing factors and calculates their effects by LMDI model. Then, the Tapio decoupling index is used to explore the decoupling relationship between carbon emissions and economic output. Finally, the spatial-temporal evolution of carbon emissions is analyzed through spatial autocorrelation theory. The results show that the carbon emissions from construction industry are highly increased by the construction employment rate (EM), and may be reduced by the energy intensity (EI) and carbon emission efficiency (CI). And the regions with better decoupling status are the eastern and central regions, which have relatively developed construction industry. Moreover, the spatial-temporal characteristic of carbon emissions is "high in the east and low in the west, high in the south and low in the north," showing obviously regional differences. [Display omitted] • Factors about production technology are taken into account, reflecting the characteristics of the construction industry. • Developed regions have better decoupling potential and more responsibility for CO 2. • The spatial distribution is "high in the east and low in the west, high in the south and low in the north". • The provinces in a region have similar decoupling status and carbon emission distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taiwan's per capita carbon emissions ranks first in Asia. Whether Taiwan's current "2025 Non-Nuclear Homeland" energy transition policy can achieve the goal of greenhouse gas reduction is an issue that needs to be studied urgently. On the basis of studying the status quo of energy supply and demand and carbon emissions in Taiwan, this paper first uses an econometric model to predict Taiwan's energy demand from 2021 to 2030, and then uses a Markov chain model to predict its energy structure changes and CO 2 emission trends under different scenarios, and evaluates the impact of its energy transition policies on carbon emission reduction goals. On this basis, by comparing the carbon trading markets on both sides of the Taiwan strait, the feasibility of and obstacles to the cross-strait cooperation in the carbon trading market are discussed in depth, and the opportunities for future cross-strait cooperation in the carbon trading market are proposed innovatively. The empirical results of this paper show that the carbon emissions in 2025 under the energy transition policy will be reduced by 59.8–61.1 million tons compared with those without planning constraints, but compared with the carbon reduction target (a reduction of 124.8–133 million tons), there is still a long way to go. The contribution potential of the annual carbon emission reduction target is only 45.9%–47.9%, and the contribution potential in 2030 is 57.2%–60.1%. The current "2025 Non-Nuclear Homeland" policy is not in line with Taiwan's current reality, and it is difficult to achieve the expected carbon reduction goal. In order to realize the energy transition in Taiwan in the future, it is necessary to make overall planning of energy policies, explore the cross-strait power cooperation model, and gradually try to build a cross-strait carbon trading market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Changes in consumer behavior due to a personal carbon trading (PCT) scheme are theoretically attractive, yet untested in practice. In this paper, simulations on the basis of an equilibrium model are used to examine the effects of carbon allowance prices on energy use choice under a particular PCT scheme. It is shown that the equilibrium price of allowances would emerge under the PCT scheme considered here. Further analyses indicate that the quantity of energy consumption under PCT is a nonlinear function of the allowance price, with a sharp kink at the point of equilibrium. When the allowance price is below the equilibrium price, consumers would prefer higher-carbon energy. In contrast, when the allowance price is above the equilibrium price, consumers would choose lower-carbon energy. However, when the allowance price equals the equilibrium value, consumers would purchase lower-carbon energy and higher-carbon energy simultaneously. Furthermore, it is shown that the initial allowance allocation could also affect energy use choice. On the basis of these results, one of the main implications is that the allowance price should exceed the breakeven price to stimulate consumers to switch to green energy and progressively live a low-carbon lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, carbon emissions produced by coal consumption have raised concerns around the world, but the carbon emissions associated with coal production should also be considered. As China's second-largest province for coal production, it is of extreme importance around the whole country for small and medium-sized coal enterprises in Inner Mongolia to achieve low-carbon transition. In this paper, we apply the IPAT equation to analyze the relationships among environmental impact, population, affluence and technology. The results of the analysis show that technological innovation can make an environmental impact or can cause pollutant emissions of a unit GDP to decline. Technological innovation is viewed as an avenue for environmental improvement, and corporate entities are key players in the environmental improvement. This equation can also be used indirectly on the micro-scale, for example, to determine the directions of development of enterprises and encourage the enterprises to achieve low-carbon transition as soon as possible. Selecting the example of a surface coal mine in Inner Mongolia (China) under the framework of cleaner production and the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ), cleaner production options helping to reduce carbon emissions were proposed and implemented. Through the implementation of the options, carbon emissions of the coal mine were reduced by approximately 4%. Contributing cleaner production options for reducing carbon emissions mainly include increasing the efficiency of energy usage, substitution of environmentally friendly materials, optimization of process controls and changing process technologies. The results obtained in this paper can not only provide a decision-making foundation for the local governments when they invest in carbon reduction projects but also play an exemplary role for other similar enterprises to reduce carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the challenge of climate change, personal carbon trading was put forward as a policy instrument to promote low carbon behavior in the household sector. To evaluate the effectiveness of this scheme, it is important to gain insight into the allowance trading and energy consumption behavior in a long emission commitment period. This paper proposes a dynamic programming model to investigate allowance trading and energy consumption. A main feature of the model is its consideration of allowance banking and borrowing activities. Ten simulated scenarios with different allowance prices, price volatility and carbon emission rates are discussed. The findings show that consumers would trade more actively when allowance price is volatile. It is also found that energy consumption and allowance trading will decrease when the carbon emission rate increases. Overall the analysis in this paper implies that personal carbon trading scheme would be an effective policy measure to change consumers' behavior. Therefore it would be valuable for decision-makers to consider the introduction and implementation of this scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze River Delta region is one of the key areas of energy transition for China's carbon neutrality. The pathways to carbon neutrality are diverse in the regional level due to the different conditions on the energy supply and demand side. How to construct comprehensive assessment index system and evaluate regional pathways to carbon neutrality is an urgent problem to be solved. To fill this gap, this paper evaluates the carbon neutrality pathways of supply-side and demand-side coordination in the Yangtze River Delta region using the Low Emissions Analysis Platform with five scenarios (64 sub-scenarios): Business as usual, energy intensity decrease, energy structure reform, power supply technology innovation and policies mix. The simulation results indicate that: (1) 22 of the 64 sub-scenarios can achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. (2) In energy intensity decrease scenario, an annual 6% reduction in energy intensity could achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. (3) The policies mix scenario can lead to 21 sub-scenarios with pathways to achieve carbon neutrality when the average annual energy intensity decreases by 4% or more. Additionally, the end-use sectors electrification level should reach 64.19% at least by 2060. (4) There can be 14 sub-scenarios to achieve zero carbon emissions in the power plant sector, but annual energy intensity should be reduced by at least 4%. Applying Analytic Hierarchy Process analysis, the article evaluated the 22 sub-scenarios with the index of regional pathways to carbon neutrality. The result shows that the mixed policies of energy intensity reduction, energy structure reformation and power technology innovation can promote the coordination of supply-side and demand-side. This study can provide reference for policymakers to formulate effective policies to realize carbon neutrality. • The coordination of energy supply and energy demand is assessed. • A model with five scenarios (64 sub-scenarios) is developed for carbon neutrality. • Energy intensity drops by 4% or more can lead to multiple carbon neutral pathways. • A comprehensive assessment index of regional carbon neutral pathways is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emission is not as free as they used to be. Under the carbon emission tax policy, manufacturers face a choice of whether to reduce their carbon emission through remanufacturing or low-carbon technologies. In this paper, we characterize the optimal carbon emission tax policy through a two-period production decision model, in which new products and remanufactured products are clearly distinguishable. The effects of a carbon emission tax on the optimal production decision of manufacturing and remanufacturing is investigated. It is found that there are rational remanufacturing production strategies for different products based on different remanufacturing cost savings and carbon emission savings per remanufactured product under a carbon emission tax policy. Manufacturers can offset the cannibalisation and negative economic impact of the carbon emission tax policy by making low-carbon emission technology investment. Furthermore, the government can stimulate the manufacturer to invest in carbon emission reduction technologies and remanufacturing simultaneously by choosing a reasonable carbon emission tax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, China's economy and energy structure are deeply adjusting to the direction of low-carbonization and non-carbonization with unprecedented efforts. This paper considered carbon emissions and energy endowments, adopted SBM-Undesirable model and spatial Durbin model to calculate the energy efficiency of 30 provinces and municipalities in China from 2015 to 2019 and analyze the direct effect, indirect effect and total effect on energy efficiency of 7 variables. Empirical results show that: Energy efficiency has spatial positive correlation and agglomeration characteristics; The main influencing factor of China's energy efficiency is energy consumption structure; Regions with strong energy endowment bear the environmental pollution cost of energy consumption areas in China; Environment Kuznets Curve (EKC) exists in China, but different provinces and municipalities are distributed in disparate stages; Research and development (R&D) investment only affects local energy efficiency, and has no spillover effect on surrounding areas in China; Foreign direct investment (FDI) has negative impacts on China's energy efficiency, and there is a phenomenon of pollution paradise. The valuable conclusions obtained in this study deepens the insights about the influencing factors of China's energy efficiency under the constraints of carbon emission and energy endowment. Energy efficiency has spatial positive correlation and agglomeration characteristics; The main influencing factor of China's energy efficiency is energy consumption structure; Regions with strong energy endowment bear the environmental pollution cost of energy consumption areas in China; Environment Kuznets Curve (EKC) exists in China, but different provinces and municipalities are distributed in disparate stages; Research and development (R&D) investment only affects local energy efficiency, and has no spillover effect on surrounding areas in China; Foreign direct investment (FDI) has negative impacts on China's energy efficiency, and there is a phenomenon of pollution paradise. [Display omitted] • Energy efficiency has spatial positive correlation and agglomeration characteristics. • Energy consumption structure mainly affects energy efficiency. • Environment Kuznets Curve exists in China. • "Pollution paradise hypothesis" exists in foreign direct investment. • Environmental pollution is transferred to surrounding provinces through resource trades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal Carbon Trading (PCT) is a downstream cap-and-trade scheme to reduce carbon emissions from the household sector. In comparison to an upstream carbon trading scheme, PCT is a progressive scheme in which the poorer consumers are mostly ‘winners’, as their levels of emissions are generally lower. This paper investigates the equilibrium price for allowances and distributional effects under a PCT scheme. First, we propose an equilibrium model for PCT from which we derive an equilibrium price for allowances. Second, a consumer surplus analysis is conducted to examine the welfare changes caused by the PCT scheme. Generally, we find that the PCT scheme is progressive and can provide a buffer between the energy and allowance price. Based on these results, the implications are discussed and suggestions for a future study are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing energy and material consumption associated with global economic growth has resulted in the need for more severe efforts at mitigating global climate change. The iron and steel industry consumes 8% of energy and emits 7% of total CO 2 globally. China's iron and steel industry contributes to 15% of that country's total CO 2 emissions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore the possibility of net zero emissions in the iron and steel industry in China to meet China's goal of carbon neutrality before 2060. In the study presented in this paper, the MESSAGEix–China iron and steel model was developed by integrating the process-based technology of the sector into the IIASA's MESSAGEix framework to explore zero CO 2 emission pathways and their associated impacts on resources, energy, and water in China's iron and steel industry up to 2100. We found that there are multiple pathways to achieving zero CO 2 emissions in the Chinese iron and steel industry by the end of the 21st century. More specifically, in all the pathways developed in this study, CO 2 emissions decreased significantly between 2030 and 2060 due to the rapid application of 100% scrap-based Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs) and hydrogen-based Direct Reduced Iron (DRI)-EAFs steel-making technologies. However, by 2060, there will still be 70–360 Mt of CO 2 emissions from China's iron and steel industry; consequently, carbon sink or negative emission technologies are required to offset this and achieve the country's carbon neutrality goal. Furthermore, technologies for achieving zero emissions differ widely in terms of their impacts on the consumption of materials and energy. Compared to the electric (ELE) scenarios, 25–40% of extra iron ore is consumed in the current and new national policy (NPS) scenarios and the DRI scenarios, but 25–220% of scrap is required. At the same time, 20–150% more energy will be saved in the ELE scenarios than in the NPS and DRI scenarios. Finally, we recommend that policy makers design a cross-cutting strategy to achieve zero CO 2 emissions and enhance efforts for material recycling and the provision of clean energy and water. • There are multiple pathways to achieving net zero emissions in China's iron and steel industry. • Steel outputs are essential for reducing CO 2 emissions and conserving materials, energy, and water. • Hydrogen-based DRI and 100% scrap-EAFs technologies are key to achieving zero emissions. • CO 2 mitigation measures have limited impacts on water consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable design of pavements is necessary for achieving carbon neutrality, which is the important goal for green pavements. In order to investigate the impacts of major design parameters on the environmental and economic performances of asphalt pavement, process life cycle assessment (LCA) and process life cycle cost (LCC) methods were used. And this paper mainly focuses on the effects of pavement type, resilient modulus of subgrade, thickness of adjustable layer, traffic level and the bidirectional annual average daily traffic volume of two-axis six-wheel and above vehicles (AADTT) on environmental and economic performances of asphalt pavement. Then energy consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, construction budget and environmental economy cost of heavy traffic and medium traffic asphalt pavement were quantitatively analyzed during construction period. The results indicate that the energy consumption, GHG emission, construction budget and environmental economy cost of each layer of semi-rigid and flexible base asphalt pavement are the largest in the materials preparation stage, followed by the transportation stage and the construction stage. The above environmental and economic indicators are mainly influenced by AADTT, adjustable layer thickness and pavement type of asphalt pavement during construction period, while the resilient modulus of subgrade has minor effect on environmental and economic indicators. Overall, the energy consumption and GHG emission of the flexible base asphalt pavement are lower than that of the semi-rigid base asphalt pavement, although flexible base asphalt pavement has higher construction budget and environmental economy cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global energy interconnection (GEI) is vital for countries to achieve clean energy production and carbon neutrality. To improve the construction efficiency of GEI projects, capital allocation efficiency and its driving factors must be analyzed. Therefore, this study uses a three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to evaluate the capital allocation efficiency of 161 countries. The results demonstrate that there is spatial heterogeneity in global capital allocation efficiency and that most countries have low levels of efficiency. The average pure efficiency is 0.364 and the average scale efficiency is only 0.176. To determine the fastest possible method of improving efficiency in different countries, this paper combined an adjusted three-stage DEA model with a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to quantify the driving factors of capital allocation efficiency. The level of economic development is the main driving factor, whereas government support has the least influence on capital allocation efficiency. Furthermore, the coefficients of the influence of each driving factor vary significantly across different regions. In conclusion, this study quantitatively estimates the efficiency of capital allocation for GEI projects and explores the key driving factors of efficiency from the perspective of heterogeneity, and makes targeted recommendations for countries to improve efficiency. • Environmental variables generally masks the inefficiency of GEI capital allocation. • The average pure efficiency is 0.364 and the average scale efficiency is only 0.176. • Capital allocation efficiency are spatially correlated globally. • The economic development level is the main driving factor of capital allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon trading mechanism is considered an effective method for improving energy efficiency, and reducing pollution. In this regard, two methods of considering reward-penalty on the supply and demand sides as well as user satisfaction are the most effective ways to improve the carbon trading mechanism. Herein, this paper proposes a bilayer optimization model of the community-integrated energy service system. The population in the community is mainly divided into office workers and retirees, and their preferences are fully considered. The user considers electric energy reduction and substitution modes to optimize the energy consumption behavior in the reward stage. And the service provider considers the full consumption of wind and photovoltaic power and optimizes the output of each unit in the penalty stage. The effect of reward-penalty factors on the supply and demand sides is analyzed. The algorithm used to achieve bilayer optimization is the hybrid solution algorithm, which adopts the improved particle swarm optimization algorithm and CPLEX solver. The experimental results show that the costs of office workers and retirees are reduced by an average of 18.2% and 12.2%, respectively. And the service provider's profit is increased by 15.28%. The results also provide site selection strategies for energy supply. • A carbon trading mechanism that considers the reward-penalty is proposed. • An integrated energy service system that considers user satisfaction is proposed. • The total cost of users has dropped by an average of 12.72%. • The profit of the energy service provider has increased by an average of 15.28%. • The conclusions provide certain help of site location for energy supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China launched seven emissions trading scheme (ETS) pilots in 2011, and a national ETS, at the end of 2017 in an attempt to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and drive its extensive energy transition in a cost-effective way. The Hubei province pilot ETS has operated since 2014, and an analysis of its effectiveness can provide lessons for the nascent national system. This paper disaggregates Hubei's industrial carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions from 2005 to 2018 into economic scale, economic structure, energy efficiency, and energy structure effects using the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI). Difference-in-difference (DID) models then assess the implementation effectiveness of this ETS, and its impact on the main influencing factors of the LMDI. Ten cities each in the Hubei and Hunan provinces are selected as treatment and control groups, respectively, in the DID models. Results show that the change in industrial CO 2 emissions is mainly due to the economic scale and energy efficiency effects. After the ETS implementation, the energy structure effect has a limited impact on emissions, while the economic structure effect makes a negligible contribution. Moreover, the implementation of the ETS has had little demonstrable impact on industrial CO 2 emissions, gross domestic product (GDP), energy consumption intensity, and CO 2 emission intensity. This lacking of impact is caused by the GHG monitoring capacity deficits of the local Development and Reform Commission, and irrational quota allocations. Effective supervision and quota allocation should be developed to increase the impacts of the ETS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy Consumption monitoring technology (ECMT) can effectively reduce the energy consumption of public buildings (PB) in the operational phase, but it is not used widely in China. The main reason for this is that the existing policies have a poor effect on diffusing ECMT; thus, studying the impact of different policy instruments on ECMT in PB is of great significance to the widespread use of ECMT and its role in decreasing the energy consumption of PB. This paper systematically reviews the policy related to ECMT in China from 1990 to 2018, and, on this basis, divides the promotion stage of China's ECMT into three stages: the concept stage, the demonstration stage and the gradual promotion stage. A questionnaire survey and semi-structured interview of 313 stakeholders (ECMT suppliers, government officials, and scholars) was used to study the influence of command-and-control instruments (CAC), economic incentive instruments (EI) and exhortatory instruments (EXI) on the diffusion of ECMT in PB. The empirical results show that CAC and EXI contribute to the diffusion of ECMT in PB, whereas EI do not. In more detail, laws and regulations, energy consumption quotes, education and information programs, and energy audits and disclosure also have a significant impact on diffusing ECMT, whereas technical standards, subsidies for adopting ECMT, energy performance contracting, and carbon trading do not. Finally, relevant policies and suggestions are put forward based on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emissions in China have attracted increasing world attention with rapid urbanization of this country. It is critical for the government to identify the key factors causing these emissions and take controlling measures. Consistent results have not been achieved yet although some research has been conducted on the factors leading to emissions. Meanwhile, there is still considerable room to improve the methods of previous research. Index decomposition analysis (IDA) is the main method for quantifying the impact of different factors on carbon emissions. At present, the widely used forms of IDA are primarily the Laspeyres and the Divisia index methods. Compared with the Laspeyres and the majority of the Divisia index methods, the generalized Fisher index (GFI) decomposition method can eliminate the residuals and has better factor decomposition characteristics. This paper chooses Beijing as a typical example and analyzes the factors causing carbon emissions. Based on the extended Kaya identity, we built a multivariate generalized Fisher index decomposition model to measure the impacts of economic growth, population size, energy intensity and energy structure on energy-related carbon emissions from 1995 to 2012 in Beijing. The results show that the sustained growth of economic output in Beijing was the leading factor in carbon emissions. Population size had a stimulating effect on the growth of carbon emissions during this period; the pulling effect increased after 2003 and then decreased slightly after 2011 with a cumulative effect of 165.4%. Energy intensity was the primary factor restraining carbon emissions, and the inhibition effect increased yearly. The continuous optimization of the energy structure had no obvious inhibitory effect on carbon emissions. To control carbon emissions, Beijing should continue to adjust the mode of economic development and appropriately control the population size while improving energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]