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CO 2 sequestration has proven to be an attractive way to combat global warming. However, due to the corrosive nature of CO 2 , chemical reactions between CO 2 and the host rock can happen after the injection. This study reviews the current state of knowledge about chemical reactions and their effects on the mineralogy, structure, mechanical, deformation, and transport properties of different types of rocks from research papers published in 2004–2024. In addition to drawing a comprehensive picture of the research that has been done on the subject and the gaps that need to be filled, this review combined the data from the papers to introduce the relationships between exposure conditions (CO 2 pressure, exposure duration, and temperature) and mineralogy, strength, and elastic properties, and permeability of multiple types of rocks. Results showed that some minerals like quartz are not affected by CO 2 while others like carbonates can easily be dissolved. Datapoints from various papers showed a negative effect of CO 2 pressure and exposure duration, and a positive effect of temperature on the strength properties of rocks. An increase in permeability was another consequence of CO 2 treatment in most cases. This study is one of the first works to gather data from multiple sources in developing relationships between CO 2 treatment conditions and the strength properties of rocks. Results will potentially improve understanding and prediction of the effect of CO 2 on the properties and behavior of rocks. [Display omitted] • Quartz, unlike carbonates, is not impacted by CO 2. • Dissolution/precipitation of minerals leads to increase/decrease in pore volume. • The compressive strength mostly decreases with an increase in CO 2 pressure. • Bulk and elastic moduli of rocks decrease after CO 2 treatment. • CO 2 increases the permeability of most rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are some problems in the applications of phase change materials, such as liquid leakage during solid-liquid phase change, and low thermal conductivity during heat transfer process. Three-dimensional network (3DN) structural materials stood out among many encapsulation materials of composite phase change materials (CPCMs) due to the advantages of three-dimensional interoperability, high porosity and low density. In this paper, the characteristics, advantages and preparation methods of 3DN-CPCMs were reviewed. Then, the influencing factors on the thermal, photothermal conversion and mechanical properties of 3DN-CPCMs were summarized from three aspects: pore structure, surface properties and chemical composition. Finally, the applications of 3DN-CPCMs in various fields were introduced, and their current challenges and future development were also discussed. This paper systematically discussed and analyzed the inherent relationship among the composition, structure, properties and applications of 3DN-CPCMs, which was helpful for deeper understanding of the latest research progress in 3DN-CPCMs and reasonable design and controllable preparation of the high-performance CPCMs. [Display omitted] • Research progress of 3DN-based phase change composites was reviewed. • Effects of pore, surface and composition on properties were discussed. • Multiple application prospects and development directions were outlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power transformer is one of the most important and critical assets involved in the grid and, at the same time, one of the most expensive. Several transformer condition parameters allow to assess the degradation of assets. These help in the decision-making process on the operation, repair, refurbishment, or replacement of transformers. Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) is one of the most commonly used methods to manage maintenance and establish the health index of power transformers, as well as to identify the type of fault. This paper examines and explores the studies related to graphical methods for the identification of faults in power transformers that had been developed over the last almost 50 years. The main types of faults and the sub-types presented in the analysed studies are compiled in this paper. The main differences between the methods in terms of their graphical representation, number of gases used, type of data used from the DGA results, and number of faults and sub-faults identifiable in each of them, are also presented. The application of the reviewed methods was carried out using two real DGA results. [Display omitted] • This paper reviews graphical methods for identifying transformer insulation faults. • Twenty-seven graphical methods were developed over the last 50 years. • Nine different shapes of graphical methods were found. • There are five different ways of using DGA results to identify faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen, as a clean and efficient energy source, is important in achieving zero-CO 2 targets. This paper explores the potential of hydrogen geologic storage (HGS) in China for large-scale energy storage, crucial for stabilizing intermittent renewable energy sources and managing peak demand. Despite its promise, HGS faces challenges due to hydrogen's low density and viscosity, and its complex interactions with geological formations and microorganisms. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the current research status for HGS, with a particular focus on highlighting the main challenges confronting China. These difficulties and challenges primarily arise from complex geological conditions and the absence of fundamental parameters within potential reservoirs, including depleted oil/gas fields, salt caverns, and brine aquifers. Additionally, we have synthesized the current applications of machine learning (ML)as a potential solution. Key challenges are examined, such as the effects of operational parameters (e.g., cyclical injection-production and injection rates) on HGS efficiency, which can influence phenomena such as hydrogen fingering and caprock integrity. This review also looks into the insufficiently understood hydrogen-water-rock geochemical reactions under diverse temperatures and pressures, a gap that hampers the development of predictive numerical simulations and raises concerns about hydrogen leakage due to changes in porosity and permeability. Additionally, the paper addresses the limited knowledge about the metabolic mechanisms of subsurface microorganisms under extreme conditions, highlighting potential risks of hydrogen leakage and groundwater contamination. These microorganisms can metabolize hydrogen, producing gases such as CH 4 and H 2 S, which may cause steel corrosion. Furthermore, the study assesses the distribution and prospects of three primary methods for pure hydrogen storage in China, considering the current state of hydrogen development and relevant government policies. The role of ML in advancing HGS is also discussed, offering insights into future research directions. This review not only scrutinizes the scientific challenges of HGS but also underscores its potential, guiding future simulation and practical engineering applications in this field. • HGS is feasibility in China through policy examination and potential site analysis. • Geochemical and microbial reactions jeopardize to reservoir integrity and H 2 quality. • Elucidating the present application and future prospective for ML in HGS. • Summarizing the key challenges associated with achieving large-scale HGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, vibration signals have been widely applied for the identification of mechanical states in oil-immersed transformers. This paper, following the framework of 'vibration generation – sensing – processing – recognition – evaluation – solution,' introduces the progress in mechanical state recognition of oil-immersed transformers based on vibration signals from a novel sensor-oriented perspective, which covers sensor deployment, sensor specialization, and equipment integration. The advancements in signal processing and feature selection are also discussed and compared with the identification of states in rotating machinery. To Address challenges like limited rule transferability and the weakness in vibration characteristics and models, some emerging technologies such as Operational Modal Analysis and multisource data fusion are introduced, which may bring new prospects. This paper aims to provide scholars engaged in research on the mechanical state identification of transformers and other electrical equipment with some technical references. • Advances in transformer mechanical state recognition via vibration signals are discussed from a sensor-oriented view. • A cross-comparison of vibration characteristics used for diagnostics in transformers and rotating machinery is conducted. • Emerging tech like Operational Modal Analysis and sensor specialization are discussed for rule transfer challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the editorial for the virtual special issue (VSI) of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (RSER) dedicated to three Sustainable Development of Energy Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) Conferences held in 2022, namely: (i) the 5th South East European Conference SEESDEWES 2022 held from May 22 to 26, 2022 in Vlore, Albania; (ii) the 3rd Latin American LASDEWES 2022 held from July 24 to 28, 2022 in Sao Paulo, Brazil and (iii) the 17th SDEWES 2022 held from November 6 to 10, 2022 in Paphos, Cyprus. The VSI collected both high quality review papers and original research articles presented at these conferences, aligning with the aims and scope of RSER. Following a rigorous peer review process, seventeen articles were accepted and published. These articles explore techniques and technologies essential for advancing feasible Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems. Spanning multidisciplinary topics, many of them address almost all the Sustainable Development Goals, offering feasible solutions for much-needed decarbonization pathways. • The VSI SDEWES 2022 presents the ready solutions for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems. • Five clusters for presenting the Renewable and Sustainable energy cutting edge solutions. • The positioning in the scientific context of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems. • Feasible solutions for much-needed decarbonization pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy intensive processes are embedded in the socio-economic and political fabric of our societies; therefore a "green industrial revolution" entails major technical achievements and profound social transformations. In this uncertain landscape, businesses face a crucial but difficult position: they need to manage the decline of their legacy assets, are expected to provide stable employment, and must contribute to national energy resilience and security. As such, significant societal risks are associated to business positioning towards decarbonisation. This paper describes "sunset" versus "sunrise" corporate strategies and their interconnections with market developments, citizens, and government's support to low-carbon transitions. Using a qualitative System Dynamics approach, the paper highlights vicious and virtuous feedback mechanisms where accumulations and tipping points may arise. While defensive strategies to preserve fossil-based assets may appear rational in the short-term, they can have deleterious long-term effects for business and society. The main risks stem from the creation of stranded physical, financial, and human assets. On the contrary, incumbents can increase market certainty and generate industry-society co-benefits by engaging in skills transfers and sending clear innovation signals to investors. The findings, synthetised in a Causal Loop Diagram highlighting key variables and delays, constitute a building step towards improving the realism of energy systems modelling. The study also provides a discussion on centralisation and the political power dynamics of national energy transitions. • Industrial decarbonisation is a society-wide transformation • The study elicits interconnections between "sunset" and "sunrise" business strategies, markets, citizens and governments • A System Dynamics approach is used to synthetize feedback mechanisms and key variables in a Causal loop diagram (CLD) • The accumulation of stranded assets and skills may impact stability and delay transitions while clear innovation signals enhance market certainty • Intangible human factors are essential components of strategic decision making. The study discusses political power dynamics and contributes to improved realism in energy transition modelling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Findings on PEMFC designs grew tremendously in the past decade. Commercially, PEMFCs are usually configured in a stack to achieve higher electrochemical output. However, the two-phase fluid transport in a multiple-cell stack raises the complexity of reactant diffusion towards the porous electrodes than a single-cell stack as the higher current generation naturally increases water and heat production. Ensuring optimum hydration with even thermal distribution is critical in maintaining the MEA durability and overall electrochemical performance. Therefore, this review paper provides a comprehensive discussion of how the inconsistencies in water and thermal distribution impact the electrochemical reactiveness within the cell and electrode layers of a multiple-cell PEMFC stack. Targeting the bipolar plate design is not only essential for uniform fluid distribution but it can also be used to maximise the contact surface area to achieve a greater reactant consumption rate. Hence, the effect of varying manifold, flow field and distribution zone designs towardthe fluid and reaction dynamics per cell of a multiple-cell stack were discussed based on available literature. Although the difference in water and heat saturation between single- and multiple-cell stacks could be highlighted clearly in this paper, more research is needed particularly for novel bipolar plate designs. This would be essential knowledge in generating an optimal bipolar plate design that can enhance the durability and performance of PEMFC stacks. • Water and temperature dispersal in multiple-cell PEMFC stacks differ from single-cell units. • Cell dehydration causes higher performance loss in fuel cells compared to flooding. • The fluid dynamics and electrochemical responses across a single-cell stack differ from a multiple-cell stack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of their low computational costs, surrogate models (SMs), also known as meta-models, have attracted attention as simplified approximations of detailed simulations. Besides conventional statistical approaches, machine-learning techniques, such as neural networks (NNs), have been used to develop surrogate models. However, surrogate models based on NNs are currently not developed in a consistent manner. The development process of the models is not adequately described in most studies. There may be some doubt regarding the abilities of such models due to a lack of documented validation. In order to address these issues, this paper presents a protocol for the systematic development of NN-based surrogate models and how the procedure should be reported and justified. The protocol covers the model development procedure sample generation, data processing, SM training and validation, how to report the implementation, and how to justify the modeling choices. The protocol is used to critically review the quality of NN-based SMs in the prediction of building energy consumption. Sixty-eight papers are reviewed, and details of the developed surrogate models are summarized. The reported developing procedures were evaluated using the criteria proposed in the protocol. The results show that the selection of the number of neurons is the best-implemented step with a justification, followed by the determination of model architecture, mostly justified in a discussion way. While greater focus should be given to sample dataset generation, especially input variables selection, considering independence check and clear report of model validation on training and test data. Also, data preprocessing is strongly recommended. [Display omitted] • A protocol for developing and evaluating surrogate models. • A systematic procedure for developing neural-network-based surrogate models. • Overall quality assessment of developed surrogate models in building energy. • Typical configurations used in building energy neural network-based surrogate models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid growth in population and economic development in Iran and its neighboring countries has resulted in a dramatic increase in electricity demand over the past few years. A substantial amount of electricity must be produced to meet this growing demand in this region. By installing conventional fossil power plants, using renewable energy, and interconnecting with neighboring countries, this growing demand can be accomplished. The main aim of this research is to identify prospects and challenges in the electrical sector around Iran. To this end, this paper evaluates the existing and future state of the electrical sector in Iran and its neighboring countries. Despite the fact that there is still a long way to go in terms of renewable energy in this region, there are some promising targets for the future that will allow fossil fuels to be replaced effectively. Notwithstanding this, we should point out that a number of cross-border interconnection projects are being pursued by Iran and its neighbors in order to integrate their networks and supply this growing demand. Finally, this study presents an overview of the future prospects and challenges of electricity capacity expansion, cross-border interconnections, and electricity transmission corridors in this region. The review results provide comprehensive background knowledge to all the researchers in order to investigate further into the field. This paper assists energy policy makers regarding the development of sustainable energy planning. • •In addition to providing a general overview of the geographical location, population growth, and economic indicators of Iran and its neighboring countries, this paper presents the current state of the Iranian electricity sector and its neighboring countries in light of the trends in electricity production, energy mix, price, and exports and imports. • •This paper explores the existing and future states of electricity capacity expansion in the region, specifically focusing on renewable energy sources. • •The existing and future states of cross-border electricity interconnections are examined to present a comprehensive overview of the cross-border interconnections in this region. • •This region's potential electricity transmission corridors are proposed to create the opportunity to transmit electricity across countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing integration of distributed energy resources has led to heightened complexity in distribution network models, posing challenges of uncertainty and volatility to the operation and control of distribution networks. Simultaneously, the widespread deployment of metering and sensing devices has furnished data-driven approaches with copious data sources. As a potent tool for data mining, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms have the capacity to harness extensive datasets, thus furnishing comprehensive energy services for distribution grids. This paper provides a comprehensive exposition of AI techniques applied in the realm of distribution network voltage control (DNVC). Initially, a brief overview is provided for the four voltage control frameworks and the data calibration of DNVC, serving as the foundation for various voltage control algorithms. Subsequently, in ascending order of algorithmic advancement, the application of improved heuristic algorithms, deep learning (DL) algorithms structured around artificial neural networks (ANNs), and deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithms in the DNVC domain are sequentially introduced, and the relationships among the three AI technologies in framework, control principles, and performance are systematically analyzed. Additionally, attention is directed toward the algorithmic progress made in addressing specific challenges within the DNVC process. Lastly, building upon extant research, the paper summarizes four prominent developmental directions for AI in DNVC: safety exploration, information privacy, multi-feeder collaboration, and heightened uncertainty. Corresponding solutions to each of these directions are individually discussed. • The research status and applications of mainly used AI methods in distribution network voltage control is reviewed. • The relationships among the three artificial intelligence methods are systematically analyzed. • The existing algorithms, along with their strengths, limitations, and relationshipsare highlighted. • The research directions of artificial intelligence methods in distribution network voltage control are discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to understand the effect of porous structures on boiling heat transfer, this review investigates and evaluates the preparation methods, critical heat fluxes and heat transfer coefficients of porous structures in the field of pool boiling heat transfer over the last decade. The types of porous structures formed can be divided into particle stacking structures and monolithic hollow structures. Typical particle stacking structures are sintered particle structures, or dendritic porous structures formed by electrodeposition, which have an abundance of nucleation sites. Monolithic hollow structures are represented by metal foams, which have a relatively large volume of pores. Furthermore, there are many factors that influence the heat transfer effectiveness of these porous structures, such as nucleation sites, pore space, thickness, and others. Nanoscale porous structures also have some unusual heat transfer phenomena during boiling, such as weakening of initial heat transfer, wall temperature reduction at high heat fluxes, and boiling hysteresis. In this paper, the above anomalies are explained. However, several important challenges related to porous structures need to be addressed. For example, how to maximize the advantages of pore characteristics and to propose accurate models for predicting heat flux. Nevertheless, this paper presents some suggestions to develop micro-nano composite structures for optimizing the heat dissipation effect of the structure and to develop predictive models using pore characteristics as parameters. The development of porous structures responds to the needs of thermal management policies, helps to solve heat dissipation problems and can play a key role in sustainable development. [Display omitted] • The porous structure is divided into particle units and monolithic units for separate analysis according to their forming characteristics. • The effectiveness of different types of porous structures for boiling heat transfer applications are sorted out. • Critical heat flux prediction models that can be used for porous structures are evaluated. • The factors affecting the effectiveness of boiling heat transfer in porous structures have been classified and analyzed. • The reasons for the heat transfer advantages of porous structures are explained in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy transition requires a high penetration of reliable and flexible renewable energy. To do so, low-cost, efficient, high capacity and environmentally friendly storage technologies to manage the mismatch between energy production and demand are required. Carnot Batteries are considered as promising energy storage solutions tackling these requirements and storing electrical energy as thermal energy and releasing it whenever necessary while operating on reversible thermodynamic cycles. In Carnot Batteries, power is managed through rotating machines, such as compressors and turbines, and energy is stored as heat in thermal energy storages. In recent years, thermal cycles exploiting Carbon Dioxide (CO 2) as operating fluid, in sub-critical, trans -critical and supercritical conditions, are gaining major interest, thanks to their versatility and high performance, especially for large scale applications. This paper provides an in-depth review on the state of the art of global R&D activities on the use of carbon dioxide for large scale Carnot Battery application, while providing preliminary market and technology maturity breakdown. Different studies on CO 2 -Carnot Batteries at industrial and academic levels are discussed in detail while highlighting the novelty and improvement methods. Detailed information on battery parameters of charging, discharging and storage have been listed and critically analysed, finally concluding with SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threats) and TRL (Technology Readiness Level) analyses for future developments. [Display omitted] • Academic and industrial outlook on CO2-Carnot batteries. • Important design parameters of charging, storage and discharging are tabulated for each study • · Critical analysis of the design parameters and performance • Roadmap for future developments on CO2-Carnot batteries [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tailor-made Fuels from Biomass (TMFB) project aims to develop renewable and environmentally friendly fuels suitable for internal combustion engines (ICEs). The TMFB fuels can be produced from lignocellulose, helping to avoid land competition with edible food for production. After years of research, 2-butanone, 2-methylfuran (2-MF), 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF), n-octanol, and di-n-butyl ether (DnBE), have been identified as the promising TMFB fuels that are suitable for ICEs. This paper first discusses the physicochemical properties of the above five fuels. It then reviews the experimentally measured fundamental combustion characteristics, including ignition delay and flame speed. In addition, progress in detailed chemical kinetic modeling of the TMFB fuels is also presented individually. These models are validated against measured experimental ignition delay or flame speed data. The reaction pathway analysis for the five fuels can be performed based on these validated kinetic models. Next, the effects of the above five TMFB fuels on the combustion and emission characteristics of ICEs are summarized. 2-Butanone and 2-MF can be used as gasoline replacement fuels for spark ignition engines. 2-MF and 2-MTHF can be used in compression ignition engines by blending with highly reactive fuels. N-octanol and DnBE are isomers and can be used either alone or as blended fuels for compression ignition engines. Both the advantages and disadvantages of the above-mentioned fuels used in ICEs have been discussed in this paper. Finally, the remaining research gaps in fundamental combustion characteristics and engine applications are discussed to guide future research directions. • A comprehensive summary of five TMFB fuels is given. • The physical and chemical properties of TMFB fuels are compared. • Experimental and kinetic modeling of the oxidation process are discussed in detail. • Their impacts on engine combustion and emissions formation are presented in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prognostics and health management (PHM) has emerged as a vital research discipline for optimizing the maintenance of operating systems by detecting health degradation and accurately predicting their remaining useful life. In the context of lithium-ion batteries, PHM methodologies have gained significant attention due to their potential for enhancing battery maintenance and ensuring safe and reliable operation. Among the various approaches, data-driven methodologies, particularly those leveraging machine learning (ML) models, have gained interest for their accuracy and simplicity. To develop an optimized data-driven PHM system for batteries, a comprehensive understanding of each step involved in the PHM process is crucial. This review paper aims to address this need by providing a thorough analysis of the different phases of battery PHM, encompassing data acquisition, feature engineering, health diagnosis, and health prognosis. In contrast to previous review papers that primarily focused on battery health diagnosis and prognosis methods, this work goes beyond by encompassing all essential steps necessary for developing a tailored PHM methodology specific to lithium-ion batteries. By covering data acquisition methods, feature engineering techniques, as well as health diagnosis and prognosis methods, this paper fills a significant gap in the existing literature. It serves as a comprehensive roadmap for researchers and practitioners aiming to develop PHM systems for lithium-ion batteries using ML techniques. With its in-depth analysis and critical insights, this review paper constitutes a substantial contribution to the field. It provides valuable guidance for designing effective PHM methodologies and paves the way for further advancements in battery maintenance and management. • Review of key steps in ML-based Prognostics & Health Management for Li-ion batteries. • Evaluation of data acquisition methods for battery health diagnosis. • Deep analysis of feature engineering for battery health representation. • Study of ML algorithms for accurate health diagnosis & RUL prediction. • Roadmap provided for optimized, data-driven PHM systems for Li-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated energy systems for multi-purpose applications are garnering increased interest in the international nuclear energy community, energy system designers and planners and decision makers in the context of deep decarbonization and net zero targets. They are expected to reduce costs and increase flexibility in operation of nuclear reactors when coupled with intermittent renewable energy sources, while also producing various commodities such as hydrogen or potable water. Adaptive solutions must be considered for each geographical area and based on the involved components of the energy system, available infrastructure, and policy in place. This paper provides an in-depth look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of such systems, while addressing different aspects related to the creation of the business case for such systems including decentralization and digitalization of future energy systems. The regulatory aspects are the ones that impose challenges on the emerging hybrid energy systems and this paper highlights some of the considerations that are needed for the couplings involved, in terms of licensing procedures and safety analysis. The potential contribution of such integrated energy systems towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) are also discussed. Concerning the stakeholders, special attention should be paid to building social acceptance and trust as this lays the foundation for successful implementation of such projects. By focusing on areas such as research and development, integration of technologies, policy support, market development, grid integration, energy storage, efficiency improvement, system modelling and simulations, significant advances in integrated/hybrid energy systems deployment can be achieved. • Role of integrated energy systems in deep decarbonization for climate change mitigation. • Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of multigeneration energy systems. • Decarbonization, decentralization and digitalization based business models. • Integrated systems can help achieving sustainable development goals (SDG7,11,13). • Hybrid energy systems can address the challenges of intermittency and grid stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the leading countries have already started mass scale electrical power production by renewable energy sources (RESs) to meet global net-zero emissions target. Harvesting RESs for electrical power generation has significant negative environmental impact which must be addressed before their full-fledged implementation. Crucial challenge of the scientist, as considered in this paper, is to supply electrical power with increasing future demand avoiding negative environmental impact as much as possible. In this context, correspondence of the adverse environmental impacts for utilizing RESs for the leading countries are focused on this paper as they are major stakeholders in this regard. State of the art, present status, prospects of various RES based power plants of the leading countries, forecasted capacity of installation, global potential, emission, required annual growth rate of utilizing RESs to meet the global net-zero emissions target, their environmental impacts considering comparative analysis of RES practices, and different government plans are discussed. It would be supportive to find out the possible sustainable solution to meet the future electricity demand with minimizing adverse environmental impact. [Display omitted] • Prospects of harvesting different RESs for electrical power generation are pointed out. • Analysis of environmental impacts for utilizing RESs is performed. • Forecast with time series analysis is illustrated to find the gap between the current progress and target. • Correspondence among the current installation, prospect, challenge, target, and forecast are depicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the effects of climate change are already being felt in many parts of the world, societies are compelled to drastically rethink the way they produce and manage energy, to reduce the greenhouse-gases emissions associated to the sector. Urban areas are a critical piece of the puzzle to achieve the energy transition and reach the ambitious climate targets set out at global and European scales. Positive energy districts (PEDs), a new concept introduced in 2018 by the Strategic Energy Technology Plan, constitute a bottom-up response to this massive problematic and an opportunity to accelerate the transition towards low-carbon energy models in cities. However, their deployment is currently facing a set of diverse and complex challenges, mainly arising from their novelty and the lack of practical experience. In that context, the contribution of the present review of the literature is twofold. First, it seeks to provide a broad perspective of the advances of the research on PEDs with a special focus on applied studies and practical experiences. Then, it aims to identify substantial challenges that are currently slowing down PEDs effective operationalization, and study to what extent researchers and practitioners are currently approaching them. To that end, 135 papers are selected, categorized, and analysed according to their topics, locations, climates, districts, studied solutions and social concerns. As a result, the paper gives an overview of the main trends and necessities of PEDs research and practice and draws recommendations on how to adequately address identified challenges. [Display omitted] • Systematic review focusing on applied studies and practical experiences. • Theorical framework defining PEDs' main concepts, principles, and challenges. • Assessment of included literature performed using two levels of analysis. • Lack of studies including public space, non-technical solutions, and social issues. • Need for holistic, flexible, and efficient methodologies to support PEDs design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfluidic fuel cell (MFC) is a burgeoning category of micro fuel cell technology based on laminar flow electrolytes. The merits of MFC, such as the absence of membrane electrolyte, flexible reactants selection, and high electrolyte conductivity, have been attracting researchers to explore this frontier area over the past two decades. However, realizing practical applications of MFCs remains a tremendous challenge. Many research works have been done to expedite research progress and obtain results reflecting inner mechanism via computational modeling and simulation, the general procedure of which is introduced in this paper. These studies primarily investigate the effects of various geometrical and operational parameters on diverse cell performance metrics, such as open-circuit voltage, current and power densities, and fuel utilization efficiency. However, contradictory outcomes and conclusions may arise due to disparities in the structural and parametric characteristics among different MFC models. In this regard, this review comprehensively summarizes prior computational modeling studies on MFC technology, with specific emphasis on different cell components including microchannels, inlets and outlets, electrodes, etc., as well as effects of different operational conditions encompassing electrolyte input, cell vibration, gas bubbling, and gravity. In addition, other related studies involving paper-based MFCs, cell stacking, and twin models are also introduced. Lastly, the future research perspective on MFC computational modeling is proposed, including potential structural innovations and modeling methods. This review paper shows the big puzzle of MFC modeling, the missing part of which is worthy of further study in the future. [Display omitted] • A comprehensive review on microfluidic fuel cell modeling is presented. • Governing equations and modeling method for microfluidic fuel cell are introduced. • Studies on different cell configurations and operational conditions are introduced. • Studies on paper-based fuel cell, fuel cell stack and twin model are also presented. • Future research directions for microfluidic fuel cell modeling are proposed finally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we provide a general review of research into district cooling. District cooling systems and services (DCS) are increasingly widely deployed and there is an associated increase in the rate of scientific production (research papers published) on the subject. In this paper, to facilitate discussion around the key parameters and issues which matter to the successful deployment of DCS, we objectively identify the central topics and themes of DCS research. To do see we employ a combination of bibliometric summary analysis, complemented by formal topic classification using a bespoke structural topic model, to inform a comprehensive literature review and summary. In doing so we verify the structure of existing research, and the spread of system design and engineering considerations that have been prominent in research to date. Moreover we are able to confirm some absences within the literature. With this, our study provides both a valuable overview of the early research into DCS, and also highlights potential research priorities for researchers planning to work on the topic. • District cooling systems (DCS) are widely used with a growing quantity of research. • In this paper, we objectively identify the central topics and themes of DCS research. • We use bibliometrics and topic classification using a structural topic model. • We present the structure of existing research, and absences within the literature. • We unveil potential research priorities for researchers planning to work on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenges to attain the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals, particularly universal access to modern and clean energy, persist in urban households. This paper examines energy transition pathways for urban households in the least developed countries. Although the literature extensively discusses transition pathways in the global north, a knowledge gap on gendered energy transition pathways exists in the global south. Further, the debates seldom take a holistic perspective considering location-specific context and not merely decarbonisation. Using an integrative literature review, this paper addresses this gap by developing gendered energy transition pathways for a least developed country. The research applies the developed framework in the Mozambique case study. The results highlight three groups of energy transition enablers: (i) market rules, (ii) government, and (iii) civil society. The analysis reveals that the degree to which these groups intervene and interact results in business- as -usual, differentiated or disruptive transition pathways. This paper finds that government leadership can foster modern energy uptake and mainstream gender into national energy strategies and policy. This approach can improve households' well-being, especially for women who culturally perform the most energy-intensive services at the household level. While the government-led path is the most appropriate for the least developed countries, there is a need to implement risk assessment of the pathways considering location-specific evaluation and monitor the impact that each has on achieving the fifth sustainable development goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heating and cooling both make up a large part of the total energy demand in the UK; long-term seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) can address temporal imbalances between varying supply and demand of heat to buildings and processes. Underground thermal energy storage (UTES) can play a role in energy decarbonisation by storing waste heat from space cooling, refrigeration, data processing, industrial processes, harvested summer solar thermal energy or even heat generated by surplus renewable (solar or wind) electricity with fluctuating supply. This paper evaluates a range of UTES technologies in a UK context and addresses geological suitability, storage capacity, low-carbon heat sources, surface heat sources and demand. This review concludes that there is a significant potential for UTES in the UK for both aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) and borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) systems, coinciding with surface heat sources and demand. Therefore, uptake in UTES technology will help achieve net-zero carbon neutral targets by 2050. There is also scope to utilise UTES technologies within existing subsurface infrastructure. There are 464 oil and gas wells which could be repurposed upon end of life using different UTES technologies. However, the potential for repurposing needs further evaluation; deep single well BTES systems will have a high surface area to volume ratio for storage, reducing the efficiency of such systems and the potential for ATES is limited by issues associated with contaminants. 23,000 abandoned mines underlay ∼25 % of the UKs population and could be utilised for minewater thermal energy storage (MTES). • Review of UTES technology suitability for the UK. • First reporting of details of the Bodyheat BTES system. • Storage capacities for a typical UK BTES system have been calculated. • UTES has a high potential in decarbonising heat in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a systematic literature review of urban wind energy harnessing in built environments. In line to foster decarbonisation in urban areas of tropical countries with decentralised renewable energy technologies, such as small wind turbines in buildings, this research has been carried out. To provide a comprehensive foundation on the topic, urban wind assessment research for various purposes was reviewed, where 48 studies for energy harnessing purposes were classified by country, region and methods. The methodologies are divided into six stages, of which environmental assessment and resilience analysis are scarce. Due to tropical countries being exposed to atmospheric events that historically cause human and material losses, potential future research could be made in line with resilience analysis through metrics that are key to the proper mass deployment of building-integrated wind turbine systems. Of 66 methods for wind prospecting, the most used are on-site measurement, computational fluid dynamics simulation and numerical climate prediction, which represent 49 %, 22 % and 17 %, respectively. Other decision-making techniques are presented with the aim of addressing new ways in strategic planning to promote the use of this technology. [Display omitted] • Urban wind energy research does not deem energy resilience analysis. • Few evaluations of urban wind energy have been carried out in the tropics. • Hurricanes represent a hazard for building-integrated wind turbines. • On-site measurement and CFD simulation are the most adopted methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geological CO 2 storage is an emerging topic in energy and environmental community, which is, as a commonly-accepted sense, considered a powerful approach to mitigate the global carbon emissions during the transition to net-zero. The geological media initially considered cover the saline aquifers, oil and gas reservoirs, coal beds, and potentially basalts. Up to now only the first two choices have been proven to be the most capable storage sites and successfully implemented at pilot/commercial scales. Here, novel strategies were proposed for the first time, by synthesizing and utilizing new high-dryness CO 2 foam, to enhance geological CO 2 storage capacity in oil and gas reservoirs. As a major storage site, the oil and gas reservoirs ranked only second to the saline aquifer, due to their huge underground spaces, and more importantly, spontaneous economic benefits by injecting CO 2 for geological storage. However, at any development stage, particularly late stage with high water cut, CO 2 injection usually tends to cause gas channeling and therefore result in low-efficient storage. In this paper, a series of dynamic evaluation experiments are carried out to investigate the effect of newly-synthesized high-dryness CO 2 foam in oil and gas reservoirs. A comprehensive set of parameters, including the fluid production volume, rate, efficiency, pressure, porous media weight, water cut, mobility reduction factor, oil-gas-water ternary phase saturation, etc., are specifically analyzed. The lab results show that when the foam quality is 85 %, the oil recovery performance and gas phase saturation reach their highest values, of 82.68 % and 75.36 %, respectively; meanwhile, the water consumption is at the lowest level, 43.88 g/mol, for the CO 2 storage in oil and gas reservoirs. This indicates the synthesized high-dryness CO 2 foam, attributed to its superb stability, modifies the mobility ratio, suppresses the viscous fingering, and finally results in higher oil recovery and more CO 2 storage. Similar work has been done for the reservoirs with permeabilities from high to low levels. The study provides experimental evidences that suggest benefits from applying CO 2 flooding in oil and gas reservoirs. • Novel strategies for enhancing geological CO 2 storage capacity in hydrocarbon reservoirs. • In-depth properties of a newly-synthesized high-dryness CO 2 foam characterized. • A series fluid and pore parameters analyzed for enhancing geological CO 2 storage capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-carbon and environmentally friendly development are becoming increasingly important in the metallurgical industry. In this study, the use of biomass as a source of both material and energy in metallurgical technologies is reviewed. The paper discusses the preparation of bio-based raw materials, their utilization in metallurgical processes, phytoremediation and metal extraction technology, and forestry as a carbon dioxide sequestration method. Bio-based raw materials, such as bio-based fuels, reductants, adhesives, and activated carbons, are found to provide energy, act as reductants and binders, dispose metallurgical flue gas, and adjust metal melt composition, thereby reducing energy consumption in metallurgical processes. Additionally, heavy metals can be enriched in plants through biomass-mediated soil remediation, and these metals can then be processed to obtain raw materials for metallurgical processes. Moreover, metallurgical waste heat can be used to prepare biomass as soil amendments, remediate deserts, and indirectly reduce metallurgical industry carbon dioxide emissions through forest carbon sinks. Based on these findings, the concept of biomass metallurgy is proposed, which promotes the use of biomass as energy or raw materials, ecological restoration and reforestation, and reduction of carbon dioxide and pollutant emissions in metallurgical processes. This study emphasizes the advantages of biomass metallurgy and encourages the development of low-carbon and green metallurgical processes. [Display omitted] • Development of metallurgical technologies using bio-based material and energy. • Bio-based materials including fuels, reductants, adhesives, and activated carbon. • Biomass used in metallurgy for combustion, reductants, pellets making, etc. • Heavy metals in hyperaccumulators extracted and recovered by biochemical methods. • Indirectly reducing CO 2 by transforming metallurgical waste heat into carbon sinks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the banner of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), governments, industry, and civil society organisations have supported many energy access projects since 2015. Notably, funding and investments allotted to renewable energy are regarded not only to provide 'energy for all' but also support the delivery of other SDGs related to climate change, food security, health, and poverty reduction, among others. With less than 10 years left to meet the SDG 7 targets, it is timely to take stock and examine how the provision of access to energy is driving development initiatives, impacting local communities, and influencing governance processes. This paper offers a critical review and analysis of the impact of access to energy projects based on empirical work from eight country case studies across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It interrogates how these projects contribute towards achieving SDG 7 and other sustainable development goals, highlights challenges, and then draws lessons for research, policy, and development practice. To advance SDGs, it recommends action in four areas: addressing rural-urban disparities, ensuring that energy is linked to sustainable outcomes, balancing top-down and bottom-up agendas, and appraising implications of techno-economic factors. [Display omitted] • Energy access has been constrained by multiple factors outside of policy decisions. • Governance decisions have overlooked local actors who are key to project sustainability. • Improved efficiency is more vital to energy security and access than increased generation. • Alignment between policies, governance processes, and institutional commitments is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrofitting the building stock is pivotal to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Most of the existing research on energy efficiency focuses on new residential buildings. The focus must shift to multi-building retrofits, thereby more frequently including non-residential buildings. As multi-building and non-residential projects are given a lighthouse role in achieving current global climate goals, more research should focus on this potential. This study covers single- and multi-building retrofitting projects. It also explores the role of non-residential projects, typical project settings, energy reduction achievements and the added complexity of the multi-building scale. The chosen methodology combines a systematic literature search with a subsequent critical metadata and full-text review of more than 80 peer-reviewed scientific papers. The results show that the number of studies in the research field has increased substantially in the last few years, while the research mostly originates from Europe and focuses on the residential building typology. This research is partly transferable to similar climate zones elsewhere, while a large proportion of climate zones remains unexplored. The current body of definitions and requirements regarding energy retrofitting is an impediment to the comparability of projects, and particularly the multi-building scale is in need of international guidance. Future research should focus on making retrofit measures more applicable internationally, while unifying project boundaries. The stronger inclusion of non-residential retrofitting projects as lighthouse projects including social aspects is needed. Retrofitting that covers energy production and sharing has great potential and should be seen as an opportunity. [Display omitted] • Multi-building retrofitting is emerging but requires clearer international guides. • Europe stands for most publications, motivated by policies and climate goals. • Most of the reported energy retrofits do not satisfy "deep retrofitting" goals. • Multi-building retrofitting results in added social and technical difficulties. • Clearer international guidelines and best practices needed to reach climate goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy scarcity and environmental pollution from biogenic residues and wastes are major challenges in the 21st century, which can be converted to useful renewable energy and reduce environmental threats. In Bangladesh, a tremendous amount of biogenic residues is generated which remains largely underutilized. Mono-digestion, which is a common practice in Bangladesh for biogenic residue processing, resulted in low biogas yield. However, Bangladesh has a vast source of biogenic residues which can be utilized through anaerobic co-digestion to increase biogas production. In this paper, a desk study and comprehensive review has been conducted in finding potentiality of biogenic residues in biogas production from available biogenic residues in Bangladesh. Research studies on co-digestion of biogenic residues were reviewed critically, and their practices and benefits on energy production and impact on the environment were stipulated in this study. The study shows that co-digestion of biogenic residues in appropriate ratio increases the biogas production, improves digested quality and reduces GHG emissions. [Display omitted] • Biogas production potential from agricultural and livestock sectors were analyzed. • State of art co-digestion options of animal dung as main feedstock was reviewed. • Co-digestion of crop residues and animal dung lessened environmental burden. • Digestate can be used as bio fertilizer or converted into other forms of fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional petrol vehicles emit a substantial quantity of greenhouse gases, leading to increasingly serious global warming problems. The expansion and development of renewable power generation technologies is conducive in promoting the use of electric vehicles, which are more environmentally friendly. This paper proposes a multi-objective power expansion model considering renewable energy policy objectives. The model regards the problem as a multi-period optimisation task, taking the newly installed capacity and the power generation capacity of each power generation technology as decision variables, and simulating the uncertain factors in the planning process using Geometric Brownian Motion and Monte Carlo approaches. The optimisation objective of the model is to minimise expected costs, reduce risk and environmental impacts, and incorporate changing policy objectives into the constraints to meet policy makers' expectations for renewable energy development. Then, a decentralised target search-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm is proposed to solve the model. Its effectiveness is verified by a numerical example using real data from the Chinese power system. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm exhibits improved performance compared with benchmark algorithms and provides high quality and diverse Pareto-optimal solutions to decision makers. Finally, the optimal plans for power expansion and generation mix under different preferences and policy objectives are discussed and corresponding recommendations are made. [Display omitted] • Planning for the expansion of power generation under uncertainties is determined. • Strategies for the expansion of power generation towards renewable energy are optimised. • A novel multi-objective evolutionary algorithm with a constraint handling method is developed. • The impact of multiple renewable energy policies on power generation expansion planning is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power sector and environment cordially affect each other throughout the economic growth journey of a developing country. It is high time to take care of the power demand, considering the environmental effects and the physical health of Indians. Power generation using renewable energy sources (RESs) can be a great alternative on behalf of the power sector in contributing to a cleaner environment. In this paper, a model has been developed to opt out the best energy-producing source for most polluted Indian states to combat hazardous air pollution. Multiple criteria, i.e., technical, economic, environmental, and resource availability factors and their sub-criteria, are considered to determine the best-suited RES. The priority of the energy source is established by using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to ascertain the relative value of different sub-attributes for the selected state. The findings indicate that, with priorities of 39.04% and 33.06%, respectively, photovoltaics (PV) predominates in Delhi and Haryana. The PV priority of 34.43% in Uttar Pradesh is in line with this trend. Punjab gives PV a 36.73% significance as well. Bihar prioritizes PV at 38.37%, mirroring Punjab's preferences. Tidal energy is given 51.80% priority in coastal Gujarat, whereas CSP is preferred by Rajasthan with 37.26% priority. For Maharashtra, tidal energy is the preference, with 33.70%. The primary goal behind this research is to plan and model a way out for the national electricity planners that aids in fulfilling the power demand in the most polluted Indian states without making a burden on the environment. • India is facing a significant problem with air pollution, especially in the months of October to December. • Power generation using renewable energy sources can be beneficial for improving AQI in Indian cities. • The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), is used to decide the most suitable energy source. • Technical, economical, environmental, and resource location is used as deciding criteria. • The work can be beneficial for policymakers and electricity planners to integrate more RE into India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addressing the detrimental impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonization targets, the imperative shift towards electrification in the transportation sector is underscored, with additional advantages arising from shared features. Nevertheless, technological progress, particularly in the realm of connected and autonomous features, brings forth notable benefits but also introduces challenges related to safety, cost, and implementation. The convergence of connectivity, autonomy, shared mobility, and electric propulsion leads to the concept of shared autonomous electric vehicles. In practical integration scenarios several concerns encompassing the transportation network, power network, and user satisfaction. This paper conducts a thorough analysis of various aspects of shared autonomous electric vehicles, rigorously evaluating the feasibility of their integration within a coupled power and transportation network. The analysis highlights allocation, routing, charging, battery swapping, social-economic considerations, and modelling as pivotal areas warranting focused research attention in the realm of shared autonomous electric vehicles. • Comprehensive review of shared autonomous electric vehicle (SAEV). • SAEV features and comparative literature. • Independent study on power network and transport network. • Integration challenges of SAEV in the coupled power and transportation network (CPTN). • Future research direction and research recommendation for the perspective of green energy and mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Falling film flow and heat transfer are extensively encountered in various industries of renewable and sustainable energy due to the outstanding heat transfer performance. The predictions in falling film hydrodynamics and heat transfer are crucial for the optimal design of falling film heat exchangers, and there have been considerable advancements made in this area over the past few decades. Considering the gaps in current literature predictions, this paper aims to present a comprehensive review on the correlations of flow pattern transition, film thickness, heat transfer, and liquid film rupture within falling film flowing over horizontal tubes and tube bundles. Through comparisons and summarizations, it can be found that the documented correlations appear to be significantly out of alignment with one another, which greatly restricts the applicability of these predictions. The correlations of falling film thickness that are obtained using regression approach based on dimensional analysis may take into account more factors than the ones modified from Nusselt theory. The predictions of flow pattern transition of falling liquid film with horizontal column are often described as the functions of the film Reynolds number, derived from the Kapitza number or the Galileo number. The functions of Nusselt number, film Reynolds number, Prandtl number, and Archimedes number are typically used to represent sensible and evaporative heat transfer correlations, whereas boiling heat transfer correlations also take into account the influence of heat flux, such as Boiling number. The full process of actual heat transfer is taken into account from both the standpoints of sensible convection and nucleate boiling using the combination functions of various heat transfer forms. Within the ranges of their own parameters, the well-established heat transfer models often offer good accuracy. While the predictions of phase change heat transfer often behave worse, the predictions of sensible heat transfer are more general and accurate. Generally speaking, the minimum film flow rate or the maximum heat flux were the functions that correlated with the inceptions of liquid film rupture. • Provides a comprehensive review of predictions for falling film hydrodynamics and heat transfer. • Describes in fully the most recent advancements in the relevant correlations. • Reviews respectively heat transfer prediction of sensible convection, evaporation, and boiling. • Provides an entire review of falling film heat transfer from subcooled convection to film dryout. • Proposed some recommendations and improvements for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is a case of the achievement of a high share of wind energy integration to an interconnected power system in an emerging market. A series of successful energy supply programmes and a strong renewable-oriented finance framework implemented since 2002, have promoted alternative renewables – wind installed capacity increased over 22-fold from 927 MW in 2011 to 21 GW in 2022, reaching 11.77% of total procured power. From this, about 90% are concentrated in Brazil's least developed region, the Northeast, where wind investment should create jobs and propel socioeconomic development. Despite that, there is no studies specific assessing the regional and economy-wide effects of those programmes, gap that this paper aims to fill by applying the regional Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model TERM-BR10. We assess that by modelling an alternative scenario for the period 2010-19 based on an official electricity matrix built in 2010, that projected 3.4 additional GW of wind power while not considering all the success of renewable policies, against the observed installed capacity expansion, where wind power was 3.7 times higher than what had been planned. Our results show that in the absence of renewable policies, Brazil would have faced economic losses such as GDP (−0.27%) and investment (−4.76%). The Northeast region would have been the most impacted in terms of GDP (−1.3%), real wage (−2.99%) and employment creation (−0.1%). We propose that such socioeconomic co-benefits are incorporated in energy planning, which could promote regional equality through renewable energy expansion. • Wind power capacity increased over 20-fold from 2011 to 2022. • 90% are in the poorest region where policies propel development and job creation. • Policy absence would entail a GDP loss of 0.27% nationally and of 1.3% in the region. • Negative impacts to labour market are mostly over skilled jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For twenty years, social scientists have used place concepts to understand energy infrastructure siting. Much of this research stemmed from attempts to provide theoretical explanations that avoid pejorative NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard) assumptions about community objections. Despite a burgeoning literature, a comprehensive review of place-related energy infrastructure research is lacking. This paper addresses this gap for the first time by collating and systematically reviewing a corpus of 190 articles published between January 1999 and March 2022, using search terms combining 'energy' and five place concepts (place attachment, sense of place, place identity, identity of a place, place-technology fit). Content analysis revealed the application of place concepts most frequently to wind energy, as well as nuclear power, fossil-fuel extraction and energy distribution; a high number of journal outlets (n = 76); a prevalence of single case study and survey methods; geographical concentration in developed countries, and a high prevalence of female authors. Bibliometric analysis of key words indicated a hub and spoke structure centered on the term place attachment, with low levels of coherence. 8 research clusters were identified comprising disparate technologies, geographical contexts, concepts and methods. Two of the search terms (identity of a place, place-technology fit) had low prevalence. Analysis revealed the application of place concepts to be highly varied, with 15 place concepts identified that are often not the primary focus of research, and sometimes used superficially. To improve coherence, cumulative learning and rigour in future studies, a lexicon of place definitions and specific recommendations are provided. • A corpus of 190 articles draws on place concepts to research energy infrastructure. • This literature spans diverse technology sectors, countries and numerous journals. • Studies on renewable energy, in particular wind energy, are most prevalent. • Eight clusters with weak coherence are identified, indicating a fragmented literature. • Recommendations to improve coherence, cumulative learning and rigour are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of reliable and inexpensive sensors and advancements in general computing have made data-heavy algorithms feasible for operational, real-time decision-making applications in the geothermal energy industry. This systematic review aims to provide a starting point for researchers interested in developing data-driven systems, tools, and frameworks to enhance the performance and reliability of above-ground geothermal energy operations. The approach and results of the review are presented to answer the following research questions: how has data analytics been applied in above-ground geothermal operations, what data sets have been used in such studies, which types of machine learning or artificial intelligence algorithms have been used in geothermal studies, and at which stages of geothermal development have studies been applied. Published research articles were retrieved from four literature databases: the International Geothermal Association (IGA) online library, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and IEEE Xplore. A total of 830 publications were retrieved using the same search query across the selected databases, from which 63 research papers were selected based on a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. A full-text evaluation of the selected research papers revealed that machine learning has been used in geothermal for design optimisation, performance monitoring, performance optimisation, fault detection, and other applications. Most of the trained models (95 %) were of the artificial neural network family with other model types generally used as performance benchmarks. The systematic review revealed significant potential for further research and applications in the areas of feature selection, systematic time-series feature engineering, and model evaluation. • A systematic review of AI and data analytics studies in geothermal was conducted. • Most of the reviewed research focused on the development of neural network models. • Design optimisation and condition monitoring are the primary themes in the studies. • Model quality and interpretability can be addressed by applying ML best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the severe environmental degradation and high levels of fossil fuel consumption linked to conventional ship energy systems have drawn attention to the advancement of alternative ship energy systems. Consequently, ship energy systems based on the use of an electrical microgrid are coming to the fore as an increasingly popular alternative solution. However, managing the energy flows within a shipboard microgrid can be highly challenging due to the multiple energy sources (including renewable energy sources) and types of loads involved. Additionally, the integration of an energy storage system has been identified as an effective solution for improving the reliability of shipboard power systems, pointing out the important role of energy storage systems in maritime microgrids and their potential to enhance the energy management process. As such, effective energy management strategies are necessary to optimize performance and ensure that the vessel's energy demands are met while minimizing fuel consumption and reducing cost and environmental impacts. This paper presents a comprehensive review of such strategies and methods recently presented in the literature associated with energy management in shipboard microgrids integrating energy storage systems and examine the different techniques that can be utilized to achieve optimal system performance. Moreover, the paper also sheds light on the future challenges and perspectives imposed by the modern shipboard microgrids operation on the energy/power management of these systems. The aim of this paper is to provide a helpful guideline for researchers and engineers conducting research in the field of electrically powered ships. [Display omitted] • A comprehensive review of EMS for electrical and hybrid ship is presented. • A comprehensive review of ESS which can be used in such ships is presented. • Technologies of ESS and their suitability to ships are discussed and commented. • Future challenges and perspectives imposed by modern SMG operation are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient thermal management system is crucial for maintaining optimal temperatures in a comprehensive range of applications, including buildings, electronic devices, the automobile industry, and solar PV systems. Spray cooling (SC) has emerged as a promising technique for effectively dissipating heat generated by these systems, offering rapid heat transfer rates with low energy requirements. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent advancements in SC technology across multiple applications, such as solar panel cooling, fuel cells, electric vehicles, electronic devices, and the building sector. The review highlights the significant role of SC in achieving efficient thermal management and improving overall system performance. It discusses the capacity of SC systems to reduce the temperature and enhance thermal comfort levels effectively. Notably, the review emphasizes the impact of critical factors, including surface-to-nozzle distance, critical heat flux (CHF) stimulation, nozzle design, and nozzle angle, on the performance of SC systems. Furthermore, the work identifies key areas for future exploration and development, including the investigation of factors influencing CHF, such as the utilization of nanofluids in sprays, exploration of different angles of inclination, optimization of the number of nozzles, droplet size characterization, and considerations of economic feasibility. The findings underscore the immense potential of SC technology in diverse applications, highlighting its capability to enhance thermal management, reduce energy consumption, and optimize system performance. Continued research and development endeavors in this field are crucial for further advancements in SC systems, enabling their faster adoption in practical applications. [Display omitted] • An efficient review of the spray cooling system is performed. • Advances of spray cooling in automobile, electronic, solar, and building sectors are reviewed. • This review paper mainly focused on low-temperature applications. • Future research on spray cooling systems is discussed and recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The offshore wind industry is growing rapidly around the world. Many governments have set ambitious targets for growth to achieve their decarbonisation goals. As the industry grows it can become more challenging to build and operate wind farms safely. Wind farms are being constructed further from shore in tougher weather and sea conditions. In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive has raised concerns about safety performance. This paper aims to review the current state of health and safety in the offshore wind industry. It reviews the latest research, injury statistics and the state of legislation covering the sector. It also considers how the risk profile of the industry may change in coming years. The paper finds there is a need for more research specific to the safety challenges of offshore wind. Injury rate statistics show that performance is 3–4 times worse than comparable industries, and industry reports do not currently include large parts of the sector. Rapid growth and the implementation of new technologies will create additional challenges. Regulators should consider the implementation of industry specific safety legislation to manage the unique challenges of offshore wind. [Display omitted] • Injury rates are up to 4 times higher than the offshore oil and gas industry. • Risk exposure to workers is expected to increase due to growth and technology. • Safety legislation requires reform to address specific industry risks. • Innovations from other industries in safety management should be adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fault diagnosis and location play a pivotal role in expediting fault restoration and enhancing power system resilience. However, integrating distributed generation and diverse load profiles has led to more complicated distribution networks, intensifying fault diagnosis and location challenges. Hence, there is a need to transform traditional distribution networks into resilient active ones that actively guide and utilize distributed energy resources, possessing active control and operational capabilities. This paper comprehensively reviews fault diagnosis and location techniques in distribution networks, focusing on faulted line selection, fault section estimation, and accurate fault location. It provides an in-depth analysis of current fault diagnosis and location techniques, along with an assessment of their challenges, summarizing and evaluating the current research status at both local and international levels. To address existing fault diagnosis and location technologies limitations, a method utilizing micro-phasor measurement units (μPMUs) to enhance situational awareness and state estimation of active distribution networks is proposed. The paper also provides a comprehensive analysis of the optimized configuration strategy for achieving network observability and fault diagnosis using limited μPMU, in addition to comparing and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of typical solution algorithms for the optimal PMU placement (OPP) problem. In response to extreme disturbance scenarios in active distribution networks, resilience enhancement strategies are proposed from three perspectives: fault prevention, fault response, and fault restoration. Finally, a summary and outlook on current research methods for fault diagnosis and location, as well as the challenges and future research directions in resilience enhancement strategies, are provided. [Display omitted] • Review fault diagnosis, section estimation, and accurate fault location methods. • Improving power system resilience through fault diagnosis and location. • Strategies using limited μPMUs to enhance distribution network situation awareness. • Comprehensive methods for power system resilience in extreme disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of solar power plants has begun to have an impact on utility grid operation, stability, and security. As a result, several governments have developed additional regulations for solar photovoltaic grid integration in order to solve power system stability and security concerns. With the development of modern and innovative inverter topologies, efficiency, size, weight, and reliability have all increased dramatically. This paper provides a thorough examination of all most aspects concerning photovoltaic power plant grid connection, from grid codes to inverter topologies and control. The reader is guided through a survey of recent research in order to create high-performance grid-connected equipments. Efficiency, cost, size, power quality, control robustness and accuracy, and grid coding requirements are among the features highlighted. Nine international regulations are examined and compared in depth, exposing the lack of a worldwide harmonization and a consistent communication protocol. The latest and most innovative inverter topologies that help to enhance power quality are compared. Modern control approaches are evaluated in terms of robustness, flexibility, accuracy, and disturbance rejection on both the DC and grid sides. The purpose of this review paper is to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of alternatives and performance, highlighting lacks and deficiencies of recent technologies and critically discussing and proposing new solutions paving the way for future investigations and developments. • The proliferation of solar plants have an impact on grid operation and stability. • Nine international regulations are examined and compared in depth. • PV power system architecture, topologies, and control are examined. • Cutting-edge solutions that handle all facets of PV system design are examined. • The reader obtain a comprehensive grasp of most relevant challenges and concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, high-temperature water/wastewater treatment has become an emerging area of high priority interest for industries such as oil and gas, food production, and power plants, which require the separation of impurities from wastewater at elevated temperatures to recycle the treated water. However, most polymer membranes used in different membrane separation processes have poor thermal and chemical resistance, and they often soften, creep, or fail at high temperatures, reducing their performance with regard to water flux and rejection of emerging contaminants. Therefore, there is a need to develop heat-resistant polymers and membranes for treating high-temperature streams. This review paper explores the chemistry and applications of high-temperature polymers used as membranes to process wastewater and recycle water for useful purposes. The paper highlights the importance of advanced thermally stable polymer membranes in purifying wastewater at elevated temperatures and summarizes recent advances in membrane fabrication techniques, including blending, crosslinking, and nanocomposite approaches. The review also identifies future research directions in this field to meet the growing demand for sustainable water treatment solutions. [Display omitted] • Thermally stable polymeric membranes having environmental stability in water/wastewater treatment were discussed. • Structural properties and various strategies applied to increase the stability of polymers were discussed. • The high temperature resistant membrane separation processes including MF/UF, NF/RO, and MD systems were reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy simulations are extensively employed by researchers and designers to assess strategies aimed at enhancing the thermal performance or energy efficiency of buildings. However, the methodologies for conducting these simulations and analyzing their outcomes vary according to regional standards and among research groups. This work aims to investigate the methods for evaluating the thermal performance of buildings through energy simulations, through a systematic literature review. Initially, the authors surveyed articles published between 2011 and 2022 on Scopus and Web of Science. From an initial pool of 1463 articles that met the research criteria, a refined list of 158 papers were read completely. The authors examined prevalent trends in the methods and identified future research directions. Most publications originated from authors in Northern Hemisphere, with only Brazil showing expressive numbers in the Southern Hemisphere. The results revealed the three most employed methods: Thermal Load (94 %), Degree-Hour (or Degree-Day) (9 %), and Design Days (5 %). EnergyPlus stands out as the widely preferred software (65 % of studies), and 62 % of them incorporate some form of validation or calibration. Articles often lack complete simulations parameters and/or clarity in their presentation. In response to the identified gaps, this study introduces a checklist of best practices for presenting the simulation steps. As such, this work serves as a valuable theoretical framework for future assessments of building thermal performance through computer simulation. • We reviewed 185 papers on methods to evaluate therm. Perform. Via energy simulations. • Thermal Load (94 %), Degree-Hour (9 %) and Design Days (5 %) are the most used methods. • EnergyPlus and ASHRAE are the most used software and standard, respectively. • Literature gaps include comparative studies and conversion strategies among methods. • Standardized protocols for model calibration and validation are still limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia has significant offshore wind resources that can support ever-increasing power demand and hence provide a long-term contribution to the net-zero target by 2050. Although some offshore wind farm projects are proposed in Australia, the industry is not mature enough to justify the benefits and display economic opportunities. More specifically, the techno-economic analysis of offshore wind energy has not been systematically mapped in Australia. Therefore, the investigation of the spatial variation of technical feasibility and economic potential of offshore wind is vital to identify the potential regions and to develop strategies for future offshore wind farm developments in Australia. This paper presents detailed mappings of the techno-economic potential of offshore wind energy in Victoria-Tasmania's exclusive economic zone. Offshore wind energy resources are assessed in the paper in terms of energy availability and variability and the feasibility of various offshore wind technologies is investigated, including turbines, foundation types and transmission topologies. In addition, the high-fidelity life-cycle cost models and two innovative evaluation matrices are developed to assess the economic potential of offshore energy farms in South-eastern Australia. The impact of local power system regulation costs and future carbon prices on the viability of offshore wind is also investigated in this paper. It is concluded that the detailed mapping approach and analysis in the paper can provide a systematic tool for industry partners, investors and policymakers at the pre-planning stage of developing offshore renewable energy systems. • The technical feasibility of offshore wind is mapped under various constraints. • The novel LACE and high-fidelity LCC assessment models are developed. • The techno-economic potential is systemically mapped in South-eastern Australia. • The impacts of electricity market regulation and future carbon prices are studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power-to-Gas technologies are high-capacity systems, which can be used to optimise the use of renewable energy to meet energy demands. Among them, Power-to-Methane (PtM) stands out due to the ease of storage and use of the produced methane. However, its total storing efficiency (Power-to-Methane-to-Power) is likely still low as there are various losses. This paper presents an overview of PtM improvement through the utilisation of low-temperature waste heat produced upon the two steps by converting power to gas, namely electrolysis and methanation. An organic Rankine cycle, Stirling engine, and thermoelectric generator were chosen as promising technologies that could be implemented to recover the waste heat and improve the PtM system. Several experimental studies of each technology were reviewed. Moreover, some technological and economic surveys are described and discussed. At the end of the article, the study discussed the direction of further research and development for waste heat recovery in the system to increase the competitiveness of the PtM system and its efficiency. • Some possible Power-to-Methane configurations are described. • Power-to-Methane offers high energy density and long-term capabilities. • An improvement of Power-to-Methane based on waste heat recovery is discussed. • Selected promising waste heat recoveries below 100.0 °C are described and compared. • Several techno-economic parameters for assessing the improvement are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the building sector has concentrated on the use phase of buildings, and more recently embodied emissions from construction materials. Much less research has focused on reducing GHG emissions from onsite fuel use during construction, in part because predicting and measuring fuel use is complex and lacks guidance to help modelers focus on key factors that drive variability in results. This paper addresses that challenge by examining the state-of-the-art in onsite fuel use accounting with a focus on earthworks, one of the largest drivers of onsite fuel consumption. It provides a comprehensive summary of the existing literature, describes and quantifies the ways in which factors influence fuel use, and fills several gaps identified during the review process by drawing from research in related fields. The result is a new taxonomy for categorizing fifteen factors which influence fuel use, including equipment factors (e.g., engine specifications, attachment selection), operational factors (e.g., operator skill, fleet configuration), and site factors (e.g., soil type, excavation depth). Drawing on earthwork productivity and productivity/fuel use in related fields (e.g., freight hauling, military equipment) to augment the construction emissions literature, most notably to investigate the influence of weather on earthwork GHG emissions. Across case studies, soil type, attachment selection, engine specifications, weather and hauling conditions arise as the most influential factors. Finally, this work presents recommendations for structured fuel use data collection to improve the consistency of future data collection and reporting, along with subsequent fuel use modelling and optimization efforts. [Display omitted] • A comprehensive review of how fifteen factors influence earthwork fuel use. • Presenting a taxonomy for categorizing factors affecting earthwork fuel use. • Preliminary analysis of weather's impact on earthwork fuel use. • Presenting a framework for earthwork fuel use data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to meet global sustainability goals, in particular, the rapid decarbonisation of the energy sector in combination with geopolitical energy security issues, as well as further improvement in regional air quality-the so-called renewable energy sources are becoming increasingly critical and important. Photovoltaic power (PV) generation is clearly the most widely deployed (non-hydro) renewable energy source globally, which still has a significant growth potential in many countries, including Hungary. However, due to the intermittent nature and the strong dependency of photovoltaic power production on meteorological factors, continuous adjustment of electric power in the electric grid is needed. This, in turn, requires the most accurate forecast of the photovoltaic energy to be produced in the ultra-short term (15 min) and short term (1 day) in order to minimise last-minute and high-price energy acquisition or unplanned kicks-in of gas-fired auxiliary power plants. In this paper, we evaluate the impacts of large-scale dust transport episodes on the accuracy of forecasts of PV power generation. The numbers and intensities of Saharan dust storm events reaching Central Europe have increased over the last decade, hitting a new record in 2022 with 16 (!) African dust episodes observed over Hungary. We have shown that the semi-direct effect of atmospheric dust particles on high-level cloud formation rather than their direct irradiance-reducing effect is responsible for the reduced accuracies of e short-term (24-h) PV energy production forecasts during these events. • 16 Saharan dust events (SDEs) were identified in Hungary in 2022. • SDEs caused photovoltaic (PV) generation drops and forecast errors. • Indirect effect of dust on irradiance (through cloud formation) was the dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature has highlighted the existence of a gap in clean fuel usage between the social groups in most emerging nations across the world, which is detrimental to global efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 (access to clean energy) and SDG 10 (reducing inequalities) and just energy transition with recognition justice. This paper, assesses the clean fuel gap across social groups in India using three rounds of representative data (2004, 2014, and 2018) by applying the logit model, exogenous switching treatment effect regression (ESTER), and the Blinder–Oaxaca Decomposition Model. Such an analysis is instrumental in identifying the clean energy usage gap and its causes, thereby providing insight to policymakers to design policies to achieve just energy transition and carbon neutrality by 2060. The results show a substantive clean fuel gap between social groups in India, which is a cause of concern for just energy transition. Clean energy utilization gaps among social groups are alarming across geographical locations and consumption quartiles, highlighting the importance of recognition justice for just energy transition. The results show that in rural areas, only 19.6 % of the General Caste households and 14.5 % of the disadvantaged social groups (Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Class) in quartile one use clean energy, while in urban areas, the shares are 60.4 % and 46.3 %, respectively. To achieve a just distribution of the benefits of energy transition, energy policies should focus on disadvantaged social groups and simultaneously target General Caste households from a lower economic status and those residing in rural areas, indicating the need for targeting the neglected regions. [Display omitted] • Clean energy use has steadily increased among all social groups in India, indicating some improvement in energy justice. • Clean energy access gap among social groups has declined, but this gap still persists. • Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are the most disadvantaged social groups in terms of clean energy. • All social groups from low-income families have limited access to clean energy. • All social groups from households with low education have limited access to clean energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of PV modules for powering sensors in an indoor environment requires that, during the design process, the harvestable power be evaluated and compared with the power requirements of the load device to validate their compatibility for a given type of light source and level of illumination. The models reported recently to relate power to illumination during power estimation are seen to result in large estimation errors in the case of an indoor environment. This paper seeks to propose an appropriate model that can be exploited during maximum power estimation in an indoor environment to relate power to illumination level. Proceeding from fitting measured data to the three-diode model of the PV module and based on the errors and execution time, the Grey Wolf Optimisation Algorithm, among others, proved to be accurate for estimating maximum power. The relationship between maximum power and illumination was seen to take the form of a second-degree polynomial. This was validated by comparing the values of power estimated by this model to the measured values as well as values estimated with the linear model, the exponential model, and the model proposed by Joseph Amajama. The proposed model proved to be more accurate than the models reported, recording errors of not more than 5 %, which is acceptable for system design. This will go a long way towards facilitating the design of indoor energy harvesting systems that can be used for powering smart sensors and other IoT devices. • The Grey Wolf Optimisation Algorithm (GWO) has been evaluated to be accurate in estimating the maximum harvestable power of PV modules in an indoor environment. • The current at the maximum power point increases linearly with illumination, while the voltage at the maximum power point varies according to a second-degree polynomial function for the m-Si-based PV module under all lamps and a-Si under CFL. • The variation of voltage at the maximum power point for the p-Si-based PV module is explained by a logarithmic function. • The relationship between maximum power and illumination was seen to take the form of a second-degree polynomial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of empirical analysis of macro-level energy policy through a gender lens, and there exists a research gap in tools for such analysis. This paper proposes a novel empirical approach to explore the gender dimension of the language used in energy policy documents such as the National Energy and Climate Action Plans (NECPs) of European Union (EU) member states. We first review the literature to identify existing approaches that analyse the energy/gender nexus. We then describe how we adapt Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to quantify the degree to which the language used in the NECPs is male or female associated. Our work shows the gap in suitable tools. We demonstrate using NLP that all EU NECPs tend to use more male associated language than female. In a ranking of EU member states, the Portuguese NECP demonstrated the most bias, while the Slovenian demonstrated the least. Our work provides novel insights using NLP to understand the genderised use of language, and contributes a methodology to conduct empirical analysis of energy policy documents. [Display omitted] • Review of methods used in energy/gender nexus analysis. • Empirical approach to analyse energy/gender concepts in the Global North. • Measurement of a gender dimension (bias) of the language used in European Union National Energy and Climate Plans. • Identification of Energy Domain NLP training corpora and vocabulary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean renewables (such as offshore wind and wave) are abundant and essential energy resources for supporting future emission-free targets. However, their energy intermittency and high cost have hindered commercialization and wide-scale implementations of these ocean energy technologies. This paper focuses on both issues and aims to increase the dispatchability of ocean energy farms by investigating the potential of a hybrid wind and wave energy platform with energy storage systems (ESS). This research introduces an innovative method to assess the necessary ESS capacity for offshore renewable energy farms, ensuring energy dispatchability to the local demand. In addition, the key criteria and the economic feasibility of deploying ESS in offshore energy farms are also discussed. A life-cycle cost model is presented that quantitatively compares different farm configurations, specifically a standalone offshore wind farm and a hybrid configuration incorporating both wind and wave generation systems. The results indicate that the combined wind and wave energy farm significantly reduces the ESS requirement and provides competitive lifecycle costs compared to the stand-alone wind energy farm, though the amount of these benefits vary on the local resource characteristics. The quantitative assessment presented in this study also provides realistic and practical justifications for combined energy farms that complement statistical conclusions derived from variability indexes in previous studies. [Display omitted] • The techno-economic benefits of combined wind–wave farms are quantified. • A novel method of sizing and evaluating ESS for offshore farms is proposed. • The combined energy farm reduces ESS requirement compared to wind-only farms. • The benefits of combined energy farms are sensitive to the resource characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]