Search

This paper presents the foundation of the Peninsular Malaysia's electricity market reform and development towards successful of Incentive Based Regulation (IBR) implementation, when revising also the Special Industry Tariff (SIT), Time of Use (TOU) and Enhanced Time of Use (ETOU) tariff. The Malaysian characteristics of Price Based Program (PBP) pointed out are compared with other countries across several continents. Since PBP benefits the energy providers in order to enhance power system efficiency, the effectiveness of consumer side strategies to gain benefit from PBP should be given attention too. In this study, investigation has been focused on one of the PBP which is ETOU tariff; with regard to the impact of this new tariff in communicating to selected real data energy profile for all commercial and industrial tariff types through congruent analysis. Without any effort towards load management as well as Demand Side Management (DSM) strategies implementation, the dedicative consumers' electricity bill has increased significantly to approximately 0.5%–12% during ETOU tariff shifting. In order to overcome this issue, a novel formulation by using simultaneous demand side management strategies such as valley filling, load clipping and load shifting for the ETOU tariff optimization is proposed. Meanwhile, the momentous simulation analysis results has demonstrated that major commercial and industrial consumers should find out for about 20%–50% of load management; by selecting PBP activities before they can switch to new tariff program. • This paper highlight the important issue regarding to the new reform of electricity market in Malaysia which related to the demand side and demand response program. The Malaysian characteristics of Price Based Program (PBP) was pointed out since PBP benefits the energy providers and consumers in Peninsular Malaysia. • This paper has highlighted some of the case study investigation that has been focused to one of the PBP which is ETOU tariff; with regard to the impact of this new tariff in communicating to selected real data energy profile for all commercial and industrial tariff types through congruent analysis and finding. • It is hope that this paper will benefit huge groups of person that related to energy and economic especially among engineers, researchers, and consumers around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As subsidies continue to fall, the technology and cost performance of distributed photovoltaic (PV) determines the progress of its grid parity. Based on the discussion of technology and cost, this paper analyzed the economic performance of China's distributed PV industry by utilizing the two indicators of levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and internal rate of return (IRR). The results show that: firstly, the current external environment is generally conducive to the development of distributed PV, but there are still some constraints. Secondly, with the decrease of unit investment cost, distributed PV can achieve the goal of parity before 2025. Thirdly, distributed PV projects in the three types of solar energy resources all have high IRR, and the economic performance is better for the projects with high proportion of spontaneous self-use. At the end of the paper, policy recommendations are offered as references for the government. • We comprehensively analyzed the technology and cost performance of China's distributed PV. • We focused on the trend and decline path of China's distributed PV costs. • The LCOE of distributed PV in China is expected to achieve full parity in 2025. • Except 100% grid-connected mode, the IRR of distributed PV power plants in three areas is higher than 8% which has shown good economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The residential sector is well known to be one of the main energy consumers worldwide. The purpose of this study is to select the best renewable energy alternatives for electricity generation in a residential building by using a new integrated fuzzy multi-criteria group decision-making method. In renewable energy decision-making problems, the preferences of experts and decision-makers are generally uncertain. Furthermore, it is challenging to quantify the reel performance of renewable energy alternatives using a set of exact values. Fuzzy logic is commonly applied to deal with those uncertainties. The method proposed in this paper combines different methods. First, the Delphi method is used in order to select a preliminary set of renewable energy alternatives for electricity generation as well as a preliminary set of criteria (economic, environmental, social, etc.). Then, the questionnaire is used to study the renewable energy alternatives preferences of the residents of the residential building'. Later, the FAHP (Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process) is implemented to obtain the weighs of the criteria taking into consideration uncertainties in expert's judgments. Finally, the FPROMETHEE (Fuzzy Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation) global ranking is performed in order to get a complete ranking of the renewable energy alternatives taking into account uncertainties related to the alternatives' evaluations. The originality of this paper comes from the application of the proposed integrated Delphi- FAHP- FPROMETHEE methodology for the selection of the best renewable energy alternatives for electricity generation in a residential building. A case study has validated the effectiveness and the applicability of the proposed method. The results reveal that the proposed integrated method helps to formulate the problem and is particularly effective in handling uncertain data. It facilitates the selection of the best renewable energy alternatives in a manner that is participatory, comprehensive, robust, and reliable. • This paper presents a new methodology for the selection of the best renewable energy alternatives in a residential building. • A new fuzzy integrated Delphi- FAHP- FPROMETHEE methodology has been applied. • The sensitivity analysis indicates that the proposed methodology is stable with respect to decision-makers' preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The valorisation of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) in the circular economy context is of outmost importance. This review aimed to examine the state-of-the-art valorisation technologies of OFMSW as resource for bioethanol and biodiesel. Firstly, feedstock mapping was performed, where high fluctuation of parameters was revealed. Considering the mean values, the stoichiometries of mechanically and source-sorted OFMSW are C 22 H 44 O 28 N and C 20 H 36 O 16 N, respectively. The substrate's mean carbohydrates (50%) and lipids (13%) contents reflect its potential in bioethanol and biodiesel production, respectively. As far as bioethanol is concerned, this paper critically reviewed the existing variance of second-generation bioethanol production methodologies from OFMSW revealing that high bioethanol yields (over 80%) could be achieved if the treatment steps of pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation are synergistically compiled. To this end, bioethanol yield could benefit from suitable enzymatic blends. Furthermore, this paper discussed about different ways of oil extraction from OFMSW and various biodiesel production techniques. Soxhlet extraction combined with alkaline transesterification emerged as the most widely applied biodiesel production line from OFMSW. The novelty of this literature review lies in the integration of both bioethanol and biodiesel production processes, in a biorefinery concept that would allow the production of both biofuels along with that of biogas. This integration scenario rendered an energy efficiency expressed as energy content in products per energy in raw materials equal to 68%, proving that OFMSW is a feedstock that could meet the sustainability criteria for biofuels production. Image 1 • Up to date information on the composition of OFMSW. • Bioethanol production from OFMSW; pretreatment, hydrolysis, fermentation, stillage. • Biodiesel production from OFMSW; oil extraction, transesterification. • Bioethanol, biodiesel, biogas production from OFMSW under the biorefinery concept. • Integrated biorefinery exhibits various technical and energy benefits. [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]

High voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems represent a significant development for future power systems due to presenting promising solutions for long-distance power transmission. However, the protection of HVDC systems is becoming one of the most significant challenges due to the extremely high short-circuit current within a short time span and the lack of zero crossing in the DC systems. DC protection schemes must detect and isolate the fault within 4–6 ms, while AC protection systems operate with considerably longer response times. Therefore, the techniques utilized for HVDC protection systems require more attention to enhance their performance in the future. This paper provides a comprehensive review of various protection techniques for HVDC systems, highlights recent advances, and analyzes the pros and cons of each method. Initially, different challenges of HVDC protection systems are presented, and then various HVDC protection schemes are discussed and classified into two groups based on the operation time. After that existing protection schemes are investigated in detail by including practical examples. The review aims to close the gap between the presented HVDC protection methods and technical challenges in order to overcome future issues of power system protection. Moreover, signal processing methods and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, which play a key role in the future of protection systems, are extensively investigated to highlight the possible solutions. Finally, various recommendations, key challenges, and future trends with respect to the development of HVDC protection schemes have been presented for researchers and engineers studying in this field. • A Comprehensive review of the VSC-HVDC protection, advantages, and disadvantages of each method in detail are discussed. • A brief discussion on the comparison between AC and DC protection systems is provided. • Classification of the VSC-HVDC systems into main and backup protection methods based on the operating times is presented. • Future trends and challenges of the VSC-HVDC protection systems are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased global demand for food and energy implies higher competition for agricultural land. Photovoltaic installations contribute to more sustainable solutions to satisfying energy requirements, however, they also require land. To address this dilemma, agrivoltaics has been proposed, combining energy and agricultural production on the same area. Our objectives were to review and synthesise the current agronomic knowledge on agrivoltaics and its future development possibilities. A systematic literature search was conducted in Web of Science on 17 December 2022, resulting in 54 articles that met the inclusion criteria and concentrated primarily on food production. Most studies focused on combining electricity generation with crop production. Vegetables, especially lettuce and tomato, were the focus of many papers. The success of a crop under an agrivoltaic system depends on many factors, yet mainly on location and season. Additionally, even light-demanding crops such as maize could be grown under certain conditions. Therefore, we propose to define an optimal daily light integral for each species, rather than a shade level. Given climate change, agrivoltaics may reduce inter-annual yield fluctuation by buffering the negative effects of both frost and high temperatures on crops, as well as reducing water consumption. Future research should focus mainly on berries and on plants whose production can be affected by high temperatures. Experiments on larger areas, over several years, and with solar panels allowing a separation of the light spectrum are needed to promote development of agrivoltaics without affecting crop yields. • Impact on yield is highly variable between crop and geographical location. • Plants considered intolerant to shading could be grown under solar panels under certain conditions. • Benefits of agrivoltaics are also linked to reduced water consumption, improved crop protection and increased animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrified vehicles provide an effective solution to address the unfavorable impacts of fossil fuel use in the transportation sector. Energy management strategy (EMS) is the core technology supporting the outstanding performance of electrified vehicles. However, technical bottlenecks in conventional control methods, such as poor real-time performance and limited generalization capability, significantly hinder the development of energy management technology. The recent advances in deep reinforcement learning (DRL) hold enormous potential in addressing relevant problems. To this end, this paper systematically surveys DRL-based EMSs. First, DRL algorithms and useful DRL extensions are briefly reviewed. Next, a comprehensive literature survey of pioneering and representative working is presented. The effectiveness and configuration methods of DRL in energy management issues, as well as a guideline for DRL-based EMSs in different vehicular structures, are appropriately analyzed and summarized. Finally, the main challenges and potential solutions are extracted to enhance further real-world implementation. [Display omitted] • Theoretical overview of DRL algorithms that are valuable for energy management. • Summary of pioneering and representative studies on DRL-based EMSs. • Analysis of the effectiveness and configuration methods of DRL in energy management. • Guidelines for applying various DRL methods in different vehicular structures. • Discussion of challenges and potential solutions for real-world implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-value utilization of plant resources is crucial for achieving carbon neutrality and complete carbon transformation. Significant progress has already been made in the comprehensive utilization of plant resources through pretreatment methods, particularly the deep eutectic solvent (DES) method for the pretreatment of plant fibers. This method enables sustainable development of lignocellulose deconstruction and high-value utilization. This paper provided a review of the composition, classification, and properties of different types of DES. It also investigated the effects of stoichiometric ratio, temperature, time, microwave, ultrasonic, hydrothermal, and emulsification on lignocellulose deconstruction using the DES. Additionally, the study explored the use and prospects of lignocellulosic fractions in lignin extraction, enzymatic saccharification, and high-value cellulose production using functional DES systems. The evaluation of the DES functionality is conducted through quantum chemistry, molecular simulation calculations, and the DES recycling effects (optimum 10 cycles). The mechanism of DES in lignocellulosic extraction is elucidated, and the prospects for sustainable development are outlined. • DES is capable of deconstructing lignocellulose to achieve high-value plant resources. • The progress of the functional and specific application of DES for lignocellulosic pretreatment has been discussed. • Summary of the evaluation system for the DES functional system and method for the DES pretreated lignocellulose. • Prospects for the future development of the DES system in the field of plant resource extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has been withdrawn: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been withdrawn at the request of the editor and publisher. The publisher regrets that an error occurred which led to the premature publication of this paper. This error bears no reflection on the article or its authors. The publisher apologizes to the authors and the readers for this unfortunate error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) has been considered a potential solution to the current energy crisis and lack of freshwater. In ISSG, a novel solar interfacial evaporator is allowed to float on the bulk water. It has the ability to supply adequate water to the evaporative surface, suppress heat loss and improve light-to-vapour conversion efficiency. Since 2014, innovative photothermal materials as well as different types of advanced structural designed interfacial evaporators have been introduced in ISSG. This rapid development of evaporators has resulted in the evaporation efficiency of 100 % with least energy consumption. In this review, ultrahigh evaporation performance of ISSG with different types of solar evaporators (foam, wood, hydrogel, aerogel, membrane, 3D printing, paper and plant-based evaporators), fabrication process and vapour formation mechanisms are explored. After examining the latest technologies and advancements in research, potential methods to enhance the efficiency of ISSG under different levels of solar irradiation are described. Further, the challenges such as salt rejection technique, minimizing heat loss, water transport technique and condensation process are reviewed. Subsequently, the applications of ISSG in dye removal, water desalination, microorganism removal and power generation are explored. Eventually, the summary and outlook for improving this technology for real-world applications are summarized. [Display omitted] • We summarize the recent development of different types of solar evaporators. • Fabrication and vapour formation processes of different evaporators are reviewed. • Salt removal and other potential applications of ISSG are discussed. • We provide future suggestion to improve the ISSG performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates drivers or hindrances to households' adoption of behavioural changes concerning energy efficiency at home. A Choice Experiment survey has been conducted to elicit households' preferences regarding adoption of innovative heating/cooling systems in Ireland and Italy. The choice data is analysed through a Latent Class model, and posterior analysis is used for class profiling, aimed to detect the emergence of factors identified in the literature. In both country samples respondents could be grouped in three classes according to their preferences and willingness to pay for adoption of innovative heat pump systems. Early adopters, younger and with higher education, exhibit strong pro-innovation attitudes. Conversely, Laggards, typically older and less educated, display hesitancy, and may require substantial subsidies for adoption. Late adopters value trialability and rely less on social networks. Information processing varies according to individual capabilities and social contexts. Hence, we recommend targeted information to enhance awareness of benefits and on feasibility of installation in different types of dwelling. Technical information and support, possibly complemented by demonstration activities, is suggested to foster innovation, especially among less advantaged households. • Assessment of drivers and barriers to adoption of energy efficient heating systems. • A survey with Choice Experiments in Ireland and Italy. • Willingness to pay for innovative systems is assessed through a Latent Class model. • Three classes identified with specific preferences and willingness to pay. • Profiling confirms the importance of attitudinal factors and trialability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increasing volume of electric vehicles in automotive markets and the limited lifetime of onboard lithium-ion batteries, the large-scale retirement of batteries is imminent. The battery packs retired from electric vehicles still own 70%–80% of the initial capacity, thus having the potential to be utilized in scenarios with lower energy and power requirements to maximize the value of batteries. However, spent batteries are commonly less reliable than fresh batteries due to their degraded performance, thereby necessitating a comprehensive assessment from safety and economic perspectives before further utilization. To this end, this paper reviews the key technological and economic aspects of second-life batteries (SLBs). Firstly, we introduce various degradation models for first-life batteries and identify an opportunity to combine physics-based theories with data-driven methods to establish explainable models with physical laws that can be generalized. However, degradation models specifically tailored to SLBs are currently absent. Therefore, we analyze the applicability of existing battery degradation models developed for first-life batteries in SLB applications. Secondly, we investigate a representative process of dealing with retired batteries and discuss the regrouping standards for cell-to-cell variation for the first time to guide the classification procedure and enhance the performance and safety of SLBs. Thirdly, we scrutinize the economic analysis of SLBs and summarize the potentially profitable applications. Finally, we comprehensively examine and compare power electronics technologies that can substantially improve the performance of SLBs, including high-efficiency energy transformation technologies, active equalization technologies, and technologies to improve reliability and safety. [Display omitted] • Detailed review of key technological and economic aspects of second-life batteries. • Analysis of battery degradation models for second-life applications. • Overview of processes, challenges, and standards in battery retirement assessment. • Scrutiny of economic feasibility and profitable uses for second-life batteries. • Examination and comparison of power electronics for second-life battery performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual power plants possess the capability to effectively manage the inherent conflict between dispersed electricity generation and user demand, hence optimising market advantages. Nevertheless, the presence of severe weather conditions, geopolitical factors, the phenomenon of global warming, and several other global concerns greatly enhance the level of uncertainty related to the establishment of sustainable energy sources and the corresponding demand from users. Consequently, these factors expose the limitations of virtual power plants in effectively controlling power supply. The active involvement of community members has the potential to invigorate the process of development. This study presents a novel model, referred to as the CE-based cVPP (CE-cVPP) model, that combines the principles of circular economy (CE) and community-based virtual power plant (cVPP). The objective of this model is to enhance the effectiveness of sustainable development efforts. This research redefines the concept of a CE-cVPP, elucidates its defining features, scopes, and classification, and constructs a technological framework, together with an explanatory community case structure. The CE-cVPP energy life cycle framework is constructed based on the principles of the circular economy paradigm. This study investigates the enduring and sustainable benefits of the CE-cVPP across four dimensions: energy, environment, economics, and society. In conclusion, this paper provides a comprehensive examination of the energy, digital, and circular economy perspectives, encompassing critical analysis, problems, prospective analysis, and future directions. • Circular economy and community-based Virtual Power Plant (CE-cVPP) is a paradigm for the future energy sector. • CE-cVPP is a novel sustainable pattern that combines circular economy and community virtual power plants. • CE-cVPP features renewable energy, electricity, gas, cold, heat, and biodegradable waste. • CE-cVPP promotes economic, social, and ecological sustainability. • CE-cVPPs enhance the power and energy system's adaptability, versatility, and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries are the most commonly used battery type in commercial electric vehicles due to their high energy densities and ability to be repeatedly charged and discharged over many cycles. In order to maximize the efficiency of a li-ion battery pack, a stable temperature range between 15 °C to 35 °C must be maintained. As such, a reliable and robust battery thermal management system is needed to dissipate heat and regulate the li-ion battery pack's temperature. This paper reviews how heat is generated across a li-ion cell as well as the current research work being done on the four main battery thermal management types which include air-cooled, liquid-cooled, phase change material based and thermo-electric based systems. Additionally, the strengths and weaknesses of each battery thermal management type is reviewed in this study. It was determined that air cooled systems are suited for short-distance travel electric vehicles, liquid cooled are for electric vehicles that require long-distance travel, larger battery packs and for high thermal loads, phase change material based are for electric vehicles with constant thermal loads and stable ambient temperatures and thermo-electric battery thermal management systems are best best suited in conjunction with the other types for better control. • Present simplified heat generation model for li-Ion batteries. • Review of upcoming PCM Cooling BMS models. • Analysis of strengths and weaknesses of air, liquid, PCM, and thermoelectric BMS. • Recommendation on appropriate BTMS type for different EV models. • Identified main attributes required for an effective BMS for EV systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an innovative scaled suction caisson (SSC) for fixing offshore wind turbines (OWTs) to enhance its anti-overturning bearing capacity. The outer wall of the SSC is constructed with a scaled bionic structure referring to snakeskin scales, reducing resistance to installation and increasing pullout capacity, which is verified by model tests that the SSC requires less applied suction and provides higher horizontal bearing capacity in sandy soil compared with the traditional suction caisson (TSC) under the same caisson diameter and height. Also, model test results reveal that the SSC can reduce the height of soil plug and the scaled structure can effectively limit the SSC inclination in comparison to the TSC. Additionally, numerical results show that the ultimate bearing capacity for the SSC increases rapidly when the friction factor λ between the caisson wall-soil interface ranges from 0 to 0.2. Moreover, the sidewall of the SSC dissipates less energy than that of the TSC due to the small displacement of soil near the sidewall. This study confirms that the SSC can eliminate grouting in the space between the top of the soil plug and the bottom of the cap, thus reducing the construction period, construction costs and avoiding marine pollution. [Display omitted] • Bionic design concept of the SSC is proposed. • Penetration behavior of the SSC is revealed. • Bearing capacity and failure mechanism of the SSC are obtained. • SSC can eliminate grouting, and at the same time compensate the bearing capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community renewable energy is increasing globally, but many northern and remote Indigenous communities remain energy insecure. Community appropriate sustainable energy solutions requires more than building renewable energy projects – it requires local socio-technical capacity to design, implement, and maintain renewable energy projects. Yet, notwithstanding advances in renewable energy technology there is limited understanding of the socio-technical capacity of northern and remote Indigenous communities to engage in energy transitions. Based on a review of energy transitions scholarship and northern contexts and informed by a workshop engaging northern and Indigenous community members from Canada and Alaska, this paper presents foundational pillars for assessing the socio-technical capacity needs of communities to pursue and sustain local energy transitions. These pillars are inter-dependent and emphasize the importance of local energy champions and inter-local energy networks to enable innovation and capacity building; community values that articulate immediate and longer-term goals for energy transition, including the social and economic opportunities to be realized by a more sustainable energy system; community knowledge of local energy resources, technologies, and opportunities, and embedded skills to support transitions; and the skills innovation to pursue and manage new energy systems, coupled with youth engagement as future community energy leaders. The proposed framework is intended to support the early stages of community energy transition planning. • Energy transition in remote communities involves more than building new projects. • Socio-technical capacity is critical to renewable energy security in remote off-grid areas. • Seven pillars are proposed to guide local capacity assessment for community energy. • Renewable energy in remote communities means self-sufficiency and self-determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical transmission hubs in global supply chain networks have great potential to reduce carbon emissions, yet this has not received much attention from existing studies. This research combines the structural path betweenness, an extended structural path analysis, and a multi-level modularity optimization algorithm to identify key transmission sectors, paths, and carbon communities in a global supply chain network using the environmentally extended multi-regional input-output analysis. The results show that (1) China's metal industry, power industry, and non-metallic industry are the most crucial transmission centers, and some sectors, such as the paper industry and textile industry in China, are also key transmission hubs, yet they are ignored by traditional accounting methods. From a national viewpoint, China is the most key transmission hub, and its high betweenness is mainly caused by domestic demand. Meanwhile, the CO 2 emissions transferred by China to satisfy foreign demand are mainly related to the US, ROW (especially the Asia-Pacific region), and Japan. (2) The transmitted carbon emission is mainly concentrated in the first four production layers, accounting for 69.46 % of the total. (3) The global carbon emission network can be divided into 20 carbon communities. And the largest communities are mainly led by mainland China. Most of the communities contain various national sectors, which offer evidence for international cooperation strategies. The results offer policymakers a new perspective on mitigating environmental stress. [Display omitted] • Critical sectors having higher betweenness are identified from a global level. • Key supply chain paths causing the high betweenness are identified. • Some critical carbon communities in the global carbon emission network are detected. • An extended structural path betweenness is proposed to find key supply chain path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread adoption of distributed generation (DG) is changing the operation of distribution networks. To increase the control of power flows and avoid the detriments of DG intermittency, active distribution networks (ADN) emerge as a feasible solution. In this paper, we propose a convex model for ADN expansion planning. Four active network management (ANM) schemes are considered: DG active power curtailment, DG reactive power control, on-load tap changer (OLTC) tap adjustment, and shunt compensation device control. The problem is formulated as a mixed integer second-order cone programming problem (MISOCP) using the distflow equations and second-order cone relaxations (SOCR). By scenario analysis, we address the uncertainty associated with power demand, renewable generation, and electricity prices. The proposed model is used to study the benefits of different combinations of ANM schemes to a modified IEEE 33-bus system and compare them with the individual benefits of each scheme. The results indicate that ANM schemes can reduce total network costs, reduce losses, delay network reinforcement, and improve the voltage profile. In addition, some combinations of schemes develop synergies in which the combined economic benefits are greater than the sum of the individual benefits. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art on Hardware-In-The-Loop simulation methodologies and technologies applied in the research field of wave energy converters. It reveals important issues, such as an unclear taxonomy and representations of these methodologies, which are critical for the success of the approach, mostly during the design of experiments and presentation of results. Moreover, a classification approach to these methodologies is not found in the literature. Thus, a generic taxonomical and classification framework is developed to support the review process. This framework is built based on three taxonomic subsystems that the review shows to be effective in organizing the reviewed methodologies: simulated, real and interface subsystems. In particular, the definition of the interface subsystem is key to overcoming the limitations found in the methodological representations. Furthermore, this review borrows the term actionability to this approach to better describe the nuances and gaps between the reviewed case studies. It is found that the different technical implementations are easily organized with the proposed framework, and the results cover a wide range of wave energy converter development phases. Likewise, this review shows opportunities for improvements in the methodology and application to a wider number of new case studies. [Display omitted] • Hardware in the loop approach is currently described with unclear methodology. • Few case studies of the approach on wave energy converters have been published. • Review reveals research opportunities for methodological improvements. • Taxonomic framework proposed for systematic and clear methodological descriptions. • Technical information is provided for a wide range of device development phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for enhanced batteries with higher energy density and safety is pushing lithium-ion battery technology towards solid-state batteries. Replacing the liquid with a solid electrolyte significantly improves safety by removing the possibility of leaking flammable organic solvents. Solid electrolytes also enable the use of lithium metal as anode material to obtain battery cells with higher energy density. This review summarizes the classification of all three state-of-the-art solid electrolyte types (inorganic, polymer and composite solid electrolytes) and their governing lithium ion transport mechanisms. Nevertheless, to make solid-state batteries applicable, improvements in ionic conductivity of the solid electrolyte, low electrode-electrolyte interfacial resistance and high compatibility of the solid electrolyte with the electrodes are required. This review paper discusses improvement strategies for solid electrolytes to achieve high ionic conductivity, good flexibility, and high electrode compatibility. Enhanced ionic conductivity can be obtained by suppressing the polymer phase's crystallization (e.g., copolymerization, inorganic fillers, adjusting polymer matrix) and optimizing the physicochemical parameters and the surface of the inorganic phase. Interfacial stability can be improved by using multilayered electrolytes or applying coatings and passivation layers on electrolyte or electrode particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption carbon capture has shown its superiority in energy consumption and cost investment when compared with common amine scrubbing technologies. However, high regeneration energy demand of adsorbents is still a challenge for large-scale application. This paper proposes a temperature vacuum swing adsorption system integrated with auxiliary heating and cooling technology. Absorption chiller and double-stage absorption heat transformer (DAHT) are introduced from the perspective of adsorption and desorption process of CO 2 capture system. Results indicate that when the duration of each step increases from 25 min to 45 min, the CO 2 recovery rate decreases from almost 100 %–75.7 %, and CO 2 purity increases slightly from 89.6 % to 91.1 %. Considering the temperature grade of waste heat, heat consumption of the absorption chiller assisted system is lower than that of DAHT for original and adjusted cases at a generation temperature of 58 °C. If the desorption temperature decreases from 120 °C to 100 °C, heat consumption of the absorption chiller decreases from 1.90 GJ·ton−1 to 1.76 GJ·ton−1, but the average capture capacity decreases from 306.3 ton·ton−1 ad to 272.1 ton·ton−1 ad. It is demonstrated that both absorption chiller and absorption heat transformer could be promising solutions to reducing the energy consumption of CO 2 capture system. Absorption chiller has a priority over DAHT in regions with low temperature heat sources. Moreover, a tradeoff between adsorbent loss and heat consumption should be found when choosing the appropriate heat pump for practical application. [Display omitted] • Adsorption carbon capture integrated with absorption chiller is initially proposed. • Absorption chiller is beneficial for reduction of heat consumption of capture. • Decrease of desorption temperature has great influence on system performance. • Heat pump assisted adsorption capture is a promising way for energy saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems are becoming increasingly popular in commercial and residential buildings due to their flexibility and efficiency. Building design and operational parameters play an important role in the process of predicting cooling loads, and these variables contain a variety of uncertainties that must be taken into account when seeking to obtain a reliable prediction. It is common practice to oversize the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system installed in a building in order to reduce uncertainties in its performance. However, oversizing is undesirable due to additional capital and operating costs, inefficient space utilization, and excessive emissions of greenhouse gases. This study provided a comprehensive literature review on previous uncertainly analysis studies from six perspectives: classification of uncertainty factors, sensitivity analysis methods, building energy model for uncertainty analysis, sampling method, the most effective parameter, and distribution of uncertainty parameters., and then developed a framework to investigate the effects of uncertainty of operational and design parameters on annual cooling load, total energy consumption, HVAC electricity use per conditioned floor area, VRF system cost, and the cooling-to-total electricity consumption ratio (R) in residential buildings equipped with VRF systems located in the Middle East (ME) region (Kuwait City, Tehran, and Istanbul). Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was also developed to predict output parameters in residential building. Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) simulation was also applied to generate near-random samples of uncertainty parameter values from a multidimensional distribution. It should be mentioned that a correlation was derived in this study to predict VRF cost. The study evaluated thirteen uncertainty parameters related to building characteristics, occupants, building energy systems, VRF variables, and lighting conditions. Several methods were used to evaluate the effects of input uncertainty parameters on the output variables, namely, the Standardized Regression Coefficient (SRC), Partial Correlation Coefficient (PCC), and Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient (SRCC) or Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC). The results indicated that VRF cost and HVAC electricity use per area have a greater coefficient of variation compared with other output parameters. The density distribution of output parameters indicated that uncertainty parameters had the greatest impact on output parameters in Kuwait (hyper arid climate), whereas in Istanbul (humid subtropical climate), they were the least. Among the variables examined in the Sensitivity Analysis (SA), cooling setpoint had the greatest impact on residential building energy consumption in ME climates. Finally, this paper highlights emerging trends and offers recommendations for advancing future research in the realm of building energy uncertainty analysis. • Comprehensive review of previous uncertainty analysis studies was provided. • VRF systems operational and design parameters effect on cooling load were reviewed. • Investigate an impact of uncertainties on building performance in various climates. • Energy consumption in building was most influenced by cooling setpoints. • Results show a more significant impact of uncertainty in hyper-arid climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) is a highly sophisticated system that involves multiphysical dynamics that includes hydrodynamics, aerodynamics, structural dynamics, servo dynamics, and mooring dynamics. Hydrodynamics is one of the most critical aspects directly related to the stabilization and safety of FOWTs. As the turbine capacity keeps growing and the target depth of the water becomes deeper, the nonlinear hydrodynamic effect becomes more significant, especially under extreme conditions that occur more frequently in recent years. In this paper, theoretical challenges and state-of-the-art research progress regarding the nonlinear hydrodynamic problems related to FOWTs and their stationkeeping systems are introduced from both numerical and physical point of view. Nonlinear wave characteristics and nonlinear hydrodynamics of wave–structure interactions are addressed with different theories ranging from linear, weakly nonlinear to fully nonlinear. A number of nonlinear phenomenon such as low-frequency resonance, transient impacts, hydroelastic coupling, current effects and shallow water effect are discussed. Theoretical inconsistency due to large horizontal motions and challenges in accounting for the viscous drag loads in the state-of-the-art engineering tools are addressed. Future perspectives are finally brought up. • Nonlinear hydrodynamics fundamentals and development for FOWT. • Relevant design consideration and implication in nonlinear hydrodynamics. • Challenges of nonlinear hydrodynamics for FOWTs and their stationkeeping systems. • Summary and challenges of the numerical code to investigate the FOWT. • Technical challenges conclusion and future perspectives of FOWT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving high sustainability levels in the energy sector is at the heart of the United Nations and European Union goals. One of the main paths to achieve this is to adopt sustainable practices in energy supply chains (SCs). In this study, a systematic literature review has been carried out to analyze the triple-bottom-line of sustainability in the SCs of energy production. The main results show that the literature on the topic is scarce and unbalanced. For instance, the analysis of different energy sources is biased towards biomass. Moreover, key SC management aspects like inter-organizational coordination and certain stakeholder involvement i.e., customers, universities and/or research centers, are underrepresented in the analyzed literature. The study's main contribution is to identify and critically review the current key topics and gaps in the literature on sustainability in energy SCs. Based on the findings, a two-level research agenda is proposed that outlines six critical avenues that bring research, private actors, and decision-makers altogether to enhance the sustainability of energy SCs. The suggestions for future research included in the agenda are based on the gaps presented in the results of the literature review, as well as on the research directions highlighted in the analyzed literature. This study offers guidance to managers regarding best practices and fields of improvement, as well as to scholars by suggesting paths to fill gaps in the current body of literature and elaborate more sustainable energy SCs. [Display omitted] • The first holistic systematic literature review on SSCM in energy production. • Identifying and categorizing ninety-seven papers on the topic. • Outlining a set of key topics and gaps and proposing a future research agenda. • Helping decision-makers to assess and benchmark sustainability in the energy SC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The African continent is endowed with massive energy resources such as hydropower, solar, wind, natural gas, wave energy, and many more, yet it is the continent with the least energy supply in the world thereby resulting in a lack of sufficient energy to meet its growing energy demand. Though the continent holds 100 GW of wind capabilities, the current installed capacity as at 2018 was 5.7 GW with countries in northern Africa as well as South Africa capturing over 90% of the wind energy share on the continent. Therefore, this paper reviews the wind energy industry in Africa by identifying the current installed and potential capacity of wind energy on the continent. The challenges faced by the wind energy industry such as policy, competition, technical and economic are also reviewed. Transitions, technological innovation systems, and strategic niche management theoretical sustainability transition framework as well as proposed pathways to overcome these prevailing challenges hindering the full exploration of the wind energy sector in Africa are also highlighted in order to uplift the continent's socio-economic status. Basically, this can be achieved through the adoption of strong 'political-will' by African national governments to drive wind energy development. There is also the need for institutional frameworks to ensure the practical adoption of new wind energy technologies. Furthermore, the major benefits Africa stands to gain from investment in wind energy are enumerated by comparing with the benefits realized by other countries' economies as a result of investing in the wind energy industry. For instance, cheap electricity, job creation, industrial growth, and eco-friendly energy source. • Reviewing wind energy industry in Africa and existing challenges. • The challenges faced by African's wind energy industry can be categorized under policy, competition, technical and economic. • Framework for transiting Africa's wind energy industry from small-scale production to large-scale commercial industry.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural gas hydrate (NGH) is a source of energy that has attracted significant interest for the secure and effective extraction of CH 4 gas from permafrost and marine regions. CH 4 gas can be produced and greenhouse gases (GHG) sequestrated by injecting flue gas into NGH, minimizing environmental threats. This paper provides a complete summary of the advancement of CH 4 recovery from NGH by CO 2 replacement. The CH 4 –CO 2 exchange mechanisms are examined in different types of hydrates concerning their cage structure and formation in geological layers. The gas composition of CO 2 injected with H 2 , N 2 , and air, thermodynamic pressure and temperature, hydrate and water saturations, and concentration of CO 2 are factors influencing the efficiency of the CH 4 –CO 2 exchange. The structural integrity of the sedimentary film throughout the exchange process is evaluated, and the evaluation indicates that the hydrate formed by CO 2 gas is stronger than the layer formed by CH 4 gas and that the mechanical integrity of the reservoirs can be maintained after the exchange process. The replacement effect of CH 4 –CO 2 combined with depressurization, thermal stimulation, and other factors is discussed. Restrictions and further studies of the CH 4 –CO 2 exchange process are also analyzed in light of current findings. This article offers information for future NGH extraction and CO 2 storage applications by providing an overview of recent advances in CH 4 –CO 2 replacement. • Mechanism of CH 4 –CO 2 replacement comprises CH 4 extraction and CO 2 sequestration. • Using different compositions of N 2 and H 2 gases with CO 2 enhances CH 4 –CO 2 exchange. • Combination of thermal stimulation with CO 2 exchange improves CH 4 recovery rate. • Mechanical properties of CH 4 –CO 2 hydrates maintain the mechanical integrity of rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the perspective of the system, cascade phase change energy storage (CPCES) technology provides a promising solution. Numerous studies have thoroughly investigated the critical parameters of the energy storage process in the CPCES system, but there is still a lack of relevant discussion on the current status and bottlenecks of this technology. Therefore, in this paper, 133 papers up to 2023 have been analyzed and visualized to indicate the tendency of CPCES technology. It has been revealed that the CPCES system can ensure the ratio of latent and sensible energy stored in each layer of phase change materials maintains about 2.5, which effectively improves the energy storage efficiency. Accordingly, this paper analyzes the energy, exergy, and entransy dissipation of the CPCES system to figure out the most capable method. The influence of various parameters on the performance of the CPCES system is thoroughly investigated, and a range of recommended values are provided for subsequent studies. Moreover, the economics of CPCES systems is analyzed concerning the characteristics of typical CPCES applications, and the applicability of the technology is revealed. Finally, the ongoing trials that CPCES technology will meet are identified, together with a discussion of trends and opportunities for how to address the challenges. This review provides valuable guidance for future research, development, and innovation of CPCES systems and is expected to attract more attention from researchers and scholars to the provision of advanced CPCES technology. • The systematic research and analysis of CPCES technology are elaborated. • Theoretical, simulation, and experimental studies of CPCES technology are summarized. • The pros and cons of the typical CHTES system are presented. • The influence of relevant parameters on CPCES configuration is depicted. • The existing challenges and future insights for CPCES technology are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fish processing sector is experiencing increased pressure to reduce its energy consumption and carbon footprint as a response to (a) an increasingly stringent energy regulatory landscape, (b) rising fuel prices, and (c) the incentives to improve social and environmental performance. In this paper, a standalone forecasting computational platform is developed to optimise energy usage and reduce energy costs. This short-term forecasting model is achieved using an artificial neural network (ANN) to predict power and temperature at thirty-minute intervals in two cold rooms of a fish processing plant. The proposed ANN function is optimised by genetic algorithms (GA) with simulated annealing algorithms (SA) to model the relationships between future temperature and power and the system variables affecting them. To assess the accuracy of the proposed method, extensive experiments were conducted using real-world data sets. The results of the experiments indicate that the proposed ANN model performs with higher accuracy than (a) the long short-term memory (LSTM) as an artificial recurrent neural network (RNN) architecture, (b) peephole-LSTM, and (c) the gated recurrent unit (GRU). This paper finds that using GA & SA algorithms; ANN parameters can be optimised. The RMSE obtained by the ANN compared with the second-ranked method GRU was consequently 16% and 4% less for the predicted temperature and power. The results in one particular site demonstrate energy cost savings in the range of 15%–18% after applying the forecast-optimiser approach. The proposed prediction model is used in a fish processing plant for energy management and is scalable to other sites. [Display omitted] • A standalone forecasting computational platform is developed to optimise energy use. • The neural network is improved by genetic algorithms and simulated annealing. • The prediction model is used in a fish processing plant for energy management. • The model feeds into an optimiser which directs an energy management system. • The energy cost savings were 15%–18% after applying the forecast-optimiser approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy storage technology is recognized as an underpinning technology to have great potential in coping with a high proportion of renewable power integration and decarbonizing power system. However, the costs of energy storage facilities remain high-level and it makes energy storage a luxury in many application fields. To address this issue, a new type of energy storage business model named cloud energy storage was proposed, inspired by the sharing economy in recent years. This paper presents a review and outlook on cloud energy storage technology. The paper starts with the introduction of the basic concept, fundamental structure, and superiorities of cloud energy storage. Facing the energy storage utilization demands of the users on the source side, grid side, and demand side, the typical application scenarios of cloud energy storage are analyzed, and the corresponding state-of-art pilot trials are introduced. After that, the theoretical research framework of the cloud energy storage technology is presented, and the research status of cloud energy storage technology is surveyed. Finally, considering the combination of cloud energy storage and other advanced energy and information technology such as multi-energy coordination and blockchain, the evolution path and development prospects of cloud energy storage are discussed. • Basic attributes including concept, framework and superiorities, as well as corresponding pilot trials of cloud energy storage for different application scenarios are concluded. • The achievements, shortcomings and key research directions of the three most concerning areas of cloud energy storage technology are summarized. • The development prospects of cloud energy storage technology considering the combination with multi-energy technology, virtual energy storage and distributed information technologies are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cupola slag, a non-toxic and harmless industrial waste, has recently piqued the interest of researchers as a green building material. This paper reviews the potential use of cupola slag as a supplementary cementitious material, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate in cement-based concrete composites. Moreover, this paper provides a holistic approach to the review of appropriate literature from the last two decades, critically examines the characteristics of cupola slag and the impacts of partial substitution on performance, and conducts a gap analysis to specify the direction of further research on cupola slag-based concrete. From the environmental perspective, the earth's ecological and environmental balance can be achieved by employing cupola slag in concrete manufacturing rather than natural resources. In terms of replacement rate and replacement method, the fresh performance, mechanical property, and durability of cupola slag-based concrete are reviewed. In conclusion, cupola slag can effectively increase the strength, water permeation resistance, resistance to aggressive environments, chloride ion penetration resistance, and other durability attributes of concrete when used as a partial replacement for cement or aggregate. The process to enhance pozzolanic behaviour, long-term mechanical and durability qualities, and microstructural analysis of cupola slag-based concrete need to be further explored, according to the gap analysis of the data from the literature. • Studies revealed near similar properties of tradional concrete can be achieved with cupola slag. • Cupola slags were found to be slow when reacted with cements. • Cupola slags as a binder were found to used at a range of 5-30%. • As an aggregate, cupola slags can be used upto 60%. • A good resistance to chloride and chemical ingress is achievable through the use of cupola slag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensification of extreme events due climate change and sea-level rise are major challenges to be urgently addressed by Europe's coastal cities. Coastal hazards have the potential to cause significant damage to coastal communities. Nevertheless, various other climate-related hazards also pose imminent threats. This review paper examines the impacts of climate change on ten European coastal cities by means of a participatory process involving the coastal cities and the review of existing literature. Local expertise is included through the novel concept of Coastal City Living Lab. The study also leverages bibliometric analysis of the Scopus and Web of Science databases, along with a desk review of climate-change related institutions and agencies at international, national, regional and local levels. By combining scientific literature analysis with insights from local experts, this research provides a comprehensive overview of the current situation of these diverse cities in relation to multiple climate-related hazards, which can be extrapolated to other cities. There is a scarcity of scientific data for some of the cities, hence collaboration with the CCLLs was crucial. Results serve as a valuable baseline for future works, introducing detail studies focusing on various climate-related challenges. This paper not only contributes novel insights by including the perceptions of local partners but also offers a unique perspective on the complex nature of climate change impacts at city level. • Comprehensive understanding of climate change impacts on coastal cities through multifaceted methodology. • Systematic scientific literature review of Scopus and Web of Science databases. • Local expertise from a collaborative process involving ten diverse European coastal cities. • Unique perspective on the complex nature of climate change impacts at city level. • Baseline for risk assessments and adaptation strategies considering multiple climate-related hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High penetration of electric vehicles (EVs) has resulted in an increasing need for charging infrastructure and efficient smart charging coordination of EVs. In addition to residential and public charging, destination charging is another important mode of EV charging, and it has the potential to cover residual public charging demand. Understanding of the factors and charging coordination strategies that ensure a sustainable destination charging business is therefore of utmost importance. Literature on the topic of EV smart charging and coordination is growing exponentially, but the terminology used to describe coordination strategies remained ambiguous. Hence, this paper systematically classifies the literature focused on the destination charging. In doing so, various charging tariffs and business models associated with destination charging are reviewed and a comprehensive discussion on their profitability and availability is provided. Recent EV charging coordination strategies are reviewed and categorized to clarify the commonly used terminology. Destination charging coordination strategies are then classified, and real-world charging coordination initiatives are reviewed and summarized. The analysis contained in this paper shows that further research work on charging coordination for destination charging should account for user behavior and the potential obstacles faced by the intended scale of destination charging to determine a suitable coordination strategy. It is also recognized that implicit charging coordination strategies are understudied and should be investigated because they may circumvent problems encountered by real-world EV charging coordination programs. • Overview of literature surrounding electric vehicles destination charging. • Profitability, charging tariffs, and business models are covered. • EV charging coordination strategies are reviewed and mapped onto a taxonomy. • A review of real world EV charging coordination projects is provided. • Challenges and future directions for destination charging coordination are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas worldwide face a significant environmental challenge which is increasing municipal solid waste rate. Addressing its negative consequences necessitates advancements in waste management systems. Although the previous research focused on the static routing approach in the collection phase, this paper adds a dynamic municipal solid waste collection scheme to optimize vehicle routing, accounting for fluctuations in waste generation and changes in transportation systems. This study employs, for the first time, the application of a discrete choice model (DCM) to streamline the process of re-optimization in dynamic vehicle routing problems (DVRP). At each decision epoch, DCM is applied to determine the likelihood of choosing the next geographical zone to visit bins based on current waste generation levels and traveling costs. Moreover, the multi-compartment vehicles are considered to preserve waste segregation during transportation, thereby increasing operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. Another contribution of this paper is to determine visiting priority for each bin by adjusting the time window based on the threshold waste level. Hence, this paper proposes a framework for sustainable, efficient, and effective waste management practices by integrating the benefits of dynamic and multi-compartment routing. Furthermore, a hybrid Genetic and Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm has been designed to find the best solution for the studied problem as well as some of the latest and most proficient metaheuristic algorithms. Finally, the Best Worst Method is applied to find the best-proposed algorithm to solve the presented problem, indicating that the hybrid algorithm has the highest performance in providing high-quality route plans. [Display omitted] • Devoloping a dynamic approach for multi-compartment trucks for waste collection. • Applying time-dependent travel time to consider different traffic conditions. • Internet of Things is embedded in bins to have real-time data from bins. • Utilizing a discrete choice model to avoid re-routing after visiting each bin. • Determining bin visit priority based on waste thresholds and hazard levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the demand for renewable energy continues to rise, the significance of electrocatalysis research for hydrogen production has also increased. To explore the developmental trends in this field, a scientometric-assisted review was conducted using clustering analysis of keywords from 43,564 papers published between 2013 and 2022. The results of the study demonstrate a globally diverse research landscape, with contributions from Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East. China emerges as the most prolific contributor, with consistent growth in research productivity over the past decade. The USA, South Korea, India, and Germany were among the top five leading countries in electrocatalysis research. Singapore, USA, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Germany lead research impact, measured by total citations per total paper. China has the highest collaboration in electrocatalysis research, with collaborations with the USA, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the UK, Germany, Canada, Korea, and India. Importantly, the study reveals six clusters of electrocatalysis research, with different author keywords, each covering a range of topics and materials. The implications of each of the six clusters in electrocatalysis are examined critically. This study offers valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and funding organizations in making critical decisions by identifying the main themes and trends in hydrogen evolution through electrocatalysis research. • To explore the developmental trends in this field, a scientometric-assisted review was conducted on renewable energy • The results of the study demonstrate a globally diverse research landscape. • This study offers valuable insights in hydrogen evolution through electrocatalysis research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioethanol is the alternative to fossil fuels for the transport sector's environmental sustainability. Scientific journals have disclosed a few works on modeling and enhancing bioethanol production processes. To industrialize these production processes, however, the modeling requires consideration for mass and heat transfer, mainly when applying intensification machinery. Consequently, CFD is preferable to a comprehensive analysis of fluids. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) configure the flowing progress of bioethanol production, the flow pattern distribution curve, and flow pattern visualization. This article reviews recent advances in CFD Modeling of bioethanol production processes in conventional and newly designed bioethanol production technologies, such as simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) and membrane bioreactor. None of other studies addressed a kinetic model of the fermentation process in the SSF and membrane bioreactors. For the design of new (SSF) and membrane bioreactors, CFD and its combination with other simulation software might deliver a wealth of useful data. The first section of this paper addresses the bioethanol production process of the second generation: pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, and fermentation. The second section of this review discussed hydrodynamics, reaction kinetics, and bioreactor design, focusing on CFD models of the bioethanol production technology. A conclusion and a recommendation, this section concludes with a discussion of insights into unexplored areas of study and challenges in modeling bioethanol production processes. • Industrial applications of bioethanol production processes necessitate CFD modeling. • The review provides insight into CFD modeling of bioethanol production technology, especially SSF and membrane bioreactors. • This paper considers the methods used to produce bioethanol. • Perspectives in CFD modeling of bioethanol production processes are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy is a promising and efficient renewable energy source for electrical energy production. Globally, there has been a significant increase in the development of wind energy conversion systems (WECS). The world is interested in grid codes applying for facing various problems because of large capacity WECS integration with the grid, including the stability and reliability of electrical grid and power quality. Low voltage ride through (LVRT) capability is an important requirement of grid codes. LVRT means that the wind turbine is still connected to the grid during grid voltage sags. This is essential for ensuring that no generated power by wind turbines is lost due to grid disturbances. To deal with these issues simultaneously, this paper presents a comprehensive review of LVRT methods for the most common wind generators; squirrel cage induction generator (SCIG), doubly fed induction generators (DFIG), and permanent magnetic synchronous generator (PMSG). Moreover, the overall view of optimization techniques that are used to enhance LVRT capability for WECSs and the configurations of WECS are investigated. A comprehensive and a useful summary for the recent work in literature regarding LVRT methods for these three wind generators with comparisons and discussion are introduced. To achieve this aim, more than 200 articles are organised and only 135 papers are presented in this review. • Comprehensive review of low voltage ride through methods for the most common wind generators. • Overall view on optimization techniques that are used to enhance LVRT capability. • The configurations of wind energy conversion system are investigated. • Useful summery for the recent work in literature regarding LVRT methods is introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latent heat thermal storage (LHTS) using phase change materials (PCMs) faces a significant challenge of poor heat transport efficiency. Fortunately, nature has evolved numerous features and functions that can enhance material properties and heat transport efficiency. This paper provides a comprehensive review of bionic studies on LHTS technology, summarizes bionic strategies for improving LHTS performance, and explores in detail the research progress and challenges faced by bioinspired PCMs and LHTS configurations. The review demonstrates that natural morphology, structure, and function can improve heat charge/discharge efficiency. However, current research mainly focuses on simple configurations of morphological and structural bionics, so more attention is needed to develop high-level functional bionics to maximize LHTS performance. The paper also emphasizes the enhancement methods of heat transfer rate in bioinspired LHTS systems, such as synthesizing bionic hierarchical porous and three-dimensional networks, constructing biomimetic shells, extending the heat exchange area, enhancing the convective heat transfer, and optimizing the heat transport path in PCM regions. Importantly, future research should focus on micro/nano-scale bionics to construct bioinspired PCM and LHTS configurations with more advanced performance. Moreover, a complete enhancement mechanism of multiscale phase-change heat transport needs to be investigated for the development of multiscale biomimetic LHTS technology. • Bionic optimization is deemed to be a pathway for highly efficient heat storage. • Bionic strategies include morphology, structure, and functional bionics. • Bioinspired materials and configurations facilitate thermal storage efficiency. • Multiscale bionic on latent heat storage is the most promising development direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming, and the energy crisis, both caused by the unregulated overconsumption of fossil fuels, are some of the main problems humanity has to face along with freshwater shortage. The importance of safe access to freshwater and various forms of energy to the survival of modern societies is undeniable. Water- and energy-related technologies are independent, but thermal energy storage can bind such technologies. Salts, which are well-known phase-change materials that can be used as thermal energy storage media, can be extracted from the brine produced by desalination plants, which is usually rejected into the environment. Evaporation, electrodialysis, membrane distillation-crystallization, and adsorption/desorption are suitable techniques for extracting salts from brine in conjunction with desalination. Obtained salts can be used as phase change materials in thermal energy storage units. Salt-based thermal energy storage units can be integrated into concentrated solar power plants, geothermal power plants, fossil fuel, and biomass fuel power plants, load-following nuclear power plants, and various industrial processes for energy production and optimization. Although there are many papers on molten salt-based thermal energy storage, the direct utilization of salts extractable from the brine produced by desalination plants for thermal energy storage units has not been thoroughly investigated. In order to provide a guide for researchers in investigating such systems, this paper reviews salt extraction technologies in conjunction with desalination, applications of salt-based phase change materials in thermal energy storage, and challenges and perspectives of binding desalination plants with energy production or optimization systems using thermal energy storage. • Desalination plants produce brine which can be used to obtain salts. • Salts are phase change materials that can be used in thermal energy storage. • Salt-based thermal energy storage units can be used in various applications. • Co-generation of water and electricity is possible using thermal energy storage. • Developing thermal energy storage technology demands a multidisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review and analysis of pricing strategies in peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading to provide new insights into the design of pricing mechanisms and the establishment of sustainable and effective P2P energy markets in distribution networks. P2P energy trading is emerging as an effective management scheme for prosumers with renewable energy sources in distribution networks. Several studies have focused on designing pricing mechanisms for P2P energy trading with a focus on energy pricing but not on network service pricing. To understand the extant pricing mechanisms, 169 papers were systematically reviewed. These papers, published between 2015 and 2022, were retrieved by academic search engines. The review showed that energy pricing can be categorized into synchronous and asynchronous, while network service pricing can be classified into ex-ante and ex-post schemes. Synchronous energy pricing provides economic efficiency. Asynchronous energy pricing offers Pareto optimality and price transparency and accommodates market participant preferences. Market participation can be reduced by conflicts of interest in network service pricing, between system operators and market participants owing to the settlement of network service costs, and among participants due to pricing methods. Energy and network service pricing compatibility between different methodologies relies on market results to distinguish matched counterparties. [Display omitted] • Systematic classification of energy and network service pricing suggested. • Procedure and function of energy-pricing methods clarified. • Potential conflicts of interest in network service pricing discussed. • Compatibility between energy and network service pricing presented. • Key challenges and opportunities for future research identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within modern power systems comprising both power-electronic converters and synchronous generators, a sufficiently high power quality and a stable operation can only be guaranteed if the fundamental mechanisms underlying converter-related issues can be thoroughly understood, properly identified and successfully mitigated. In particular, classifications are regarded as essential tools for the identification of converter-related instabilities and interactions. However, the large variety of emerging events make that proposed classifications have not always been capable of encompassing all observed problems. This paper addresses this issue and presents a bottom-up approach capable of constructing more-encompassing classifications. The approach consists in carrying out a comprehensive literature review of problematic real-life events that have been reported by the electrical power industry, and that have directly or indirectly involved power-electronic converters. The focus is set on five prominent types of systems in which such converters are used: wind farms, photovoltaic systems, electrical railways, LCC-HVDC, and VSC-HVDC/STATCOM systems. Next, patterns are identified among the real-life events in order to pinpoint underlying mechanisms capable of explaining the converter-related issues. Lastly, the underlying mechanisms are discussed in regard to the events, their triggers, modeling requirements and dedicated terminology. The overview of real-life events and the set of underlying mechanisms established in this paper can support the development of new interaction and stability classifications and contribute to ensuring the correct identification and mitigation of converter-related issues in future converter-based power systems. • A comprehensive overview of real-life events helps constructing new classifications. • From analogies between events, three types of underlying mechanisms are identified. • Mechanisms types are converter limitation, power quality degradation and interaction. • Both the mechanisms and their triggers impact the choice of modeling requirements. • Used terminology is often system-specific and needs more standardized definitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CdTe thin film solar cell, as an outstanding representative of the second-generation solar cells, has been produced and applied on a large scale. However, due to the low concentration of photogenerated carriers and short lifetime of minority carriers in its absorber layer, the open-circuit voltage and filling factor of the cell is limited and the further improvement of the cell power conversion efficiency is hindered. Various strategies and techniques such as doping, passivation, adding buffer and electron reflecting layers are commonly used to improve the defects and deficiencies of the CdTe absorber layer. In this paper, the relationship between p-type doping and non-p-type doping (passivation, buffer layer and electron reflection) is analyzed. An attempt is made to summarize the mechanism and pathway of efficient doping of CdTe from a large amount of published literature. After reviewing the recently CdTe absorber layer doping research in terms of doping mechanism, precursor selection, quantification and distribution, and doping process. It obtained that the qualitative and quantitative studies of key impurity elements, optimization of doping precursors, and new non-p-type doping elements are the future directions of doping research. Finally, this paper prospects for CdTe absorber layer doping in regard to the synthesis of absorber layer composites. [Display omitted] • An attempt is made to summarize the mechanism and pathway of efficient doping of CdTe. • Qualitative and quantitative studies of key impurity elements are the future directions of doping research. • This paper prospects for CdTe absorber layer doping in regard to the synthesis of absorber layer composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energies are a key to reducing carbon emissions and enabling access to affordable energy for rural populations in many low- and middle-income countries. For this reason, many governments have started to introduce auctions for off-grid renewable energy. Despite their relevance for clean, accessible energy, the factors for successful or failed off-grid renewable energy tenders have not been broadly studied yet. This paper investigates the success factors for the successful implementation of off-grid energy auctions to enhance rural energy access in low- and middle-income countries. For the scope of this research, the off-grid energy tenders are considered successful if they lead to cost-efficient outcomes, have a high implementation rate and improve the equality of access to energy. Using success measures and success factors from the state of knowledge on energy auctions, three real-world cases from Peru, Uganda and Senegal are analysed and compared. The investigations show that auctioneers should strike a balance between 1) economies of scale and streamlining administrative procedures, 2) allowing adequate product designs for a diverse group of beneficiaries and 3) attracting enough bidders in this relatively young sector. Moreover, this paper confirms that balancing the developers' risks and public risks is essential in designing off-grid energy tenders and that there are several ways to do this. Furthermore, the advantages and limitations of different support payment types are illustrated. Finally, regarding governance, the real-world cases in this research underscore the importance of clarity about responsibilities and procedures, without which significant delays can be incurred. • Off-grid energy auction organizers must balance developers' risks with public risks. • Fixed subsidies provide predictability to policymakers regarding public expenses. • Results-based financing encourages further expansion of projects. • Lack of clarity about responsibilities and procedures can lead to significant delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the editorial for the virtual special issue (VSI) of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (RSER) dedicated to the 16th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES 2021) held from October 10 to 15, 2021 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The VSI collected both high quality review papers and original research articles presented at the SDEWES Conference in 2021 belonging to the aims and scope of RSER. After a scrutinizing peer review process, 28 articles were accepted and published. These articles deal with techniques and technologies to board on the feasible Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems. Many of them are multidisciplinary articles addressing almost all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and providing feasible solutions to the strongly needed decarbonization pathways. • The VSI SDEWES 2021 covers the feasible Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems. • An overview of the Renewable and Sustainable energy cutting edge techniques. • An overview of the Renewable and Sustainable energy cutting edge technologies. • Feasible solutions to the strongly needed decarbonization pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]