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Industrial energy management is critical to ensuring efficient energy usage, market viability, and greenhouse gas emission reductions. In this study, the aim is to investigate energy management practices in paper and pulp industries (PPI) of Bangladesh. The study identifies several barriers to adopt energy management practices; "Lack of governmental attention", "Inadequate staff awareness" and "limited access to capital" are identified as the major constraints. In addition, HVAC systems and compressed air systems present higher barriers compared to electrical motor and pump systems while looking at the barriers by technology areas. On the other hand, "Owner's demand", "Commitment from the top management" and "Pressure from the customers and different non-Governmental organization" are found to be the dominant drivers of energy management in the studied PPI. Energy management practices can enhance the energy efficiency approximately by 4–5 % according to the study. Furthermore, this study reveals that the majority of PPIs are unaware of the energy service companies (ESCO) with the lack of a standardized system for energy audit, as well as a lack of trust and information, appearing to be the obstacles behind this. • Energy management practices in paper and pulp industries of Bangladesh are shown. • Barriers and drivers to energy management practices in paper and pulp industry are presented. • Barriers to energy efficiency measures by technology area are discussed. • Barriers to consult energy service companies (ESCOs) are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent challenge of reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions has created a growing demand for a more comprehensive understanding of how various technology options can contribute to achieving carbon neutrality. Energy efficiency has long been regarded as a key pathway in this context, but the volume and diversity of efficiency options has resulted in an unclear understanding of their combined impacts. In this study, we present a novel technology-explicit method to estimate the overall abatement potential associated with a comprehensive suite of 115 energy efficiency technologies spanning all relevant sector processes and energy types. By applying our flexible analysis framework to a case study of the Canadian pulp and paper sector, we demonstrate that energy efficiency could be the single largest contributor to achieving a carbon-neutral target for the sector. We find that efficiency can reduce emissions by 4.92 MtCO 2 e/yr (66%) relative to business-as-usual by 2050 at a weighted average abatement cost of -$162/tCO 2 e when accounting for capital, operating, maintenance, and energy costs. Abatement at the energy system-wide level is even larger, reaching 6.67 MtCO 2 e in 2050 when accounting for upstream effects. Adoption of the full suite of efficiency measures could materially improve the competitiveness of the sector by reducing energy and carbon costs. On the whole, our results suggest that proven energy efficiency technologies could be the primary element of a credible low-cost pathway towards achieving a target of carbon neutrality for the pulp and paper sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global waste generated by industrial activities poses significant environmental challenges. Eco-waste management emerges as an economically viable solution for converting, valorizing, and repurposing these byproducts, aligning with circular economy principles, and aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Construction, known for its unsustainability due to high energy consumption, non-renewable resource utilization, waste generation, and greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from cement production, has led to the exploration of alternative materials. Magnesium oxide (MgO)-based cement, an alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), has gained attention, leveraging Brazil's prominence as a major magnesite producer. This study explores the valorization of waste from kraft pulp mills of the paper industry, specifically lime sludge (LS) and lime slaker grits (grits), to produce magnesium oxysulfate (MOS)-based fiber cement boards. The effect of accelerated carbonation on cementitious composites produced with formulations containing grits and LS was investigated. Replacing 25% of the limestone with grits showed no noticeable differences in the properties of the boards, and MOR values close to 11.17 MPa were obtained. However, the physical-mechanical performance showed a decrease with the use of LS and higher concentrations of grits, associated with Na 2 SO 4.XH 2 O formation in the system and ITZ structure formed around the aggregated particle, respectively. Carbonation in a saturated atmosphere led to the carbonation of the 5–1–7 phase, which was related to the decrease in mechanical strength of the boards after the curing process. The thermal decomposition of the Hydrated Magnesium Carbonates (HMCs) formed during accelerated carbonation corroborated with the changes in the physical properties of the composites, demonstrating that the carbonation products are formed within the voids and pores of the material and contribute to the reduction in water absorption of the boards. • Global waste requires innovative environmental solutions for sustainability. • Investigation on eco-waste management aligns with circular economy principles, reducing environmental impact. • Article focuses on MgO-based cements as an alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement, highlighting global magnesite production. • Research emphasizes valorization by utilizing waste from kraft pulp mills (such as LS and grits) for MOS-based fiber cement production. • Exploration of accelerated carbonation impact on cementitious composites with LS and grits unveils shifts in physical-mechanical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The North-South gap of China has widened in recent decades. • This paper focused on the North-South industrial transfer and its impact on emissions. • The North-South transfer aggravated the imbalance of carbon emissions across regions in China. • The spillover effect is the dominant path behind the impact of the transfer. In recent years, the gap between the north and the south of China has been expanding, showing a decreasing proportion of value-added and an increasing proportion of carbon emissions in the north of China, and vice versa in the south of China. Based on the most recent inter-provincial input-output table of China in 2012 and 2017, this paper focused on the North-South industrial transfer of manufacturing, quantified its impact on regional carbon emissions, and decomposed the path of impacts. The results suggest that the North-South industrial transfers of China during 2012-2017 indeed aggravated the imbalance of carbon emissions in the north and the south of China. Further explorations of path decompositions show that the spillover effect through production linkages is the major path where industrial transfer influences regional carbon emissions, particularly in the north of China. The results provide insightful policy implications for the achievement of carbon emissions reduction targets in China as well as the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emission permitting (EP) has been widely implemented to regulate point-source wastewater emissions. However, the ways in which local industries respond to an EP intervention and to what extent an EP policy could reduce emissions is subject to great uncertainty and should be investigated. This study develops an agent-based model to examine each individual firm's changing behaviours and the aggregated environmental and economic performance of the local economy. The Baoding Municipality, located upstream of the Baiyangdian Wetland, a core conservation area in the Xiong' An New District, was investigated as a case study. The simulation results showed that the regional industrial economy first fell and then rose. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) emissions of the municipal industrial total showed a downward trend from 2015 to 2025, with an average annual reduction of 1.2% under the current EP policy. The textile and papermaking industries had comparatively large potential for emission reduction, accounting for 43.7% and 22.7% of the total industrial emissions, respectively. The simulation results also showed that over 61.9% of firms changed their approach from take-no-action to proactive pollution control up to 2025. Further, the results verify that total emissions would be expected to decrease significantly with tightening permit limits, while the marginal effects of EP regulation would be expected to decline gradually. As a quantification of EP's effects on both environmental and economic aspects, this study provides valuable insights for the advancement of EP policies through national reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental issues within the transport industry need to be given priority attention. Optimizing the transport structure and promoting low-carbon transport are essential measures for achieving carbon emission reduction. However, the rail-water multimodal transport scale is currently limited. The government has to intervene in the market through incentive policies, so how to expand the revenue of carriers and enhance the volume has become a major dilemma. Our paper constructs a transport system that includes road, water, and railway, and examines the impact of incentive policies on separate stakeholders. It is discovered that incentive policies can increase the revenue of carriers and simultaneously attract more shippers to elect rail-water multimodal transport. Subsidy policy can hasten the structural transformation of inland transport, making railway transport volume rise. Unfortunately, although the dry port policy may enhance the revenue of railway carriers, it leads to an apparent decline in the revenue of road-water multimodal transport participants. However, the subsidy policy can create a win-win scenario for multiple carriers while achieving carbon emission reduction, but to the detriment of social welfare. Additionally, the paper compares the interactions between diverse incentive policies and pivotal factors such as transport time. The conclusions of our research serve strategic recommendations for maximizing carriers revenues and provide support for government decision-making. • The impact of incentive policies on the rail-water multimodal transport is inspected. • Subsidy policy can make carriers better off, but may have adverse effects on social welfare. • Subsidy policy expands carrier volume and stimulates transport structure transformation. • Although dry port is conducive to social welfare, it hurts the revenue of carriers. • The dry port is beneficial for achieving long-distance carbon emissions reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources, driven by the global concern for climate change and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, are gaining increasing importance. Among them, solar energy stands out as a crucial renewable source and accurate solar irradiance forecasting is vital for its effective utilisation. Deep learning (DL) techniques have emerged as state-of-the-art solar irradiance forecasting methods in past years. However, traditional models that are widely used have inferior accuracy in forecasting. To bridge this gap, this paper presents an improved state-of-the-art model that leverages the convolutional property to forecast the time series data. We got a reduction of 8.32% in MAE compared to the base model. The paper's findings highlight the potential of DL-based approaches to significantly improve the accuracy of solar irradiance forecasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broad consensus has been formed around global greenhouse gas emission reduction, and the task of realizing carbon reduction and decarbonization in the shipping industry is getting increasingly severe. Low-carbon and zero-carbon fuel power is the most direct and effective way to reduce ship emissions. However, it is difficult to form a mature power system configuration in designing, constructing, and applying low-carbon and zero-carbon fuel-powered ships due to the constraints of waters, routes, ship types, demand, power, alternative fuels, carbon emission reduction policies, and other dimensions. Based on this situation, to fill in the top-level architecture of the ship green power system and form a preliminary ship green power system configuration, this paper constructs a "demand-configuration-integration-system evaluation" architecture of ship green power system based on zero-carbon fuels from two kinds of zero-carbon fuels, i.e., hydrogen and ammonia. First, the demand for green ship power systems is sorted out, and the five ship system configuration elements, namely, fuel, power module, propulsion mode, aftertreatment mode, and propulsion module, are summarized. Then, the systems are combined and integrated, and the steps of the assessment of zero-carbon ship power systems are summarized by taking three typical power system configurations, namely, internal-combustion engine, fuel cell, and hybrid power systems, as examples. The green zero-carbon power system architecture proposed in this paper not only includes three kinds of inland near-sea and oceanic water requirements but also involves different ship types, such as container ships, bulk carriers, cruise ships, offshore engineering vessels, which can provide specific ideas and references for the designers/owners when designing and selecting a new type of zero-carbon powered ship. [Display omitted] • A ship zero carbon power system architecture has been constructed. • Sorting out zero-carbon power needs from waters, routes, and ship types. • Constructing the zero-carbon ship power system from five dimensions. • Demand, configuration, integration, and evaluation form a selection closed-loop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel aviation CO 2 emissions reduction method by introducing a market-based incentive mechanism. An aviation carbon emissions prediction model is proposed to characterize both the microscopic flight dynamics and the macroscopic air traffic demand trend. Based on emissions prediction, a linear climate response model is applied to evaluate the environmental impact of the aviation carbon emissions. Finally, a market-based framework for aviation CO 2 emissions reduction is established based on a two-phase carbon trading model, which provides a piecewise charge method through emission taxation and cap-and-trade. A case study is carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework using a real-world dataset from the Hefei Air Traffic Control Zone in China. Three scenarios are defined to describe the possible development speed of sustainable aviation fuel application in the future: not applied, medium-speed development, and high-speed development. The results show that the carbon peak will be reached in 2025 in the high-speed development scenario, when the emission amount and associated environmental impact will be reduced by 23.7% and 22.3%, respectively. Thus, the market-based framework proposed in this paper can effectively reduce aviation CO 2 emissions and mitigate the effects of global warming. • An aviation CO 2 emissions prediction model is proposed considering both microscopic flight dynamics and macroscopic traffic demand. • A more efficient market-based CO 2 emission reduction framework is developed based on a two-phase carbon trading model by means of taxation and cap-and-trade. • Case study shows that the proposed method has a more optimal incentive for CO 2 emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In September 2020, the European Parliament decided to include the CO2 emitted on the all intra-European and 50% of extra-European voyages in the European Union Emission Trading System (EU-ETS) starting from 2022, in order to reduce the CO2 emission. With the implementation of EU-ETS, the maritime supply chain will inevitably be significantly affected. Different carbon quota allocations in ETS have different impact on the CO2 emission reduction, which motivates us to investigate the effect of different carbon quota allocations on maritime CO2 emission reduction. Therefore, this paper considers two carbon quota allocations: the historical total quantity method and the historical intensity method, and develops a game model for each method. Then, the equilibrium solutions of each game model are analyzed. With the help of the system dynamics and the software Vensim, numerical experiments are conducted to verify the properties obtained in the analysis of the equilibrium solutions. The experimental results indicate that 1) Green technology (GT) can effectively reduce carbon emissions. Based on long-term simulation results, the GT investments will be gradually offset by profiting from carbon quota trading. 2) Profits may vary with price, but the Historical Intensity method consistently achieves better carbon reduction effects or relatively higher profits. 3) The marginal profits of companies with similar historical intensity baselines are almost the same. This gives an advantage to companies who implement green technologies earlier, as they can quickly gain returns from GT. • Comparing the effect of different carbon allocation methods on the maritime supply chain. • The historical intensity method reduces carbon emissions effectively, especially for companies with high unit emissions. • Using system dynamics to investigate the interaction of maritime supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A compression-assisted absorption refrigeration cycle using R32/DMAC is developed. • Enable the implementation of solar absorption refrigeration in refrigerated warehouses. • Using 60∼80 °C solar hot water obtains a low evaporation temperature of −20∼0 °C. • There is an 18.2 % reduction in electricity consumption compared to traditional method. Solar absorption refrigeration technology is considered an ideal alternative to energy-intensive refrigerated warehouses due to its decarbonization and environmental friendliness. However, it faces challenges in competing with vapor compression refrigeration, such as high driving heat source temperature (>100 °C) and a long payback period. In this paper, we address these challenges by focusing on cycle structure and working pair, and propose a compression-assisted absorption refrigeration cycle (CARC) using R32/dimethylacetamide (DMAC) as working pair. The aim is to significantly reduce driving heat source temperature by adjusting absorption pressure utilizing an auxiliary compressor, enabling the cycle to be connected to low-cost and efficient non-concentrating solar collectors, thereby effectively shortening its payback period. This cycle includes two operating modes: CARC mode powered by solar energy during the daytime and vapor compression refrigeration cycle mode driven by off-peak electricity at night, ensuring 24-hour cooling capacity for refrigerated warehouses. The results indicate that this cycle can flexibly utilize 60∼80 °C solar hot water easily obtained as driving heat source and its evaporation temperature decreases to -20 °C. To assess its performance benefits, a compression-assisted absorption refrigeration system is developed and implemented. By utilizing the limited roof area of a refrigerated warehouse, it can achieve an 18.2 % reduction in electricity consumption and a 24.2 % reduction in carbon emissions compared to the vapor compression one annually. Additionally, during peak electricity demand periods in summer, the system exhibits significant energy-saving effects, and its payback period is about 4.2 years. Ultimately, this cycle provides a viable solution for energy-saving and emission reduction in refrigerated warehouses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to guide the operation of the actual cascade system, this paper takes the cascade system as the research object and compares the use of six refrigerant pairs. Unlike the previous single-objective optimization of refrigeration system carbon emissions and other indicators, this research uses a multi-objective optimization algorithm, that is, we consider the cascade system's exergy efficiency and carbon emissions at the same time. We reduce carbon emissions while improving the system's exergy efficiency, and finally find out the specific operating conditions under which the system can realize low-carbon and high-efficiency operation, which further promotes the process of achieving energy saving and emission reduction in factories. The optimization results show that among the six refrigerant pairs, the use of R744-R134a and R744-R290 refrigerant pairs can make the system operate better, but considering the high global warming potential (GWP) of R134a refrigerant, the use of R744-R290 combination is more recommended. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We study the relationship between GVC embedding and carbon emission density. • A mediation effect model was established to test the mechanism. • There is a U-shaped relationship between urban GVC embedding and carbon emission density. To achieve its carbon peak and neutrality plan, whether China's global value chain (GVC) embedding has a carbon emission reduction effect is a question worthy of attention. This paper measures the GVC embedding degree of 218 Chinese cities from 2000 to 2016, and constructs a panel data model to investigate the impact and its mechanism of GVC embedding on carbon emission intensity. This study finds that there is a significant U-shaped relationship between GVC embedding and carbon emission intensity, and a series of robustness test results support this conclusion. Export scale, energy consumption structure and technological innovation play a mediation role in the impact path of GVC embedding on carbon emission intensity. Based on this, this paper proposes that while participating in GVC, China needs to actively utilize the emission reduction effect of GVC, promote the transformation of export mode to high quality, reduce the use and dependence on high-carbon resources such as coal, and encourage companies to innovate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method of recycling cooking with pulping wastewater was developed to save energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in a pulp mill, which used bio-fuel of eucalyptus instead of coal and oil, and reduced the steps of black liquor combustion and lime regeneration in the traditional pulp mill to reduce carbon dioxide emission. As results, the bio-fuel consumption and CO 2 emission are 2.04 × 104 MJ (1.2 tons of eucalyptus) and 2.2 tons for per ton of pulp. It reduces 28.23% of fuel energy consumption and 14.06% of CO 2 emission comparison with that by the traditional pulp mill. In addition, while using the generated lignin as part of bio-fuel, the product value-added is 765.88 RMB for per ton of pulp, being 23.72% lower than that of 1004.08 RMB by the traditional pulp mill. Therefore, this study demonstrates the advance and feasibility of using only bio-fuel for a new pulp mill with a new method of recycling cooking, and will promote the technological revolution of cleaner production in the pulp and paper industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past years, several efforts have been made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions coming from the transport sector. Due to the highly efficient CO2-free combustion and low manufacturing costs, Hydrogen Internal Combustion engines (H2ICEs) are considered one of the most promising solutions for the future of medium and heavy duty vehicles. However, the combustion of an air-hydrogen mixture presents challenges related to the production of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and high knock tendency, mainly due to the chemical characteristics of the fuel. Although these problems can be mitigated by the use of a lean mixture, which is also useful to increase the combustion efficiency, the presence of excess air reduces exhaust temperatures and, consequently, the enthalpy content in the exhaust would be limited, leading to a reduced boosting capability. Therefore, a proper control of mixture preparation and combustion phasing is mandatory to limit NOx emissions, avoid abnormal combustions, and maximize efficiency without performance limitations. This paper focuses on the design of a dedicated control strategy for H2ICEs. Starting from a previously validated 1-D engine model operated with hydrogen, a 0-D Artificial Neural Network (ANN) - based engine model has been designed and calibrated. By using the obtained fast running ANN-based model, an innovative torque-based engine controller has been developed and both engine and controller models have been tested covering different torque profiles. The results show good accuracy within a range of ±5% on producing the requested torque by controlling the centre of combustion. [Display omitted] • Hydrogen represents an optimal solution for the abatement of CO2 emissions related to the transport sector. • Hydrogen combustion is prone to abnormal combustions and NOx emissions. • Dedicated control strategies are needed to achieve an efficient, clean and reliable H2 combustion. • Model in the Loop approach aimed at testing the proposed control strategy. • Artificial neural network – based fast running engine model enabled testing the control system in relevant running conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increase in electric energy consumption and the significant growth in the number of electric vehicles (EV) at the level of the distribution network, new networks have started using new fuels such as hydrogen to improve environmental indicators and at the same time better efficiency from the excess capacity of renewable resources. In this article, the services that can be provided by hydrogen refueling stations and charging electric vehicles in the optimal performance of microgrids have been investigated. The model proposed in this paper includes a two-stage stochastic framework for scheduling resources in microgrids, especially hydrogen refueling stations and electric vehicle charging. In this model, two main goals of cost minimization and greenhouse gas emissions are considered. In the proposed framework and in the first stage, the service range of microgrids is determined precisely according to the electrical limitations of distribution systems in emergency situations. Then, in the second stage, the problem of energy management in each microgrid will be solved centrally. In this situation, various indicators including the output energy of renewable sources, smart charging of hydrogen and electric vehicle charging stations (EV/FCV) and flexible loads (FL) are evaluated. The final mathematical model is implemented as a multivariate integer multiple linear problem (MILP) using the GUROBI solver in GAMS software. The simulation results on the modified IEEE 118-Bus network show the positive effect of the presence of flexible loads and smart charging strategies by charging stations. Also, the numerical derivation shows that the operating costs of the entire system can be reduced by 4.77% and the use of smart charging strategies can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 49.13%. • Embedding network security constraints to ensure that each microgrid operates within safe voltage levels and avoids line capacity. • Examining the impacts of flexible loads and the charging patterns of EVs and FCVs on operational costs. • Incorporating hydrogen storage systems and refueling stations in the model to mitigate the adverse effects of renewable energy fluctuations. • Establishing a multi-objective model to consider both economic and environmental aspects of energy management in the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legislation regulating the sustainability requirements for hydrogen technologies relies more and more on life cycle assessments (LCAs). Due to different scopes and development processes, different pieces of EU legislation refer to different LCA methodologies, with differences in the way multifunctional processes (i.e., co-productions, recycling, and energy recovery) are treated. These inconsistencies arise because incentive mechanisms are not standardized across sectors, even though the end product, hydrogen, remains the same. The goal of this paper is to compare the life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of hydrogen from four production pathways depending on the multifunctional approach prescribed by the different EU policies (e.g., using substitution or allocation). The study reveals a large variation in the LCA results. For instance, the life-cycle GHG emissions of hydrogen co-produced with methanol is found to vary from 1 kg CO 2 -equivalent/kg H 2 (when mass allocation is considered) to 11 kg CO 2 -equivalent/kg H 2 (when economic allocation is used). These inconsistencies could affect the market (e.g., hydrogen from a certain pathway could be considered sustainable or unsustainable depending on the approach) and the environment (e.g., pathways that do not lead to a global emission reduction could be promoted). To mitigate these potential negative effects, we urge for harmonized and strict guidelines to assess the life-cycle GHG emissions of hydrogen technologies in an EU policy context. Harmonization should cover international policies too, to avoid the same risks when hydrogen will be traded based on its GHG emissions. The appropriate methodological approach for each production pathway should be chosen by policymakers in collaboration with the LCA community and stakeholders from the industry based on the potential market and environmental consequences of such choice. • LCA methodologies for hydrogen-related policies are currently not fully harmonized. • Four hydrogen production pathways involving multifunctionality were analysed. • GHG emissions of hydrogen vary significantly with the LCA methodology adopted. • Inconsistencies can lead to market distortions, inefficiencies, and confusion. • There is an urgent need for harmonized and strict LCA guidelines for H2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of climate change, zero carbon refurbishment for existing buildings is imperative for maximising carbon emission reductions. Due to the increasing complexity of reducing carbon emissions for existing buildings, there is a need for a more collaborative and integrative approach. Extensive research has shown the importance, benefits, and challenges of collaboration and integration in implementing sustainable buildings. However, little attention has been paid to investigating collaboration and integration in refurbishment projects that focus on reducing life cycle carbon emissions. This paper explores the collaboration and integration in the decision-making process towards zero carbon refurbishment by examining three real-life case studies in New Zealand. The findings resulted from an interactive cross-case analysis using replication logic within and among cases. Empirically, the study emphasises the importance of (1) organisational commitment and compatibility of team members, (2) the timely involvement of key stakeholders, (3) the highest level of integration in the design process, and (4) a centralised and integrated information system. The paper also divulges the current practices and challenges faced in the integration process, where lessons learnt are identified for future refurbishment projects. A collaboration and integration framework towards successfully delivering building projects towards zero carbon is proposed. The research implications may assist the real-world uptake of the zero‑carbon refurbishment approach by promoting effective collaboration and integration. • An interactive analysis between theoretical propositions and cross-case synthesis • Divulging challenges and lessons learnt in the collaboration and integration process • Proposing a collaboration and integration framework towards zero carbon refurbishment • Promoting an effective collaboration to assist the real-world uptake of zero-carbon refurbishment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Digitalization become a new driving force to improve energy-saving and emission reduction performance (EEP). • The relationship between digitalization and EEP has spatial and temporal heterogeneity. • There is a synergy between digitalization and industrialization. • Some constructive policy suggestions are proposed from the perspective of digital development. In the digital era, enterprises actively use digital technology to enable resource conservation and pollution reduction, which has important practical significance. However, the existing research has not fully clarified the link between digitalization and energy-saving and emission reduction. This paper measures the digital development level and energy-saving and emission reduction performance (EEP) of 271 Chinese cities from 2003 to 2019 and empirically explores the impact of digitalization on EEP. The empirical results are: (1) digitalization can significantly improve EEP in Chinese cities, and become a new driving force to save energy and reduce emissions in the new era. After solving the endogeneity problems and replacing the explained variables, the conclusion remains robust. (2) The relationship between digitalization and EEP has significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Digitalization helps to promote EEP in China's eastern cities, but it has not shown a positive effect in western cities. The positive effect of digitalization began to emerge after 2011. (3) There is a synergy between digitalization and industrialization, which enables cities to save energy and reduce emissions. This study helps clarify the relationship between digitalization and EEP, which provides important insights into how digitalization can empower cities' energy-saving and emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green hydrogen has become more attractive as a fuel for engines to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By mixing it with natural gas (NG), the modification work on the engine can be minimized but the carbon dioxide emissions from combustion can still be decreased. In this paper, an experimental study was accomplished to investigate the performance of a spark-ignition engine fueled with hydrogen-natural gas blends by either keeping a constant ignition timing or changing it. Up to 25 mol-% hydrogen was mixed into natural gases with different compositions and the methane number and Wobbe index were calculated and compared to the requirements set by Euromot. The results show that up to 15 mol-% hydrogen can be blended into NG to meet the limits of Euromot. However, when 25 mol-% hydrogen was mixed into NG the methane number varied between 56 and 64 depending on the gas composition. This would most likely cause knock for a mixture consisting of higher hydrocarbons but during the executed tests knock was never a problem. Furthermore, it was detected that the methane number alone cannot tell the knock tendency of a gas in a certain engine and an additional condition is needed such as the hydrogen level. An adjusted ignition timing was also preferable compared to a constant one to keep the engine component temperature at a moderate level. • A SI-engine was fueled with different hydrogen-natural gas (H 2 -NG) mixtures. • Wobbe index and methane number (MN) were calculated for all test points. • Efficiency was improved and emissions were decreased with higher hydrogen content. • No tendency of knock when 25 mol-% hydrogen was mixed into natural gas with a low MN. • Additional condition is needed for MN eg. H 2 -level to be sure if knock can happen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Research progress of observation-based ozone formation sensitivity is reviewed. • Threshold values for Photochemical Indicator methods need to be localized. • Reaction mechanisms and monitoring capability need to be improved for OBM. • Ozone formation sensitivity in China presents the gradual shifting tendency. • Dynamic regulation capability for ozone pollution control needs to be built. Observation-based method for O 3 formation sensitivity research is an important tool to analyze the causes of ground-level O 3 pollution, which has broad application potentials in determining the O 3 pollution formation mechanism and developing prevention and control strategies. This paper outlined the development history of research on O 3 formation sensitivity based on observational methods, described the principle and applicability of the methodology, summarized the relative application results in China and provided recommendations on the prevention and control of O 3 pollution in China based on relevant study results, and finally pointed out the shortcomings and future development prospects in this field in China. The overview study showed that the O 3 formation sensitivity in some urban areas in China in recent years presented a gradual shifting tendency from the VOC-limited regime to the transition regime or the NO x -limited regime due to the implementation of the O 3 precursors emission reduction policies; O 3 pollution control strategies and precursor control countermeasures should be formulated based on local conditions and the dynamic control capability of O 3 pollution control measures should be improved. There are still some current deficiencies in the study field in China. Therefore, it is recommended that a stereoscopic monitoring network for atmospheric photochemical components should be further constructed and improved; the atmospheric chemical mechanisms should be vigorously developed, and standardized methods for determining the O 3 formation sensitivity should be established in China in the near future. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shared mobility solutions such as bike sharing services play a key role to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas. In this paper, we present an approach to model station-based bike sharing in the multi-modal agent-based travel demand model mobiTopp. We compare different implementations of how agents choose their bike pick-up and drop-off stations. In addition to two variations of distance minimization, we also present a gravity approach to represent the reliability of a system. By also comparing different behavioral attitudes of the agents towards walking, a total of six scenarios were implemented and tested. The presented approach allows to easily test scenarios with a varying number of bikes and stations. We apply our algorithm to a model for the city of Hamburg, Germany, where the mobility behavior of a total of 1.9 million agents is modeled. Our simulations show plausible results. The average distances, utilization shares of each station, and other parameters match with values from the actual service. While the different strategies result in significantly different access times, and provide further new valuable insights and options for parameterization, differences in resulting demand are small. Overall, this model provides new methods to simulate bike sharing in travel demand models, thus helps to simulate an important mode of transport of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The logistics management of refined oil under a separation of production and transportation leads to high logistics costs and a mismatch between the supply and demand sides. This paper intends to develop a general framework to assess the impact of the integration of the production and transportation in terms of economic, environmental, and energy benefits. Firstly, this paper proposes a tactical-level mathematical model for optimizing the integration of production and transportation of refined oil to minimize the total cost. In the model, several factors, such as level of market demand, production capacity limits, transportation modes, and transportation capacity, are taken into consideration. Then, the energy, economy, and environment analysis method are applied to assess the impact of the integration on the field of refined oil logistics. Four scenarios are set up and a comparative analysis is carried out in detail in China. The optimal resource allocation scheme and production adjustment scheme for each scenario are obtained. The results show that after the integration, the logistics cost is reduced by 6.8 %− 11 %, the greenhouse gas emission is reduced by 7.3 %− 17.7 %, and the energy consumption per unit turnover is reduced by 4.4 %− 7.4 %. This proves that the integration of production and transportation guided by the proposed method performs positive economic, environmental, and energy benefits. Finally, policy implications are provided. • A framework is raised to assess the integration of oil production and transportation. • A logistics optimization model considering production adjustment is proposed. • The economic, environmental and energy benefits in a real case are identified. • Policy prescriptions are recommended for China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the constraints of carbon trading policy, manufacturers have strengthened joint emission reduction with energy service company (ESCO). In view of the capital constraint of ESCO and the demand risk of the manufacturer, in order to promote better cooperation between the manufacturer and ESCO, the influence of manufacturer's risk aversion on supply chain performance is studied. In this paper, we use the mean-variance (MV) model to construct the two-echelon supply chain models of manufacturer's non-shareholding ESCO, manufacturer's shareholding ESCO and manufacturer's shareholding ESCO under risk aversion, respectively. This paper studies the risk aversion strategy of manufacturer's shareholding ESCO, discusses the influence of relevant parameters on decision variables, and analyses the influence of different shareholding proportion and risk aversion coefficient on profit through numerical analysis. The results show that the emission reduction of ESCO and the selling price of the manufacturer are increased when the manufacturer chooses the appropriate shareholding proportion, and interestingly, the manufacturer's shareholding in ESCO will also increase its emission reduction price. However, in order to avoid the risk of equity investment, manufacturers adopt the strategy of reducing the price of emission reduction and sales price, but this behavior will not only reduce their own profits, but also make the emission reduction lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Carbon Peaking" and "Carbon Neutralization" is the strategic direction and key period in the current stage of ecologic civilization construction. Green finance refers to making the financial industry a guide and supervisor of other industries. Green finance will help other industries save energy and reduce emissions to achieve "Carbon Peaking" and "Carbon Neutralization" at an early date. This paper takes Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guizhou and Xinjiang provinces, which were approved as green finance reform pilot zones in 2017, as examples, and uses synthetic control method to study the constraint effect of the local carbon emissions in pilot zones. The results show that Guizhou has the best emission constraint effect. Jiangxi Province has a certain degree of emission constraint effect. Zhejiang, Guangdong and Xinjiang have no emission constraint effect. The following placebo test results show that the experiment is stable and robust. By combining the actual pilot zones policy schemes and experimental results of the five provinces, this paper concludes that the main reason for the differences in emission constraint effects of the five pilot zones are the differences in the policy selection and the different characteristics of the provinces. Based on this result, relevant policy suggestions are put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although China's energy consumption is very high, foreign demand has become crucial factor affecting China's energy consumption due to exports. A detailed analysis of the embodied energy intensity of China's exports from the demand side could provide valuable insight into promoting China's energy-saving development. This paper explores disparities in the embodied energy intensity of China's exports to different trading partners and the energy supply structure behind these exports. Furthermore, it explores the driving factors of export embodied energy intensity using multiplicative structural decomposition analysis. The results show that China's export embodied energy intensity to developing countries, such as India, is higher than that of European and American countries; however, a convergence trend has emerged over time. Regarding the driving factors influencing changes in export embodied energy intensity over time, the sectoral energy intensity effect plays a pivotal role in promoting its decline, while the production structure and export structure effects change from inhibition to weak promotion. The adjustment of export structure has significant potential for reducing China's export embodied energy intensity, especially in emerging economies. Finally, this paper proposes policy directions for collaborative opening up, energy saving, and emission reduction goals. [Display omitted] • The sectoral energy intensity effect plays a pivotal role in promoting China's export embodied energy intensity decline. • The export structure effect has significant potential for reducing China's export embodied energy intensity. • The export scale of low energy intensity industries should be expanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing carbon emissions is a crucial way to achieve sustainable development. Whether the digital economy helps or makes it harder to cut emissions is a matter of debate. This paper proposes a new digital economy index based on the entropy weight method. The two-way fixed effect panel model is used to analyze the data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2021. The results suggest that (1) The digital economy can significantly reduce carbon emissions. (2) Improving energy efficiency and promoting energy structure transformation are two essential mechanisms for carbon reduction in the digital economy. (3) There is heterogeneity in the impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions. The digital economy significantly reduces carbon emissions from coal but does not significantly impact carbon emissions from other sources. Moreover, the emission reduction effect of the digital economy is related to regional energy endowment, intelligent manufacturing level, and industrial agglomeration level. This paper provides new empirical evidence for clarifying the relationship between the digital economy and carbon emissions and provides policy implications for promoting the realization of carbon neutrality goals. • The digital economy can significantly reduce carbon emissions. • Energy efficiency and energy structure are two essential mechanisms. • The emission reduction effects of the digital economy vary by region. • The effect is related to intelligent manufacturing and industrial agglomeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is urgent for the global community with rising climates. Considering the importance of renewable energy in mitigating climate warming, forecasting renewable energy generation is vital for the Chinese government's future low-carbon and green development plan. This paper proposes a novel multivariable grey model based on historical data on China's renewable energy generation and three industries. A novel information accumulation mechanism with two adaptive factors is designed to improve the traditional multivariable grey modeling defect. Based on the proposed mechanism, this paper optimizes the initial and background values and nonlinear model structure with the whale optimization algorithm. The forecasting results show that the fitting MAPE is 1.13%, comprehensive MAPE is 2.60%, MSE is 50.86, and RMSE is 7.13, which significantly improve the forecasting accuracy of traditional GM(1,N) and are better than other compared models. The forecasting results show that China's renewable energy generation will gradually increase to 5834.02 TWh. The Chinese government should keep the previous Five-Year Plans rising trend of the three industries in the future Five-Year Plans to support renewable energy industries. In China's future energy system, it is necessary to promote incentive policies and capital investment for actively accelerated development to make renewable energy the leading force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of carbon emission reduction in the shipping industry, CCUS technology can modify ships to reduce carbon emissions, providing a new direction for the green development of the shipping industry. Based on this, this paper investigates the technology related to carbon capture on ships, firstly puts forward the applicable requirements of carbon capture technology; and analyses the adaptability of the existing carbon capture solutions to the shipping industry; and discusses the development prospect of carbon capture on ships through the three challenges of space utilisation, safety, and economy; and finally analyses the related policies. After analysis and discussion, this paper concludes that the alcohol-amine method is the most suitable carbon capture solution for ships, but there are challenges in economics and space utilisation. The future research direction lies in optimising the performance of the absorber, improving the energy efficiency of the system and solving the CO 2 storage problem. • It analyzes the current situation of the development of the carbon emission reduction business in the shipping industry, and introduces the application of carbon capture, utilization and storage technology (CCUS) in the shipping industry; • The applicable requirements for carbon capture on ships are proposed with regard to the ship's own characteristics; • Carbon capture process types are described in detail and the feasibility of different processes applied to the shipping industry is analyzed; • Summarises the existing cases of carbon capture on board ships and describes the challenges faced by carbon capture technology on board ships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research investigates how the resumption of the China certified emission reduction (CCER) market affects Chinese manufacturers' stock market valuations from an operations and supply chain management (OSCM) perspective. The paper draws from a resource-based view to examine the moderating effects of supply chain concentration (SCC), operational slack, and operational efficiency (OE) on the relationship between the CCER market and manufacturers' stock market valuations. This paper employs the event study method to examine market responses to CCER. The results reveal that the resumption of the CCER market significantly enhances the market valuations of high-pollution manufacturers to a greater extent than those of manufacturers with lower pollution levels. Additionally, the research findings indicate that SCC and operational slack attenuate the positive effect of CCER market resumption while OE amplifies it. This paper contributes to the OSCM literature by urging businesses to focus on the roles of SCC, operational slack, and OE in the CCER framework to harness the advantages of the CCER system better. • Resumption of China certified emission reduction positively affects manufacturers. • Operations and supply chain management factors are important moderators. • Manufacturers with varying pollution levels face different institutional impacts. • The event study method is employed to examine manufacturers' market responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Carbon reduction measures were summarized and evaluated. • The carbon removal capacity and cost of some carbon reduction methods were predicted. • The main CCUS projects in the world were collated and analyzed. • The principles of CCUS technology were reviewed in terms of progress, problems and prospects. Since the industrial revolution, the greenhouse effect has become more and more serious, causing great impacts on human beings and society. Many countries have formulated carbon neutrality and introduced a series of emission reduction measures. This paper summarizes and evaluates for the first time three universally appropriate carbon reduction measures: energy upgrading, biotechnology, and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology in conjunction with the policies of each country. The choice of carbon reduction methods depends on the economic situation and natural resources of each country. For example, the Middle East is more in need of energy upgrades, South America is focused on biotechnology, and Western Europe is currently more suited to CCUS technology. This paper also predicts the carbon reduction capacity and capital consumption of 10 carbon reduction methods based on International Energy Agency (IEA) data and the current development of emission reduction technologies. This can provide a reference for countries to choose appropriate carbon reduction methods. Meanwhile, this paper comprehensively reviews the principles of CCUS technology, including the current progress, problems, and prospects for application. The CCUS technology plays a significant role in promoting the transformation of the energy structure and responding to global climate change. Promoting the rapid development and wide application of CCUS technology requires the joint efforts of governments, enterprises and the public: government policy, enterprise investment and public support. This paper can provide references for countries to select appropriate carbon reduction methods and guidance for researchers to further improve the effect of CCUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Overview of the electric vehicle integration impact on power quality in the distribution grid. • An approach to mitigate the impact of EV on power quality. • In this paper, a flowchart for power quality issue mitigation and bidirectional converter control is proposed. • Different types of fact devices and their impacts on power quality and electric vehicle charging systems are presented in this paper. The adoption of electric vehicles is part of a broader effort to address environmental challenges, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and transition to more sustainable energy systems. However, their integration into the electrical grid through grid-to-vehicle (G2V) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging and discharging mechanisms may cause problems for the existing power grid such as voltage unbalances, transformer failure, and harmonic distortion may arise. These issues can negatively impact grid stability and power quality due to the unsteady nature of power sources and the unpredictability of electric vehicle loads This research examines and evaluates the problems associated with integrating electric vehicles into electrical networks. the research and strategies discussed in this article demonstrate that these challenges can be effectively mitigated. Coordinated and combined operating strategies for integrating electric vehicle systems, coupled with advanced technologies and control systems, offer promising solutions to maintain grid stability and power quality while accommodating the growing presence of electric vehicles. The development and implementation of these strategies and technologies are pivotal to ensure a reliable and high-quality power supply while accommodating the surge in electric vehicles. Collaboration among utility providers, regulators, technology developers, and researchers will be essential in navigating the evolving landscape of electric vehicle integration and maintaining the resilience and sustainability of our electric grids. The paper reviews the existing and future scenarios of integrating electric vehicles, as well as new research on the subject, providing a comprehensive examination of power quality issues and their mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the first systematic review analysis of potential Power to Gas integrations in blast furnace ironmaking. The primary objective of the paper is to evaluate the PtG technology implementation in both conventional air-blown and full oxygen blast furnaces, considering different BFG recycling routes (upper, shaft or tuyeres), and synthetic gases (SNG, H2 or syngas). Employing a systematic methodology, the paper compares all the studies using 14 Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and elaborates a discussion on the main findings and limitations, proposing areas for future research. PtG application enables air-blown blast furnaces to cut emissions to 1060 kg CO2 /t HM. With PtG and top gas recycling, oxygen blast furnaces achieve a reduction to 747 kg CO2 /t HM , and when combined with geological storage, the reduction further drops to 435 kg CO2 /t HM. Additionally, the authors propose a novel PtG-ironmaking integration based on the findings of this paper. • First systematic review for Power to Gas in blast furnace ironmaking. • Methodical comparison of technologies using 14 KPIs. • Air-blown blast furnaces emissions can be reduced to 1060 kgCO2/tHM. • Oxygen blast furnaces emissions can be reduced to 435–747 kgCO2/tHM. • Novel power to gas integration proposed by the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Paris Agreement, European member countries have been committed to mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects. Climate action planning allows cities to organize their approach. It is critical to ensure that investments in infrastructure and services have a low-carbon impact and consider likely climate change perspectives. The output of this process is the climate action plan (CAP): one or more documents where a city sets out its roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen climate resilience throughout the community. Many cities have already developed and published a Paris Agreement-compatible CAP. The quality and compliance of these plans will also influence the achievement of the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, 2015). Thus, cities are crucial players in global climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, and how they engage in climate policy is currently under debate. The paper is intended to support technological design, selecting good practices from the latest and most complete ones for climate mitigation and adaptation in urban settings. In particular, the paper focuses on public space and built environment regeneration actions that can tangibly contribute to the global climate resilience movement. Considering the operational difficulty that could arise in planning climate adaptation measures in historical urban contexts, the study critically analyzes current strategies in sedimented landscape realities of high cultural-historical value. The goal is to draw from them a cognitive and expeditious method of intervention that can be reiterated for similar contexts and is compatible with the consistency and value of urban and built heritage. The theme is timely and falls into Sustainable Development Goals No. 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and No. 13 (climate action). • The paper analyses the most recent studies and scientific papers on climate action plans. • Good practices for climate mitigation and adaptation in urban settings are critically investigated. • The study analyses current strategies in sedimented landscape realities of high historical and cultural value. • A toolkit is proposed that can be repurposed for similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Carbon mineralization in mafic and ultramafic formations offers an attractive CO2 storage option. • Several key technical factors affecting the success, scale, and cost of in-situ carbon mineralization projects are discussed. • Overview of pilot tests, projects, and associated costs is provided. Carbon mineralisation in underground mafic and ultramafic formations, known as in-situ carbon mineralisation, has emerged as an attractive technology for permanent CO 2 storage. Despite its potential, this method has received limited attention compared to conventional CO 2 storage in sedimentary formations. However, increasing interest from countries and companies in utilising this approach to permanently store CO 2 via carbon mineralisation has grown in recent years as part of the wider carbon capture and storage expansion seen globally. This review paper aims to provide an in-depth overview of in-situ carbon mineralisation technology. The paper covers key factors crucial for successful implementation, including water consumption, CO 2 injection rate, risk of CO 2 leakage, injectivity, fracture characterisation, pressure management and induced seismicity, thermal effects, surface area of minerals, groundwater contamination, injection strategy, monitoring of confinement, and reservoir modelling. The paper also discusses pilot tests and projects, highlighting their outcomes. Furthermore, it discusses the costs associated with in-situ carbon mineralisation and provides a case study. The primary objective of this paper is to increase awareness and understanding of this relatively new technology within the carbon capture and storage industry. By shedding light on the benefits and challenges of carbon mineralisation in mafic and ultramafic formations, this review aims to encourage further research, development, and adoption of this promising approach for CO 2 emissions reduction and permanent CO 2 storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon cap-and-trade policy based on market mechanism becomes an important means to restrain shipping logistics enterprises' carbon emission reduction. This paper studies the new requirements of shipping enterprises under the pressure of carbon emission reduction. Considering the logistics service supply chain composed of two competing providers and one integrator under the constraint of carbon cap-and-trade policy, this paper explores the optimal pricing and revenue decision of shipping logistics service supply chain through vertical cooperation, horizontal cooperation between providers and revenue sharing cooperation among integrators. This paper obtains feedback strategies under different cooperation modes by constructing a game model. In the vertical game, the shipping logistics supplier is the Stackelberg leader, and the shipping logistics integrator is the follower; there is a Nash equilibrium in the emission reduction decisions among suppliers in the horizontal game. On this basis, the results of different cooperation modes are compared, and the influence of competitive strategies on the optimal results is discussed. We found that the vertical cooperation of the shipping logistics service supply chain has a higher carbon emission reduction rate and a lower sales price, and the horizontal cooperation of shipping logistics suppliers can improve their own profits but reduce the income of the shipping logistics integrators and consumer welfare. When the revenue sharing contract provides the shipping logistics integrator with a share proportion in a certain range, the revenue sharing contract can generate higher supply chain profits than the integration of two chains, which can urge shipping logistics suppliers to forfeit the horizontal cooperation and help the shipping logistics service supply chain achieve win-win results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable construction, especially in cement manufacturing, is gaining momentum due to its potential in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A noteworthy solution lies in using industrial waste as supplementary cementitious materials, mitigating the challenges associated with waste landfills. While many cement substitutes exist — including geopolymers, inorganic polymers, alkali-activated materials, Portland-based cement, and Calcium sulfoaluminate cement — there's a conspicuous gap in the exploration of sustainable cementitious composites tailored for ultra-high strength applications. This paper aims to address this void. Our review offers a synthesis of recent research on the mechanical, rheological, durability and microstructural properties of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) and ultra-high-strength cement-based materials (UHSC). We research into pozzolanic materials derived from industrial and Agro-waste, analyzing their physical, chemical, and morphological characteristics. Remarkably, many studies have reported impressive compressive strength values exceeding 150 MPa using materials like Fly ash, Silica fume, Ultra-fine fly ash, Basalt powder, Limestone powder, River sand, Recycled construction and demolition waste, Quartz sand, Calcined clay tailings, superplasticizer, and Ordinary Portland cement (OPC). We also explore effective curing methods, with steam curing (72 h at 80 ± 2 °C) and autoclave curing (8 h at 180 ± 2 °C) found to significantly boost the compressive strength of UHPC. Lastly, we discuss the morphology and mineralogy of UHPC and UHSC hydrates, emphasizing the influence of temperature, raw material proportions, and partial replacement of Portland cement. The paper concludes by addressing the challenges posed by various waste streams in achieving high strength, and offers some recommendations for future progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large ships are more utilized than ever before to facilitate transporting heavy goods and oils overseas. However, they rely on fossil fuels and cause severe environmental impacts. Utilizing alternative fuels and implementing new engine designs are considered promising methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve engine performance. This paper compares three developed, hybridized marine engines operated using five fuel blends of hydrogen, methanol, dimethyl ether, ethanol, and methane. In addition, the paper presents a multi-objective particle swarm optimization to increase the engine power and its exergetic efficiency and reduce the cost and environmental impact. A marine engine (SRC-GT-SOFC) containing a steam Rankine cycle, a gas turbine, and a solid oxide fuel cell is considered to weigh less and perform better. It is found that the optimized SRC-GT-SOFC engine power is increased by about 10 %, corresponding to 16269 kW with an increased exergetic efficiency of 70.6 %, respectively. Its specific fuel and product exergetic costs are found to be 12 $/GJ and 15.67 $/GJ, and its specific fuel and product environmental impacts are 7.4 Pt/GJ and 9.3 Pt/GJ, respectively. This results in a significant reduction in the relative cost difference and the relative environmental impact difference of the optimized SRC-GT-SOFC of 30 % and 25.4 %, respectively. • Three hybridized marine engines are compared and optimized to raise performance. • Optimized SRC-GT-SOFC engine has 16.3 MW power and 70.6 % exergetic efficiency. • Specific exergetic cost reduced to 12 $/GJ for fuel and 16 $/GJ for product. • Specific exergetic environmental impact for fuel and product becomes 7.4 and 9.3 Pt/GJ. • New operation conditions of SRC-GT-SOFC have low price and environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses panel data on renewable energy in China. Thus, the current analysis fills the gaps by examining the relationship between green technology innovation and renewable energy and CO 2 emissions from 1990 to 2018. The current study examines all concerns connected to panel data analysis with advanced panel estimators, such as cross-sectional dependence, stationarity, variation in slope parameters, and structural break. Our findings show that test results reveal that green technology innovation and renewable energy have a negative and considerable influence on CO2 emissions in the long run. Moreover, the short-run relationship of green technology innovation, on the other hand, is not significant—as evidenced by the findings of robustness tests such as AMG and CCEMG. Other empirical results revealed that GTI, REN and NEN significantly reduced local CO 2 emission, while POP and PI had no obvious reduction effects on CO 2 emissions. Different GTIs had the same spatial "symbiotic effects" on CO 2 emission reduction in the short term, showing positive spatial spillover reduction effects. Lastly, we conclude that the use of green technology innovation has positive externalities. Some policies to assist green innovation technologies and renewable energy resources have been suggested for the Chinese government to enact. • This paper uses panel data on renewable energy in China. • The current study examines all concerns connected to panel data analysis with advanced panel estimators. • The short-run relationship of green technology innovation is not significant. • We conclude that the use of green technology innovation has positive externalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant increases in renewable energy are needed in electricity systems in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the face of increasing electricity demand arising from the electrification of heat and transport. Greater flexibility is required in the electricity system to facilitate this, using proven flexibility providers such as batteries and interconnection or new technologies yet to be proven. This paper investigates how the relationship between battery and interconnection development and carbon price can impact carbon dioxide emissions and renewable energy curtailment. The study simulates twenty-eight scenarios and sensitivities using a unit commitment and economic dispatch model of a 2030 European power system that acknowledges that coal will not be fully eliminated from the 2030 generation mix. The results show that interconnection and battery deployment can alleviate renewable energy curtailment by over 2.4 TWh for the basecase, but a high carbon price is critical to ensuring their deployment plays a complementary role in reducing emissions. The paper also examines the impact of batteries and interconnection on solar and wind energy curtailment. It reveals that battery development nearly doubled the solar energy benefits achieved by interconnection development in some cases, while wind energy benefited more from interconnection development. • A high CO 2 price is critical to IC and batteries achieving emissions reductions. • IC can facilitate production of cheaper higher emitting fuels when CO 2 price is low. • Solar energy benefits more from deployment of batteries due to similar timescales. • Diversity of wind profiles can be leveraged with increased interconnection. • Regardless of CO 2 price IC and batteries alleviate renewable energy curtailment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressure on reducing greenhouse gas emissions has increased since the focus on climate change mitigation has grown. As the human development index is directly related to per capita energy consumption, sustainable energy production with reduced carbon footprint is the essential pathway for cleaner environment. Over numerous existing biological processes, hydrogen production via photo fermentation and photolysis of water is considered a more sustainable and economical method of hydrogen production. While both biological modes suffer from certain limitations, such as low yields and low production rates, practical implementation is still a long way off due to these limitations. The unique properties of nanomaterials (NMs) can help increase the efficiency of the biomass to biohydrogen process in significant ways. Applications of organic and inorganic nanoparticles in photocatalytic and photo fermentative hydrogen production is discussed in this paper. This review reports a wide range of applications of nanomaterials including the details of photo fermentative microorganisms and their mechanism of action. The maximum photo fermentative bio-H 2 production was reported in the presence of SiC–Fe 3 O 4 (3.02 mol H 2 /mol acetate), Ni (41 mol H 2 /mol sugar), graphite-C 3 N 4 (64.2 mol H 2 /mol sugar) whereas photocatalytic bio-H 2 yield was highest when Pd–Ni/CdS (54 mmol/g.h), Ni-MO/g-C 3 N 4 (1785 mmol/g.h) and CuO/TiO 2 (20.3 mmol/g.h) nanoparticles were employed. To design photocatalytic systems for practical and scalable use, the future research should be focused on deeper theoretical knowledge of mechanisms of light harvesting, ± charge separation and transport, surface biochemical reactions, semiconductor–liquid interactions, and reactor dynamics. [Display omitted] • Recent developments for improving water photolysis and photo-fermentation are reviewed. • Applications of organic and inorganic nanoparticles in hydrogen production are discussed. • The working principle and mechanism of hydrogen production are discussed. • The influence of key operating factors are presented. • Scope for future research was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the huge contribution of transportation to global greenhouse gas emissions, it is imperative to embrace more carbon-efficient transportation modes to support our environmental goals. However, few studies offer empirical evidence to evaluate the potential of shifting transportation model for carbon emissions reduction. This paper, aiming at addressing this gap, conducts an empirical study to assess the CO2 emissions reduction through modal shift from road to waterway transport (MSRW). It utilizes primary data collected from more than 200 voyages of 92 enterprises through one national pilot project on CO2 emission reduction in the Quzhou region initiated by the Chinese central government. Specifically, it employs empirical analysis based on bottom-up methodologies to investigate the potential for CO2 emission reduction through MSRW. The results reveal that MSRW can aid to benefit 45,907 tons CO2 emission reduction from the modal shift within the study scope. When considering factors such as distance and voyage density, it provides new quantitative insights into the advantages of water transport over road transport in terms of CO2 emission reduction under different scenarios. Consequently, this study makes new contributions to the quantification of the benefits that an investigated region/city can derive from transport modal shift. It thereby lays the groundwork for effective cost-benefit analysis and policy implementation toward cleaner transportation. • Use of a hybris of energy consumption approach from a new analysis perspective that consider multiple-dimensional MSRW. • Provide a new research method to enable the quantification of the carbon emissions of an entire transport chain in detail. • Provides a solution to the evaluation of the effect of the implementation of transport policies on carbon emissions. • Investigate the MSRW to stimulate cost-benefit analysis and transport policy implementation towards clean transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of distributed energy sources in integrated energy systems make it difficult to meet the real-time balance between supply and demand, requiring the deployment of energy storage systems. Hydrogen storage can compensate for the lack of electrochemical energy storage in the energy, time and space dimensions. Meanwhile, the cooperative operation of participants within an integrated energy system, compared to individual operation, can help generate additional benefits and reduce carbon emissions. Therefore, this paper proposes a method for optimising the operation of integrated energy systems based on a cooperative game containing hydrogen energy storage systems. Firstly, a model for optimising the operation of an integrated energy system with hydrogen storage energy system considering the revenue from hydrogen sales is constructed. Secondly, a benefit allocation mechanism for the cooperative game based on the shapley value method is proposed. Finally, the BPSO-SA optimisation algorithm is proposed for solution. The total operating cost of the collaborative operation scenario is reduced by 22.96% and the carbon emissions are reduced by 80.11% compared to the independent operation scenario, the operating cost savings and carbon emissions reduction are allocated to the participants according to their contribution, encourage participants to build integrated energy systems through collaboration. • A model for optimising the operation of an IES containing hydrogen energy storage system is developed. • A multi-participant cooperative game benefit allocation mechanism within the IES is developed. • A hybrid particle swarm optimisation-simulated annealing based on beetle antennae search strategy (BPSO-SA) is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of producing isopropanol (IPA) by direct hydration of propylene, a mixture of IPA, n-propanol (NPA) and H 2 O is formed. In order to obtain high purity IPA and NPA, extractive distillation technology can be used to separate these three components. In this paper, Based on the COSMO-RS model, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyandiamide ([EMIM][DCA]) was selected as the extractant for extractive distillation in ionic liquids. The extractive distillation process for the separation of IPA-NPA-H 2 O system with ethylene glycol (EG) or [EMIM][DCA] as extractant was designed and optimized by multi-objective genetic algorithm. Process simulation results show that the process using [EMIM][DCA] can reduce total annual cost by 44.635% and total gas emission by 29.873% compared with the traditional organic solvent EG as extractant. These results show that [EMIM][DCA] is a good extractant, which can reduce the gas emission and energy consumption of the distillation process. In addition, we further explored the separation mechanism of the system at the molecular level by analyzing the σ-curve and the intermolecular interaction energy. • Based on COSMO-RS model, [EMIM][DCA] was selected as extractant. • The reason why EG and [EMIM][DCA] can break the IPA-H 2 O azeotrope was revealed. • Optimized the extractive distillation process with EG or [EMIM][DCA] as entrainers. • [EMIM][DCA] can realize the energy saving and emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed at solving the environmental problem of the hottest greenhouse gas reduction. The paper identifies the energy electricity demand, proposes solutions, and calculates the greenhouse gases emitted in each of the interconnected networks available in Cameroon. For a total production estimated at 1292 MW, the country's electricity production depends heavily on hydropower plants (57%), thermal power plants (42%), and only 1% of biomass. Specifically, biomass would contribute to 40% of the supply of the demand if it is sufficiently exploited. Hydroelectricity needs transmission for long distances. The electricity demand in the median economic scenario is the basis of this study. GHGs were calculated using the tool MESSAGE. The results of this study show that it will be possible, without taking into account the fact that biomass is clean energy, to avoid 462 kt of CO 2 eq and 14 kt of CO 2 eq for South Interconnected Network and East Interconnected Network respectively. The amounts of CH 4 , SO 2 , and NO x are not statistically significant. This study takes into account the main existing energy sources in the country. The specificity of this study is to treat the three interconnected networks of the country separately. The use of biomass in local power plants was proposed to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. This study shows that to reduce the GHG emission and the loss of electricity due to its transmission in the country, it is better to use biomass instead of fossil fuels for the production of electricity in Cameroon. [Display omitted] • Electricity demand of the country was identified. • The quantity of GHG emitted from electricity generation in Cameroon was estimated. • Biomass power plants were introduced in the electricity mix of the country to promote local production. • Local realities were taken into account and dependence of imported fossil fuels was reduced. • Biomass instead of fossil fuels was to avoid emission of 462 kt of CO 2 eq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the viability of environmental taxes as a means to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions within the European Union (EU) using the panel threshold model on two balanced panel data comprising countries from the European Union: the Northern and Western countries and Southern and Eastern countries for the period 2000–2020. The study's empirical results support the Pigouvian theory for developed countries, as they indicate an optimal minimum threshold for environmental taxes, where these taxes effectively contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the results diverge for emerging countries, revealing a maximum threshold for environmental taxes beyond which their impact in curbing emissions diminishes. To achieve the ambitious goal of climate neutrality, policymakers must adopt a comprehensive and diversified approach. This includes a combination of environmental taxes, more stringent regulations, and emission standards for industries. Additionally, the implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms, promotion of investments in sustainable fuels and technologies, and the establishment of low-carbon emission infrastructure are essential components of this strategy. By integrating these various measures, policymakers can better navigate the path toward climate neutrality and effectively combat climate change in the EU and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing demand for electricity due to economic development contributes to increased greenhouse gas production, especially CO 2. However, emissions can be limited by enhancing the efficiency of primary energy conversion, such as integrating geothermal energy into coal-fired power plants. Therefore, this paper proposes replacing conventional feed-water heaters with geothermal preheaters to create a hybridized system. This study was based on a numerical model validated at a selected Polish power unit. The model was subsequently calibrated for off-design conditions to facilitate partial load analysis. The obtained characteristics outperformed those of the non-hybrid unit, generating over 18 MW of electric power output. Such an improvement could potentially boost the unit's net efficiency by more than 2.6 %. This enhancement is significant as power units typically operate under part load for approximately 90 % of the time, hence the need to evaluate the performance characteristics of hybridized units in those states. Furthermore, the research outlines the potential decrease in the plant's CO 2 emission factor, with reductions reaching up to 6.5 % under off-design conditions. Based on a gap analysis of the existing literature, this paper's comprehensive partial load evaluation serves as a new addition to research on hybridized systems. • An in-depth analysis of feed-water heaters operation is performed. • Turbine performance calculations for both design and off-design states is validated. • The comprehensive study of hybridized systems integrates three major factors. • Hybrid geothermal-fossil power cycle is vital for specific CO 2 emissions reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Introducing cryptocurrency mining as a novel virtual energy storage system. • Offering a structure to store excessive renewable energy in cryptocurrency units. • Proposing an opportunity to generate more electricity from renewable sources. • Modeling cryptocurrency storage in the energy management studies of the microgrids. • Studying the profitability of cryptocurrency mining in the microgrids. Renewable electrical energy (such as: solar and wind energies) generation in microgrids (MGs), is gaining attention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Microgrid operators (MOs) aim to create self-sufficient, environmentally sustainable grids, increasing the capacity of renewable energy sources (RESs) by up to 100%. Despite of the benefits of this trend, challenges arise from non-controlled characteristics of these power generations and their seasonal variations, causing fluctuations and renewable energy curtailment. Although the technical solutions; such as: the demand response (DR) programs, and the conventional electrical energy storage systems (EESSs) can help, however those may face limitations in countries with high seasonal energy generation and consumption variations. This paper introduces cryptocurrency mining loads (CMLs) as innovative virtual energy storage systems (VESSs), named cryptocurrency energy storage systems (CESSs). It proposes a structure to store excess renewable energy in cryptocurrency units (CCUs) like Bitcoin (BTC). CESSs can be charged during off-peak intervals and, conversely, they discharge during high-demand periods to reduce the overall operational cost of MGs. Furthermore, it presents a new energy management system (EMS) formulation for the optimal operation of MGs in the presence of CESSs, providing an opportunity to generate additional electricity from RESs and to mitigate renewable energy curtailment. This paper explores the optimal operation conditions of both islanded and grid-connected MG with the proposed CESS. Utilizing a dataset from an island in Finland as a practical MG, its effectiveness is demonstrated through several case studies. The results of one case study in this paper demonstrate that the proposed CESS can decrease the operating cost of the MG by about 46.5%. Additionally, it is showed that by application of CESS the renewable energy curtailment is significantly reduced, and approached zero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to cast-in-situ construction, prefabricated construction reduces the generation of construction waste; however, construction waste cannot be entirely eliminated through prefabrication and can be generated at each stage of its life cycle. This paper generates a system dynamics model, comprising two causal-loop diagrams and one stock-flow diagram, to simulate the effectiveness of policies on decarbonizing prefabricated concrete building waste. The model can predict the annual and total construction waste, along with the associated carbon emissions, under different policy scenarios in China by 2030. This paper focuses on prefabricated concrete buildings in China, with specific attention to the wastage of concrete, bricks, mortar, and metal. In single-factor scenario simulations, increasing landfilling fee is the most effective policy for waste decarbonization, potentially reducing carbon emissions by 31%. Increasing prefabrication rate and enhancing regulation degree at the design phase of prefabrication can directly reduce prefabricated building waste generation, subsequently resulting in an 18% and 7% carbon emissions reduction. Multi-factor scenario simulations demonstrate that the simultaneous application of all four policies is most effective, achieving a 44% reduction in carbon emissions. This research establishes a theoretical framework for prefabricated concrete building waste management and provides the Chinese government with practical insights on optimizing policies for waste decarbonization in the dynamic landscape of prefabrication. • This paper develops the prefabricated building waste generation and disposal systems. • The model predicts the construction waste and associated carbon emissions by 2030. • Raising landfill fee is an effective policy for decarbonizing construction waste by 31.06%. • Prefabrication rate reaching 100% can reduce 18.04% of carbon emissions from waste. • Applying all policies is most effective, achieving a 44.34% carbon emissions reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Challenges and future perspectives of desalination integration are presented. [Display omitted] • Different optimized models for desalination technologies integration are summarized. • The control strategies of RES-desalination for reducing environmental are discussed. • Impact of desalination process innovation on energy saving and emission reduction. In the present framework, desalination, as an energy-intensive industry, has garnered increased attention due to the imperative need for reducing energy consumption. In this paper, various challenges in the integration and optimal design of desalination processes have been presented. The energy consumption, energy supply method, water production method and improvement measures of various desalination are studied in detail, of which energy consumption is a major aspect. This article summarizes the integration modes of different desalination technologies. Low integration density, inadequate energy utilization and unsystematic theory guidance have been the focus of research. Operational strategies and optimal design methods for the integration of renewable energy and desalination technologies are studied in detail. The integration of renewable energy emerges as a pivotal trend, contributing significantly to the reduction of carbon footprints and costs. Additionally, the significance of recently developed desalination processes, such as pre-treatment process, equipment enhancements and advanced materials have been discussed. Furthermore, various unresolved issues in de integration desalination technologies system have been investigated in the paper along with the possible solutions to address the reported open issues. By exploring the integration of desalination technologies, the paper aims to provide valuable insights for enhancing the efficiency of commercial desalination plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]