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This study aims to unveil the heterogeneous impacts of import product diversification and institutional factors for achieving energy efficiency in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. In doing so, the study employs robust econometric techniques such as Fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) co-integration, pooled Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS), pool mean group regressions, fixed effects, and random effects for panel data from 1990 to 2015 for selected OECD countries. The detailed empirical outcomes suggest that import product diversification is conducive to reducing the energy and carbon intensity (improvement in energy efficiency) in OECD countries. The empirical conclusions provide various guidelines to achieve cleaner and greener growth and align with various Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy, SDG 9: Industry, innovation, and infrastructure, and SDG 13: Climate action) of OECD countries. The paper elaborates fruitful policy suggestions regarding the diversification of imports and energy use-carbon emission-nexus for the OECD member nations. Based on the findings, policymakers and environmental scientists should strengthen the trade-energy and import portfolio policies to attain energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the quest for carbon neutrality, the cement industry employs various CO 2 mitigation strategies, including material efficiency, cement plant technologies, and clinker-to-cement ratio reductions. This study reviews the past decade's Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) literature on cement production to assess the feasibility of modeling these strategies. Heating energy is the predominant factor in energy consumption, benefiting from energy efficiency measures. Allocation consistently favors cement in evaluations of secondary fuel-related impacts, leading to significant reductions in energy consumption and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. However, transparency improvements are necessary to clarify the origin and calculation of combustion-related emissions. Challenges arise from limited data availability when assessing grinding energy, especially for high-quality cement aligned with a material efficiency strategy. In our examination of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) as Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs), we have observed that production process variations and allocation assumptions significantly influence LCA models, while highlighting the absence of waste availability consideration in current substitution-focused LCA methods for both secondary fuels and SCMs. • Cement functionalities are generally not described and should be based on strength. • Existing models overlook impacts of increased cement quality due to grinding energy. • Allocation method choice affects climate change impacts of slag-blended cement. • Excluding allocation methods, slag recovery shows climate change impacts variability. • Substantial variability is also found for heating energy for clinkerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Power to heat is an effective option to decarbonize endothermic chemical processes. • Induction heating, Joule heating, Microwave heating and RDR reactor reviewed. • Open challenges and perspectives for scale-up and implementation of these systems are analyzed. The rising environmental problems and demanding actions aimed at mitigation of climate change are calling for a radical transformation of different industrial sectors. In this perspective, chemical process industry is called to play a major role towards this transition, on one hand by transforming its existing carbon-intensive processes and, on the other hand, providing clean alternatives for hard-to-decarbonize applications. Among the possible options for the transformation of catalytic processes, power-to-heat is considered in view of large available quantities of green electricity. This approach is considered industrially-mature and can be applied at a large scale for a wide number of existing processes, providing substantial advantages in terms of intensification. The aim of this work is to provide a detailed analysis of the status quo of these technologies and critically discuss them towards their possible use for a generic process of interest by the identification of several key indicators. The main technologies proposed i.e microwave heating, joule heating, induction heating and roto-dynamic reactor are reviewed alongside with some of the applications already reported in open-literature. Afterwards, a critical analysis about material needs, energy efficiency of the proposed methodologies, the possibilities of scale-up and retrofitting and the impact on the overall process design and performances are reported. [Display omitted]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The bottom-up dynamic building stock model builds upon individual buildings from GIS datasets. • The model integrates material flow analysis, building energy modeling, and life cycle assessment. • More than 90% of GHG emissions can be reduced if all strategies are deployed together. • Energy transition plays a key role in decarbonizing the building stock. • Material-related strategies contribute much less to residential decarbonization than energy-related strategies. Decarbonizing the building stock plays an important role in realizing climate change mitigation targets. To compare the decarbonization potential of different strategies, this study presents a spatiotemporal bottom-up dynamic building stock model that integrates material flow analysis, building energy modeling, and life cycle assessment. It can simulate future building stock evolution at the component level and track the associated material flows, energy demand and generation, and GHG emissions with the consideration of both endogenous factors (e.g. building energy efficiency upgrade) and exogenous factors (e.g. policies, occupant behavior, and climate scenarios). The model is applied in the residential building stock of Leiden, a municipality in the Netherlands. Results show that annual GHG emissions are reduced by about 40% under the reference scenario while annual GHG emissions can be reduced by about 90% under the ambitious scenario where all the decarbonization strategies are simultaneously implemented. Natural-gas-free heat transition and renewable electricity supply are the most effective strategies, respectively reducing the annual GHG emissions in 2050 by an additional 21% and 19% more than the reference scenario. Rooftop PV, green lifestyle, and wood construction have similar decarbonization potential (about 10%). Surplus electricity can be generated if rooftop PV systems are installed as much as possible. The decarbonization potential of demolition waste recycling is much smaller than other strategies. The model can support policymakers in assessing the decarbonization potential of different policy scenarios and prioritizing decarbonization strategies in advance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The residential sector currently accounts for one fifth of global energy use and corresponding greenhouse gas emissions, largely driven by increasing demand for space heating and cooling. Climate change mitigation action requires these to reduce, but the exact decarbonization strategies, the contribution of demand and supply side measures, and their heterogeneity is unclear. Using a regional energy system model with an explicit representation of residential energy use and building stocks, the contribution of this sector in long-term decarbonization pathways is explored. The projections show that in a 2°C scenario, global heating demand is expected to decrease from current levels by 27% and 66% by 2050 and 2100, respectively. However, due to increasing affluence in warmer regions, cooling demand is expected to increase by 176% and 286% respectively. Yet, direct residential emissions are almost eliminated by 2100 by combining increased envelope efficiency and advanced heating technologies in a synergistic manner, where the adoption of high efficiency heating and cooling reduces the need for increased insulation, and vice versa. By combining these measures with rooftop PV, the net energy demand of many household types approaches zero. The exact residential sector strategies vary across local climate, socio-economic, and building stock characteristics. • Households account for a sizeable portion of energy demand and emissions. • We use a detailed model to investigate regional long-term decarbonization pathways. • Increasing insulation and efficient heating technologies both play an important role. • Combining with rooftop PV contributes to having net-zero buildings. • Contribution of each option depends on local climate and socio-economic setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world needs to rapidly reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2) emission to stave off the risks of disastrous climate change. In particular, decarbonizing U.S. manufacturing industries is particularly challenging due to the specific process requirements. This study estimates the potential for future CO 2 emission reductions in this important sector. The analysis is a detailed accounting exercise that relies on estimates of emission-reduction potential from other studies and applies those potentials to the manufacturing sector using a bottom-up approach. The actions are grouped into four "pillars" that support deep decarbonization of manufacturing (DDM): Energy Efficiency, Material Efficiency, Industry-Specific, and Power Grid. Based on this bottom-up approach, the analysis shows that an 86% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from the Reference Case is feasible. No single pillar dominates DDM, although opportunities vary widely by sub-sector. The analysis shows that a strategy incorporating a broad set of elements from each pillar can be effective instead of relying on any single pillar. Some pillars, such as Energy Efficiency and Material Efficiency, have wide applicability; others have key niche roles that are Industry-Specific; the Power Grid pillar requires interaction between grid decarbonization and industry action to switch from fossil fuels to zero-carbon electricity where appropriate. [Display omitted] • Four technological strategies ("pillars") for deep decarbonization of U.S. manufacturing are investigated. • Seven energy-intensive and one non-energy-intensive industries are examined separately. • An 86% reduction in energy related CO 2 emissions is feasible in U.S. manufacturing by 2050. • No single pillar dominates implying a diversified approach to decarbonization is needed. • Some emissions remain in select industries, in particular chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]