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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]

Pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS) is applied on agricultural soils as an organic fertilizer. Although it is well accepted that land application of PPMS has benefits for soils and crops, information on PPMS-induced soil N 2 O emissions is still limited. We assessed the effect of substituting mineral N fertilizer for PPMS on soil N 2 O emissions after a single application at planting on a clay loam cropped to wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) over two snow-free seasons in eastern Canada. Fertilization treatments consisted of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of crop N requirements derived from N supplied by PPMS, the remaining N being supplied as urea-N. Soil CO 2 and CH 4 emissions were also measured and not affected by the fertilizer addition; a slight CH 4 oxidation occurred. Area-based N 2 O emissions from PPMS fertilization (4.4 to 12.1 kg N 2 O-N ha −1 ) were similar or higher than from urea alone (3.4 and 6.2 kg N 2 O-N ha −1 ). Although crop yields were not affected by the type of fertilizer, yield-based N 2 O emissions, N uptake efficiency and N surplus (applied N minus aboveground N uptake in crop biomass) indicated that N availability from the mineral fertilizer was higher than from PPMS for the wheat crop. However, treatments with PPMS had fertilizer-induced N 2 O emission factors (FIEF, applied N lost as N 2 O-N; 0.8 to 3.1%) similar to urea alone (−0.3 and 4.5%). Although substituting urea-N with PPMS in agricultural fields might reduce N 2 O emissions under moderate soil moisture conditions, PPMS land application produced greater N 2 O emissions under high soil moisture conditions. Further research on a variety of agricultural practices is needed before concluding that including PPMS in the fertilization plan could result in a global GHG abatement as compared to mineral fertilizers under the cool climate of eastern Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The aim of this work is to quantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings potential in magazine paper production through the application of the innovative manufacturing strategies using advanced sheet structure design and fibre modifications. Methods The study applies Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to two different magazine paper products: supercalendered (SC) paper and light-weight coated (LWC) paper. A cradle-to-gate approach is used aiming to assess the environmental benefits gained through the implementation of new manufacturing strategies in both products. The functional unit of the system was defined as the production of one square meter of finished paper for printing magazines. Conventional and new production processes have been compared. Results and discussion The strategies applied to SC paper resulted in reduction of GHG emissions by 22.9%, with a total of 10.7 gCO 2 eq emissions saved per square meter of SC paper. In the case of LWC paper, GHG emissions are reduced by 20.3%, which are equal to a total of 19.7 gCO 2 eq saved per square meter of LWC paper. The influence of certain methodological approaches -functional unit, electricity mix and avoided impacts- in the final results is also discussed in the paper. Conclusions The manufacturing strategies implemented show a remarkable potential for reducing GHG emissions. Taking into account that the pulp and paper industry is a very energy-intensive sector and one of the main GHG emitters, the potential of the strategies for the improvement of the environmental performance of the papermaking processes is significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of transportation fuels from biorefineries via biomass gasification has been suggested as a way of introducing renewable alternatives in the transportation system with an aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. By co-locating gasification-based processes within heat demanding industries, excess heat from the gasification process can replace fossil or renewable fuels. The objective of this study was to compare the heat integration potential of four different gasification-based biorefinery concepts with a chemical pulp and paper mill. The results showed that the choice of end-product which was either methanol, Fischer-Tropsch crude, synthetic natural gas or electricity, can have significant impact on the heat integration potential with a pulp and paper mill and that the heat saving measures implemented in the mill in connection to integration of a gasification process can increase the biomass resource efficiency by up to 3%-points. Heat saving measures can reduce the necessary biomass input to the biorefinery by 50% if the sizing constraint is to replace the bark boiler with excess heat from the biorefinery. A large integrated gasification process with excess steam utilisation in a condensing turbine was beneficial only if grid electricity is produced at below 30% electrical efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intervention into the present building industry is the main strategy of the European Commission in order to achieve one of its planned aims regarding the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions up to 20% up by 2020 and up to 80% by 2050. Therefore, it is necessary to develop not only energetically efficient but also more environmentally friendly materials. This work presents bio-based propylene glycol and paper waste sludge particles modified polyurethane foams, their physical properties and their prediction models. The conducted research has revealed that paper waste sludge particles negatively affect dimensional changes. In order to eliminate the negative impact of paper waste sludge, bio-based propylene glycol is used. The obtained results have shown that this raw material allows development of dimensionally and structurally stable polyurethane foams used as a thermal insulating layer having the following properties: density in the range of 40–50 kg/m 3 , compressive strength in the range of 193–243 kPa, thermal conductivity in the range of 0.0349–0.0359 W/(m·K), long-term water absorption in the range of 6–11 vol.% and water vapour transmission factor in the range of 26.2–40.9. On the basis of the results, prediction models are suggested for the most important physical properties of propylene glycol and paper production waste sludge particles modified polyurethane foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparison between four gasification-based biorefineries integrated with a pulp and paper mill. It is a continuation of 'Transportation fuel production from gasified biomass integrated with a pulp and paper mill - Part A: Heat integration and system performance'. Synthesis into methanol, Fischer-Tropsch crude or synthetic natural gas, or electricity generation in a gas turbine combined cycle, were evaluated. The concepts were assessed in terms of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and economic performance. Net annual profits were positive for all biofuel cases for an annuity factor of 0.1 in the year 2030; however, the results are sensitive to biofuel selling prices and CO 2,eq charge. Additionally, GHG emissions from grid electricity are highly influential on the results since all biofuel processes require external power. Credits for stored CO 2 might be necessary for processes to be competitive, i.e. storage of separated CO 2 from the syngas conditioning has an important role to play. Without CO 2 storage, the gas turbine case is better than, or equal to, biofuels regarding GHG emissions. Efficiency measures at the host mill prior to heat integration of a gasification process are beneficial from the perspective of GHG emissions, while having a negative impact on the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pulp and paper industry, which provides cellulose pulp and paper, bio-based energy and chemicals, is one of the largest energy consumers, greenhouse gases (GHG) and pollutant emitters among manufacturing industries. Although the environmental impact of the pulp and paper industry has been extensively studied, life cycle assessment (LCA) results have not yet reached a consensus. By means of a systematic review and meta-analysis, this article contributes to the quantification and harmonization of the life cycle environmental impacts of pulp making and paper making systems. Based on the screening of 45 cases of paper making and 18 cases of pulp making, we found that 1 t of paper results in about 950 kg carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) equivalent (CO 2 -eq) GHG emissions on average. However, there are distinct differences between countries and pulp and paper categories. The dominant factor influencing GHG emissions is energy use. In paper making, the pulp making process is responsible for 62% of energy use, 45% of GHG emissions, 48% of acidification potential, and 49% of eutrophication potential. The kg CO 2 -eq emissions of three different types of pulp were as follows: Kraft, 508 kg CO 2 -eq/t; chemi-mechanical, 513 kg CO 2 -eq/t; and recycled pulp, 408 kg CO 2 -eq/t. Excluding emissions from electricity and steam production, the convergence of carbon emissions is observed within the same categories of pulp. Straw-based pulp caused far more environmental impact than any other type because of the intensive inputs in agricultural activities as well as in the pulp making process. This research highlighted the inconsistencies in functional units, system boundaries, and methodologies and carbon neutrality assumptions in different LCA studies of pulp and paper making. Future studies should focus on the environmental impact of straw-based pulp making, system boundary unification, and calculation of biogenic carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigates heat integrated production of FT (Fischer–Tropsch) crude, where excess heat from the FT crude plant is delivered to a typical Scandinavian pulp and paper mill that produces fine paper. The sizes of FT crude plants are quantified, when the amount of excess heat from the FT plant exactly matches the heating demand otherwise satisfied by the bark boiler at the mill, considering a number of development pathways at the mill, including various degrees of steam savings and biorefinery options, such as lignin extraction. Performance of integrated production is compared with that of an FT stand-alone plant on the basis of wood fuel-to-FT crude efficiency, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions balances and FT crude production cost. The results show that there exists a heat integration opportunity for an FT crude plant ranging from 0 up to 350 MW (LHV) of wood fuel depending on the development pathway for the mill. The results indicate higher overall efficiency and a generally lower production cost for the heat integrated, co-located production. Heat integrated production has a larger potential to contribute to GHG emission mitigation, assuming a future generation of grid electricity emitting equal to or less than an NGCC (natural gas combined cycle) power plant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Adoption of energy efficient technologies is considered a key sustainability strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in global industries. This article aims to assess costs of energy savings and carbon reduction from applying energy efficiency technologies in the US pulp and paper sector. Applicable efficiency measures were identified and their cost effectiveness was evaluated in two historical years – 1994 and 2006. Potential savings of final energy use resulting from applicable sustainability options were estimated as 707 PJ in 1994 and 1064 PJ in 2006, respectively, corresponding to approximately 32% of the sector''s annual final energy use in 1994 and 62% in 2006. The associated carbon-emission reduction was 8.1 million ton of carbon (MtC) in 1994 and 11.8MtC in 2006, corresponding to 26% and 45% of sector''s total energy-related carbon emissions in 1994 and 2006, respectively. Using the concepts of cost of conserved energy and cost of carbon reduction, we estimated that cost effective sustainability options contributed to final energy savings in the range of 15–25% of the annual energy use, and carbon-emission reduction from 14% to 20% of annual carbon emissions from the sector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The increasing presence of e-books (electronic books) has become a major focus in countries around the world. In the United States, e-books represented 28% of the total book sales for 2012. In Japan, the conversion from paper books to e-books is expected to accelerate by the prevalent use of smartphones and tablet PCs. It is therefore important to quantitatively evaluate the environmental load of paper books and e-books for a sustainable society. In this study, paper books are compared to e-books read on different electronic devices (e-ink tablets, tablets, cell phones, smartphones, laptop computers, desktop computers and portable music players) through a case study on a 224-page book. The study is based on key primary data such as use time and reading speed for each device and aims to minimize assumptions made in other studies. GHG emissions for paper books are 1.24 kg-CO 2 e/book, and are reduced to 1.11 kg-CO 2 e/book when the effect of paper recycling is taken into consideration. The results for e-books under average use-time conditions range from 0.25 to 0.91 kg-CO 2 e/book with the e-ink tablet having the lowest emissions. When the average use time of each e-book device is applied, the paper book has a higher impact than all the e-books. However, sensitivity analysis shows that the impact of paper books can be lower than that of e-books for larger screen devices such as tablets, laptops and desktops when the reuse of books is considered or the e-book reading device is hardly used during its life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A partnership of affluent nations is proposed to pursue the objective of universal electrification in the world with a challenging interim goal of bringing efficient and sustainable [2] [2] For the purposes of this paper sustainable electric systems are those that emit low or no net greenhouse gases (GHGs). This requirement is generally consistent with the goal expressed in the National Research Council report Our Common Journey: a Transition Toward Sustainability [National Research Council, 1999]: “… that the primary goals of transition toward sustainability should be to meet the needs of a much larger but stabilizing population, to sustain the life support systems of the planet and to sustainably reduce hunger and poverty.” The authors believe that the electric systems targeted in the universal electrification proposal of this paper can contribute to the goals of the transition explored by the academy. The partners must assure this contribution, but for simplicity the authors use the criterion of low or no net greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation to qualify a system as sustainable. electric services within 20 years to one billion people. Four plausible partners are the United States, the European Union, Japan with Australia and New Zealand, and, perhaps, the OPEC countries. The partners would provide part of the capital needed for electrification. This “concessionary” contribution should stimulate private investors and/or indigenous governments to supply the remainder of the capital needed, and to organize the management of each electrification project. The concessionary contribution would be designed for two objectives: (1) to help alleviate poverty, grow opportunities, and increase the quality of life in the developing world by providing electric services to all, and (2) to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions by supporting a low-carbon development path toward universal electrification. Paying for the difference in cost between high-efficiency end-use equipment and least-first-cost equipment would pursue the first objective. This concession would significantly lower the cost to the consumer of electricity services. The second objective would be pursued by paying the added cost (up to $ 1000/kW) of low-GHG or climate-friendly electricity generation (i.e., low or no-net carbon-emitting systems) over and above least-first-cost generation technology. This electrification of one billion people would require about 50 GWe of new electric generating capacity assuming 50% capacity factor and 15% line losses. The concessionary investment needed would be up to $50 billion for low-GHG generation plus about $30 billion for efficient end-use equipment. An additional 25% of the concessionary contribution would go for training, program management and evaluation. The total is $ 100 billion (or $ 100/person) spread over 20 years, or about $ 1.25 billion per partner per year assuming an equal share for each partner. The remainder of the capital required is estimated to be about $ 170/person for the electrical system including hook-up, plus another $ 140/person for efficient end-use equipment purchased at the cost of least-first-cost equipment. The consumer would pay back these non-concessionary investments through the price of electricity and through a lease-purchase charge for end-use equipment. Provision of basic electricity services for newly electrified communities is estimated to require about 0.025 kW/person on average for all electric uses including domestic, commercial, agricultural and industrial uses, compared with current electricity services of about 1.8 kW/person in the United States and 0.3 kW/person globally. Thus, electric power per capita in these poor, mostly rural areas would be very small initially, just sufficient to meet basic necessities, and consistent with customers'' ability to pay. Not every community would choose or be able to buy even this much, but to have the opportunity for electric services at whatever level will make a huge difference in people''s lives. Experience over many decades has shown that electrification can help alleviate poverty, improve health, reduce drudgery, and increase literacy, all contributing to the UN''s Millennium Development Goals to which all countries are committed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In Australia, a pervasive response to increasing atmospheric greenhouse gasses and the exchange of these gasses between the atmosphere and forests has been to focus on storing carbon (C) in forested landscapes. However, the amount of C stored and able to be stored in the landscape, which is often called carbon carrying capacity, is commonly over-estimated and over-emphasised. This occurs, in part, due to a focus on the continent’s most C-rich forests when discussing landscape C storage or carbon carrying capacity, and by failing to account for wildfires that will prevent all forests from becoming old and C-rich. These effects on forest age-class structure and thus C-stocks, in the Australian landscape currently tend to be overlooked at the policy level. Underemphasised is the widely recognised role of wood products in greenhouse gas mitigation, both as a C-stock and by providing society with low emission products. Improving atmospheric outcomes will only be achieved if variation in landscape C stocks is accurately described and the full role of forests in greenhouse gas mitigation including the role of wood products is explored and reflected in policy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study presents a comparative cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of distillers grain (DG) gum, a bio-based paper coating binder, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Non-renewable energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and eutrophication potential were assessed for each binder. Economic, mass, and energy allocation were used to allocate the impacts of DG gum production with co-products (ethanol and livestock feed). DG production non-renewable energy use (269 to 183 MJ) surpassed that associated with PVA production (168 MJ). GHG emissions from DG gum production under mass and energy allocations were 28% and 37% lower than PVA production emissions, respectively. Corn cultivation is responsible for 55% to 78% of the eutrophication impacts of DG gum production under energy and economic allocation, respectively. Changes to natural gas consumption and fertilizer runoff had the largest influence on total energy use, GHG emissions, and eutrophication potential of DG gum production. [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]

Abstract: Pulp and paper industry is facing challenges such as resource scarcity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The objective of this research is to investigate whether the use of new coatings (micro or nano TiO2) and different pulp types could bring savings in wood, energy, GHG emissions and other environmental impacts in comparison with conventional printing and writing paper. We studied three types of pulp, namely i) unbleached virgin kraft pulp, ii) recovered fiber, and iii) high yield virgin chemithermo-mechanical pulp (CTMP). A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted from cradle to grave. Applying attributional modeling, we found that wood savings amount to 60% for the nanoparticle coated recovered fiber paper and 35% for the micro TiO2 coated CTMP paper. According to the ReCiPe single score impact assessment method, the new product configurations allow the reduction of the environmental impacts by 10–35% compared to conventional kraft paper. Applying consequential modeling, we found larger energy and GHG emission savings compared to attributional modeling because the saved wood is used for producing energy, thereby replacing fossil fuels. The nanoparticle coated recovered fiber paper offered savings of non-renewable energy use (NREU) by 100% (13GJ/ton paper) and GHG emission reduction by 75% (0.6tonCO2 eq./ton paper). Micro TiO2 coated CTMP paper offered NREU savings by 25% (3GJ/ton paper) and savings of GHG emissions by 10% (0.1tonCO2 eq./ton paper). The taking into account of all environmental impacts with the ReCiPe single score method leads to comparable results as that of attributional modeling. We conclude that the nanoparticle coated recovered fiber paper offered the highest savings and lowest environmental impacts. However, human toxicity and ecotoxicity impacts of the nanoparticles were not included in this analysis and need further research. If this leads to the conclusion that the toxicity impacts of the nanoparticles are serious, then the CTMP paper with micro TiO2 coating is the preferred option. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this research was to quantify and compare the environmental impact of a number of different deinking sludge utilization approaches. A comparative life cycle assessment of deinking sludge material and energy recovery was performed for the baseline scenario—landfill disposal, and four alternative scenarios: two cement plants, a lightweight aggregate plant, and a stone wool plant. Sludge pretreatment and transportation processes were included in the scenario analyses. The results of the life cycle assessment showed that the use of dry deinking sludge in a cement plant in Finland, 45 km from the point of supply of the deinking sludge, to substitute 46% of the petcoke and 2.7% of the limestone showed the best performance. Therein, a global warming potential reduction of 13% and an eutrophication potential reduction of 12% – the highest reduction out of all impact categories studied – were achieved. A similar reduction in global warming potential of 12% was achieved when deinking sludge was incinerated and the ash utilized in cement production in a Russian plant located 350 km from the paper mill. However, abiotic depletion potential and acidification potential slightly increased by 2.6 and 1.5%, respectively. A maximum reduction of 2.1% out of al impact categories was achieved when dry sludge was used in a lightweight aggregate plant. That is considerably less compared to the reduction achieved at the cement plants. The use of deinking sludge ash in a stone wool plant to substitute 25% of cement resulted in a maximum reduction of 25% in the ozone layer depletion potential. Thus, the utilization of deinking sludge in construction materials production while preventing its landfilling has beneficial effects on the environment, in particular decreased greenhouse gas emissions. [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]

Highlights: [•] Evaluation of new HWP accounting method leads to significant GHG emission reduction for Canada. [•] Use of harvested wood for energy and of construction lead to largest GHG savings. [•] A cascade-use for wood and paper products is paramount for further GHG improvement. [•] The end-of-life effect of using recycled waste wood for energy is delayed due to longer carbon uptake. [•] Cradle-to-cradle utilization of wood waste has an underdeveloped reduction potential. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Paper, which is one of the largest constituent of Municipal solid waste, has become a severe problem for disposal in developed and developing countries due to the shrinking landfill capacity. It is very important and challenging task in managing the solid waste. Newspaper, which is a cellulosic feed stock, is emerging as an attractive option for the production of bio-ethanol because of lower feedstock costs, higher potential for fossil fuel displacement and also there will be reduction in greenhouse gas emission as compared to production of ethanol from corn. The main objective of the current project is to minimize the newspaper load on municipal solid waste by efficiently utilizing the waste newspaper in the production of bio-ethanol. Experimental studies have been carried out to optimize the pre-treatment process for increasing the efficiency of bacterial hydrolysis, the efficient conversion of cellulose to sugars from cellulose degrading microorganisms and to convert the sugars released to Ethanol by using Fermentation process. Pretreatment, hydrolysis and fermentation are the steps involved in the production of Bioethanol. In the pre-treatment process, the Lignin, Hemicellulose and Cellulose are separated to enhance the hydrolysis process. The optimized condition for the pre-treatment was found to be 1.5% concentration of H 2 SO 4 at 121 °C and 45 minutes. The bacteria CytophagaHuchnosonni was used for hydrolysis process, which helped in converting the cellulose to sugars and was analysed using DinitroSalicilicacid. The reducing sugars were fermented to produce Bioethanol using the Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisae and the yield was estimated using specific gravity method and also by using HPLC. [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]

Abstract: The paper industry is responsible for a considerable amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mainly due to its intensive energy requirements. The production of heat and power streams in a cogeneration system, i.e., a combined heat and power (CHP) plant, releases considerable amounts of GHG emissions into the atmosphere. Such emissions are already subjected to legislation globally. The amount of GHG emissions is usually calculated from the product of the total amount of energy activity multiplied by an emission factor. However, each energy output stream should get a share of emissions responsibility. This fact could assist in assigning weights to the emissions generated for power and thermal purposes in a combined heat and power plant. However, developing a suitable method of allocating emissions in a cogeneration system is still a concern and a subject research for scientists, companies and policy makers. This paper exposes and evaluates different published allocation methods and applies them to a real case of a combined heat and power plant integrated in a paper mill and proposes a new allocation method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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]

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]

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]

• 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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Direct air capture, an emerging technology, captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and has initiated global demonstrations, highlighting the need for comprehensive operational understanding and effective planning methods. To this end, the paper delves into an in-depth analysis of the operational traits of direct air capture and formulates strategic optimization methods. Firstly, this paper analyzes the operational characteristics of direct air capture, examines the operational mechanisms and energy flow interactions of absorption-based and adsorption-based direct air capture, and reviews the current status of engineering demonstrations of direct air capture technology, highlighting the current technological bottlenecks in project applications. Subsequently, the paper proposes a planning and optimization model for direct air capture loads, incorporating subsidy mechanisms, and develops a dual-layer optimization model aimed at minimizing investment and operational costs. Finally, the effectiveness of the modeling and planning methods proposed in this paper is validated through numerical analysis. Furthermore, the reduction potential of direct air capture is analyzed in conjunction with the theory of carbon emissions flow in the power system. This research aims to provide valuable insights and practical recommendations for the design and demonstration of direct air capture projects. • Direct air capture requires green electricity. • Fixed cost subsidies best support direct air capture due to high initial costs. • Absorption-based direct air capture cuts carbon emissions better than adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's carbon neutrality target requires early carbon decoupling of economic growth. Utilizing the input-output and programming technique, we investigate the carbon mitigation potential of industrial restructuring along with the substitution of non-fossil energy for electric production. Given the constraints of manufacturing stabilization and employment volatility magnitude, this paper finds that industrial restructuring can mitigate carbon emissions by 7.47 %. Besides, non-fossil energy substitution in electric production can strengthen the inhibiting effect, reducing carbon emissions from 7.47 % (currently about 31.5 % for non-fossil power generation) to 28.99 % (about 80 % in the future). This paper also simulates several scenarios for growth rates and estimates the prospective carbon reduction for the fourteenth Five-Year Plan in China. We indicate that the rising share of non-fossil energy is the linchpin to reducing energy-related carbon emissions, which can achieve absolute decoupling if the share of non-fossil energy in power generation reaches 67.1 % under different growth scenarios. This paper argues that carbon-based performance indicators, e.g., carbon intensity and carbon emissions, are more appropriate for local bureaucrats than energy-based ones. We provide valuable implications for the carbon decoupling path. • This paper combines the input-output technique and programming model. • Industrial restructuring can mitigate carbon emissions by 7.47 %. • Non-fossil energy substitution can further amplify the emission reduction effect. • The rising share of non-fossil fuels is the linchpin to achieving absolute decoupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing of DC loads in the distribution networks and calls for carbon emission reduction, the hybrid AC/DC distribution network (HDN) is a profound solution to increase the efficiency of the conventional distribution networks and allow for more renewable energy resources (RESs) to integrate. The optimal operation of these networks under normal conditions with different constraints and scenarios, including the stochastic nature of the RESs, need to be addressed and investigated. Various studies concerned about the optimal power flow (OPF) of an HDN are reviewed, and consequently, different related topics and issues are documented in this report. The objective function of the OPF process includes the most influential variables that have considerable weight on the HDN efficiency. Meanwhile, a broad collection of constraints with practical limits is required to avoid system operation violations. The non-linearity of the objective function and constraints of the HDN makes solving the OPF is more complicated. Therefore, selecting the OPF method requires a deep understanding of the complexity of these equations and the practical approximations that can be assumed. The method is necessary to be compared with other methods to record its robustness and efficiency. This study helps the distribution system operator (DSO) understand the gains obtained from applying an HDN to their network architecture, with the associated OPF. Also, it shows the challenges that result from operating these networks and what kind of solutions are being applied. • The paper provides a review of recent advances in OPF. • The paper reviews OPF in hybrid AC/DC distribution network (HDN). • It identifies the non-linearity of the objective function and constraints of the HDN. • The paper reviews the algorithms for the core optimisers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Overview of Titanium and Iron-based Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs): This review provides a comprehensive examination of the synthesis methods, structural characteristics, and properties of Ti and Fe-based MOFs, emphasizing their relevance in photocatalysis. • Synthetic Strategies: Various synthetic approaches for the fabrication of Ti and Fe-based MOFs are discussed, including microwave-assisted, and mechanochemical methods, Dry- gel conversion, crystallization method, diffusion method, post-synthetic modification and diffusion method with a focus on optimizing structure and photocatalytic performance. • Photocatalytic Applications: This review explores the diverse range of photocatalytic applications enabled by Ti and Fe-based MOFs, including pollutant degradation, hydrogen evolution, CO 2 reduction, N 2 reduction, oxygen production and organic synthesis, showcasing their versatility and potential for sustainable energy and environmental remediation. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising materials for photocatalytic applications due to their tunable structures and exceptional surface areas. Among various types of MOFs, those based on titanium (Ti) and iron (Fe) have garnered significant attention for their potential in environmental remediation, energy conversion, and organic synthesis. This review paper comprehensively examines the recent advancements in the photocatalytic applications and synthetic strategies of Ti and Fe-based MOFs. In the first part, we provide an in-depth analysis of the synthetic strategies employed for the preparation of Ti and Fe-based MOFs with tailored photocatalytic properties. The second part of the review highlights the diverse photocatalytic applications of Ti and Fe-based MOFs, including environmental remediation through the degradation of organic pollutants, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for renewable energy production, carbon dioxide reduction for greenhouse gas mitigation, and catalysis of organic transformations. Overall, this review paper offers valuable insights into the current state-of-the-art in the field of Ti and Fe-based MOFs for photocatalytic applications, providing researchers and practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of the potential and limitations of these materials. The synthesis strategies discussed herein serve as guidelines for the rational design and development of highly efficient photocatalysts for various environmental and energy-related applications. [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]