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With the increasing demand for electricity, more and more fossil fuels are used to generate electricity which leads to energy shortage and environmental pollution. Therefore, using Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) and developing sustainable smart grid have become a common global priority: Since RESs, like solar and wind energy, are inherently unstable, hydrogen energy, as a completely clean new energy, has received widespread attention: I-Energy, which combines information and energy, is a new research direction in smart grid. Furthermore, the household electricity usage accounts for 41% of the total power consumption. Therefore, Household Intelligent Electricity System (HIES), combining hydrogen energy and i-Energy, becomes smart solutions. In this paper, we review the scientific literature for hydrogen energy and i-Energy on HIES, including recognition of electricity appliances, establishment of power consumption model, human activity analysis, smart interactive terminal, home energy management system, distributed power supply and district coordinated power utilization. Finally, we summarize the challenges and give the solutions concerning HIES, and this work can give a useful reference to new energy used model and environment protection. • A new application of Hydrogen Energy on Household Intelligent Electricity System (HIES). • A comprehensive overview of Hydrogen Energy and I-energy on HIES. • Combining internet with traditional electricity to analyses I-energy on HIES. • Summarizing the challenges and corresponding solutions concerning HIES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy can potentially play a very important role in providing most of the heating, cooling and electricity needs of the world. With the emergence of solar photocatalytic detoxification technology, solar energy also has the potential to solve our environmental problems. However, we do not see widespread commercial use of solar energy. Some of the emerging developments in solar may change that situation. This paper describes some of the new and emerging developments, with special emphasis on: (1) nanoscale antennas for direct conversion of sunlight to electricity with potential conversion efficiencies approaching 80–90%; (2) new thermodynamic cycles for solar thermal power, that have the potential to reduce capital costs by 50%; and (3) solar photocatalytic oxidation for cleanup of industrial wastewater, drinking water, soil and air. The paper describes the fundamentals of each of these developments, their potential, present status and future opportunities for research.(1) Nanoscale antenna solar energy conversion: The current photovoltaic technologies rely on the quantum nature of light and semiconductors which are fundamentally limited by the band-gap energies. A revolutionary new approach suggested by Professor Robert Bailey in 1972 revolves around the wave nature of light. Professor Bailey suggested that broadband rectifying antennas could be used for solar to d.c. conversion. These rectennas would not have the fundamental limitation of semiconductor band-gap limiting their conversion efficiencies. Rectennas for solar conversion would have dimensions of the order of the wavelengths of solar radiation which falls mostly in the sub-micron range. The challenges in actually achieving the objectives are many. This paper describes the challenges and approaches to their solution.(2) New thermodynamic cycles for solar thermal power: It is recognized that the capital costs of solar thermal power will have to be reduced by about 50% in the near future in order to make it competitive with fossil fuels (especially natural gas) based power systems. Potential exists for meeting this goal by reducing the costs and improving the thermodynamic performance of power cycles by hybridization and combined cycle approaches and by employing new and innovative ideas in thermal power cycles. This paper describes the new thermodynamic approaches with an emphasis on an innovative new thermodynamic cycle using ammonia and water mixtures as the working fluids.(3) Solar photocatalytic detoxification and disinfection of water and air: Although the potential of solar radiation for disinfection and environmental mitigation has been known for years, only recently has this technology been scientifically recognized and researched. Solar photocatalytic oxidation has been demonstrated to effectively treat groundwater, drinking water, and industrial wastewater. In some applications such as decoloration and reduction of COD it may be the only effective method of treatment. Treatment of indoor air by the photocatalytic method has been demonstrated as the most effective technology for that application. This paper describes the recent developments and identify challenges and future research opportunities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The current editorial summarized some of the scientific works presented in the Sustainable Energy and Environmental Protection (SEEP) conference-held at the University of the West of Scotland, UK, 2018. The selected work was directly related to the scope of the Renewable, Sustainable Energy Reviews (RSER) journal. During the conference activities, experts from all around the world in the subjects of: renewable energy, climate change, optimization, and economics presented and discussed the progress made in renewable energy sources, as well as the new strategies for protecting the environment from the hazards connected with fossil fuel utilization. The methods presented in the conference focused on several directions: the development of efficient energy conversion systems with low/no environmental impacts; the suggested policies to widespread renewable energies; the restriction in the emission of greenhouse gases, and the recent progresses in CO 2 capture. This editorial focused on the renewable energy developments and their positive effect on the climate change, and briefly summarized the accepted manuscripts in this issue. • Effects of renewable energy on climate change. • Background on the International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Environmental Protection SEEP. • Summary of selected papers of SEEP 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current editorial summarized some of the scientific works presented in the Sustainable Energy and Environmental Protection (SEEP) conference-held at the University of the West of Scotland, UK, 2018. The selected work was directly related to the scope of the Renewable, Sustainable Energy Reviews (RSER) journal. During the conference activities, experts from all around the world in the subjects of: renewable energy, climate change, optimization, and economics presented and discussed the progress made in renewable energy sources, as well as the new strategies for protecting the environment from the hazards connected with fossil fuel utilization. The methods presented in the conference focused on several directions: the development of efficient energy conversion systems with low/no environmental impacts; the suggested policies to widespread renewable energies; the restriction in the emission of greenhouse gases, and the recent progresses in CO 2 capture. This editorial focused on the renewable energy developments and their positive effect on the climate change, and briefly summarized the accepted manuscripts in this issue. • Effects of renewable energy on climate change. • Background on the International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Environmental Protection SEEP. • Summary of selected papers of SEEP 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A global goal is to call for common solutions to the challenge of environmental conservation. The cheap, clean and green energy and processes help to beat the hazardous pollution of plastics. An action of the STEP (Solar Thermal Electrochemical Process) on the polymer is to create a novel vision of the depolymerization of plastics to generate valuable fuels plus abundant hydrogen. In this paper, a solar thermo-coupled electrochemical system was first designed and employed to realize the plastics depolymerization to useful fuels for enhanced the solar utilization and the chemical polymer conversion. Exemplified by polypropylene (PP), the plastics were efficiently converted to light fuel and hydrogen via the solar-driven electrolysis coupled with pyrolysis. The results demonstrated that the depolymerization temperature was greatly lowered compared to conventional pyrolysis. The STEP conversion rates increased with a lift of the temperature and current. The high total conversion rate was significantly achieved by reaching 68.48% at 350 °C, including the solid phase of 31.52%, the liquid phase of 7.85% and the gas phase of 60.63% (w/w), which was compared to the 28.39% of the sole pyrolysis. The hydrogen was evolved during the process in the final volume of 72.5 ml, which was about 9.3 times more than that of the pyrolysis at 400 °C. In the outdoor experiments, the total conversion reached 66.64% at 350 °C, which was compared to 26.37% of the pyrolysis only. The light hydrocarbons were richly produced in the distribution of C 1 –C 5 hydrocarbons while only tiny amounts of methane and ethane were probed in the pyrolysis. The common mechanism and pathways can be tentatively proposed in a mode of the radically initiated thermochemical reactions and electrochemical redox by the induction of the solar thermo-coupled electrolysis. • The STEP plastics depolymerization was firstly created and studied. • The depolymerization was driven by the solar thermochemical-coupled electrochemical processes. • The STEP plastics depolymerization largely reduced the reaction temperature. • The STEP conversion rates were more significantly improved compared to the one of the pyrolysis. • The STEP depolymerization efficiently yields abundant hydrogen and light hydrocarbons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]