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As representative of the water-energy-food nexus, fossil fuel development and industrial agriculture are rural industries that continue to expand and increasingly occur in the same areas. Being a top agricultural export county and the fossil fuel capital of California while ranking among the worst in the US for industrial pollution, Kern County is a poster child of rural nexus development and, thus, an essential place for initiating sustainability transitions. Such transitions rely on policy support and the adoption of methods by individuals and communities who may disagree with such changes. While sense of place and impact perceptions are recognized as playing critical roles in sustainability management, they have yet to be utilized in nexus research. A survey (N = 256) of the perceived impacts of nexus industries with place meaning and place attachment as possible drivers for perceptions was conducted in nexus industry pollution exposure risk zones. Factor analysis and bivariate correlations showed that place meaning and place attachment are drivers for perceptions while also being drivers for concern for changes in nexus industries. While perceptions of impacts indicated contested place meanings, participants strongly perceive the economy and environment as being in decline. To build support for sustainability policy, directing funds from Kern County's renewable energy industry to local sectors of society, implementation of regenerative agriculture, cooperative management, and nurturing place meaning as aligned with nature's restorative quality are important paths forward. These nexus management foci could strengthen place attachment, build trust in government, and repair environmental alienation.

Hydrocarbon fuels are widely recognized as significant contributors to climate change and the rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. As a result, it is crucial to reduce the net carbon intensity of energy derived from these fuels. This study explores the feasibility of using dimethyl ether (DME), produced through the hydrogenation of CO2, as a low-carbon method for generating electricity from hydrocarbon fuels. The proposed approach involves capturing the emitted CO2 during combustion and utilizing it to produce the necessary DME in a closed cycle. It is shown that for a mature reservoir in the Middle East, this method can mitigate approximately 75% of the CO2 emissions released from burning the produced oil. By incorporating zero-carbon electricity throughout the process, the total abatement of CO2 can reach 85%. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of improving the DME utilization factor (bbl-oil/tDME). By optimizing this factor, high abatement rates can be achieved. However, it is important to note that implementing this method comes with a high exergetic cost. During a certain period in the field's lifetime, the invested energy exceeds the energy produced. The stages with the highest exergy consumption are CO2 capture and hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toxic emissions from combustion engine cars and businesses using fossil fuels have steadily increased over time in today's world of expanding needs and urbanization. Due to some advantages over vehicles with traditional engines, using electric vehicles is the most well-liked and successful alternative. The performance of electric cars is significantly influenced by an energy management system (EMS). In this study, a multifunctional power electronic interface capable of using two sources simultaneously throughout the charging process monarch butterfly optimization (MBO) based EMS for plug-in electric vehicles (PHEV) has been developed. The battery can be charged from the grid or solar photovoltaic (SPV), depending on the need. This study designs an electric vehicle (EV) charging system that uses an interleaved landsman converter followed by a flyback converter. As a result, the suggested converter helps in improving battery safety as well as user safety for the vehicle. The proposed control technique is simulated using system models created with MATLAB/Simulink. The outcomes of the simulation demonstrate that the devised technique offers better control in terms of vehicle stability. A number of simulations are run to evaluate the efficiency and performance of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrocarbon fuels are widely recognized as significant contributors to climate change and the rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. As a result, it is crucial to reduce the net carbon intensity of energy derived from these fuels. This study explores the feasibility of using dimethyl ether (DME), produced through the hydrogenation of CO2, as a low-carbon method for generating electricity from hydrocarbon fuels. The proposed approach involves capturing the emitted CO2 during combustion and utilizing it to produce the necessary DME in a closed cycle. It is shown that for a mature reservoir in the Middle East, this method can mitigate approximately 75% of the CO2 emissions released from burning the produced oil. By incorporating zero-carbon electricity throughout the process, the total abatement of CO2 can reach 85%. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of improving the DME utilization factor (bbl-oil/tDME). By optimizing this factor, high abatement rates can be achieved. However, it is important to note that implementing this method comes with a high exergetic cost. During a certain period in the field's lifetime, the invested energy exceeds the energy produced. The stages with the highest exergy consumption are CO2 capture and hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refractory liner bricks in the hot zone of rotary lime kilns can sustain wear and corrosion during contact with fuel ashes and quicklime (QL), a product composed mainly of CaO. The effects on a MgO-based refractory after exposure at 1400 °C for 96 h to olive pomace ash (OPA) and coal ash (CA), with and without QL, were investigated. Exposure of the refractory to only OPA caused slag intrusion with no ash deposits remaining on top, while CaMgSiO 4 (monticellite) was also identified as a new phase. When exposed to only CA, the refractory exhibited dissolution into the molten slag and 0.5–2 mm cracks were found on the surface interfacing the ash. Mg 2 SiO 4 (forsterite) and CaMgSiO 4 were identified as new formed phases. Exposure of the refractory to OPA + QL and CA + QL caused less slag intrusion and substantial amounts of ash/QL deposit remained afterwards. No new phases were identified. The differences in interactions between the exposure materials and refractory were supported by thermochemical equilibrium analysis. Apparent Ca-Si–rich or Ca-rich melts were found in all the exposed samples, but potassium (K) was found to be depleted in all samples, including those involving OPA, which was rich in K. Furthermore, with the exception of exposure to only CA, the other exposures caused the cold crushing strength (CCS) of the refractory to increase compared to its original value. This was attributed to the sintering of the refractory microstructure. The CCS of the refractory decreased after exposure to only CA. The findings of this study enhance understanding of how CA and OPA impact MgO refractories in lime kilns, supporting initiatives aiming at reducing fossil fuel use. The results are encouraging and motivate further investigation. • MgO-based refractories were exposed to different fuel ashes with/without quicklime • Sintering of microstructure and cracks were observed in the exposed refractories • Mg 2 SiO 4 and CaMgSiO 4 formed in the refractories exposed to coal ash • Exposure of the refractory to a mixture of fuel ash and quicklime caused less slag intrusion than for exposure to only fuel ash • The refractory cold crushing strength was affected by all exposures and discussed in relation to changes in the microstructure [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light-driven bioethanol dehydration offers attractive outlooks for the sustainable production of ethylene. Herein, a surface-hydrogenated CrMnOx is coupled with GaN nanowires (GaN@CMO-H) for light-driven ethanol dehydration to ethylene. Through combined experimental and computational investigations, a surface hydrogen-replenishment mechanism is proposed to disclose the ethanol dehydration pathway over GaN@CMO-H. Moreover, the surface-hydrogenated GaN@CMO-H can significantly lower the reaction energy barrier of the C2H5OH-to-C2H4 conversion by switching the rate-determining reaction step compared to both GaN and GaN@CMO. Consequently, the surface-hydrogenated GaN@CMO-H illustrates a considerable ethylene production activity of 1.78 mol·gcat−1·h−1 with a high turnover number of 94,769 mole ethylene per mole CrMnOx. This work illustrates a new route for sustainable ethylene production with the only use of bioethanol and sunlight beyond fossil fuels. Light-driven bioethanol dehydration presents a promising route for sustainable ethylene production. This study unveils a surface hydrogen-replenishment mechanism facilitating ethanol dehydration on GaN nanowires with surface-hydrogenated CrMnOx, achieving an ethylene production rate of 1.78 mol·gcat−1·h−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene glycol, a widely used chemical, has a large global capacity exceeding 40 million tons per year. Nevertheless, its production is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, resulting in substantial CO2 emissions. Herein, we report an approach for electrochemically producing ethylene glycol from biomass glycerol. This process involves glycerol electrooxidation to glycolaldehyde at anode, which is subsequently electro-reduced to ethylene glycol at cathode. While the anode reaction has been reported, the cathode reaction remains a challenge. An electrodeposited electrode with metallic Cu catalyst enables us to achieve glycolaldehyde-to-ethylene glycol conversion with an exceptional faradaic efficiency of about 80%. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that metallic Cu catalyst facilitates the C=O activation, promoting glycolaldehyde hydrogenation into ethylene glycol. We further assemble a zero-gap electrolyzer and demonstrate ethylene glycol electrosynthesis from glycerol to give a decent production rate of 1.32 mmol cm–2 h–1 under a 3.48 V cell voltage. The carbon intensity assessment based on a valid assumption reveals that our strategy may reduce CO2 emissions by over 80 million tons annually compared to conventional fossil fuel routes. Ethylene glycol, widely utilized with over 40 million tons produced annually, is typically made with high CO2 emissions. Here, the authors report an electrochemical method to produce ethylene glycol from biomass glycerol, offering a more sustainable, low-emission alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global phenomenon of environmental deterioration often signifies the increase in ecological footprint and emissions levels that adversely affect the earth's biocapacity. This results from the use of substantial fossil fuels energy sources, industrialization, and extensive economic activities in developing countries. In this context, the study examine the impact of energy depletion, technical cooperation grants, and industrialization, on the load capacity factor of Pakistan from 1970 to 2022. To accomplish this, this study employs the innovative dynamic autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) simulation approach, providing fresh insights that contrast with earlier conclusions. The authors contribute to focusing the supply-side dynamics of ecological deterioration indicators, namely load capacity, from the viewpoint of Pakistan, distinguishing our research from existing academic publications. Our results, however, demonstrate a markedly favorable effect of technical cooperation grants on the load capacity factor in enhancing environmental safety. Furthermore, energy depletion and industrialization adversely impact the load capacity dynamics, exacerbating environmental deterioration. Moreover, the study conducts a sensitivity analysis by comparing the results obtained using the load capacity factor with those derived from ecological footprints. Consequently, we advocate for the development of realistic policies to mitigate the adverse impacts of energy depletion and industrialization via the effective use of energy sources to preserve biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pulp and paper mills generates substantial amounts of sludge, posing significant environmental challenge. Addressing this issue, this review explores the dual objective of renewable energy generation and mitigating the environmental impact of pulp-paper mill sludge (PPMS), filling a critical gap in the existing literature. PPMS is recognized as a promising source of fermentable sugars, mainly glucose, and holds potential as a feedstock for biorefinery applications to produce various renewable biofuels, such as biomethane, biohydrogen, bioethanol, biobutanol, and biodiesel, using biorefining concepts. These efforts align with the the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) by resource recovery and reducing environmental impact. The present article provides insights on renewable energy generation from PPMS. Despite its promise for bioenergy production, numerous bottlenecks have been identified, including high ash content and the presence of toxic inhibitors, such as phenolics, lignin, chlorolignin, and ligno-carbohydrate complexes which impact the hydrolysis of cellulosic fibers and limit the amount of energy recovery. Various pretreatment methods, such as mechanical, thermal, thermochemical, chemo-mechanical, enzymatic, and microbial are emphasized for their ability to enhance sludge solubility by modifying its structure, thereby releasing fermentable sugars. Pretreatment can decrease crystallinity of cellulose, increase accessible surface area, reduce lignin content, and improve bioenergy recovery in the form of oil and gases from PPMS. Finally, the article suggested future research directions in feedstock pretreatment, catalyst development, and optimization of the overall production system. These areas could address existing gaps in the literature and make the process more feasible and practical for real-world applications. In conclusion, bioenergy recovery from PPMS not only helps reduce the demand for fossil fuels in the near future but also provides a sustainable solution for managing paper sludge, in alignment with the principles of a circular economy. Highlights: • PPMS is a low-cost substrate of fermentable sugars to produce, biomethanol, bioethanol, butanol. • Thermal pre-treatment positively impacted biomethane production from PPMS. • PPMS contains inhibitors like phenolics, sulfite, wood extracts, organic acids, phenols, furfural, and lignosulfonates, which significantly affect process efficiency and recovery yield. • Acid pretreatment are promising method to remove ash (CaCO3) from PPMS. • Ligno-carbohydrate complexes in pulp-paper sludge hindering microbial valorization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, which presents highlights of the World Energy Employment report 2023 published by the International Energy Agency with the support and analytical contribution of Enel Foundation, provides an overview of the impacts of decarbonization process on the energy workforce at a global level. Data collected and estimated with deep granularity across the entire value chain shows that increasing investments in the power sector, electric vehicles and other clean technologies are fuelling workforce growth in the energy sector: nearly 67 million people were employed in the energy sector worldwide in 2022, an increase of 3.4 million jobs compared to 2019. Projections under several energy transition scenarios demonstrate that the energy transition will have a net positive effect on jobs through 2030, with job additions in clean energy sectors far outweighing declines in sectors associated with fossil fuels. However, a more detailed analysis of the most in-demand skills within the energy sector reveals that skills shortages in some sectors are preventing the workforce from growing as quickly as needed. Across the energy industry, employers are reporting difficulty hiring and retaining workers with the skills needed to deploy clean energy technologies. To relieve this bottleneck, the paper identifies key intervention areas to build a pipeline of skilled labour (e.g., through reskilling and upskilling initiatives, along with energy transition-focused education) and thus minimize employment-related delays in the decarbonization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to low-carbon energy systems has heightened interest in hydrogen and ammonia as sustainable alternatives to traditional hydrocarbon fuels. However, the development and operation of combustors utilizing these fuels, like other combustion systems, are challenged by thermoacoustic instabilities arising from the interaction between unsteady heat release and acoustic wave oscillations. Among many different methods for studying thermoacoustic instabilities, thermoacoustic network models have played an important role in analyzing the essential dynamics of these instabilities in combustors operating with low-carbon fuels. This paper provides a comprehensive review of thermoacoustic network modeling techniques, focusing specifically on their application to hydrogen- and ammonia-based combustion systems. We outline the key mathematical frameworks derived from fundamental equations of motion, along with experimental validations and practical applications documented in existing studies. Furthermore, current research gaps are identified, and future directions are proposed to improve the reliability and effectiveness of thermoacoustic network models, contributing to the advancement of efficient and stable low-carbon combustors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixtures of hydrogen with common hydrocarbon fuels are considered viable for reducing carbon footprint in modern industry, power production, and transportation. The addition of hydrogen alters the kinetics and thermophysical properties of the mixtures, as well as the composition and properties of combustion products, requiring detailed research into the features of flame propagation in hydrogen-enriched hydrocarbon–air mixtures. Of particular interest are also the safety aspects of such fuels. In this paper, experimental results are presented on the premixed laminar flame propagation in channels formed by two closely spaced plates (Hele-Shaw cell), with the internal straight walls forming a diverging (diffuser) channel with the opening angles between 5 and 25 degrees. Methane–hydrogen–air mixtures with the hydrogen relative contents of 0%, 25%, and 50% and global equivalence ratio of unity were ignited by a spark near the closed narrow end of the channel. Experiments were performed with the gap width of 3.5 mm; video recordings were processed in order to determine the quantitative features of the flame front propagation (leading and trailing point coordinate, coordinates of the cusps, cell sizes and shapes). The main features of flame propagation (fast initial expansion, development of cellular flame, self-induced longitudinal oscillations) are obtained and compared to clarify the effect of hydrogen contents in the fuel and channel geometry (gap width, opening angle). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy and water are interlinked and inseparable resources of vital importance to the survival and development of human society. Exploring the relationship between energy and water is of great practical significance for the sustainable development of resources. The uneven regional distribution of energy and water in China has exacerbated energy-related water shortages. Base on the water footprint of energy (WFE), this paper takes Northeast China, the old industrial base, as the research object, and explores the regional distribution characteristics and development trend of WFE, so as to provide quantitative basis for the development of regional energy transformation in coordination with energy and water. This study uses the ISO model and the decoupling model, and analyzes the spatial and temporal changes in the water footprint (WF) of energies and the decoupling effects in Northeast China from the perspective of energy production. The findings show: (1) the WFE grew slowly, and the WF of power gradually exceeded that of fossil energy; (2) the spatial distribution of WFE was unbalanced, with higher WF of fossil energy in Heilongjiang and higher WF of power in Jilin and Liaoning; (3) the decoupling status of WFE from GDP was better than that of WFE from total water consumption. This study also analyzes the driving factors of indicators of water endowment, economic development, energy consumption, environmental governance and life quality, on the WFE based on the Lasso model, and provide policy implications for the coordinated development of energy and water in Northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile chemical products (VCPs) and other non-traditional anthropogenic sources, such as cooking, contribute substantially to the volatile organic compound (VOC) budget in urban areas, but their impact on ozone formation is less certain. This study employs Lagrangian box modeling and sensitivity analyses to evaluate ozone response to sector-specific VOC and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in two Los Angeles (LA) Basin cities during the summer of 2021. The model simulated the photochemical processing and transport of temporally and spatially gridded emissions from the FIVE-VCP-NEI17NRT inventory and accurately simulates the variability and magnitude of O3, NOx, and speciated VOCs in Pasadena, CA. VOC sensitivity analyses show that anthropogenic VOCs (AVOC) enhance the mean daily maximum 8 h average ozone in Pasadena by 13 ppb, whereas biogenic VOCs (BVOCs) contribute 9.4 ppb. Of the ozone influenced by AVOCs, VCPs represent the largest fraction at 45 %, while cooking and fossil fuel VOCs are comparable at 26 % and 29 %, respectively. NOx sensitivity analyses along trajectory paths indicate that the photochemical regime of ozone varies spatially and temporally. The modeled ozone response is primarily NOx-saturated across the dense urban core and during peak ozone production in Pasadena. Lowering the inventory emissions of NOx by 25 % moves Pasadena to NOx-limited chemistry during afternoon hours and shrinks the spatial extent of NOx saturation towards downtown LA. Further sensitivity analyses show that using VOCs represented by a separate state inventory requires steeper NOx reductions to transition to NOx sensitivity, further suggesting that accurately representing VOC reactivity in inventories is critical to determining the effectiveness of future NOx reduction policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the characteristics of biogas demand in rural areas is essential for on-demand biogas production and fossil fuel offsetting. However, the spatiotemporal features of rural household energy consumption are unclear. This paper developed a rural biogas demand forecasting model (RBDM) based on the hourly loads of different energy types in rural China. The model requires only a small amount of publicly available input data. The model was verified using household energy survey data collected from five Chinese provinces and one year's data from a village-scale biogas plant. The results showed that the predicted and measured biogas consumption and dynamic load were consistent. The relative error of village biogas consumption was 11.45%, and the dynamic load showed seasonal fluctuations. Seasonal correction factors were incorporated to improve the model's accuracy and practicality. The accuracy of the RBDM was 19.27% higher than that of a static energy prediction model. Future research should verify the model using additional cases to guide the design of accurate biogas production and distribution systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The move from outright denialism by the fossil fuel and related industries to 'soft denial' urges reassessing the mechanisms and networks of actors involved in anti-environmentalism. One high-level tactic which harnesses evolutionary psychology and organizational self-protective tendencies to willfully overlook negative outcomes involves compartmentalization. Segmented judgment applies to multiple domains, including highlighting commitments, declarations, and philanthropy as a mask for continuing unsustainability. Selective accounting gives the impression that states and companies are doing enough on climate, that things are not as bad as they seem, and that much-touted sustainable actions compensate for continuing environmental harms–in effect reducing the impetus for responsible action and diverting attention from climate change's primary drivers. This bait-and-switch strategy fragments climate accounting by avoiding including both sustainable and unsustainable initiatives in the same ledger. This study categorizes strategies of compartmentalization according to sectoral, narrative, political, behavioral, and structural perspectives, with examples among agrochemical, fossil, and mining industries. Each of these facets is evaluated through examples of actions undertaken by corporations and public agents, often exploiting Global North-South dynamics. In spite of these aspects having different spheres of influence, acts of compartmentalization are interconnected and represent a core background frame enabling the climate denial machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emission research based on input-output tables (IOTs) has received attention, but data quality issues persist due to inconsistencies between the sectoral scopes of energy statistics and IOTs. Specifically, China's official energy data are reported at the industry level, whereas IOTs are organized by product sectors. Valid IOT-based environmental models require consistent transformation from industry-level to product-level emissions. However, most existing studies overlook this necessary transformation, leading to substantial estimation errors. This study addresses this issue by developing a high-quality, product-level emissions dataset for China, grounded in robust product technology identification derived from IOTs. Our new emissions dataset, aligned with Chinese national IOTs, covers 29 to 34 product sectors across 7 benchmark years from 1997 to 2020. It includes data from 4 to 5 energy sectors and detailed emissions for 18 types of fossil fuels, using both IPCC-default and two China-specific emission factors. This inventory improves product-sector emission accounting and can be integrated into IOT-based climate and energy models, serving as a fundamental database for energy and emission analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy is essential for reducing fossil fuel dependence and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. This study compares the widely used passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) cells with advanced heterojunction technology (HJT) cells. Conducted in Lisbon during August 2022, this research evaluates the energy yield of PV installations over 400 W under challenging summer conditions. HJT cells, which combine monocrystalline silicon and amorphous layers, showed a 1.88% higher efficiency and a 3% to 6% increase in energy yield compared to PERC cells. This study also examines the effects of irradiance and temperature on performance using experiment field data. HJT modules are ideal for limited space or power constraints, offering long-term profitability, while PERC modules are more cost-effective for budget-limited projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for sustainable energy has spurred interest in biofuels as a renewable alternative to fossil fuels. Biomass gasification and pyrolysis are two prominent thermochemical conversion processes for biofuel production. While these processes are effective, they are often influenced by complex, nonlinear, and uncertain factors, making optimization and prediction challenging. This study highlights the application of fuzzy neural networks (FNNs)—a hybrid approach that integrates the strengths of fuzzy logic and neural networks—as a novel tool to address these challenges. Unlike traditional optimization methods, FNNs offer enhanced adaptability and accuracy in modeling nonlinear systems, making them uniquely suited for biomass conversion processes. This review not only highlights the ability of FNNs to optimize and predict the performance of gasification and pyrolysis processes but also identifies their role in advancing decision-making frameworks. Key challenges, benefits, and future research opportunities are also explored, showcasing the transformative potential of FNNs in biofuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate issues significantly impact people's lives, prompting governments worldwide to implement energy-saving and emission-reducing measures. However, many areas lack carbon emission data at the lower administrative divisions. Additionally, the inconsistency in the standards, scope, and accuracy of carbon dioxide emission statistics across different regions makes mapping carbon dioxide spatial patterns complex. Nighttime light (NTL) data combined with land use data enable the detailed spatial and temporal disaggregation of carbon emission data at a finer administrative level, facilitating scientifically informed policy formulation by the government. Differentiating carbon emission data by sector will help us further identify the carbon emission efficiency in different sectors and help environmental regulators implement the most cost-effective emission-reduction strategy. This study uses integrated remote-sensing data to estimate carbon emissions from fossil fuels (CEFs). Experimental results indicate (1) that the regional CEF can be calculated by combining NTL and Landuse data and has a good fit; (2) the high-intensity CEF area is mainly concentrated in Shanghai and its surrounding areas, showing a concentric circle structure; (3) there are obvious differences in the spatial distribution characteristics of carbon emissions among different departments; (4) hot spot analysis reveals a three-tiered distribution in the Yangtze River Delta, increasing from the west to the east with distinct spatial characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid industrialization and the indiscriminate use of fossil fuels have generated an impact that is affecting the climate worldwide. Among the substances that are causing climate change are several gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), among others. Particularly, carbon dioxide is one of the substances that has attracted the most attention from researchers, as it is responsible for more than three quarters of greenhouse gases. Because of this, many efforts have been directed towards the capture of CO2, its separation, adsorption and transformation into products that are less harmful to the environment or that even have added value in the industry. For this purpose, the use of different types of macrocycles has been explored mainly in the last 5 years. This review seeks to present the advances that have occurred in recent years in the capture and transformation of CO2 by different methods, to finally focus on the capture and transformation through macrocycle systems such as azacompounds, heterometallic macrocycles, calixpyrrols, modified cyclodextrins and metallic porphyrins, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to climate change, the reduction of carbon emissions during agricultural production has garnered increasing global focus. This study takes high-standard farmland construction (HSFC) implemented in 2011 as the standard natural experiment and adopts the continuous differences-in-differences (DID) model to explore the impact and internal mechanism of HSFC on agricultural carbon emissions based on a panel data of 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China from 2003 to 2021. The results show that HSFC can effectively reduce the carbon emissions in agricultural production, and the average annual reduction can reach 53.8%. The effects of HSFC on agriculture carbon emissions could be associated with reducing agricultural fossil energy consumption and reducing agricultural chemical use. Further, the heterogeneity study shows that the carbon reduction effect of HSFC was mainly reflected in non-major grain-producing areas, while there was no significant impact in major grain-producing areas. Policymakers should unswervingly continue to promote HSFC, considering their own economic and geographical conditions. This study can provide valuable information and references for developing countries similar to China to formulate policies on agricultural carbon reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chile's commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 underscores the need for robust decarbonization strategies across various sectors. Despite making progress in integrating renewable energy, sectors like transportation and residential heating, which are heavily reliant on fossil fuels, present significant opportunities for decarbonization. This study develops and evaluates pathways based on Chile's Long-Term Energy Plan for assessing the effect of flexibilities from the power-to-heat and power-to-transportation sectors. Using EnergyPLAN, we model different scenarios of Chile's 2050 energy plan that incorporate varying levels of individual heating and electromobility and assess their impacts on excess (surplus) electricity generation, different cost metrics, and renewable energy penetration. Findings indicate that increasing flexibility within the transportation sector through smart charging and vehicle-to-grid technologies can reduce excess generation, enhance grid stability, and lower operational costs. Flexibilities in individual heating, when coupled with more renewable energy capacity, show the potential to decrease reliance on fossil fuels significantly. The evidence of major efficiency gains in Chile's 2050 energy plan, which is achievable by investing in heating and transportation flexibilities and further augmented by the country's unique renewable potential, should interest stakeholders. Future work will focus on optimizing these technologies to address Chile's specific infrastructure and regulatory challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the molecular-level characterization of primary and secondary constituents in PM2.5 at high temporal resolution, particularly during haze events, are still limited. This study employed comprehensive analytical methods to examine the molecular composition and source contributions of PM2.5, with samples collected approximately every 2 h during hazy winter days. Results show that organic matter was the predominant species, followed by nitrate (NO 3-). Radiocarbon analysis of carbonaceous fractions reveals that fossil fuels account for 61 %–82 % of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), likely resulting from increased fossil fuel consumption during cold heating months. Interestingly, the contribution of non-fossil sources to WSOC enhanced with worsening haze pollution, coinciding with significantly intensified biomass burning (BB). BB was identified as the largest contributor to organic carbon (OC) in both concentration and proportion, due to intensive BB emissions in the surrounding areas, especially on heavily polluted days. For secondary sources, naphthalene-derived secondary organic carbon (SOC) contributed more to OC in PM2.5 (0.27 %–2.46 %) compared to biogenic SOC (0.05 %–1.10 %), suggesting anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as those from fossil fuel and biomass combustion, play a major role in SOC formation in urban aerosols during winter. In addition to promoting secondary aerosol formation, BB could also enhance emissions from other sources, as evidenced by significant correlations between BB tracers and various other source tracers. These findings highlight the significant role of BB in contributing to heavy winter haze. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]