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With the escalating integration of renewable energy sources (RESs) within the manufacturing sector, the synergy between energy and production management has gained paramount importance. To harmonise energy efficiency with production effectiveness, the concept of energy-aware scheduling, comprising off-line, on-line, and hybrid scheduling, has been introduced. While each approach has merits and drawbacks in handling unexpected disturbances, recovering optimal performance, and managing computational costs, their designs often tend to be ad hoc. Currently, there is a lack of a systematic design that effectively balances computational costs, robustness to unexpected disturbances, and optimal performance. Moreover, existing results do not fully leverage the flexibility in factories integrated with Renewable Energy Sources (RESs). In response, this study introduces the paradigm of event-triggered hybrid scheduling (ETHS) to achieve a balance among optimality, robustness, and computational cost by fully exploring the system's flexibility. The efficacy of ETHS is empirically demonstrated through a comprehensive case study involving a real-world manufacturing facility. Diverse scenarios are scrutinised, accompanied by sensitivity analyses pertaining to parameter choices. The outcomes conspicuously underscore the potency of ETHS in facilitating the harmonious alignment of energy and production management within the ambit of manufacturing industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing environmental concerns and energy crisis, a variety of renewable energy sources (RES) are being increasingly utilised worldwide. However, the integration of RES such as wind power and photovoltaics in large-scale can lead to increased load fluctuations, which can undermine the overall environmental benefits and pose risks to the secure and stable operation of the power system. To mitigate this challenge, a two-stage electricity production scheduling is developed incorporating energy storage system (ESS) and dynamic emission modelling (DEM). In the first stage, a multi-objective mixed integer programming model schedules the production of RES, increasing penetration rate and system stability. In the second stage, a data-driven dynamic emission model is developed to optimise the load allocation of thermal power unit to reduce the carbon emissions. Furthermore, a flexible operating reserve strategy is proposed to handle the uncertainty resulting from the intermittent character of RES. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively schedules the production of RES thereby alleviating the contradiction between high RES utilisation and stable system operation. Compared to the benchmark model, the proposed method can reduce the carbon emissions and total cost of the system by 20.34% and 10.65%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of biomass to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) holds substantial promise as a renewable energy source. Notably, HMF can be transformed into 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF), a crucial reactant in biofuel production, but requires harsh operating conditions, H2, and precious metal catalysts. A recently reported Cannizzaro reaction of HMF to BHMF, characterized by its efficiency, mild conditions, and eco-friendliness, instead employed ionic liquids (ILs) to achieve high yields. In this study, combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) simulations in conjunction with Metropolis Monte Carlo statistical mechanics and free-energy perturbation theory utilized M06-2X/6-31+G(d), PDDG/PM3, and the OPLS-VSIL force field to uncover important solute–solvent interactions present in the HMF to BHMF reaction pathway. The Cannizzaro reaction was examined in water and in five ILs composed of the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [BMIM] cation coupled to hexafluorophosphate, tetrafluoroborate, thiocyanate, chloride, and bromide. Energetic and structural analysis of the rate-determining hydride transfer between HMF and the hydride-donor anion HMFOH− attributed the enhanced reactivity to highly organized solvent interactions featuring (1) hydrogen bonding between the ring protons of [BMIM] and the negatively charged carbonyl oxygen atoms on the transition structure, (2) favorable electrostatic interactions between the IL anions and solute hydroxyl groups, and (3) beneficial π–π stacking interactions between [BMIM] and the two aromatic rings present in HMF and HMFOH−. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work considers an industrial production site partially powered by a decentralised energy system based on intermittent renewable energy sources. Our objective is to simultaneous plan the industrial production and the energy supply in this site so as to minimise the total cost. A new way of modelling this combinatorial optimisation problem is proposed: it relies on the extension of a multi-product single-resource small-bucket lot-sizing model called the proportional lot-sizing and scheduling problem. This extension involves among others sequence-dependent changeover times overlapping multiple periods and energy-related constraints. Our numerical results show that the resulting mixed-integer linear programming model enables to obtain good-quality production and energy supply plans with a computational effort much smaller than the one required by a previously published large-bucket lot-sizing model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic hydrogenation of biomass-derived chemicals is essential in chemical industry due to the growing demand for sustainable and renewable energy sources. In this study, we present a comprehensive theoretical investigation regarding the hydrogenation of glycolaldehyde to ethylene glycol over a Ru/C catalyst by employing density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. With inclusion of explicit solvation, we have demonstrated that the glycolaldehyde hydrogenation is significantly improved due to the fast proton transfer through the hydrogen bond network. The enhanced activity could be attributed to the participation of the solvent water as the hydrogen source and the highly positively charged state of a Ru cluster in an aqueous phase, which are critical for the activation of aldehyde groups and proton-assisted hydrogenation. Overall, our findings provide valuable insights into glycolaldehyde hydrogenation over Ru/C catalysts in the aqueous phase, highlighting the importance of solvation effects in the biomass conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional sport facility sustainability initiatives offer sport organizations an opportunity to demonstrate congruence with societal concern for the environment, an effort that also affects stadia revenue generation. Guided by diffusion of innovations theory, this study harnessed diffusion modeling and logistic regression to determine how quickly renewable energy source adoption is diffusing across 175 professional sport stadia in the United States and Canada and the factors catalyzing early renewable energy source adoption. Results revealed 86 (49%) facilities adopted at least one type of renewable energy source, with solar emerging as the predominant technology adopted (68 total adoptions). Full diffusion for renewable source adoption was predicted for 2061 (p =.0094, q = 0.1404, root mean square error = 3.25, mean absolute error = 2.51), while not all renewable energy sources were predicted to fully diffuse (wind; p =.0117, q = −0.0710, root mean square error =.853, mean absolute error = 0.675). New stadia construction during the time of adoption, facility type, and geographical social systems emerged as significant factors catalyzing adoption in the early majority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer membrane electrolyzers are a useful tool for producing hydrogen, which is a renewable energy source. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fuel cells can be powered by the hydrogen and oxygen produced by the electrolyzer. The primary losses of polymer membrane electrolyzers must therefore be identified in order to maximize their performance. A renewable-based multi-energy system considers power, cooling, heating, and hydrogen energy as utility systems for integrated sport buildings. In this study, we investigate the effect of radiation intensity, current density, and other performance factors on the rate of hydrogen production in water electrolysis using a polymer membrane electrolyzer in combination with a solar concentrator. The findings showed that a rise in hydrogen generation led to an increase in current density, which increased the electrolyzer's voltage and decreased its energy and exergy efficiencies. The voltage was also increased, and the electrolyzer's efficiency was enhanced by a rise in temperature, a decrease in pressure, and a reduction in the thickness of the nafion membrane. Additionally, with a 145% increase in radiation intensity, hydrogen production increased by 110% while the electrolyzer's energy and exergy efficiencies decreased by 13.8% as a result of the electrolyzer's high input electric current to hydrogen output ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries are devoting considerable efforts to replace fossil energy with renewable energy to achieve 'Carbon Neutrality'. Straw-based bioenergy is considered as a potential substitute of fossil energy. This paper investigates the government regulations (i.e. penalty and subsidy policy) for a straw-based bioenergy supply chain consisting of power plants and farmers, in which the three parties are of bounded rationality. We develop a three-party evolutionary game model and obtain the evolutionary stable strategies of the three parties. We establish the dynamic penalty model and show that the dynamic penalty policy can encourage power plants to use bioenergy and farmers to collect bioenergy than the existing static penalty policy. Our results further demonstrate if the proportion of the farmers choosing the 'Collecting bioenergy' strategy is low, the government should choose the 'Penalizing the farmer' strategy; otherwise, the government should choose the 'Penalizing the power plant' strategy. We also extend our model to the government's subsidy policy and compare it with the penalty policy. Specially, when the proportion of the power plants (farmers) using (collecting) bioenergy is high, if the government's subsidies are lower than penalties, the government should choose the subsidy policy; otherwise, the government should choose the penalty policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have emerged as a promising technology for renewable energy generation due to their low cost, lightweight, flexibility, and compatibility with roll-to-roll manufacturing. However, OSCs still face challenges in achieving high power conversion efficiency (PCE) due to various factors, including recombination loss. In this study, we investigated the effect of introducing a layer of eight atomic percent gadolinium-doped zinc oxide (Zn0.92Gd0.08O) between the poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT): [6,6]-phenyl butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) active layer and the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode of the OSC. The reference cell, which has an Au/P3HT:PCBM/ZnO/FTO structure, exhibits a PCE of 0.52%. Remarkably, when the Zn0.92Gd0.08O layer was inserted (Au/P3HT:PCBM/Zn0.92Gd0.08O/FTO), the PCE increased significantly to 3.42%, which is more than six times the increase. Through further analysis, we present that the insertion of the Zn0.92Gd0.08O layer induces spin polarization in the P3HT:PCBM layer, leading to enhanced charge transport and reducing the recombination rate. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the Zn0.92Gd0.08O film can potentially improve OSC performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the analysis of the issues of the legal basis of attracting funds from the State Budget of Ukraine, local budgets and EU funds for the implementation of the «green» transition of the energy sector of the economy and the implementation of projects (programs) in the field of energy efficiency. The article found out that the budget legislation of Ukraine enshrines a number of instruments that make it possible to attract budget funds for the implementation of measures and investment projects in the energy sector, namely: A) for the implementation of state investment projects (programs) and other investment projects in the energy sector the following are carried out: 1) budget expenditures directed to the purpose of state investment in state-owned objects using state capital investments; 2) crediting the budget for the implementation of investment projects implemented through state investment; 3) provision of state or local guarantees for the implementation of investment projects in the field of energy provided with budgetary funds of the relevant budget; B) to provide state financial support to participants in the electricity market, who are entrusted with special duties to ensure an increase in the share of electricity production from alternative energy sources (SE «Guaranteed Buyer»), State Budget expenditures are made; C) for the implementation of «green» transition measures implemented at the expense of the State Budget of Ukraine by the Energy Efficiency Fund, according to the relevant budget programs, in the budget program «State Fund for Decarbonization and Energy Efficient Transformation», programs of the Energy Efficiency Fund; D) to realize, at the expense of State and local budgets, longterm obligations for energy service in accordance with energy service contracts concluded by managers of budget funds to improve the energy efficiency of state and communal property; D) to implement at the expense of EU funds in accordance with the Ukraine Facility the measures provided for in the Plan of Ukraine 2024-2027, in the form of expenditures of the State Budget of Ukraine (Component I), and lending to selected investment projects (Component II), the «visibility» of using which Ukraine has to provide It was noted that the budgetary legislation of Ukraine needs to be supplemented in terms of establishing the legal regime of budgetary investment, which has distinct features from spending and lending, establishing the obligation to ensure the «visibility» of the use of EU funds involved in the relevant budgets, carrying out transactions with them, as well as establishing the concept of «EU funds», as it occurs in the budgetary law of the EU member states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past two decades, we have witnessed an unprecedented acceleration of the energy transition in China. The implications of the ongoing energy transition will reverberate across the established energy, economic, and environmental systems. This study constructed a new comprehensive evaluation index system to evaluate the energy transition in 30 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2019. We found that the average score of China's provincial energy transition in 2019 (0.518) was higher than that in 2000 (0.410); the average score of provincial energy transition from 2000 to 2019 was only 0.445. During this period, Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Fujian, andIEA 2011 Guangdong were the top five provinces in terms of average scores, and Tianjin, Ningxia, Shanxi, Shanghai, and Hainan were the five provinces with the lowest average scores. We also found that provincial energy transition has significant peer-group characteristics, including region, income level, provincial energy trade, and international energy trade. Moreover, compared with the energy transition measured by comprehensive evaluation, the energy transition measured by energy structure underestimated the quality of energy transition in the eastern and central regions. It overestimated the quality of energy transition in the western region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flexible traction power supply system (FTPSS), integrating power flow controller (PFC), energy storage system, and photovoltaic (PV) system, is able to cancel the neutral section, realize the collaborative operation of multiple traction substations (MTSs), and enhance the efficient utilization of regenerative braking energy (RBE) and renewable energy in electrified railways. However, co‐dispatching energy among MTSs influences the power flow distribution within the traction network, impacting the traction network voltage (TNV). Maintaining optimal energy dispatch while ensuring compliance with TNV standards is critical. Therefore, a two‐stage energy optimal dispatch and control strategy is proposed for FTPSS here. The first stage develops a synergistic energy optimal dispatch model for MTSs considering TNV constraint and power flow constraints, aimed at maximizing the utilization of RBE and PV while minimizing the electricity cost of FTPSS. In the second stage, a control strategy for multiple converters is designed to ensure the dynamic response of FTPSS. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed strategy and model is substantiated through field load data and experimental validation, and the electricity cost of the FTPSS is reduced by about 21.4%, meanwhile the TNV is maintained in the range of 22.5–29 kV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid depletion of conventional fuel resources and rising energy demand has accelerated the search for alternative energy sources. Further, the expanding need to use bioenergy crops for sustainable fuel production has enhanced the competition for agricultural land, raising the "food vs. fuel" competition. Considering this, producing bioenergy crops on marginal land has a great perspective for achieving sustainable bioenergy production and mitigating the negative impacts of climate change. C4 crops are dual-purpose crops with better efficiency to fix atmospheric CO 2 and convert solar energy into lignocellulosic biomass. Of these, millets have gained worldwide attention due to their climate resilience and nutraceutical properties. Due to close synteny with contemporary C4 bioenergy crops, millets are being considered a model crop for studying diverse agronomically important traits associated with biomass production. Millets can be cultivated on marginal land with minimum fertilizer inputs and maximum biomass production. In this regard, advanced molecular approaches, including marker-assisted breeding, multi-omics approaches, and gene-editing technologies, can be employed to genetically engineer these crops for enhanced biofuel production efficiency. The current study aims to provide an overview of millets as a sustainable bioenergy source and underlines the significance of millets as a C4 model to elucidate the genes and pathways involved in lignocellulosic biomass production using advanced molecular biology approaches. • Millets, being C4 crops, are considered a model for studying agronomically and economically important traits. • Millets hold great potential as future bioenergy crops due to their climate resilience trait and high water use efficiency. • Millets can be cultivated on marginal land with minimum fertilizer inputs which is essential for resource optimization. • Advanced molecular approaches can help to genetically engineer these crops for optimized biofuel production efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic conversion of CO 2 into valuable fuels is considered a promising approach for the development of sustainable and renewable energy sources. In this study, we utilized Mo-MOF as a precursor to obtain MoO 3 by pyrolytic derivatization and treated it to obtain MOF-MoO 3-x containing oxygen vacancies as a catalyst for the photocatalytic reduction of CO 2 to CO. MOF derivatization altered the morphology of the MoO 3 , which made the formation of oxygen vacancies easier and facilitated the separation of electron-hole pairs. Meanwhile, the increased specific surface area and the appearance of surface oxygen vacancies enhanced the CO 2 adsorption and activation capabilities of MOF-MoO 3-x. As a result, MOF-MoO 3-x demonstrated a significant enhances in the photoreduction activity of CO 2. Its CO yield was 29.1 μmolg−1h−1, which was 3.7 times higher than that of MOF-MoO 3 and 2.4 times higher than that of H-MoO 3-x. This innovative strategy may provide a new avenue for improving the comprehensive performance of photocatalysts and developing renewable energy sources. MOF-MoO 3-x photocatalytic material derived from Mo-MOF precursor and prepared by ascorbic acid reduction. Compared to the H-MoO 3-x obtained by hydrothermal method, the MOF structure promoted the formation of oxygen defects, the yield of CO reduction by MOF-MoO 3-x had been significantly improved. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat is produced by all machinery, including microprocessors and jet engines, as well as by industrial processes that produce goods from steel to food. There is still a strong desire for alternative energy sources in this day of ecologically conscious and sustainable energy needs. The recovery of heat from waste heat into beneficial electrical energy provides a simple energy source with enormous potential. Thermoelectrics is one of the popular technologies, which can convert heat into electricity, making them useful for power generation. Tin telluride (SnTe), a significant type of newly developed thermoelectric material, has drawn a lot of attention due to its low toxicity and environmentally friendly characteristics. Here, we synthesize Bi/Se co-doped SnTe (Sn 1-x Bi x Te 0.97 Se 0.03 (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06)) samples by employing the solid-state metathesis route. The results of this work suggest that the combined action of cationic and anionic substitution of Bi and Se to SnTe matrix could potentially modify the microstructure and band structure of SnTe, thereby effectively improving its electronic, mechanical, and thermal transport properties. In line with the experimental findings, the samples show degenerate semiconducting electronic transport behaviour throughout the temperature range. The maximum Seebeck coefficient is found to be ∼84 μV/K and the total thermal conductivity is reduced to 1.6 W/mK at 573 K in a 6 % Bi-doped sample, which is 2.2 times less than the pristine sample. The Sn 0.94 Bi 0.06 Te 0.97 Se 0.03 sample has a maximum ZT of approximately 0.23 at 573 K, which is three times higher than the pristine sample because of the combined regulation of cation-anion co-doping and an elevated power factor of 936 μW/K2m in Sn 0.96 Bi 0.04 Te 0.97 Se 0.03 sample at 573 K, which is 1.82 times higher than that of pristine SnTe. Considering these findings, it appears that Bi-Se co-doped SnTe is a promising material for thermoelectric applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power electronic converters play a crucial role in integrating distributed generation, renewable energy sources, microgrids, and HVDC transmission networks into the grid. The control technique used in the voltage source inverters (VSI) is essential for handling load variations, system nonlinearity, stability, and fast transient response. This study focuses on improving the robustness and control performance of VSIs by integrating a Kalman filter adaptive observer into a finite control set model predictive control (FCS-MPC), resulting in an improved FCS-MPC strategy (IMPC). The classical FCS-MPC can be affected by inaccuracies due to measurement noise and uncertainties in system models, leading to less accurate predictions and suboptimal control actions. By employing the Kalman filter adaptive observer, real-time estimates of unmeasured variables are provided, compensating for uncertainties, and enhancing control performance. To further enhance flexibility and adaptivity, an artificial neural network (ANN)-based controller is designed. The ANN controller is trained offline using IMPC as baseline thus eliminating the need for online predictions and optimization. The ANN controller directly generates inverter switching configuration states, resulting in high-quality sinusoidal output voltage with low distortions. Comparative analysis is conducted for the classical FCS-MPC, IMPC, support vector machine (SVM), convolutional neural network (CNN), and ANN-based controllers under diverse operating conditions and system parameters. Although it has reduced interpretability, the ANN controller exhibits superior harmonic reduction, outperforming both MPC-based controllers and SVM. Evaluation against CNN-based controls also validates the ANN's robustness and effectiveness in handling uncertainties, emphasizing its adaptability, efficiency, and practical applicability in power electronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTRenewable generation plays an important part in today's power system. With the inclusion of the inverter interfaced renewable energy sources (RESs) into a microgrid, the total system inertia decreases and it leads to increased frequency deviation in presence of a disturbance. This paper proposes a cascaded Integral Minus Tilt Integral Derivative with Filter (I–TDN)‐Proportional‐Integral (PI), [(I‐TDN)‐PI] controller for frequency stabilization of a hybrid microgrid in presence of electric vehicles (EV). The microgrid model includes reheated thermal power plant with high degree of non‐linear system such as inverter based RESs like photovoltaic and wind generation systems. A diesel engine generator is incorporated for load frequency control during perturbation in the system frequency. Virtual inertia controller (VIC) with inverter based energy storage system (ESS) is commonly used to improve system inertia and frequency stability of the microgrid. In addition to the ESS, this paper proposes inclusion of the EVs in this VIC. The optimal gains of the proposed cascaded I‐TDN‐PI controller are determined using Mountain Gazelle Optimizer (MGO), a modern metaheuristic optimization algorithm. Sensitivity of the proposed controller is investigated in presence of system nonlinearities, load perturbations, time delay, system parameter variation and RES power fluctuations. The simulation results justify the robustness of the proposed control structure for frequency stabilization of the microgrid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid growing concerns about global environmental sustainability, the focus on understanding the interplay between environmental policies, investments in sustainable practices, and renewable energy sources has intensified. This study delves into the relationship between environmental policy stringency, green investment, and the utilization of renewable energy, specifically examining their impact on the load capacity factor (LCF) within G11 countries utilized from 2000 to 2021. Manifestly, LCF integrates both demand‐ and supply‐side aspects of environmental quality. It also utilizes a comprehensive indicator of environmental policy stringency, evaluating its impact alongside green investment. Employing the Cross Sectional‐Augmented Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS‐ARDL) model and the Common Correlated Effect Mean Group (CCEMG) approach, this research demonstrates that environmental policy stringency, green investment, and renewable energy consumption positively and significantly influence the LCF, consequently fostering improvements in environmental sustainability in both short‐ and long‐term scenarios. It is worth mentioning that environmental policy stringency has the strongest effects on LCF followed by renewable energy. The findings strongly indicate that reinforcing environmental policies, promoting green investment, and embracing renewable energy usage can collectively yield a substantial reduction in environmental pressure for G11 countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor dysfunction and dopamine deficits. The MitoPark (MP) mouse model of PD recapitulates several facets of Parkinson's disease, including gradual development of motor deficits, which enables the study of potential therapeutic interventions. One therapeutic strategy involves decreasing the mitochondrial metabolic load by inducing ketosis and providing an alternative energy source for neurons, leading to decreased neuronal oxidative stress. Thus, we hypothesized that administration of a ketone ester–enriched diet (KEED) would improve motor and dopamine release deficits in MP mice. Motor function (rotarod and open field tests), dopamine release (fast‐scan cyclic voltammetry), tissue dopamine levels (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) and dopamine neurons and axons (immunofluorescence) were assessed in MP, and control mice fed either the standard or a KEED. When started on the ketone diet before motor dysfunction onset, MP mice had improved motor function relative to standard diet (SD) MP mice. While the KEED did not preserve dopamine neurons or striatal dopamine axons, dopamine release in ketone diet MP mice was greater than SD MP mice but less than control mice. In a follow‐up experiment, we began the ketone diet after motor dysfunction onset and observed a modest preservation of motor function in ketone diet MP mice relative to SD MP mice. The improvement in motor dysfunction indicates that a KEED or ketone supplement may have a beneficial effect on delaying motor deficit progression in Parkinson's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion Replacing single‐use operating theatre equipment with reusables might be one strategy for reducing the carbon footprint of operating theatres. However, in Australia, where the energy mix is predominantly fossil‐fuel‐based, the re‐sterilization of reusables may increase the carbon footprint. We analyzed the financial and environmental impacts of introducing reusable operating theatre light handles in two NSW hospitals.The effects on cost, waste, and carbon footprint of replacing disposable light handle covers with reusable handles in each hospital were analyzed over 12 months using procurement, waste and sterilization data, and life cycle assessment.Energy requirement for sterilization of reusable handles, increasing alongside weight of the handle, resulted in higher carbon footprint than using disposable covers. At one hospital, using a heavy handle increased carbon emissions sixfold, while the cost of handle sterilization exceeded the cost of disposable covers, resulting in 11% higher cost per use. At the other hospital, using a lighter handle increased carbon emissions by 40% per use, while sterilization cost was less than the cost of disposable covers, resulting in 14.8% lower cost per use. Scenario modelling indicated that sterilizing handles as part of a hollowware set rather than as individual items would significantly reduce cost and carbon footprint. At both hospitals, associated clinical waste was essentially eliminated.Judicious replacement of disposable covers with lightweight yet durable reusable handles can reduce costs, but increases carbon footprint in the current Australian energy context. Adopting predominantly renewable energy and more efficient sterilization practice would mitigate this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to propose a novel dual-level multisource information fusion approach for handling open multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) issues related to accurately determining the weights of criteria while considering the relative importance of expert opinions, handling heterogeneous information, and selecting an appropriate MCDM ranking method. The proposed approach includes two levels. The first integrates the "analytic hierarchy process (AHP)—full consistency method (FUCOM)", which comprises two phases. In the first phase, criteria weights are assigned using AHP, and FUCOM is employed to correct inconsistencies. In the second phase, the weights are computed for decision-makers. Triangular fuzzy numbers are employed due to their ability to encapsulate all the utilized heterogeneous data types. At the second level of the approach, three well-known distance-based methods, including "technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution", "visekriterijumska optimizacija i kompromisno resenje", and "multiattributive border approximation area comparison", are fused to process a homogeneous decision matrix and provide comprehensive and robust rankings for alternatives. To develop our novel approach, a renewable energy source for Pakistan's electricity generation is adopted as a case study. The decision matrix contains four alternatives (i.e., hydropower, biomass energy, solar energy, and wind energy) and six main evaluation criteria (i.e., economic, quality of energy, social, political, environmental, and technical), with several subevaluation criteria under each criterion. The findings of the proposed approach were as follows: A2 was in the first rank with a score of 1.7889, and A4 was in the last rank with a score of 0.1199. The rest of the alternatives were distributed between them. The paper's implications include the advancement of decision-making methods, enhancement of decision-making outcomes, and addressing heterogeneous information to highlight the relative importance of experts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthesis converts solar energy, carbon dioxide, and water into biomass, offering a renewable energy and chemical source. Biomass photo(electro)refining (BPeR) emerges as a sustainable alternative to petrochemicals for fuel and chemical production. However, BPeR faces challenges due to photocatalyst limitations, necessitating the integration of cocatalysts. Cocatalysts significantly impact the efficiency, selectivity, and durability of BPeR reactions, yet their roles require systematic elucidation and understanding. This review explores how cocatalysts impact the carbon bond functionalization, cleavage, and formation in biomass and its derivatives. It discusses their crucial roles in charge carrier generation, separation, and transportation, particularly in catalyzing surface reactions such as hydrogen‐involved reactions, generation, and manipulation of oxygen or carbon radicals, and the C─C/O/H bond transformations. Additionally, it outlines challenges and prospects for developing cocatalysts to enhance BPeR efficiency and durability, boosting the viability of biomass as a sustainable source of energy and materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power‐to‐methane (PtM) offers an efficient opportunity for surplus renewable energy storage, but heat management is a major challenge for conducting the highly exothermic methanation reaction. To address this challenge, this study presents the first successful demonstration of core‐shell catalyst pellets in a pilot‐scale reactor for CO2 methanation. Experiments in a wall‐cooled fixed‐bed reactor are conducted with diluted and undiluted reactant feed under systematic variation of cooling temperature and inlet gas flow rate. The results show that core‐shell catalyst pellets significantly reduce the hot‐spot temperature while maintaining comparable reactant conversions to uncoated catalyst pellets at the same conditions. Additionally, core‐shell catalyst pellets allow for undiluted reactant feed at comparably low hot‐spot temperatures (approx. 600 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to determine the digestible energy (DE) of insect fat (IF) from black soldier fly larvae (BSLF) for growing pigs. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) were the dominant group of fatty acids in the IF, with lauric acid (C12:0) and palmitic acid (C16:0) comprising the greatest concentrations in this group. Linoleic acids (C18:2) and oleic acids (C18:1) were the main unsaturated fatty acids. The IF contained 37.63 MJ/kg gross energy and 2.55 g/kg nitrogen. During the experiment, a DE bioassay was performed wherein growing pigs were fed one of the two experimental diets (either a maize–wheat–barley–soy basal diet or a diet containing 50 g/kg IF plus 950 g/kg of the basal diet). The DE of the IF was calculated based on the differences between the DE values of basal and test diet (substitution method). The DE of the IF was determined to be 36.86 MJ/kg. The IF contains a DE level comparable to vegetable oils, including soybean, rapeseed, corn and palm oils. The results showed that the examined fat from BSLF is a good source of available energy and can be incorporated in pig diets as an alternative energy source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new technologies for the synthesis of green ammonia using exclusively hydrogen from water and nitrogen from air in processes driven exclusively by renewable energy is poised to decarbonize the production of this important molecule for the production of green fertilizers as well as offering a carbon-free vector for the long-term storage of renewable energy. In this article, we explore and quantify the CO2 emission reduction potential of green ammonia, evaluating how it can facilitate the decarbonization of other hard-to-abate industrial processes such as steel, glass and cement industries. Green ammonia can be used as a direct replacement of fossil fuels used as energy sources in the different processes. In addition, green ammonia can facilitate the electrification of the processes (so-called Power-to-X) by storing renewable energy in the long term to balance a decarbonized grid against intermittent renewable energy supplies. This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Green carbon for the chemical industry of the future'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen fuel produced from water splitting using sunlight remains one of the cleanest and most sustainable energy sources. However, photoelectrochemical hydrogen production faces several challenges, including poor sunlight absorption, deficient charge carrier lifetime and transfer rates, and very sluggish kinetics of the water oxidation half‐reaction. To address these challenges, researchers have concentrated on enhancing the efficiency of photoelectrochemical water splitting. A critical factor in this enhancement is a deeper understanding of the fundamental processes involved in photoabsorption and the subsequent oxidation evolution reaction. The advent of ultrafast lasers has enabled the detailed tracking of charge carriers within materials after sunlight absorption, including their separation and migration to the surface for water oxidation. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy is a powerful technique that allows real‐time observation of the behavior of excited states and charge carriers on femtosecond to nanosecond timescales. Recent studies utilizing ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy are explored to investigate the dynamics of charge carriers in photoelectrochemical water splitting, providing insights into the mechanisms that lead to the design of enhanced photoanodes with improved efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen energy, derived from the electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, is considered a promising form of energy to address the energy crisis. However, the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) poses limitations due to sluggish kinetics. Apart from high catalytic activity, the long-term stability of electrocatalytic OER has garnered significant attention. To date, several research studies have been conducted to explore stable electrocatalysts for the OER. A comprehensive review is urgently warranted to provide a concise overview of the recent advancements in the electrocatalytic OER stability, encompassing both electrocatalyst and device developments. This review aims to succinctly summarize the primary factors influencing OER stability, including morphological/phase change and electrocatalyst dissolution, as well as mechanical detachment, alongside chemical, mechanical, and operational degradation observed in devices. Furthermore, an overview of contemporary approaches to enhance stability is provided, encompassing electrocatalyst design (structural regulation, protective layer coating, and stable substrate anchoring) and device optimization (bipolar plates, gas diffusion layers, and membranes). Hopefully, more attention will be paid to ensuring the stable operation of electrocatalytic OER and the future large-scale water electrolysis applications. This review presents design principles aimed at addressing challenges related to the stability of electrocatalytic OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the political context of countering climate change in Southeast Asia, highlighting the region's vulnerability to climate change impacts. Despite acknowledging the importance of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, Southeast Asian states have been slow to respond effectively due to economic priorities and geopolitical complexities. The article argues that the region's focus on economic development and security concerns has hindered significant progress in addressing climate change, leading to a lack of robust investment in renewable energy resources. Additionally, the voluntary nature of climate targets within ASEAN member states further complicates coordinated efforts to combat climate change in the region. [Extracted from the article]

This study investigates the structural, electronic, mechanical, and optical properties of the perovskites Mg3AsX3 (X = F, Cl, Br, I) using DFT and SCAPS-1D. The tolerance factor study shows that these materials are thermodynamically stable. Furthermore, the perovskites Mg3AsF3, Mg3AsCl3, Mg3AsBr3, and Mg3AsI3 exhibit direct bandgaps of 3.48, 2.06, 1.26, and 0.265 eV, respectively, confirming their semiconducting nature. The Mg3AsBr3 stands out for its ductility and excellent optical properties, such as a high dielectric constant and good conductivity, making it ideal for solar cells. Under optimal conditions, the FTO/WS2/Mg3AsBr3/Au structure demonstrated a PCE of 31.70%, with a VOC of 1.08 V, JSC of 36.03 mA/cm2, and a fill factor (FF) of 81.64%. These computational findings suggest that Mg3AsBr3-based perovskites are promising candidates for developing highly efficient, lead-free, durable, and cost-effective solar cells, offering valuable insights for their practical application in renewable energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the high cost of ultra‐pure water supply and the mismatch between water sources and renewable energy distribution, the large‐scale production of green hydrogen through seawater electrolysis has generated significant interest. This presents an attractive potential technology within the framework of carbon‐neutral energy production. However, owing to the complex composition of seawater, particularly the competitive oxidation reactions and corrosion issues involving Cl−, seawater electrolysis has suffered from low selectivity and poor stability in oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which severely impact the efficiency of hydrogen production and hinder the practical applications. To further promote in‐depth research and practical applications of seawater electrolysis, this review introduces the principles, key advantages, and challenges of seawater electrolysis. Specifically, the design strategies are categorized for highly active OER electrocatalysts for seawater electrolysis, including catalyst design, design of chemical reaction systems, and other special process design. To ensure long‐term operational stability of seawater electrolysis, various strategies such as employing self‐supporting materials, surface protection strategies, and electrolyzer design, are discussed. Finally, current challenges and future prospects for the industrialization of seawater electrolysis are proposed and discussed. It is expected that this review provides new insights for large‐scale seawater‐based hydrogen production in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoelectric technology has witnessed a resurgence in recent years due to increasing demands for sustainable energy sources and efficient cooling systems. Recently, the introduction of Te‐free thermoelectric modules using non‐toxic, abundant materials including p‐type MgAgSb and n‐type Mg3(Sb,Bi)2 marked a significant breakthrough. Despite promising performance, questions persist regarding long‐term robustness and stability, especially in harsh environments. In this study, a thorough exploration of thermoelectric modules is conducted, focusing on their performance degradation under various conditions. Through elemental mapping analysis, degradation mechanisms are identified within the modules during cycling in argon environments, where atomic migrations and the formation of complex oxides at contact regions are key factors. Furthermore, cycling tests in air reveal significant degradation, prompting the exploration of protective strategies. Surface coatings using atomic layer deposition (ALD) emerge as a promising solution, particularly by HfO2, demonstrating superior protective effects. Furthermore, re‐soldering effectively restores module performance is found, highlighting the importance of developing advanced soldering techniques to promote magnesium‐based thermoelectric technology as a sustainable alternative to Bi2Te3. These findings emphasize the importance of exploring novel contact materials and demonstrate the potential of ALD as a universal approach to enhancing module reliability and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean energy and environmental pollution are two key concerns of modern society and are pivotal necessities for the economic, social, and sustainable development of the world. Today around 80% of energy is generated using nonrenewable resources and fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) which ultimately results in hazardous global emissions. As a clean substitute for fossil fuels, hydrogen has emerged as a promising and renewable energy resource. Utilization of this energy resource requires the development of active, stable, low‐cost environmentally friendly techniques. Water splitting electrolysis is a method for producing clean and efficient hydrogen using an environmentally benign technique that is currently at its most mature stage. Electrolysis is attracting ever‐increasing attention, as it is a promising electrochemical device for hydrogen production from water due to the high conversion efficiency and relatively low energy input required when compared to thermochemical and photocatalytic methods. This paper will outline the need, performance, and insight of anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer. Recent developments in the design and preparation of AEM. New strategies for activity, stability, and efficiency improvement of AEM. Membrane types, and factors affecting AEM performance in an electrolyzer. This review also discusses the effects, operating characteristics, and energy consumption of electrocatalysts in the AEM electrolyzer. Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) pathways and mechanisms in acidic and alkaline media. This study seeks to provide a detailed overview of recent accomplishments in the field of the hydrogen economy, particularly electrolysis, to inspire further research and development to address the technology's obstacles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A novel high‐gain switched capacitor (HGSC) DC–DC converter for carbon neutral energy applications is presented in the scientific paper. It consists of two MOSFET switches, and utilization of a simultaneous switching approach for the switches enables simplified control. The switched capacitor (SC) technique is utilized to extract high gain from the proposed HGSC topology; the basic idea is periodic charging and discharging of the capacitor. The proposed HGSC topology operational mode is carried out in Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM) along with the steady‐state analysis, and different switching stages are discussed in detail. Then, an analysis is carried out to demonstrate the proposed HGSC converter's special feature with other high‐gain converters. An averaging state‐space technique is used to determine the suggested converter's dynamics performance, and a small signal analysis is used to verify its stability. Furthermore, the HGSC topology is thoroughly analyzed in terms of power losses. For comparing the practical efficiency of the designed converter, nonidealities voltage gain is derived. The maximum efficiency of 96.7% is obtained at 150 W output power with the help of the dSPACE 1104 controller. Whenever the HGSC converter is fed with an input voltage supply of 20 V. It generates output voltages between 140 and 240 V. Extensive experimental investigation is carried out on a 200 W laboratory prototype model to verify the practicability and feasibility of HGSC DC–DC converter topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy security is a critical global challenge in the transition to sustainable development. Anaerobic digestion (AD) offers a promising renewable energy solution that mitigates environmental impacts. Algae, as biomass feedstock, have shown significant potential for bioenergy production; however, their complex chemical composition poses challenges to the efficiency of the AD process. To address these limitations, various pretreatment methods have been applied to enhance biogas production. In this study, we performed a comprehensive meta‐analysis to evaluate the effects of different pretreatments on methane (CH₄) yields from both microalgae and macroalgae. Our results demonstrate that biological, physical, and combined chemical–physical pretreatments significantly improve CH₄ production in microalgae, with increases of up to 141%, 125%, and 151%, respectively. For macroalgae, physical pretreatments were the most effective, leading to a 129% increase in CH₄ yield. We also estimate that utilizing just 10% of the global algal biomass production (3.6 Mt) could generate over 5.5 TWh y−1 of energy. This potential could be doubled with the application of appropriate pretreatment strategies. These findings highlight the role of algae in advancing renewable energy production and contribute to the growing body of knowledge on optimizing AD processes for cleaner energy generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability and reliability of modern power systems, especially those with several renewable energy sources, strongly rely on load frequency control (LFC) and automatic voltage regulation (AVR) for frequency and voltage control under inconstant load demands. In this study, a new cascade tilt integral derivative-fractional order proportional tilt integral derivative (TID-FOPTID) controller is presented that is polished through the salp swarm algorithm (SSA) for LFC of a multi-area power system with AVR in all control areas. The system integrates capacitive energy storage (CES) and deals with governor dead-band and generation rate constraint nonlinear effects in a thermal-hydro-gas three-area multi-source power system (TAMSPS). The analysis of results, due to the SSA-based TID-FOPTID controller compared to TID-FOTID and TID-FOTID + 1 shows a positive outcome. Integrating CES brings additional improvement in the system performance, the overshoot/undershoot, and settling time are minimized. Finally, the sensitivity analysis reveals that the suggested controller will be effective and reliable for enhancing the frequency stability of the complex power system with a high RES integration level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing highly efficient catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for advancing renewable hydrogen energy technologies. Heterophase nanomaterials have shown great promise in catalysis, owing to the synergistic effect among various phases and the abundance of active sites located at the phase boundaries or interfaces. However, achieving precise control over these phase structures during synthesis remains a significant challenge. In this work, we explored a one-pot synthesis method for amorphous/crystalline heterophase Rh nanoparticles, with crystallinity tunable by adjusting the quantity of urea and reaction duration. Due to the increased electrochemical active sites, enhanced electron transport, the resulting amorphous/crystalline heterophase Rh exhibits superior HER activities in both acidic (with an overpotential of 27 mV) and alkaline media (with an overpotential of 21 mV), surpassing that of commercial Pt/C and crystalline Rh. Theoretical calculations indicate that the amorphous/crystalline structure reduces the kinetic barrier for water splitting and optimizes adsorption free energy of hydrogen (ΔG H∗), thereby enabling the catalyst to exhibit significantly enhanced HER performance. This exploration offers a valuable reference for designing amorphous/crystalline heterophase structures and demonstrates the great potential of phase engineering strategy in the development of electrocatalysts. [Display omitted] • Amorphous/crystalline heterophase Rh can be prepared with urea in a simple method. • The crystallinity can be tuned by modifying the amount of urea and reaction time. • Amorphous/crystalline Rh exhibited a higher HER performance than crystalline Rh. • Amorphous/crystalline structure optimizes adsorption energy of reactant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usage of non-renewable carbon-base fuel energy have created multiple issues such as global warming, environmental degradations etc. Replacing these non-renewable sources of energy with renewable energy (photocatalytic H 2 production) is a hot topic for researchers due to its sustainability and eco-friendliness. In this work MnO 2 , SnO 2 and their nanocomposites have been synthesized through simple hydrothermal and co-precipitation methods. The purpose of such nanocomposite fabrication is to synthesize a suitable heterostructure for maximum solar energy harvesting in water splitting. All the prepared samples of pure MnO 2 , SnO 2, and nanocomposites have been characterized through various techniques, which confirm the structure, functional groups, absorbance, morphology, elemental compositions, chemical compositions, and increase in photo-induced current as well as the photostability of such nanocomposites. The highest apparent quantum yield of the optimized MnO 2 @SnO 2 (first time reported as photocatalyst for H 2 production) were 21.7% at wavelength 420 nm, which is the highest ever reported for such (MnO 2 @SnO 2) nanocomposite. The enhanced photocatalytic behavior for H 2 production has been observed which is 3.67 times greater than pristine MnO 2. Such an enhancement is due to the synergistic effect of SnO 2 NPs decorated on the NTs of MnO 2. The present work provides a novel approach to produce hydrogen with high performance as efficient solar harvesting. • High-quality crystalline nanocomposites of MnO 2 @SnO 2 have been synthesized. • Various characterizations have been performed like XRD, FTIR, EDX, SEM, XPS, TEM, HR-TEM, EIS and GCG spectroscopies. • The suitable bandgap (MS-30) sample shows visible light absorption. • MS-30 nanocomposite shows an enhanced photocatalytic H 2 production performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous growth in global energy demand has led to extensive burning and overconsumption of fossil fuels, resulting in a rapid increase in greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide. On one hand, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have increased dramatically due to global climate change. On the other hand, renewable energy sources are rapidly developing. Therefore, CO 2 electrochemical reduction technology has attracted considerable attention as a sustainable solution for converting CO 2 into valuable chemicals. Copper-based catalysts can efficiently reduce CO 2 directly to high-value chemicals, making them one of the focal points in CO 2 electrochemical reduction (eCO 2 RR) research. Many factors influence the activity and selectivity of eCO 2 RR, and this paper systematically reviews the recent advances in CO 2 electrochemical reduction using Cu-based catalysts. Firstly, the fundamental principles and reaction mechanisms of CO 2 electrochemical reduction are outlined. Subsequently, the discussion delves into Cu catalyst structures and composition synergistic control strategies, covering monometallic copper catalysts, multimetallic copper-based catalysts, copper oxides and their derived catalysts, and copper-organic composite catalysts. Finally, we also analyzed the challenges faced by Cu-based catalyst research and provided an outlook on the prospects of CO 2 electroreduction technology in conjunction with emerging AI technology. • Summarized the mechanisms of C 1 and C 2+ products in eCO 2 RR. • Summarized the application of five types of copper-based catalysts in eCO 2 RR. • Discussed the development prospects and strategies of eCO 2 RR in combination with AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates a sustainable and renewable mobile energy system designed for electricity production, hydrogen generation, and seawater desalination. It targets critical energy and freshwater needs during disaster scenarios, particularly in island nations and coastal cities where infrastructure may be compromised. The system integrates advanced technologies, including wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, solar collectors, and reverse osmosis units, all mounted on a green ship. Simulations using Engineering Equation Solver software indicate that in July, the system can produce 2,201,865 MJ of electricity, 7252 kg of hydrogen, and 3456 tons of fresh and hot water. This output can power 1072 electric vehicles and 1284 hydrogen-powered vehicles while supplying cold water to 57,600 people and hot water to 5760 people. By relying on renewable energy, the system prevents approximately 43,543 kg of carbon emissions in July. The total monthly economic value is estimated at $47,241.36, demonstrating its potential as a sustainable solution for disaster response and coastal communities. [Display omitted] • Hydrogen generation of the combined hybrid renewable system. • Thermodynamic efficiencies of components and overall the system for a green ship. • The comparison of the power generation of the wind turbine, Organic Rankine Cycle, and solar cell. • The monthly carbon saving quantity of the renewable hybrid system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater treatment plants can provide a sustainable solution for hydrogen production by harnessing renewable energy and using treated water as feedstock as hydrogen demands in the future are expected to increase significantly. This study provides a decision-making model that enables the determination of optimal capacities of solar power, wind power, reverse osmosis, electrolyser, storage tank, and optimal hourly grid import. Such a project simultaneously provides electricity for hydrogen production and wastewater treatment, and sells hydrogen and renewable energy certificates. The planning aims to maximise the annual profits and renewable energy ratio. The case study shows that coupling a 120,000 m 3 /day plant scale with a 5 ton/day hydrogen facility shows a gross profit margin of 35.2%, a payback period of 7.2 years. This outperforms scenarios that exclude land and energy constraints in wastewater treatment plants. The influence of renewable energy ratios, hydrogen demand, and the prospective water usage for future regional scenario are further discussed. [Display omitted] • Hydrogen production from treated wastewater powered by solar–wind energy is designed. • Multi-objective model is proposed to decide optimal installed capacities and operation. • Proposed solution is feasible and can reduce electricity curtailment and plants' tariff. • A higher renewable energy ratio leads to worse financial performance. • The prospective water usage for future regional scenario is further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era marked by escalating environmental concerns and increasing energy demands, the development of advanced, cost-effective polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) materials is essential to accelerating the widespread adoption of fuel cell technology as a viable and environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional energy sources. To address this challenge, we integrated a novel hybrid nanofiller—fabricated by directly growing TiO 2 nanoparticles on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)—into a readily available, cost-efficient polyaromatic polymer, specifically sulfonated polyethersulfone (sPES). The incorporation of the MWCNTs-TiO 2 nanohybrid resulted in significant improvements in the thermo-mechanical stability, swelling capacity, and transport properties of sPES. Ex-situ through-plane proton conductivity measurements demonstrated a peak value of 5.54 mS/cm at 120 °C and 20% RH for PM 5 , representing a tenfold increase compared to unmodified sPES. This enhancement has ascribed to the synergistic effect of the elongated carbon nanotubes and hygroscopic TiO 2 nanoparticles, which fostered the formation of additional proton-conductive pathways within the sPES, maintaining their activity even under dehydrating conditions. Furthermore, the PM 5 nanocomposite exhibited a remarkable peak power density of 87.2 mW/cm2 in the fuel cell (H 2 /air, 120 °C, 30% RH), exceeding the performance of the Nafion benchmark. • A novel MWCNTs-TiO 2 hybrid filler was tested into sulfonated polyethersulfone (sPES). • Direct growth of TiO 2 nanoparticles on the surface of carbon nanotubes was achieved. • Hybrid nanoparticles enhance thermo-mechanical and transport properties of sPES. • Long CNTs with hygroscopic TiO 2 nanoparticles enabled conductivity of 5.54 mS/cm at 120 °C and 20% RH. • Peak power density of 87.2 mW/cm2 for PM 5 in the fuel cell (H 2 /air, 120 °C, 30% RH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen has become an essential element in the pursuit of sustainable and clean energy solutions. Especially with the fast-paced advancement in demand, supply, and policy environment, its impact on hybrid renewable energy (HRE) management is becoming increasingly relevant. Efficient energy consumption, cost reduction, and enhanced user comfort are now critical factors in energy optimization. The production of green hydrogen, which is generated through water electrolysis using renewable energy sources (RES), has shown great potential as a sustainable energy solution. It offers several advantages, such as zero greenhouse gas emissions, high energy density, and versatile applications. This paper presents a detailed study on the power management and control of a hybrid renewable system (HRES) equipped with a diesel generator (DG) as a backup power source. The main objectives of the hybrid system are to satisfy the load power demand, ensure the most efficient use of the HRES, and keep the battery bank charged to prevent blackouts and extend the battery's life. To guarantee the system's reliability, the DG should be sized to meet the peak load demand when the RES generates less electricity than the load demand. This study explores the feasibility of modified versions of the load following and cycle charging control strategies to overcome the limitations of managing generation and storage systems' operations in different operating modes and to enhance the performance of an HRES with a DG that supplies electricity to a small and remote location. The proposed method not only maximizes the use of RES production but also enables multi-energy source management under different power generation and load demand scenarios. The study's outcomes demonstrate the feasibility of this proposed power dispatch strategy in a remote location environment. The paper includes a detailed discussion of overall control, mathematical models, energy storage in the battery model, and energy dispatching based on load following. To design and simulate the hybrid model system, MATLAB-SIMULINK is used, and the results are analyzed to identify the appropriate operation requirements, component selection, and energy management of the hybrid renewable energy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen, as a promising renewable energy source, is considered to have significant potential for achieving the dual-carbon goal. In the present study, a 1D engine model is used to investigate the impact of hydrogen injection pressure and its changing law on the performance of hydrogen engines. The results indicate that under low load conditions, increased hydrogen injection pressure from 5 bar to 25 bar initially improved power performance and fuel economy and then declined them; an injection pressure of 10 bar got the highest power of 51.91 kW and thermal efficiency of 43.25%. Under medium load conditions and high load conditions, increased hydrogen injection pressure from 5 bar to 25 bar, power performance and fuel economy declined. The NOx emission of engine declined gradually with the increase of injection pressure from 5 bar to 25 bar. The NOx emission is reduced by approximately 2.5% as the injection pressure is raised from 5 bar to 15 bar, and then, as the injection pressure continues to increase, the reduction becomes less significant. Additionally, selecting the End Peak curve for hydrogen injection pressure change increased indicated power by 0.4 kW, thermal efficiency by 0.2%, and reduces NOx emission by around 8% than other curves. The study also found that near-zero emissions can be achieved when λ value exceeds 2.5. • Different hydrogen injection pressure and its variation law are investigated. • The effects of different hydrogen injection pressures on engine performance are investigated. • The influences of various hydrogen injection pressure variation law on engine performance are investigated. • The near zero emission conditions of the engine are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The achievement of optimal performance is a crucial aspect of renewable energy resources. The study attempts to boost the power conversion efficiency of polycrystalline silicon (Si) photovoltaic cells by the application of anti-reflective coating (ARC). The solgel method is employed to synthesize yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3). The electro spraying method was utilized to apply the ARC on photovoltaic cells. The effect of coating on PV cells were determined through the structural, electrical, optical and thermal analysis. The antireflective material was uniformly applied over the coated substrate for 45 min (Y-I), 90 min (Y-II), 135 min (Y-III), and 180 min (Y-IV). The sample coated for 135 min showed an optimal power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.65 % and 20.09 % in the presence of neodymium light and direct sunlight, respectively, and a minimum electrical resistivity of 3.96 × 10−3 Ω-cm. In addition, Y-III coated cells exhibit a maximum absorbance of 94 %. The Y-III coated photovoltaic cells demonstrated the lowest temperature of 34.6 °C when exposed to an open environment and 40.6 °C when exposed to a controlled environment. The results from numerous studies demonstrated that Y 2 O 3 can be a suitable ARC, which effectively improved the efficiency of photovoltaic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi‐input single‐output converter that is based on the impedance network and the standard isolated converters is presented. The topology is named quasi Z‐source full‐bridge isolated converter (qZSFBIC). The proposed topology helps to integrate various renewable power generation systems with a common three‐phase grid‐connected inverter. It was also capable of providing isolation between the input and output circuits in addition to the boost function. The integration of multiple energy sources is achieved using fewer components than conventional converters. As a result, it achieves greater conversion efficiency and has improved circuit characteristics. It offers a larger voltage control range as compared to the conventional ZSC and enhances the input‐output voltage transformation ratio. To determine whether or not the suggested converter is technically feasible, the circuit architecture, operating principle, control mechanism, and simulation results are presented. An improved proportional resonant‐second order general integrator (IPR‐SOGI) has been utilized to provide a gating signal for the voltage source inverter. The 1.5 kW, 400 V, 50 Hz model is designed to authenticate the proposed scheme with qZSFBIC. The results showed that the proposed converter offered double the time of boosting than the conventional ZSC converter and the conversion efficiency is around 89%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine current power is attracting more attention as a renewable energy option. Similar to wind power, marine current power often requires a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method to optimize power extraction from the free‐flowing water. Research into MPPT methods for marine current power remains limited. Therefore, this paper presents a comprehensive investigation of MPPT methods for marine current power, building upon similar research in wind power. Three methods, namely the optimal tip speed ratio (OTSR), optimal torque (OT), and two variants of the perturb and observe (P&O) method, are explored. Using a simulation model developed for a specific marine current energy converter, where hydrodynamic calculations are coupled with electrical simulations, the study demonstrates that the OTSR method achieves MPPT with a comparably fast convergence time. After a change in water speed, the OTSR method achieves optimal operation within two turbine rotations. Additionally, the P&O methods are shown to achieve MPPT, albeit with a significantly longer convergence time. However, the P&O methods can be more convenient since no model of the system is required, and no water speed measurements are necessary. The proposed implementation of the OT method underperforms but positions the system close to the optimal operational point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unbalanced voltages are becoming increasingly common in distribution networks due to the growing integrations of distributed renewable energy resources as well as large loads such as electric vehicle chargers. Such unbalanced voltages introduce significant control challenges as they produce ripples in the controlling signals, impacting the operation of inverters during the unbalanced conditions. Therefore, this paper proposes a controlling algorithm for three‐level inverters aimed at suppressing these ripples on controlling signals; improving the overall performance of inverters, and consequently enhancing the fault ride‐through capability under unbalanced conditions and faults. The proposed controlling algorithm enables inverters to operate in either a balanced current output mode or a suppressed‐ripple active power output mode, depending on the specific event scenario and demands from the grid operators. Current harmonics are suppressed even under severe faults. For improving the voltage balance on the DC capacitors in three‐level inverters, an enhanced method of neutral point current prediction is presented. The proposed method ensures higher balancing accuracy through the use of weighted switching costs, avoiding the requirement of a balancing controller or current extrapolation. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller for reliable grid operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern power system networks are under statutory obligations to integrate renewable energy sources (RES). The primary reason is to meet ever‐increasing energy demand and also to curtail environmental pollution by greenhouse gases. However, the higher penetration of RES has the tendency of reducing inertia of overall power system network. Consequently, frequency stability is affected and deviates beyond allowable permissible limits leading to power blackouts, load shedding, and even total system failure. To address the issues associated with reduced inertia, an optimal control of hybrid energy storage system (HESS) has been proposed. HESS is basically a combination of battery and ultracapacitor, where ultracapacitor addresses rapidly varying power component by mimicking inertia while the battery compensates long‐term power variations. Thus, the HESS is effectively controlled to compensate the loss of inertia by regulating its energy flow. For the purpose of improved efficiency and better power management of the HESS, an improvised particle swarm optimization (MPSO)‐based virtual inertia control design has been proposed. The proposed MPSO is utilized to tune the gains of bidirectional dc–dc converter in such a way that improves frequency nadir with faster response to transient disturbances. This proposed method is simulated in MATLAB and its merits are validated in real time using hardware in loop. On analysing of the results, it can be observed that frequency nadir is improved by 48.96% with significant reduction in rate of change of frequency in comparison to conventional particle swarm optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]