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Electricity demand-response programmes, such as the incentive-based and price-based programmes, have been used by utilities to induce customers to reduce their electricity consumption during peak periods. This study investigates the production decisions of a two-stage production system under these programmes in a situation where peak periods arrive randomly in the manufacturing cycle. Analytical results show that under demand-response programmes, the manufacturer, who aims at minimising the total operational cost, usually selects a lower production rate during peak periods and a higher one during non-peak periods. Notably, the uncertainty of the peak periods also has a significant influence on the manufacturer's production plans under these programmes. This paper further investigates the efficiency of different demand-response programmes in reducing the inventory holding cost and electricity cost. The results indicate that participating in the demand-response programmes does not always result in a higher inventory holding cost, which goes against the manufacturer's intuition about these programmes. In addition, this paper evaluates the manufacturers' preference for these demand-response programmes by comparing the operational cost savings generated from participating in the two programmes. It turns out that both the demand-response signals and the inventory holding cost substantially influence the manufacturer's willingness to participate in the programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by real challenges on energy management faced by industrial firms, we propose a novel way to reduce production costs by including the pricing of electricity in a multi-product lot-sizing problem. In incentive-based programs, when electric utilities face power consumption peaks, they request electricity-consuming firms to curtail their electric load, rewarding the industrial firms with incentives if they comply with the curtailment requests. Otherwise, industrial firms must pay financial penalties for an excessive electricity consumption. A two-stage stochastic formulation is presented to cover the case where a manufacturer wants to satisfy any curtailment request. A chance-constrained formulation is also proposed, and its relevance in practice is discussed. Finally, computational studies are conducted to compare mathematical models and highlight critical parameters and show potential savings when subscribing incentive-based programs. We show that the setup cost ratio, the capacity utilisation rate, the number of products and the timing of curtailment requests are critical parameters for manufacturers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously established the selection-marker-free rice-based oral cholera vaccine (MucoRice-CTB) line 51A for human use by Agrobacterium-mediated co-transformation and conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebocontrolled phase I trial in Japan and the United States. Although MucoRice-CTB 51A was acceptably safe and well tolerated by healthy Japanese and U.S. subjects and induced CTB-specific antibodies neutralizing cholera toxin secreted by Vibrio cholerae, we were limited to a 6-g cohort in the U.S. trial because of insufficient production of MucoRice-CTB. Since MucoRice-CTB 51A did not grow in sunlight, we re-examined the previously established marker-free lines and selected MucoRice-CTB line 19A. Southern blot analysis of line 19A showed a single copy of the CTB gene. We resequenced the whole genome and detected the transgene in an intergenic region in chromosome 1. After establishing a master seed bank of MucoRice-CTB line 19A, we established a hydroponic production facility with LED lighting to reduce electricity consumption and to increase production capacity for clinical trials. Shotgun MS/MS proteomics analysis of MucoRice-CTB 19A showed low levels of a-amylase/trypsin inhibitor-like proteins (major rice allergens), which was consistent with the data for line 51A. We also demonstrated that MucoRice-CTB 19A had high oral immunogenicity and induced protective immunity against cholera toxin challenge in mice. These results indicate that MucoRice-CTB 19A is a suitable oral cholera vaccine candidate for Phase I and II clinical trials in humans, including a V. cholerae challenge study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study's object is an energy efficiency of residential sector. The work is aimed at solving the task to improve the energy efficiency of the housing sector by devising technical solutions for monitoring and managing energy consumption and microclimate parameters of buildings. The proposed proactive management system for residential buildings consists of multi-sensors measuring CO2, temperature and humidity, smart meters of heat and electricity consumption, and smart plugs. The equipment is combined into single system through an integration controller with remote user access through an interactive web interface. A feature of the technical solution is the ability to collect, process, visualize, and archive data on the consumption of energy, as well as on the key parameters of the microclimate of residential premises. The advantages of the system are its flexibility due to the possibility of integrating additional devices during operation, as well as the use of standard communication protocols, which enables the interchangeability of component elements. The implementation and testing were carried out under the conditions of a real pilot site. The use of the system in practice confirmed the efficiency and stability of the operation, making it possible to obtain data on the parameters of energy consumption and microclimate and devising recommendations for reducing energy consumption at the pilot site. It was established that the microclimate meets the requirements of the standards (air temperature is about 22 °С while relative humidity does not exceed 60 %). Decrease in energy consumption can be achieved by reducing the temperature of the heat carrier in the absence of residents, as well as by considering the influence of weather conditions. During periods of residents activity, an excess of the permissible level of CO2 was recorded, therefore, automatic ventilation systems should be provided in the apartments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic hydrogenations (ECH) enable the reduction of organic substrates upon usage of electric current and present a sustainable alternative to conventional processes if green electricity is used. Opposed to most current protocols for electrode preparation, this work presents a one‐step binder‐ and additive‐free production of silver‐ and copper‐electroplated electrodes. Controlled adjustment of the preparation parameters allows for the tuning of catalyst morphology and its electrochemical properties. Upon optimization of the deposition protocol and carbon support, high faradaic efficiencies of 93 % for the ECH of the Vitamin A‐ and E‐synthon 2‐methyl‐3‐butyn‐2‐ol (MBY) are achieved that can be maintained at current densities of 240 mA cm−2 and minimal catalyst loadings of 0.2 mg cm−2, corresponding to an unmatched production rate of 1.47 kgMBE gcat−1 h−1. For a continuous hydrogenation process, the protocol can be directly transferred into a single‐pass operation mode giving a production rate of 1.38 kgMBE gcat−1 h−1. Subsequently, the substrate spectrum was extended to a total of 17 different C−C−, C−O− and N−O−unsaturated compounds revealing the general applicability of the reported process. Our results lay an important groundwork for the development of electrochemical reactors and electrodes able to directly compete with the palladium‐based thermocatalytic state of the art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing an inexpensive and efficient electrocatalyst can significantly decrease the electric power consumption during electrochemical water decomposition. However, oxygen evolution reaction (OER) contains complicated four electron transport and slow transport kinetics, which limits the process of water decomposition. The wet-chemical etching method provides a more cost-effective and energy-efficient alternative compared to other techniques. Herein, a self-supported NiFe layered double hydroxide (NiFe- LDH) nanosheets are constructed using an easy wet-chemical method where nickel foam (NF) as matrix and nickel source, and then coupled with iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) to obtain NiFe-LDH@FeOOH heterostructures catalyst for OER process. Owing to its superhydrophilic self-supported lamellar structure and the electronic interactions between Ni and Fe caused by strong interface interactions between NiFe- LDH and FeOOH, the NiFe-LDH@FeOOH hybrid electrocatalyst reveals excellent OER catalytic performance. It requires 245 and 259 mV to achieve large current densities of 100 and 300 mA cm-2, respectively. Moreover, a home-made electrolyzer consisting of NiFe-LDH@FeOOH (anodic) and commercial Pt/C (cathodic) displays superior overall water electrolysis performance, requiring 1.565 V to attain 100 mA cm-2 and stable operation for 120 h, demonstrating the potential for industrial applications. The NiFe-LDH@FeOOH catalyst was assembled as an anode and Pt/C as a cathode into a two-electrode system (named Pt/C || NiFe-LDH@FeOOH), which only requires cell voltages of 1.565 and 1.646 V to achieve high current densities of 100 and 300 mA cm-2, much superior to the Pt/C || RuO 2 electrolytic cell (1.849 V@100 mA cm-2, 1.912 V@300 mA cm-2), demonstrating its great potential for practical applications. [Display omitted] • The heterostructured NiFe-LDH@FeOOH catalyst is successfully synthesized. • The low overpotential of 259 mV is required to reach 300 mA cm-2 for alkaline OER. • The low voltage of 1.646 V at 300 mA cm-2 for overall water splitting. • The NiFe-LDH@FeOOH can work stably for more than 100 h at 300 mA cm-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) relies mainly on fossil fuels in their energy supply, leading to higher CO2 emissions, pollution, and further environmental degradation. This paper uses the panel vector autoregressive and the Granger non-causality test in the heterogeneous panels, together with long-run estimation techniques, to examine the dynamic link among energy consumption, economic growth, and carbon emissions with the focus on renewable energy for the ASEAN countries in the past three decades. Results: The findings from this paper indicate that carbon emissions are associated with energy consumption. In contrast, renewable energy usage reduces CO2 emissions, improving environmental quality. Economic growth is associated with increased energy consumption and carbon emissions in the ASEAN countries. The findings also indicate that the effects of energy consumption on economic growth are more significant than those of renewable energy in ASEAN. When considered together, these findings form a vicious circle regarding the energy–growth–emission nexus for the ASEAN economies. In addition, a bidirectional Granger causality among energy consumption, economic growth, CO2 emissions and renewable energy usage is confirmed. Conclusions: Renewable energy has emerged as an important viable option for the ASEAN nations to achieve their dual objectives of enhanced economic growth, reduced CO2 emission, leading to improved environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of time-of-use (TOU) electricity pricing is widely recognized as a key strategy to bridge the gap between electricity availability and consumption, enhance the efficiency of electricity, and refine the patterns of electricity usage. Nonetheless, the existing policy on pricing electricity based on TOU electricity pricing is missing a theoretical approach that evaluates the load properties and the advantages of investing in the power grid. Consequently, the article suggests a method for optimizing electricity prices based on TOU electricity pricing to reduce the costs associated with investing in power grids. Initially, a model for optimizing electricity prices based on TOU electricity pricing is developed, offering support for the pricing strategy of the power grid; Subsequently, a method for dividing TOU electricity pricing using the Gaussian Mixture Module (GMM) clustering algorithm is introduced, offering theoretical backing for the creation of such pricing strategies; Following this, a detailed optimization approach for electricity pricing of electricity TOU electricity pricing is suggested, along with taking into account the benefits of grid investments and the power grid's load properties, the formulation of the electricity pricing strategy for TOU electricity pricing; Ultimately, this approach is corroborated by the Chongqing power system in China, aiming to minimize disparities in peak load valleys and enhance the advantages of grid investments, thereby offering technical assistance for the scientific determination of TOU electricity pricing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity is an essential energy resource in the industrial, commercial and housing sector, having a very important role in the development of societies. Urbanization and industrialization implies a great demand of energy for developing economies. In the search to be able to know how much electrical energy is consumed, a modeling of the electrical energy demand is carried out. However, the inherent intricacy and nonlinear nature of electricity consumption patterns present a significant obstacle to achieve precise modeling. In this article, a chaos theory approach is carried out to analyze the behavior of the system and to obtain properties of its dynamic system. A network consisting of a convolutional part, a hidden part and an output part is proposed. Convolutional operations are employed for dimensionality reduction in transformed data sets by reconstruction of the phase space. A radial basis function neural is used in the hidden part. The dynamic analysis approach using chaos theory, and the proposed neural network is compared with the radial basis function neural network for the modeling of electrical energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of near-autonomous micro-grids in commercial or public building complexes is gaining increasing popularity. Short-term storage capacity is provided by means of large battery installations, or, more often, by the employees' increasing use of electric vehicle batteries, which are allowed to operate in bi-directional charging mode. In addition to the above short-term storage means, a long-term storage medium is considered essential to the optimal operation of the building's micro-grid. The most promising long-term energy storage carrier is hydrogen, which is produced by standard electrolyzer units by exploiting the surplus electricity produced by photovoltaic installation, due to the seasonal or weekly variation in a building's electricity consumption. To this end, a novel concept is studied in this paper. The details of the proposed concept are described in the context of a nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) and the associated micro-grid. The hydrogen produced is stored in a high-pressure tank to be used occasionally as fuel in an advanced technology hydrogen spark ignition engine, which moves a synchronous generator. A size optimization study is carried out to determine the genset's rating, the electrolyzer units' capacity and the tilt angle of the rooftop's photovoltaic panels, which minimize the building's interaction with the external grid. The hydrogen-fueled genset engine is optimally sized to 40 kW (0.18 kW/kWp PV). The optimal tilt angle of the rooftop PV panels is 39°. The maximum capacity of the electrolyzer units is optimized to 72 kW (0.33 kWmax/kWp PV). The resulting system is tacitly assumed to integrate to an external hydrogen network to make up for the expected mismatches between hydrogen production and consumption. The significance of technology in addressing the current challenges in the field of energy storage and micro-grid optimization is discussed, with an emphasis on its potential benefits. Moreover, areas for further research are highlighted, aiming to further advance sustainable energy solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the optimization of contracted electricity demand (CD) for commercial and industrial entities, focusing on cost reduction within the Brazilian time-of-use electricity tariff scheme. Leveraging genetic algorithms (GAs), this study proposes a practical approach to determining the optimal CD profile, considering the complex dynamics of energy demand on a city-like load. The methodology is applied to a case study at the Federal University of Pará, Brazil, where energy efficiency and demand response initiatives as well as renewable energy projects are underway. The findings highlight the significance of tailored demand management strategies in achieving energy-related cost reduction for large-scale consumers, with implications for economic efficiency in energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In support of the global green transition, numerous policies have been introduced to efficiently address the increasing demand for reliable electricity. However, the impacts of these policies have received limited attention, despite the potential for unsuccessful policy targets to introduce inefficiencies into the energy system, subsequently diminishing societal wealth. This study bridges this research gap by conducting a comprehensive examination of a supply reliability incentive within electricity pricing regulation, aiming to contribute new insights for policy assessments. Analyzing data from all electricity distribution operators within a single jurisdiction, the study investigates the volume and distribution of economic steering to elucidate the overall societal impact. The findings suggest a rewarding system for positive developments in indices, regardless of the absolute interruption index levels, highlighting the importance of precise variable definitions in implementing incentive mechanisms. The assessment tools developed for this study will be valuable for further regulation and policy assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years as COVID-19 was declared a worldwide pandemic that resulted in load changes and an increase in residential loads, utilities have faced increasing challenges in maintaining load balance. Because out-of-home activities were limited, daily residential electricity consumption increased by about 12–30% with variable peak hours. In addition, battery energy storage systems (BESSs) became more affordable, and thus higher storage system adoption rates were witnessed. This variation created uncertainties for electric grid operators. The objective of this research is to study the optimal operation of residential battery storage systems to maximize utility benefits. This is accomplished by formulating an objective function to minimize distribution and generation losses, generation fuel prices, market fuel prices, generation at peak time, and battery operation cost and to maximize battery capacity. A mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) method has been developed and implemented for these purposes. A residential utility circuit has been selected for a case study. The circuit includes 315 buses and 100 battery energy storage systems without the connection of other distributed energy resources (DERs), e.g., photovoltaic and wind. Assuming that the batteries are charging overnight, the results show that energy costs can be reduced by 10% and losses can decrease by 17% by optimally operating batteries to support increased load demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a theoretical and experimental examination of the concurrent production of electricity and heat using photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) technology. The efficiency performance of the PV/T system is meticulously analyzed using MATLAB/Simulink software environments. Notably, the proposed PV/T system shows reliable performance, and its validity is confirmed through experimental validation on a test stand with a single PV/T panel positioned at a 45-degree angle to the horizontal and a 0-degree azimuth angle. The measurements were conducted during the summer season, and two models were suggested to calculate the overall efficiency of the PV/T system. The variance between the results obtained from the two models was minimal, below 5%. For the examined panel type, the following average values were derived: electrical efficiency = 12.01%, thermal efficiency = 47.21%, and overall efficiency = 59.23%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over time, several relationships have been defined between electricity consumption and a region's social and economic variables, with income as the main factor. This paper uses multiple correspondence analysis to identify the categories of dwellings and, from a graphical point of view (positioning maps), the effects of the different characteristics that influence the electricity consumption of households in rural areas of Cundinamarca, Colombia. In this analysis, the consumption of residential users responded mainly to what they can afford or acquire based on their income, consumption habits, and the characteristics of the technology. Furthermore, this study highlights the implications of these findings for policymakers and energy providers, providing valuable insights for developing targeted strategies to promote energy efficiency and sustainability in rural areas. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of electricity consumption and highlights the importance of tailoring energy-related interventions to the specific socio-economic context of rural communities, in this case in Cundinamarca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of window films on indoor environmental conditions and electricity consumption of air conditioning. The research focused on the performance of different window films (HAG, RG), taking into account variations from different building orientations. The findings of this research indicated that building orientation could significantly influence the duration of direct sunlight entering the interior, with the areas closer to the glass being more susceptible to the effects of outdoor temperature and solar radiation. The clear glass with heat-absorbing film (HAG) and reflective film (RG) both reduced the indoor temperature and indoor illuminance while increasing indoor comfort. The RG could accumulate less heat on the glass surface compared with the HAG. The glass temperature of the RG will be lower than the HAG. The electricity-saving ratios of the HAG were 1.4%, 1.9%, 1.4%, and 1.2%, respectively, when facing the east, south, west, and northwest orientations compared with the clear glass (OG). The electricity-saving ratios of the RG were 3%, 4.2%, 4.2%, and 10.3%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of chaos is particularly relevant, as the identification of a chaotic behavior in a time series could lead to reliable short-term forecasting. This paper evaluates the existence of nonlinearity and chaos in the underlying process of the spot prices of the Spanish electricity market. To this end, we used daily data spanning from 1 January 2013, to 31 March 2021 and we applied a comprehensive framework that encompassed a wide range of techniques. Nonlinearity was analyzed using the BDS method, while the existence of a chaotic structure was studied through Lyapunov exponents, recurrence plots, and quantitative recurrence analysis. While nonlinearity was detected in the underlying process, conclusive evidence supporting chaos was not found. In addition, the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic (GARCH) model accounts for part of the nonlinear structure that is unveiled in the electricity market. These findings hold substantial value for electricity market forecasters, traders, producers, and market regulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: As a part of the framework of the EU-funded Energy efficiency through Behavior CHANge Transition (ENCHANT) project, the present paper intends to provide a "Research Protocol" of a web-based trial to: (i) assess the effectiveness of behavioral intervention strategies––either single or in combination––on electricity saving, and (ii) unravel the psychological factors contributing to intervention effectiveness in households across Europe. Methods and materials: Six distinct interventions (i.e., information provision, collective vs. individual message framing, social norms, consumption feedback, competitive elements, and commitment strategies) targeting electricity saving in households from six European countries (i.e., Austria, Germany, Italy, Norway, Romania, and Türkiye) are evaluated, with an initial expected samples of about 1500 households per country randomly assigned to 12 intervention groups and two control groups, and data is collected through an ad-hoc online platform. The primary outcome is the weekly electricity consumption normalized to the last seven days before measurement per person per household. Secondary outcomes are the peak consumption during the last day before measurement and the self-reported implementation of electricity saving behaviors (e.g., deicing the refrigerator). The underlying psychological factors expected to mediate and/or moderate the intervention effects on these outcomes are intentions to save electricity, perceived difficulty of saving energy, attitudes to electricity saving, electricity saving habit strength, social norms to save electricity, personal norms, collective efficacy, emotional reaction to electricity consumption, and national identity. The intervention effectiveness will be evaluated by comparing psychological factors and consumption variables before and after the intervention, leading to a 14 (groups including 2 control groups) × 6 (time) mixed factorial design, with one factor between (group) and one factor within subjects (time)–6 measurements of the psychological factors and 6 readings of the electricity meters, which gives then 5 weeks of electricity consumption. Results: Data collection for the present RCT started in January 2023, and by October 2023 data collection will conclude. Discussion: Upon establishing feasibility and effectiveness, the outcomes of this study will assist policymakers, municipalities, NGOs, and other communal entities in identifying impactful interventions tailored to their unique circumstances and available resources. Researchers will benefit from a flexible, structured tool that allows the design, implementation and monitoring of complex interventions protocols. Crucially, the intervention participants will benefit from electricity saving strategies, fostering immediate effectiveness of the interventions in real-life contexts. Trial registration: This trial was preregistered in the Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/9vtn4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deployment of energy storage systems can play a role in peak and frequency regulation, solve the issue of limited flexibility in cleaner power systems in China, and ensure the stability and safety of the power grid. This paper presents a comprehensive environmental impact analysis of a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery system for the storage and delivery of 1 kW-hour of electricity. Quantities of copper, graphite, aluminum, lithium iron phosphate, and electricity consumption are set as uncertainty and sensitivity parameters with a variation of [90%, 110%]. The results show that global warming potential is 9.08E+01 kg CO2 eq. and fossil resource use is 1.21E+03 MJ, with uncertainty ranges of [8.54E+01, 9.23E+01] and [1.15E+03, 1.23E+03], respectively. Electricity consumption during the manufacture and installation process is the greatest contributor to climate change (CO2 eq. emissions), accounting for 39.71% and largely owing to non-renewable sources, followed by cathode materials at 27.85% and anode materials at 18.36%. The disposal and recycling process offers emission reductions but requires an additional 1.17% use of fossil resources. Sobol T indices for the quantity of electricity are the highest for acidification, climate change, fossil resource use, and ionizing radiation. By considering the pathway of China's electricity mix from 2020 to 2050 under the Paris Agreement's 2° target, the potential for environmental emission reduction in the system is evaluated. The results show that the greener electricity mix could lead to a 24.59% reduction in acidification impact, a 35.74% reduction in climate change impact, a 33.24% reduction in fossil resource use, and a 44.13% reduction in ionizing radiation impact. This study offers a comprehensive view of the environmental impact reductions associated with the lithium iron phosphate battery and its industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the rapid development of modern technologies has brought unprecedented social prosperity to mankind as technologies penetrate every sector of the economy. These technologies have given a new dimension to the energy sector. The key purpose of this study is to investigate the crucial impact of technological revolutions, namely, smart grids, smart devices, financial innovations, and environmental innovations, on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). To this end, the study utilized data from European, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African countries and employed first- and second-generation methods, such as DOLS, FMOLS, and CS-ARDL models. The research shows that smart grids are the only factor in reducing GHGs, regardless of geographic division. Hence, linking smart grid resources to climate change goals requires short-term deployment strategies with a clear long-term vision and the fundamental goal of transforming the power structure into a net zero-emission system. The study also demonstrates that the emergence of ICT in electricity consumption has not yet reached a level that can promote environmental excellence. The study documented the critical role of financial innovation and environmental innovation in addressing environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is twofold: analyzing stationarity of energy consumption by source in the United States and studying their cycles and pairwise synchronization. We study a panel of nine time series of monthly energy consumption for the period 1973–2022. Four of the series (namely coal, natural gas, petroleum, and nuclear electric power consumption) are non-renewables, whereas the remaining ones (hydroelectric power, geothermal, biomass, solar, and wind energy consumption) are renewable energy sources. We employ a nonparametric, panel stationarity testing approach. The results indicate that most of the series may be trend-stationarity, with nuclear and geothermal energy consumption being the only exceptions. Additionally, a study on potential cycles in the series of energy consumption by source is carried out, and subsequently we analyze pairwise concordance between states of different energy sources and between states of energy sources and the business cycle. Significant correlations are detected in the latter analysis, which are positive in the case of fossil fuel sources and negative for two renewable sources, namely geothermal and biomass energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a large agreement in declaring that electrochemistry is one of the most difficult curricular domains to teach and learn. Applied or Industrial Electrochemistry is even less frequently found in Chemical Engineering curricula. The extremely few textbooks on Applied Electrochemistry put most of the effort in developing theoretical content while leaving for later learning stages the specific examples. Our proposal is about how to start an Industrial Electrochemistry course in order to make students enthusiastic while engaging them in the learning process. Production of a strategic metal is chosen as a case study to help students understand the importance of electrolytic production. A specific production facility in our country is chosen and students are asked to calculate the electricity consumption of the electrolysis with minimal input. An inquiry-based learning strategy is developed where students are constantly asked to find information online in non-academic websites about different variables that will make them realize how electrolytic production is an energy-intensive industrial activity. The need to understand the origin of the enormous electricity costs helps to advance in lecturing the specificities of the Hall-Héroult process, while more fundamental general electrochemistry concepts are introduced, always in relation to the specific case study under consideration. Side topics that can be brought up in connection with this specific case study, such as process improvement and process design are introduced. The key message is that in order to decrease electrolytic production costs it is fundamental to understand electrochemistry and materials chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to rapid progress in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning, the power grids are transforming into Smart Grids (SG) which are versatile, reliable, intelligent and stable. The power consumption of the energy users is varying throughout the day as well as in different days of the week. Power consumption forecasting is of vital importance for the sustainable management and operation of SG. Methodology: In this work, the aim is to apply clustering for dividing a smart residential community into several group of similar profile energy user, which will be effective for developing and training representative deep neural network (DNN) models for power load forecasting of users in respective groups. The DNN models is composed of convolutional neural network (CNN) followed by LSTM layers for feature extraction and sequence learning respectively. The DNN For experimentation, the Smart Grid Smart City (SGSC) project database is used and its energy users are grouped into various clusters. Results: The residential community is divided into four groups of customers based on the chosen criterion where Group 1, 2, 3 and 4 contains 14 percent, 22 percent, 19 percent and 45 percent users respectively. Almost half of the population (45 percent) of the considered residential community exhibits less than 23 outliers in their electricity consumption patterns. The rest of the population is divided into three groups, where specialized deep learning models developed and trained for respective groups are able to achieve higher forecasting accuracy. The results of our proposed approach will assist researchers and utility companies by requiring fewer specialized deep-learning models for accurate forecasting of users who belong to various groups of similar-profile energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a prototype was developed for the effective utilisation of a domestic solar power plant. The basic idea is to switch on certain electrical appliances when the surplus of generated energy is predicted one hour in advance, for example, switching on a pump motor for watering a garden. This prediction is important because some devices (motors) wear out if they are switched on and off too frequently. If a solar power plant generates more energy than a household can consume, the surplus energy is fed into the main grid for storage. If a household has an energy shortage, the same energy is bought back at a higher price. In this study, data were collected from solar inverters, historical weather APIs and smart energy meters. This study describes the data preparation process and feature engineering that will later be used to create forecasting models. This study consists of two forecasting models: solar energy generation and household electricity consumption. Both types of model were tested using Facebook Prophet and different neural network architectures: feedforward, long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU) networks. In addition, a baseline model was developed to compare the prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the microclimate in a conference room with thermal stratification, taking as a case study the chapel of Villa San Saverio, now the seat of the "Scuola Superiore" of the University of Catania (Italy). Surveys of the former chapel were conducted to monitor air temperature and relative humidity. Subsequently, the investigation relied on numerical simulations of a simplified computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model built with the DesignBuilder v7.0 software and validated by comparison with measured values. Simulations were then carried out considering three different scenarios: the current state without any HVAC system and two possible HVAC system configurations providing both air conditioning and ventilation. The results show that, from a comfort perspective, a lightweight radiant floor heating system, assisted by an appropriate ventilation system for air renewal placed at the floor level near the occupants, is preferable to floor-level fan coils and high ventilation channels. Furthermore, this was also confirmed by a preliminary energy analysis of the two HVAC options, where the ventilation effectiveness of the winter period, the temperature of the water the emitters are fed, the consequent COP value of the heat pump, and the electricity consumption were taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for electricity, driven by factors such as the shift to carbon neutrality and economic growth, is a challenge shared by South Korea and Japan. South Korea, a peninsula nation, and Japan, an island country, which are both heavily dependent on foreign energy sources and have manufacturing-based industrial structures, are actively working to secure stable power supplies for their economic development. This article carries out a quantitative analysis of the roles of the South Korean and Japanese electric power sectors (EPSs) in their respective economies, seeking to identify differences and generate actionable insights for decision making and policy formulation. Utilizing the input–output (IO) technique with the latest available data, the analysis includes a demand-side model, a supply-side model, and a price-side model to examine various effects of the EPSs. The key findings reveal differences in the production-inducing, value-added creation, and job-creation effects between the two countries, highlighting operational disparities in their electricity sectors. Additionally, South Korea exhibits higher wage-inducing, supply shortage, and price-side effects than Japan, because of its public enterprise-oriented high-wage structure and a substantial manufacturing sector. These quantitative results provide valuable reference material for future government decisions and policy development in the EPS and emphasize the significant role and impact of the power sector in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decarbonization of air mobility requires the decarbonization of its energy. While biofuels will play an important role, other low-carbon energy carriers based on electricity are considered, such as battery electrification and liquid hydrogen (LH2) or eFuel, a hydrogen-based energy carrier. Each energy carrier has its own conversion steps and losses and its own integration effects with aircraft. These combinations lead to different energy requirements and must be understood in order to compare their cost and CO2 emissions. Since they are all electricity-based, this study compares these energy carriers using the well-to-rotor methodology when applied to a standard vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air mobility mission. This novel approach allows one to understand that the choice of energy carrier dictates the propulsive system architecture, leading to integration effects with aircraft, which can significantly change the energy required for the same mission, increasing it from 400 to 2665 kWh. These deviations led to significant differences in CO2 emissions and costs. Battery electrification is impacted by battery manufacturing but has the lowest electricity consumption. This is an optimum solution, but only until the battery weight can be lifted. In all scenarios, eFuel is more efficient than LH2. We conclude that using the most efficient molecule in an aircraft can compensate for the extra energy cost spent on the ground. Finally, we found that, for each of these energy carriers, it is the electricity carbon intensity and price which will dictate the cost and CO2 emissions of an air mobility mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To support increasing renewable capacity for a net-zero future, energy storage will play a key role in maintaining grid stability. In this paper, all current and near-future energy storage technologies are compared for three different scenarios: (1) fixed electricity buy-in price, (2) market-based electricity buy-in price, and (3) energy storage integrated into a fully renewable electricity system. In the first part of this study, an algorithm is devised to simulate strategic buy-in of electricity for energy storage. This analysis yields a qualitative decision-making tool for a given energy storage duration and size. Building upon the first part's findings, an integration study gives insight into expected power prices and expected storage size in a typical northwestern European fully renewable energy system. The integration study shows significant need for electricity storage with durations spanning from one to several days, typically around 40 h. Pumped Hydro Storage and Pumped Thermal storage surface as the best options. The overall levelized costs of storage are expected to be in the USD 200–500/MWh range. Integration of storage with renewables can yield a system-levelized cost of electricity of about USD 150/MWh. Allowing flexibility in demand may lower the overall system-levelized cost of electricity to USD 100/MWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the quest for achieving decarbonisation, it is essential for different sectors of the economy to collaborate and invest significantly. This study presents an innovative approach that merges technological insights with philosophical considerations at a national scale, with the intention of shaping the national policy and practice. The aim of this research is to assist in formulating decarbonisation strategies for intricate economies. Libya, a major oil exporter that can diversify its energy revenue sources, is used as the case study. However, the principles can be applied to develop decarbonisation strategies across the globe. The decarbonisation framework evaluated in this study encompasses wind-based renewable electricity, hydrogen, and gas turbine combined cycles. A comprehensive set of both official and unofficial national data was assembled, integrated, and analysed to conduct this study. The developed analytical model considers a variety of factors, including consumption in different sectors, geographical data, weather patterns, wind potential, and consumption trends, amongst others. When gaps and inconsistencies were encountered, reasonable assumptions and projections were used to bridge them. This model is seen as a valuable foundation for developing replacement scenarios that can realistically guide production and user engagement towards decarbonisation. The aim of this model is to maintain the advantages of the current energy consumption level, assuming a 2% growth rate, and to assess changes in energy consumption in a fully green economy. While some level of speculation is present in the results, important qualitative and quantitative insights emerge, with the key takeaway being the use of hydrogen and the anticipated considerable increase in electricity demand. Two scenarios were evaluated: achieving energy self-sufficiency and replacing current oil exports with hydrogen exports on an energy content basis. This study offers, for the first time, a quantitative perspective on the wind-based infrastructure needs resulting from the evaluation of the two scenarios. In the first scenario, energy requirements were based on replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources. In contrast, the second scenario included maintaining energy exports at levels like the past, substituting oil with hydrogen. The findings clearly demonstrate that this transition will demand great changes and substantial investments. The primary requirements identified are 20,529 or 34,199 km2 of land for wind turbine installations (for self-sufficiency and exports), and 44 single-shaft 600 MW combined-cycle hydrogen-fired gas turbines. This foundational analysis represents the commencement of the research, investment, and political agenda regarding the journey to achieving decarbonisation for a country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed approach involves a method of joint optimization configuration for wind–solar–thermal-storage (WSTS) power energy bases utilizing a dynamic inertia weight chaotic particle swarm optimization (DIWCPSO) algorithm. The power generated from the combination of wind and solar energy is analyzed quantitatively by using the average complementarity index (ACI) to determine the optimal ratio of wind and solar installations. We constructed a multi-objective optimization configuration model for the WSTS power generation systems, considering the equivalent annual income and the optimal energy consumption level as objective functions of the system. We solved the model using the chaotic particle swarm optimization algorithm with linearly decreasing dynamic inertia weight. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, we conducted a simulation using the 2030 power energy base planning data of a particular region in Inner Mongolia. The results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly improves the annual income, enhances the consumption of wind–solar energy, and boosts the power transmission capacity of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a discrete choice experiment with 582 households in Switzerland, we find, that about 30% of the customers focus on price risks (cost focus) when they choose an electricity tariff, while 70% of the customers are more worried about volume risks (comfort focus). Customers with a cost focus, prefer contracts with low price risks and automatic load control, even when these contracts increased their volume risks and may lead to discomfort, while customers with a comfort focus are unlikely to choose a contract that exposes them to either price or volume risks. All customers prefer direct load control of individual appliances to capacity subscriptions or other demand response approaches which limit their total electricity demand. While customers with a cost focus likely accept direct load control even if this reduces their comfort, enrolling customers with a comfort focus will require further efforts and contracts avoiding comfort loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]