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Lithium-ion batteries are extensively utilised in various industries and everyday life. Typically, these batteries are considered retired when their state of health (SOH) drops below 80%. These retired batteries, known as secondary batteries, can be repurposed for applications that demand lower battery performance. Precise forecasting of the lifespan of secondary batteries is crucial for determining suitable operational management approaches. Initially, we use the CACLE dataset for thorough investigation. Therefore, to account for the unpredictable and random character of the application circumstances, we employ the U-chord long curvature feature extraction approach to minimise errors resulting from rotation and noise. Additionally, we utilise the discharged power as a feature. This study employs two optimization algorithms, namely, particle swarm optimization (PSO) and sparrow optimization algorithm (SSA), in conjunction with least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) to compare the model against three conventional models, namely, Gaussian process regression (GPR), convolutional neural networks (CNN), and long short-term memory (LSTM). This work comprises two experiments: Experiment 1 utilises the battery's charging and discharging history data to train the model for estimating the SOH of the remaining cycles of the same battery. Experiment 2, on the other hand, employs the complete discharging data of the battery to train the model for predicting the SOH of the remaining cycles of other batteries. The error evaluation metrics used are mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and root mean square error (RMSE). The results indicate that the average MAE for SSA-LSSVM, LSTM, CNN, PSO-LSSVM, and GPR in Experiment 1 and Experiment 2 are 1.11%, 1.82%, 2.02%, 2.04%, and 12.18% respectively. The best prediction results are obtained by SSA-LSSVM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing consumption of primary energy and deterioration of the global environment, clean energy sources with large reserves, such as natural gas, have gradually gained a higher proportion of the global energy consumption structure. Monitoring and predicting consumption data play a crucial role in reducing energy waste and improving energy supply efficiency. However, owing to factors such as high monitoring device costs, safety risks associated with device installation, and low efficiency of manual meter reading, monitoring natural gas consumption data at the household level is challenging. Moreover, there is a lack of methods for predicting natural gas consumption at the household level in residential areas, which hinders the provision of accurate services to households and gas companies. Therefore, this study proposes a gas consumption monitoring method based on the K-nearest neighbours (KNN) algorithm. Using households in a residential area in Xi'an as research subjects, the feasibility of this monitoring method was validated, achieving a model recognition accuracy of 100%, indicating the applicability of the KNN algorithm for monitoring natural gas consumption data. In addition, this study proposes a framework for a natural gas consumption prediction system based on a backpropagation (BP) neural network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] In consideration of energy shortages and environmental pollution, there is a critical need to develop a photocatalyst with high catalytic performance for rapid hydrogen production and efficient pollutant degradation. We synthesized a photocatalytic composite catalyst with three-dimensional (3D) porous aminopyridine rings grafted on the edge of g-C 3 N 4 (APCN) using melamine, cyanuric acid and 4-aminopyridine as raw materials. The composite catalyst exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance for H 2 production (2.44 mmol g−1h−1) and RhB degradation (97.08%) under visible light. Subsequently, a possible enhanced mechanism of the catalyst was proposed on the basis of a series of characterization and photocatalytic experiments. The 3D porous structure not only enhanced the structural stability but also increased the surface area of the APCN catalysts, which generated more exposed active sites. Moreover, the aminopyridine ring embellishment was beneficial for achieving a narrowed bandgap and charge migration and separation, which decreased the occurrence of photogenerated carrier recombination. In summary, these two structural features showed a synergistic effect to enhance the photocatalytic performance of the APCN catalyst. Finally, an integrated feasible enhanced mechanism of photocatalytic activity was elucidated according to the results of active substance capture tests, showing that O 2 •− played an important role during RhB degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs a comprehensive electricity market model in the context of China, highlighting the deviation caused by neglecting start-up costs from an engineering perspective. The model allows for the abandonment of excess wind and solar power generation, contributing to the achievement of research objectives in scenarios with a high proportion of renewable energy. Our method innovatively integrates fuel and carbon prices, clean energy expansion, and power system marginal prices according to the carbon trading rules of the Chinese power industry, providing a more accurate representation of market dynamics. Findings reveal that neglecting start-up costs can lead to significant biases in electricity prices. We demonstrate that the marginal price sometimes deviates fromthe fluctuation of the real value. While fuel and CO2 prices can be transmitted downstream, the value of new energy must be transmitted through its impact on the marginal unit. This insight is crucial for understanding the "missing money" problem in electricity markets. Based on these findings, we propose policy recommendations. We suggest considering fixed and average costs as pricing benchmarks and utilizing capacity utilization as a signal for demand response to adjust power pricing. Furthermore, we recommend trading different energy types separately in the spot market with different pricing benchmarks to ensure the homogeneity of marginal units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tightly structured neural retina has a unique vascular network comprised of three interconnected plexuses in the inner retina (and choroid for outer retina), which provide oxygen and nutrients to neurons to maintain normal function. Clinical and experimental evidence suggests that neuronal metabolic needs control both normal retinal vascular development and pathological aberrant vascular growth. Particularly, photoreceptors, with the highest density of mitochondria in the body, regulate retinal vascular development by modulating angiogenic and inflammatory factors. Photoreceptor metabolic dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation may cause adaptive but ultimately pathological retinal vascular responses, leading to blindness. Here we focus on the factors involved in neurovascular interactions, which are potential therapeutic targets to decrease energy demand and/or to increase energy production for neovascular retinal disorders.

After COVID-19, financing for emerging nation reserves in renewable energy bases was deemed a crucial aspect of sustainable development. Investing in biogas energy plants can be highly beneficial for lowering the use of fossil fuels. Using a survey of shareholders, investors, biogas energy professionals, and active social media participants in Pakistan, this study evaluates the intentions of individual investors to invest in biogas energy plants. The primary purpose of this study is to increase investment intent for biogas energy projects following COVID-19. This study focuses on financing biogas energy plants in the post-COVID-19 era and evaluates the research's assumptions using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The study employed the technique of purposive sampling to acquire data for this investigation. The results indicate that attitudes, perceived biogas energy benefits, perceived investment attitudes, and supervisory structure evaluations inspire one's propensity to finance biogas vitality plant efforts. The study found a link between eco-friendly responsiveness, monetary benefits, and investors' actions. The aspiration of investors to mark such reserves was set up to be unpretentious by their risk aversion. Conferring to the facts, evaluating the monitoring structure is the critical factor. The previous studies on investment behavior and other forms of pro-environmental intent and action yielded contradictory results. In addition, the regulatory environment was evaluated to see how the theory of planned behavior (TPB) affects financiers' objectives to participate in biogas power plants. The consequences of the study indicate that feelings of pride and discernment of energy expansively affect people's desire to invest in biogas plants. Biogas energy efficacy has little effect on investors' decisions to invest in biogas energy plants. This study offers policymakers practical ideas on enhancing investments in biogas energy plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic materials can effectively decompose water to produce hydrogen and degrade pollutants, ameliorating environmental issues. These materials are currently a popular research topic for addressing energy shortages and water pollution issues worldwide. Herein, we prepared composite catalysts with g-C3N4/rGO heterojunctions formed via the stacking of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets and three-dimensional (3D) carbon nitride, and the catalysts displayed excellent photocatalytic activity in experiments for hydrogen production (4.37 mmol g−1 h−1) and rhodamine B elimination (96.2%). The results of structural characterization showed that the recombination of rGO has no effect on the morphology of g-C3N4, and the photochemical characterization results showed that the photogenerated electron migration of the prepared composite was accelerated. Additionally, a possible mechanism of enhancement involving synergy between the 3D structure of the catalyst and the g-C3N4/rGO heterojunctions was proposed on the basis of catalyst characterization and photocatalytic experiments. The prepared composite catalysts had large specific surface areas and abundant adsorption sites due to the 3D structure, and the g-C3N4/rGO heterojunction provided high electron mobility, resulting in low recombination of photoinduced electron and hole pairs and high conductivity. Moreover, free radical species that may play a substantial role in the photocatalytic process were analyzed via free radical quenching experiments, and possible catalytic mechanisms were presented in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing consumption of primary energy and deterioration of the global environment, clean energy sources with large reserves, such as natural gas, have gradually gained a higher proportion of the global energy consumption structure. Monitoring and predicting consumption data play a crucial role in reducing energy waste and improving energy supply efficiency. However, owing to factors such as high monitoring device costs, safety risks associated with device installation, and low efficiency of manual meter reading, monitoring natural gas consumption data at the household level is challenging. Moreover, there is a lack of methods for predicting natural gas consumption at the household level in residential areas, which hinders the provision of accurate services to households and gas companies. Therefore, this study proposes a gas consumption monitoring method based on the K-nearest neighbours (KNN) algorithm. Using households in a residential area in Xi’an as research subjects, the feasibility of this monitoring method was validated, achieving a model recognition accuracy of 100%, indicating the applicability of the KNN algorithm for monitoring natural gas consumption data. In addition, this study proposes a framework for a natural gas consumption prediction system based on a backpropagation (BP) neural network.

As variable renewable energy (VRE) sources increasingly gain importance in global energy systems, there is a growing interest in understanding periods of VRE shortage (‘Dunkelflauten’). Defining, quantifying, and comparing such shortage events across different renewable generation technologies and locations presents a surprisingly intricate challenge. Various methodological approaches exist in different bodies of literature, which have been applied to single technologies in specific locations or technology portfolios across multiple regions. We provide an overview of various methods for quantifying VRE shortage, focusing either on supply from variable renewables or its mismatch with electricity demand. We explain and critically discuss the merits and challenges of different approaches for defining and identifying shortage events and propose further methodological improvements for more accurate shortage determination. Additionally, we elaborate on comparability requirements for multi-technological and multi-regional energy shortage analysis. In doing so, we aim to contribute to unifying disparate methodologies, harmonizing terminologies, and providing guidance for future research.

In pandemic periods such as COVID-19, economic and sociological problems threaten human life and public order on a global scale. In these periods, the use of solar powered heating–cooling systems to meet the thermal needs of hospitals and to provide thermal comfort conditions offer important solutions for the elimination of technical, economic and environmental problems related to energy supply. In this study, the heating, cooling and hot water supply of a sample hospital building for the three largest cities of Turkey with a novel solar powered Li-Cl absorption heat pump system was investigated using the Transient System Simulation Tool (TRNSYS) simulation program. The use of a unique NH3-H2O resorption system as a solar powered auxiliary system was also investigated. It was determined that the total annual hot water and cooling needs of the hospital buildings in all three provinces are supplied almost completely by the solar energy powered system without compromising the hygiene and thermal comfort of the occupants. The average annual solar fraction of total heating demands are calculated as 50, 54 and 65% for İstanbul, Ankara and İzmir, respectively. In addition, depending on the use of solar energy, it has been observed that 126 tons of CO2 emissions were saved annually, and an economic saving of 524 375 TL was achieved in total. Considering the problems with energy supply during the epidemic periods, it was concluded that meeting the energy requirements of hospitals with clean, renewable and independent energy source will provide significant benefits to the countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green energy can help in protecting the environment. Moreover, its continuous supply increases the quality of life and indeed the economic development of a country. The power sector in Pakistan is continuously under stress due to the imbalance between the demand and supply of energy. Pakistan has abundant renewable energy resources, i.e., solar, hydro, wind, etc., which are the main elements of green energy. This study first evaluates the existing power sector in Pakistan. Then, we proposed a peer-to-peer energy trading framework that helps in reducing the stress on the power sector in Pakistan by meeting the local energy demands of the consumers with the help of local energy generation. In the proposed peer-to-peer energy trading market, a novel method for determining the uniform energy trading price is proposed. This proposed pricing method increases the utilities of the market participants i.e., saving in energy bills for consumers and profitability for the sellers. The proposed study assumes that solar energy is provided from the energy producer side. Solar energy penetration on various ratios starting from 14% to 35% is tested on environment and consumer satisfaction levels. We conducted comprehensive experiments to validate the proposed method and the results suggest that a 35% penetration of solar in each subdivision can be helpful to decrease the current stress on Pakistans’ power sector. Furthermore, it also helps in reducing the carbon emission footprint.

Some people in North Africa have been accustomed to getting everything, from the consumption of various goods, to luxurious housing, to travel from one country to another, unaware that the necessities of this way of life are very energy intensive. These countries, too, are unaware of the importance and necessity of opening up to each other in order to work together to raise awareness of energy consumption. Through this research, which is based on a scientific approach combining technology, human and social sciences and statistical studies, we have tried to highlight the importance of logical energy consumption while explaining that the consequences will be unexpected in the future in the event of an energy shortage in North Africa.

Industries have suffered significant financial losses due to inadequate electricity supply. This article proposes using renewable energies to address the energy shortage issue in an industrial area in Iran. A GIS-AHP-GAMS approach is used to assess wind and solar energy potentials based on 11 criteria to determine suitable areas for constructing a power plant. An optimization problem is solved using GAMS software to propose optimal power plants to minimize unsupplied energy to the industrial unit. The problem is solved under various constraints and four scenarios, and the initial investment cost equal to the financial loss incurred by the industrial unit. In the first scenario, the optimal power plant consists only of solar panels and inverters, with a cost of energy (COE) of 0.175 $/kWh and an energy supply index improved up to 77%. The second scenario eliminates land cost, reducing COE by 3.5%, while energy supply improves by 2.5% compared to the first scenario. The third and fourth scenarios propose an equal combination of solar and wind energy and constructing the power plant in remote areas, respectively. Although the COE increases significantly in these scenarios, the energy supply indices in the fourth scenario improve compared to the first scenario. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart grids can use energy stored in electric vehicles (EVs) through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. When the mobility of electric vehicles is combined with V2G technology, electric vehicles can form an energy transmission network called the EV energy network. The EV energy network relies heavily on renewable energy, but due to the unstable nature of renewable energy, sometimes the energy supply is insufficient. If no adjustment is made for energy shortage, the EV energy network will soon collapse. This paper studies how to make the EV energy network operate normally as long as possible when the energy shortage comes. In order to ensure the survivability of the system in the event of energy shortage, a global optimization algorithm is proposed. New terms and criteria are defined for this scenario to evaluate algorithms' performance. The global optimization algorithm is simulated on real bus line data from Manhattan and the Pioneer Valley Transportation Authority (PVTA). Simulation results show that the algorithm is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetonemic syndrome (AS) is one of the most frequent metabolic disorders in children. Despite the large number of works on the pathogenesis of hyperketonemia, the role of the processes of cellular energy metabolism in the development of this condition has not been finally clarified. The study of the metabolism energy balance makes it possible to identify important pathogenetic links, prognostic criteria for the occurrence and course of AS, and also to determine approaches to its correction. A comparative controlled study was conducted among 64 children with secondary AS on the background of inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract: acute rhinopharyngitis, acute simple bronchitis, acute laryngotracheitis, community-acquired pneumonia, acute tracheitis, acute obstructive bronchitis. The work identified significant predictors for the occurrence of the AS. Statistically significant relationship was revealed between the level of acetonuria and the severity of the patient’s condition. In order to correct the AS, the combination balanced preparation Ionica was used in 36 children of the main group. The use of the glucose-containing drug Ionica allowed improving the activity of energy metabolism enzymes (succinate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase), reduce the duration of AS manifestations in the main group, as well as the need for infusion therapy.

Under unfavourable conditions, clonal plants benefit from physiological integration among ramets, sharing resources and information. Clonal integration can buffer against environmental changes and lets the plant clone work as a 'macro' organism. Molecular signals that regulate this phenomenon are completely unknown in marine plants.Here we present a first comprehensive study providing insights into the metabolic role of different types of ramets (i.e. apical vs. vertical) in the foundation species Posidonia oceanica. Plants were exposed to 80% diminishing irradiance level (LL) in a controlled mesocosm system. Subsequent multiscale variations in whole transcriptome expression, global DNA methylation level, photo‐physiology, morphology and fitness‐related traits, were explored at different exposure times. We tested the hypothesis that vertical shoots (the 'vassals') can provide vital resources to apical shoots (the 'kings') under energy shortage, thus safeguarding the whole clone survival.Whole transcriptome analysis of leaves and shoot‐apical meristems (SAMs) emphasized signatures of molecular integration among ramets, which strongly correlated with higher organization‐level responses. In both shoots types, the exposure to LL resulted in a growth slowdown throughout the experiment, which started from immediate signals in SAMs. In apical shoots, this was linked to an acclimative response, where they were suffering a mild stress condition, while in vertical ones it fell in a more severe stress response. Yet, they suffered from sugar starvation and showed a clear cellular stress response in terms of protein refolding and DNA repair mechanisms. Several epigenetic mechanisms modulated the observed gene‐expression patterns and the cross‐talk between DNA methylation and the cellular energetic status appeared to regulate shoot metabolism under LL.Synthesis. Our results demonstrate a high level of specialization of integrated ramets within seagrass clones and a 'division of labour' under adverse conditions. Vertical shoots appear to do 'most of the job' especially in terms of resource providing, whereas activated functions in apical shoots were restricted to few important processes, according to an 'energy‐saving' strategy. The response of vertical shoots could be seen as a 'sacrificing response' allowing the survival of 'the king' that is key for ensuring propagation and population maintenance, and for the colonization of new environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive link selection for buffer-aided relaying can achieve significant performance gain compared with the conventional relaying with fixed transmission criterion. However, most of the existing link-selection strategies are designed based on perfect channel state information (CSI), which are very complex by requiring channel estimator. To solve this issue, in this paper, we investigate a buffer-aided differential chaos-shift-keying based simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (DCSK-SWIPT) relay system, where a decode-and-forward protocol is considered and the relay is equipped with a data buffer and an energy buffer. In particular, we propose two link-selection protocols for the proposed system based on harvested energy, data-buffer status and energy-shortage status, where the CSI is replaced by the harvested energy to avoid the channel estimation and the practical problem of the decoding cost at the relay is considered. Furthermore, the bit-error-rate (BER) and average-delay closed-form expressions of the proposed protocols are derived over multipath Rayleigh fading channels, which are validated via simulations. Finally, results demonstrate that both the proposed protocols not only provide better BER performance than the conventional DCSK system and DCSK-SWIPT relay system but also achieve better BER performance and lower average delay in comparison to the conventional signal-to-noise-ratio-based buffer-aided DCSK-SWIPT relay systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon has an extremely high theoretical capacity, a low voltage platform, and abundant natural reserves. It is considered to be one of the most promising anode materials for lithium‐ion batteries. However, there are still many problems with silicon as an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries. During the lithiation/delithiation of silicon, a huge volume expansion occurs, causing the silicon particles to pulverize and the capacity to drop sharply. Furthermore, the continuous increase in the silicon surface solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) films and the poor conductivity of silicon affect the specific capacity of the battery. Means to improve silicon‐based anodes with regard to electrode cycling performance and electrode capacity include structural design, composite preparation, or improvements in electrolytes and binders (for example, designing silicon nanomaterials of different dimensions from 0D to 3D, including silicon nanoparticles, nanowires, nanorods, thin films, porous silicon, and core‐shell structures). Silicon has been combined with different materials to buffer its own volume expansion, resulting in excellent performance. In addition, the design of a reasonable electrolyte solution, as well as the development of a self‐healing binder is one of the main methods to improve Si‐based anodes. In recent years, sodium/potassium ion batteries have been increasingly studied, and silicon and sodium/potassium can be alloyed. The corresponding theoretical capacity can reach 954 mAh g−1 and 955 mAh g−1, respectively. Advances in silicon‐based anodes for sodium/potassium ion storage are summarized herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, coordination mechanisms are designed for price anticipatory transactive microgrids. The mechanisms are designed by considering the neighbourhood energy transactions among different consumers in a residential microgrid as well as energy trading among several microgrids within an area. The energy trading framework among different consumers in a microgrid is developed based on a non‐cooperative leader–follower game theoretic approach to maximise the utilities of both sellers and buyers. The energy transactions among different parties within a microgrid are defined, in this study, as intra‐microgrid energy trading. A double‐auction mechanism is used for energy trading among different microgrids where energy shortage and excess information from each microgrid are coordinated. The proposed mechanisms are developed by considering the physical properties of microgrids, e.g. power flow and voltage variations. The performance of the proposed mechanism is evaluated through the investigation of different properties, e.g. individual rationality of participants, budget balance, operational efficiencies in terms of cost saving, and optimality to achieve the grid independency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the world's energy shortage, the scholars all over the world have done a lot of research work on the efficient use of energy, energy-saving emission reduction, and the development of new energy. Turbine generators have a wide range of applications in energy recovery. In this study, a new type of turbine generator structure is proposed. Four disc-type permanent magnet motors are symmetrically mounted on the shafting, and are supported by gas hydrostatic bearing. The vibration tests of the shafting were carried out. The vibration characteristics of the shafting were analysed by using the bode diagram, the time-waterfall map, the bifurcation diagram, the shaft orbits at the typical speeds, and the Poincare maps, which can provide references for developing high-speed turbine generators.

With the world's energy shortage, the scholars all over the world have done a lot of research work on the efficient use of energy, energy-saving emission reduction, and the development of new energy. Turbine generators have a wide range of applications in energy recovery. In this study, a new type of turbine generator structure is proposed. Four disc-type permanent magnet motors are symmetrically mounted on the shafting, and are supported by gas hydrostatic bearing. The vibration tests of the shafting were carried out. The vibration characteristics of the shafting were analysed by using the bode diagram, the time-waterfall map, the bifurcation diagram, the shaft orbits at the typical speeds, and the Poincare maps, which can provide references for developing high-speed turbine generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift from centralized to distributed generation and the need to address energy shortage and achieve the sustainability goals are among the important factors that drive increasing interests of governments, planners, and other relevant stakeholders in microgrid systems. Apart from the distributed renewable energy resources, fuel cells (FCs) are a clean, pollution-free, highly efficient, flexible, and promising energy resource for microgrid applications that need more attention in research and development terms. Furthermore, they can offer continuous operation and do not require recharging. This paper examines the exciting potential of FCs and their utilization in microgrid systems. It presents a comprehensive review of FCs, with emphasis on the developmental status of the different technologies, comparison of operational characteristics, and the prevailing techno-economic barriers to their progress and the future outlook. Furthermore, particular attention is paid to the applications of the FC technologies in microgrid systems such as grid-integrated, grid-parallel, stand-alone, backup or emergency power, and direct current systems, including the FC control mechanisms and hybrid designs, and the technical challenges faced when employing FCs in microgrids based on recent developments. Microgrids can help to strengthen the existing power grid and are also suitable for mitigating the problem of energy poverty in remote locations. The paper is expected to provide useful insights into advancing research and developments in clean energy generation through microgrid systems based on FCs.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows are important for economic development in all countries, especially developing ones. In many developing countries, FDI inflows have increased over the past two decades. However, in Pakistan FDI inflows declined over the past decade. This study examines the reasons for declining FDI inflows to Pakistan, considering the main issues, such as terrorism, energy shortages, financial instability, and political instability, with some macroeconomic indicators as control variables. These analyses are based on pre- and post-global financial crisis events, and we check the robustness by controlling for the global financial crisis. Our analyses are conducted using an autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL) for co-integration among variables. The results show that energy shortages, financial instability, and political instability have adverse effects, and terrorism has insignificant effects on FDI inflows to Pakistan before the financial crisis in the long term. However, the post-financial crisis period indicates that terrorism and energy shortages are the main drivers of decline in FDI inflows to Pakistan. Market size, inflation, and exchange rates affect FDI inflows positively. The global financial crisis has an adverse impact on FDI inflows to Pakistan. This study is helpful for the Pakistani government as it attempts to design useful policies for attracting FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • This paper proposes a fixed-sum input DEA model under energy shortage constraint. • This paper proposes an energy consumption structure measurement model. • The adjustment index is proposed for optimizing the energy consumption structure. • Empirical results show that energy configuration of China's provinces is inefficient. • All provinces currently have unreasonable energy consumption structures. Abstract As the world's main energy consumer, China faces an increasingly prominent conflict between its growing energy consumption and its unreasonable energy consumption structure. To optimize China's energy consumption structure, while simultaneously controlling its carbon emissions, this study proposes two models for the analysis of China's energy configuration and energy consumption structure based on the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method. A fixed-sum input DEA model is proposed with which the energy input frontier is determined under consideration of China's energy shortage constraint. Furthermore, an energy consumption structure measurement model is developed to determine the adjustment direction and potential of the current energy consumption structure. The proposed models are further applied for the practical energy consumption structure evaluation in Chinese provinces. The obtained results show that almost all provinces suffer from an inefficient energy configuration and Eastern China experiences severe energy shortage. In addition, all provinces currently have unreasonable energy consumption structures. In particular, the proportion of gas consumption to total energy usage should be increased in all provinces. Furthermore, Chinese provinces with inefficient energy structures exhibit the geographical feature. The coal adjustment ratios in the central and western regions account for 70% of the total, which is much higher than the coal adjustment rate of the eastern region (50%). Based on these results, policies are also suggested to adjust China's energy consumption structure, such as reducing high carbon energy, implementing energy price reform, carbon tax, and clean energy subsidy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Highlights • Additional renewable energy and storage reduce the cost or rural electrification compared to pure grid extension. • The reliability of the central power grid and of the microgrid are introduced as important parameters. • Results on 20 test cases show that these parameters influence the choice of rural electrification strategy. • Local, renewable energy generation reduces drastically the grid losses: from 23.2% to 8.7% in the best scenario. Abstract Globally, 1.2 billion people have yet to be granted access to electricity. Another 2.4 billion receive an intermittent electrical supply due to undersized and unreliable rural power grids. However, existing rural electrification programs focus mostly on extending the central power grid, thus providing an intermittent supply and increasing the losses on the power grid. In the literature, extension of the central grid is unilaterally compared with a stand-alone microgrid solution. In the model for rural electrification presented in this paper, the extension of the central grid is supplemented with local renewable energy generation and storage. The “reliability of the central power grid”, the “expected reliability of electrical supply in the village”, and the “losses” are also introduced as important design parameters. The usefulness and relevance of the proposed model was illustrated through 20 test cases. For Kanjikuzhi, an Indian village, additional renewable energy can reduce the average cost of electricity by 26%, diminish power interruptions by 40% and decrease grid losses by 62.5%, compared to a simple extension of the central power grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of the work is caused by the importance of energy for the economic development of Zambia, which is a country with a developing economy. The main aim of the study is to determine the role of energy in the development of states, to identify the main trends in the functioning of the energy sector in the world, to compare the structure and functioning of the electric power industry in Zambia and Russia, which will help to develop key areas for improving the industry in Zambia to intensify the country's economic growth. The methods used in the study: the methods of scientific cognition, in particular, the method of comparative analysis; the method of generalization and systematization of theoretical concepts; the graphical method for presenting the results obtained, and the method of system analysis. Results. It was ascertained that the electric power industry is traditionally considered as a system-forming sector of the economy of any state. Its importance is related to the influence on all spheres of activity, therefore, the insufficient level of its development leads to significant restrictions on the economic growth and competitiveness of the state. The paper highlights the main world tendencies of the electric power industry: energy efficiency improvement, highlighting the importance of alternative types of energy, constant growth of the total amount of energy consumed in industrialized countries, as well as energy consumption per capita, while in developing countries, it is associated with income growth. A comparative analysis of the structure and functioning of the electric power industry in Zambia and Russia shown that in Zambia a crisis in the electric power industry has been occurring for several years. The author proposed the actions to adapt Russian best practices to improve the effectiveness of this economic sector in Zambia.

A method of nondestructive testing of the elements of a construction to which there is no direct access is presented. The method utilizes natural vibrations of the construction that have been excited by impacts of a special head of a hammer at specific spots. The method comprises a certain sequence that determines the position of the points of application of the impacts and measurements of the vibrations, the distribution of the frequencies of the vibrations by range, and the construction of a limited number of ranges of the spectrum of frequencies of the natural vibrations. The state of a controlled element of the construction is determined from the distributionof the frequencies of the natural vibrations in the spectrum. Results of experimental investigations of the inner jackets of eight nozzle heads by means of this method are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical energy is one of the most important daily needs. Shortage of energy can be very dangerous for any society. This can affect the standard of living and quality of life of the people and even endanger the lives of those in hospitals, and so forth. Developed countries do not face such risks in general because they have well organized electrical systems and high energy security. The developing countries are faced daily with electric system collapses, especially in the case of wars, where many parts of the electrical grid in the country can be damaged and fuel transmission lines for generators cut off. Urban areas in developing countries should have a strategic plan to deal with any unexpected occurrence of energy shortages using any available renewable energy sources. City of Latakia is located in the region which has been suffering from the consequences of war for more than six years. The fact that a high number of migrants from other cities have come to Latakia along with a lack of fuel makes the energy shortage in the city worse. An emergency system could use the cheapest available renewable energy sources in addition to few big portable generators to provide an acceptable energy supply for the most needed requirements of daily life.

The authors study an independent grid where the penetration of wind energy is high and exploit the joint planning of energy storage and a renewable energy source, as it can potentially result in a more economical and efficient energy system. More specifically, they consider an energy system that consists of a gas‐fired plant, and a small wind farm with a capacity for energy storage. They assume that the gas‐fired plant has a maximum generation capacity that is no more than the electricity demand. They first propose an optimisation model with known wind speed and electricity demand. Then they gradually extend this deterministic model to take into account the stochastic nature of the renewable energy source and electricity demand. Furthermore, they consider the possibility of connecting their system to the National Grid, which they import from or export to when their system has an energy shortage or surplus in meeting the demand. Their results provide helpful insights in planning the joint deployment of generation capacity and energy storage, and show that the system operates more efficiently and economically when it is connected to the National Grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenotypic changes in the root system of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings in transgenic lines with overexpression and suppressed gene expression of serine-threonine protein kinase KIN10, under conditions of energy shortage and under normal conditions, were shown. The normal growth and development of KIN10 overexpressing plants under energy deficiency conditions were detected. The significant inhibition of the development of these plant lines was observed under normal conditions. The levels of KIN10 gene expression under normal conditions in different organs of Arabidopsis thaliana, particularly in the roots, stems, leaves and flowers were analyzed. The highest-level expression of the gene was found in the leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined energy crisis and sought solutions for reforms in the largest regions of the world i.e. East Asia & Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America & the Caribbean, South Asia, and Sub Saharan Africa. The study used number of growth related factors over the period of 1975–2012. The results indicate significant relationship between electric power shortage and growth related specific factors; however, the intensity for each factor varies from region to region. The results of Granger causality verify multiple cause-effect channels in the different regions i.e. feedback hypothesis, economic factors driven electric shortage; electric shortage driven economic factors and no causal relationship between the variables. The results of variance decomposition analysis indicate that greenhouse gas emissions exhibit the largest contribution due to shortages in the electric power transmission. The study opens the debate for environmentalists, government and non-government officials to formulate the sustainable policies related to energy reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper extends a standard model of monopolistic competition with heterogeneous firms and incorporates energy as intermediate input. The effect of energy shortage on firm productivity is illustrated theoretically and examined empirically. Our reasoning contributes to the understanding of the mechanism by which energy shortage affects the productivity of enterprises. The empirical analysis is based on the World Bank's global enterprise survey dataset for 119 countries over the period 2007-2017. Our empirical results indicate that: (i) power shortage imposes a significant negative impact on firm total factor productivity (TFP); (ii) power shortage reduce firm TFP by jeopardizing skilled workers' productive activities; (iii) TFP of private enterprises is vulnerable to power shortage; (iv) and productivities for the firms located in low- and middle-income countries are sensitive to power shortage. The empirical results also shed light on TFP-enhancing energy policy formation. The government should provide a stable supply of energy and power shortage relief measures to ensure economic development. Since private firms in low and middle-income countries are most vulnerable to power shortages, the energy policy formulated by the governments of these countries should be tilted towards their private entities. • Extending model of monopolistic competition economy. • Identifying power shortage from World Bank Global Enterprise Survey data. • Power shortage leads to significantly lower firm productivity. • Private firms in low and middle-income countries are most vulnerable to power shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A comprehensive investigation was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of newly installed biogas digesters in saving biomass resources and addressing energy squandering. Compared with traditional coal-based or firewood dominated energy consumption, the biogas digesters economize on energy resources due to higher heat efficiency. Furthermore, since crop residues of straw and other domestic animal and human excreta are effectively recycled and reused as anaerobic fermentation materials of biogas digesters, greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced by converting the previous extensive combustion of such into a sustainable and highly efficient practice in the rural region. The results in this study show that total energy consumption is 412kgce (kgce: 1kg standard coal. 1kgce=29.31MJ) in Xiyang Township in 2009. The construction of biogas digesters significantly contributes to the transformation of rural household energy consumption structure, though biogas as a renewable energy only accounts for 6.31% of the total household energy consumption. Per capita rural household energy consumption is 393.07kgce in household with biogas digesters and 437.60kgce in household without biogas digesters. In addition, application of biogas dregs, slurry, and marsh liquid to the agricultural crops have greatly reduced the expenditure of buying chemical fertilizers. The average commercial fertilizer per mu (0.067ha) in rural households using biogas digesters is 12.43kg and the cost per mu is 29.53yuan (1yuan=0.1523dollar), while rural households without biogas digesters use 25.22kg of commercial fertilizers and cost 59.71yuan per mu. The utilization of biogas in rural semi-arid regions of China is a potentially clean development mechanism (CDM) and has profound implications for applied energy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: At present, China''s economic development faces energy challenge, and the appropriate solution of energy bottleneck is the key to healthy, rapid and sustainable development. China''s gross amount of hydraulic resource ranks first in the world; however, because of low level of development, hydraulic resource has a broad development prospect. Now, China''s hydropower development is in its peak period. By the end of 2004, the gross installed hydropower capacity of China broke through 100millionkW. From there, it has remained in the top slot worldwide. The vigorous development of hydropower is necessary because of the energy shortage and environmental pollution in China in order to attain sustainable development of China''s economy. Abundant hydraulic resource, huge market demands, the strategy of western development and the favorable environment of economic development provide hydropower construction with unprecedented advantages and opportunities. Chins hydropower development aims at an installed hydropower capacity of up to 194millionkW by 2010, accounting for 23.1% of the gross installed power capacity and 35% of hydropower resource. Finally, we present the general condition of Three Gorges project as well as the new mode of hydropower development of Three Gorges Project Corporation, i.e., cascade development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The southeast of China has experienced a comparatively rapid economic development in recent years compared to the remaining areas of China. Consumption of considerable fossil fuel causes an increasingly serious energy shortage and environmental pollution, which threatens the sustainable development of the southeast of China. Jiangsu province, one of the most fast developing provinces in the southeast of China, is a good case. Jiangsu has a large population, large area of forested land, advanced agriculture and long coastline, which could potentially provide huge amount of feedstock for bioenergy production. In 2006, about 86.73 Mt of manure (livestock + human), 42.22 Mt of crop residues and food-processing byproducts, 1.03 Mt of fuelwood and wood manufacturing residues, 8.51 Mt of municipal waste were generated in Jiangsu Province. 138.40 Mt of the total biomass energy derived from these materials could potentially displace the use of about 21.30 Mt of coal. Meanwhile, energy plants, which will be potentially planted on the massive idle land, saline soil and farmers' yards, could provide 8.60 Mt of feed-stock for biofuel production in the future. For better utilizing bioenergy in Jiangsu, several suggestions are given, including making an overall development planning, giving supports on tax, price, technology and funds, and carrying out the research of bioenergy technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]