Article
Thermodynamics
Ana Lovrak, Tomislav Puksec, Marino Grozdek, Neven Duic
Summary: This research examines the biogas potential from industrial residues and by-products, taking into account spatial and seasonal variations in feedstock production. The study highlights the importance of considering seasonal aspects in defining biomass potential for biogas production.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Marvin Scherzinger, Martin Kaltschmitt, Amr Y. Elbanhawy
Summary: The cultivation of field crops produces organic residues which can be used for biogas production, but this requires operators to have sufficient expertise to avoid overload. Laboratory testing determined the anaerobic degradability of various Egyptian agricultural residues, and a model was developed to estimate biogas production.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
R. A. Dar, M. Parmar, E. A. Dar, R. K. Sani, U. G. Phutela
Summary: The study discusses the reasonable creation and utilization of renewable energy, exploring the potential of biofuels generated from non-food crops and the utilization of agricultural waste.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Lu Feng, Nabin Aryal, Yeqing Li, Svein Jarle Horn, Alastair James Ward
Summary: Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a versatile technology that can produce biofuels, biochemicals, and fertilizer as part of the circular bioeconomy. Agricultural residues, such as animal slurry, straw, and grass silage, are valuable resources with significant potential to increase biogas and methane yields. However, it is crucial to assess the long-term impacts and the potential accumulation of unwanted substances. This comprehensive literature review analyzes the benefits and environmental impacts of using agricultural residues for AD and highlights potential risks and challenges in developing a biogas-centered circular bioeconomy.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Tao Luo, Junting Pan, Shulan Li, Jian Xue, Zili Mei, Hongbin Liu
Summary: Rice straw and pig manure pellets, as well as sorghum straw and pig manure pellets, had minimal changes in characteristics during one-year indoor storage, with relatively high biogas yields. Co-densified biomass digestion improved biodegradability and increased biogas production. Considering volatile matter loss and decline in biogas yield, co-densified rice straw and pig manure pellets had a higher net biogas yield compared to rice straw.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Washinton Orlando Meneses-Quelal, Borja Velazquez-Marti, Juan Gaibor-Chavez, Zulay Nino-Ruiz, Andres Ferrer-Gisbert
Summary: The experimental evaluation of anaerobic co-digestion in Guaranda city shows that co-digestion of slaughterhouse residues with agriculture residues can reduce emissions and prevent pollution. The synergy between slaughterhouse residues and quinoa in the mixture accelerates biodegradability and increases biogas production.
BIOENERGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Christos Argyropoulos, Theodoros Petrakis, Lito-Aspasia Roditi, Angeliki Kavga
Summary: The use of green energy forms, such as biofuels and biogas, has become more prevalent due to the circular economy and the increasing demand for renewable and green energy. This study focuses on the agricultural and livestock residues in the Thessaly region and calculates the biomass production, biogas potential, and energy output from these wastes. The study also highlights the solid residues that can be used to improve the soil in the region.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Barkatullah Kandhro, Abdul Razaque Sahito, Jonathan Daniel Nixon, Mohammad Aslam Uqaili, Nayyar Hussain Mirjat, Khanji Harijan, Rafi O. Zaman, Laveet Kumar
Summary: This study investigates the seasonal variations in biogas production, biogas composition, and loss of volatile solid and methane potential of digestate slurry in a reinforced concrete dome biogas plant. The results show that the plant can produce adequate amount of biogas to fulfill the domestic requirements during both warm and cold months in Pakistan.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Senar Aydin, Arzu Ulvi, Fatma Beduk, Mehmet Emin Aydin
Summary: The occurrences, temporal variations and ecotoxicological risks of 38 selected pharmaceuticals from 7 therapeutic classes have been observed in the anaerobically treated sludge of the urban wastewater treatment plant in Konya, Turkey. The total concentrations of all pharmaceutical compounds ranged from 280 to 4898 μg/kg of dry matter. The dominant therapeutic class was analgesics and anti-inflammatories, and the use of treated sludge as fertilizer in agricultural lands causes continuous contamination of the terrestrial environment by pharmaceuticals.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jixiang Zhang, Jun Li, Changqing Dong, Xiaolei Zhang, Athanasios Rentizelas, Delong Shen
Summary: This study introduces an approach for estimating the sustainable potential of agricultural residue biomass in China, considering factors such as regional crop yields, topographic and legislative restrictions, as well as soil organic matter and erosion. The theoretical, technical, and sustainable potential of agricultural residues were calculated, with Heilongjiang province identified as having the greatest potential for developing an economy based on agricultural residues.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Vasiliki P. Aravani, Hangyu Sun, Ziyi Yang, Guangqing Liu, Wen Wang, George Anagnostopoulos, George Syriopoulos, Nikolaos D. Charisiou, Maria A. Goula, Michael Kornaros, Vagelis G. Papadakis
Summary: Greece and China, as agricultural countries, face challenges in managing agricultural and livestock wastes. The amount of waste generated in China is significantly larger than that in Greece. Estimates suggest that these wastes have the potential to supply a significant portion of the energy needs for both countries.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Orlando Meneses-Quelal, Borja Velazquez-Marti, Juan Gaibor-Chavez, Zulay Nino-Ruiz
Summary: The study evaluated the co-digestion of agricultural residues with camelid manure in the Andean zone, finding that the highest methane accumulation rate was obtained with a VM-AS ratio (25:75) under a SIR 1:1 condition. Overall, increasing the inoculum did not increase methane yield, but rather the amount of agricultural residues was associated with improved methane production. The kinetic modeling showed that the transfer model best adjusted predicted values to observed values.
BIOFUELS BIOPRODUCTS & BIOREFINING-BIOFPR
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yan Wang, Nawa R. Baral, Minliang Yang, Corinne D. Scown
Summary: Scalable and low-cost biofuel and biochemical production can contribute to a more sustainable carbon economy and reduced reliance on crude oil. Lignocellulosic biorefineries can serve as multifunctional hubs for fuel production, petrochemical replacements, and organic waste treatment. Strategies such as codigestion of organic waste and biogas upgrading can significantly reduce costs and emissions in corn stover-to-ethanol biorefineries. Upgrading biogas to bioCNG is the most cost-effective climate mitigation strategy, while upgrading to PHB or SCP can compete with onsite biogas combustion.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ana Kodba, Tomislav Puksec, Neven Duic
Summary: The aim of this study was to analyze the greenhouse gas emissions savings achieved by agricultural residues, industrial by-products, and municipal biowaste. Bioenergy, specifically biogas from renewable feedstocks, is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. The revised Renewable Energy Directive recognizes the GHG mitigation potential of biogas production from certain sources. This study provides data on the maximum transport distance for achieving the required GHG emissions savings from considered feedstocks.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
B. Stuermer, D. Leiers, V Anspach, E. Bruegging, D. Scharfy, T. Wissel
Summary: Renewable energy production has increased in Europe since the 2000s, with biogas plants playing a role in reducing CO2 emissions. However, differences in the numbers and management of biogas plants exist among countries and regions, influenced by legal framework conditions. These conditions impact the structure and technical performance of the biogas sector, as well as the regional and historical influences on plant operation modes. Failure to evolve due to legal constraints may lead to a decline in green power production from biogas plants, affecting renewable energy sources and climate protection targets.
Article
Thermodynamics
Hrvoje Dorotic, Tomislav Puksec, Daniel Rolph Schneider, Neven Dui
Summary: Central-Eastern European countries often do not fully utilize the potential for expanding thermal networks due to low energy market prices, which reduce the economic feasibility of proposed projects. While there are many optimization methods available for district heating systems, they rarely compare costs with individual heating solutions. Consequently, a novel method using multi-objective optimization is proposed to evaluate district heating systems in relation to individual systems, considering cost and carbon allocations in cogeneration units.
Editorial Material
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Vladimir Z. Gjorgievski, Natasa Markovska, Tomislav Puksek, Neven Duic, Aoife Foley
Summary: This editorial summarizes the articles published in the virtual special issue related to the sustainable development conference, focusing on the contributions of these articles to expanding demand side flexibility and advancing the bioeconomy, as well as addressing the challenges of sustainable energy systems and providing effective tools for policy makers.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Borna Doracic, Matija Pavicevic, Tomislav Puksec, Sylvain Quoilin, Neven Duic
Summary: District heating has been proven as a suitable solution for decarbonisation of the energy sector in Europe, but it requires the incorporation of renewable and sustainable energy sources, including excess heat from industrial and service sectors. A wholesale day ahead heat market was simulated and validated in a case study in Croatia. Results show that introducing such a market can increase total welfare, especially when combined with thermal storage and low-cost renewables.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Ana Lovrak, Tomislav Puksec, Marino Grozdek, Neven Duic
Summary: This research examines the biogas potential from industrial residues and by-products, taking into account spatial and seasonal variations in feedstock production. The study highlights the importance of considering seasonal aspects in defining biomass potential for biogas production.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hrvoje Dorotic, Kristijan Culjak, Josip Miskic, Tomislav Puksec, Neven Duic
Summary: This study developed an economic assessment model for integrating urban heat sources into district heating systems. By using pinch analysis to define the optimal integration method, considering hourly waste heat utilization technologies, and taking into account different temperature regimes of urban sources and existing heat networks.
Editorial Material
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Benedetto Nastasi, Natasa Markovska, Tomislav Puksec, Neven Duic, Aoife Foley
Summary: This editorial introduces the virtual special issue of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (RSER) dedicated to the 4 SDEWES conferences held in 2020. It highlights that the issue includes high quality review papers and original research articles covering various areas such as renewable energy technologies, energy storage, energy modelling techniques, and climate and energy policy. The articles contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and were selected after a rigorous peer review process.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Julia M. Wittmayer, Ines Campos, Flor Avelino, Donal Brown, Borna Doracic, Maria Fraaije, Swantje Gaehrs, Arthur Hinsch, Silvia Assalini, Timon Becker, Esther Marin-Gonzalez, Lars Holstenkamp, Robert Bedoic, Neven Duic, Sem Oxenaar, Tomislav Puksec
Summary: This article examines the prefigurative work of 13 collective renewable energy prosumers from 7 European countries, discussing their contributions to energy system transformation and highlighting three tensions: focus on decarbonisation, selective involvement of individuals, and neglect of incumbency in prosumer ecosystems. Future research avenues are proposed.
ENERGY RESEARCH & SOCIAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Maja Percic, Lovro Frkovic, Tomislav Puksec, Boris Cosic, Oi Lun Li, Nikola Vladimir
Summary: This research compares the conventional power system (diesel engine) with an alternative power system using batteries to identify convenient technology for zero-emission shipping based on environmental and economic criteria. The environmental and economic performance of different powering options is analyzed through Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life-Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA). The study highlights the electrification with a Lithium-ion battery as the most suitable alternative for ro-ro passenger ships in Croatian short-sea navigation.
Article
Thermodynamics
Lovro Frkovic, Boris Cosic, Tomislav Puksec, Nikola Vladimir
Summary: Islands have the potential to integrate renewable energy sources and shift towards sustainable decarbonization. The integration of battery-powered electric ferries into isolated energy systems powered with renewables offers an economically and environmentally friendly solution. The synergy between solar power systems and electric ferries can significantly reduce excess electricity production, operating costs, and CO2 emissions.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Borna Doracic, Matija Pavicevic, Tomislav Puksec, Neven Duic
Summary: The heating sector in the European Union plays a crucial role in the energy transition, and district heating is a promising solution for reducing environmental impact. Excess heat from various sources has the potential to contribute to district heating, but a deregulated heat market is needed. This study examines the feasibility of different bidding strategies on the heat market and finds that supplying low temperature excess heat to high temperature district heating networks is not feasible. Lower temperature district heating is necessary for the utilization of low temperature excess heat. The analysis also shows that power market prices have a significant impact on the feasibility of low temperature excess heat, indicating that increasing the share of renewables in the power market could facilitate the utilization of these heat sources.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Josip Miskic, Tomislav Puksec, Neven Duic
Summary: This paper provides an overview of the Special Issue in the journal Clean Technology and Environmental Policy, which includes accepted papers from the 16th Conferences on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES). The overview highlights 12 accepted papers and presents the research efforts within the SDEWES community published in previous special issues.
CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ana Kodba, Tomislav Puksec, Neven Duic
Summary: The aim of this study was to analyze the greenhouse gas emissions savings achieved by agricultural residues, industrial by-products, and municipal biowaste. Bioenergy, specifically biogas from renewable feedstocks, is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. The revised Renewable Energy Directive recognizes the GHG mitigation potential of biogas production from certain sources. This study provides data on the maximum transport distance for achieving the required GHG emissions savings from considered feedstocks.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ana Kodba, Tomislav Puks, Neven Duic
Summary: This study proposes a P-graph-based model for optimizing a biomass supply network. The objective is to find the most cost-effective biomass supply network while meeting the greenhouse gas emission requirements. The model extends the P-graph-based biomass supply network and incorporates the limitation on greenhouse gas emissions associated with biogas use.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Ana Kodba, Tomislav Puksec, Neven Duic
Summary: This study presents a model for optimizing the biomass supply network for biogas production in urban areas, considering feedstocks from restaurants, shops, and the food and beverage industry. The study introduces an enhanced GIS-based approach to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and meet renewable energy requirements. Additionally, a novel approach that combines GIS mapping and a P-graph framework is introduced for comprehensive optimization of the network.
OPTIMIZATION AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shitong Fang, Houfan Du, Tao Yan, Keyu Chen, Zhiyuan Li, Xiaoqing Ma, Zhihui Lai, Shengxi Zhou
Summary: This paper proposes a new type of nonlinear VIV energy harvester (ANVEH) that compensates for the decrease in peak energy output at low wind speeds by introducing an auxiliary structure. Theoretical and experimental results show that ANVEH performs better than traditional nonlinear VIV energy harvesters under various system parameter variations.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wei Jiang, Shuo Zhang, Teng Wang, Yufei Zhang, Aimin Sha, Jingjing Xiao, Dongdong Yuan
Summary: A standardized method was developed to evaluate the availability of solar energy resources in road areas, which combined the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Geographic Information System (GIS). By analyzing critical factors and using a multi-indicator evaluation method, the method accurately evaluated the utilization of solar energy resources and guided the optimal location selection for road photovoltaic (PV) projects. The results provided guidance for the application of road PV projects and site selection for route corridors worldwide, promoting the integration of transportation and energy.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Chang Liu, Jacob A. Wrubel, Elliot Padgett, Guido Bender
Summary: The study investigates the effects of coating defects on the performance of the anode porous transport layer (PTL) in water electrolyzers. The results show that an increasing fraction of uncoated regions on the PTL leads to decreased cell performance, with continuous uncoated regions having a more severe impact compared to multiple thin uncoated strips.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marcos Tostado-Veliz, Xiaolong Jin, Rohit Bhakar, Francisco Jurado
Summary: In this paper, a coordinated charging price mechanism for clusters of parking lots is proposed. The research shows that enabling vehicle-to-grid characteristics can bring significant economic benefits for users and the cluster coordinator, and vehicle-to-grid impacts noticeably on the risk-averse character of the uncertainty-aware strategies. The developed pricing mechanism can reduce the cost for users, avoiding to directly translate the energy cost to charging points.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Duan Kang
Summary: Building an energy superpower is a key strategy for China and a long-term goal for other countries. This study proposes an evaluation system and index for measuring energy superpower, and finds that China has significantly improved its ranking over the past 21 years, surpassing other countries.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Fucheng Deng, Yifei Wang, Xiaosen Li, Gang Li, Yi Wang, Bin Huang
Summary: This study investigated the synergistic blockage mechanism of sand and hydrate in gravel filling layer and the evolution of permeability in the layer. Experimental models and modified permeability models were established to analyze the effects of sand particles and hydrate formation on permeability. The study provided valuable insights for the safe and efficient exploitation of hydrate reservoirs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hao Wang, Xiwen Chen, Natan Vital, Edward Duffy, Abolfazl Razi
Summary: This study proposes a HVAC energy optimization model based on deep reinforcement learning algorithm. It achieves 37% energy savings and ensures thermal comfort for open office buildings. The model has a low complexity, uses a few controllable factors, and has a short training time with good generalizability.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Moyue Cong, Yongzhuo Gao, Weidong Wang, Long He, Xiwang Mao, Yi Long, Wei Dong
Summary: This study introduces a multi-strategy ultra-wideband energy harvesting device that achieves high power output without the need for external power input. By utilizing asymmetry, stagger array, magnetic coupling, and nonlinearity strategies, the device maintains a stable output voltage and high power density output at non-resonant frequencies. Temperature and humidity monitoring are performed using Bluetooth sensors to adaptively assess the device.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Tianshu Dong, Xiudong Duan, Yuanyuan Huang, Danji Huang, Yingdong Luo, Ziyu Liu, Xiaomeng Ai, Jiakun Fang, Chaolong Song
Summary: Electrochemical water splitting is crucial for hydrogen production, and improving the hydrogen separation rate from the electrode is essential for enhancing water electrolyzer performance. However, issues such as air bubble adhesion to the electrode plate hinder the process. Therefore, a methodology to investigate the two-phase flow within the electrolyzer is in high demand. This study proposes using a microfluidic system as a simulator for the electrolyzer and optimizing the two-phase flow by manipulating the micro-structure of the flow.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shuo Han, Yifan Yuan, Mengjiao He, Ziwen Zhao, Beibei Xu, Diyi Chen, Jakub Jurasz
Summary: Giving full play to the flexibility of hydropower and integrating more variable renewable energy is of great significance for accelerating the transformation of China's power energy system. This study proposes a novel day-ahead scheduling model that considers the flexibility limited by irregular vibration zones (VZs) and the probability of flexibility shortage in a hydropower-variable renewable energy hybrid generation system. The model is applied to a real hydropower station and effectively improves the flexibility supply capacity of hydropower, especially during heavy load demand in flood season.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zhen Wang, Kangqi Fan, Shizhong Zhao, Shuxin Wu, Xuan Zhang, Kangjia Zhai, Zhiqi Li, Hua He
Summary: This study developed a high-performance rotary energy harvester (AI-REH) inspired by archery, which efficiently accumulates and releases ultralow-frequency vibration energy. By utilizing a magnetic coupling strategy and an accumulator spring, the AI-REH achieves significantly accelerated rotor speeds and enhanced electric outputs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yi Yang, Qianyi Xing, Kang Wang, Caihong Li, Jianzhou Wang, Xiaojia Huang
Summary: In this study, a novel hybrid Quantile Regression (QR) model is proposed for Probabilistic Load Forecasting (PLF). The model integrates causal dilated convolution, residual connection, and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) for multi-scale feature extraction. In addition, a Combined Probabilistic Load Forecasting System (CPLFS) is proposed to overcome the inherent flaws of relying on a single model. Simulation results show that the hybrid QR outperforms traditional models and CPLFS exceeds the best benchmarks in terms of prediction accuracy and stability.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wen-Jiang Zou, Young-Bae Kim, Seunghun Jung
Summary: This paper proposes a dynamic prediction model for capacity fade in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The model accurately predicts changes in electrolyte volume and capacity fade, enhancing the competitiveness of VRFBs in energy storage applications.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yuechao Ma, Shengtie Wang, Guangchen Liu, Guizhen Tian, Jianwei Zhang, Ruiming Liu
Summary: This paper focuses on the balance of state of charge (SOC) among multiple battery energy storage units (MBESUs) and bus voltage balance in an islanded bipolar DC microgrid. A SOC automatic balancing strategy is proposed considering the energy flow relationship and utilizing the adaptive virtual resistance algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy in achieving SOC balancing and decreasing bus voltage unbalance.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Raad Z. Homod, Basil Sh. Munahi, Hayder Ibrahim Mohammed, Musatafa Abbas Abbood Albadr, Aissa Abderrahmane, Jasim M. Mahdi, Mohamed Bechir Ben Hamida, Bilal Naji Alhasnawi, A. S. Albahri, Hussein Togun, Umar F. Alqsair, Zaher Mundher Yaseen
Summary: In this study, the control problem of the multiple-boiler system (MBS) is formulated as a dynamic Markov decision process and a deep clustering reinforcement learning approach is applied to obtain the optimal control policy. The proposed strategy, based on bang-bang action, shows superior response and achieves more than 32% energy saving compared to conventional fixed parameter controllers under dynamic indoor/outdoor actual conditions.
