Article
Thermodynamics
Mohammad Rehan, Muhammad Amir Raza, Abdul Ghani Abro, M. M. Aman, Iqbal Mohammad Ibrahim Ismail, Abdul Sattar Nizami, Muhammad Imtiaz Rashid, Ahmed Summan, Khurram Shahzad, Nadeem Ali
Summary: Pakistan has been struggling with electricity shortages since 2005, hindering the country's growth in agriculture, industry, and services sectors. This study used LEAP & REG; software to forecast Pakistan's energy mix from 2022-2050 under baseline and transformation scenarios. The baseline scenario focuses on increasing hydroelectric power, while the transformation scenario emphasizes the use of biomass. The study recommends the transformation scenario due to retiring hydro plants and limited budget for new constructions. By utilizing biomass-based distributed power generation, Pakistan could generate enough sustainable energy to meet future demand.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Donal O. Ceileachair, Richard O'Shea, Jerry D. Murphy, David M. Wall
Summary: This study analyzes the effects of seasonal factors and explores whether optimized digestate recirculation can alleviate some of the challenges in using dairy slurry as a feedstock in on-farm biogas plants. It is important for countries with pasture-based dairy farming to have such evidence in order to develop on-farm biogas plants, reduce fugitive emissions, and produce alternatives to fossil fuels.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Giuseppe Pulighe, Tiziana Pirelli
Summary: Bioenergy can play a significant role in Europe's transition towards a self-sufficient low-carbon energy sector. Assessing the sustainability of bioenergy systems requires considering specific contexts and potential trade-offs, such as competing uses of land, water, and energy. This study uses a web GIS platform to evaluate the sustainability of a short bioenergy pathway, showing that bioenergy from oilseed crops can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 73% compared to fossil fuels. The platform proves to be effective in optimizing interlinkages within the bioenergy system and can serve as a decision-support tool for developing sustainable bioenergy systems in Europe.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mohamed Arbi Abdeladhim, Luuk Fleskens, Jantiene Baartman, Mongi Sghaier, Mohamed Ouessar, Coen J. Ritsema
Summary: Water harvesting techniques are important climate change adaptation measures. This study used a participatory assessment framework and Geographic Information Systems to identify suitable sites for these techniques, taking into account stakeholders' sustainability criteria. The findings from an application in Tunisia revealed that traditional techniques are the most suitable and sustainable for farmers, while decision-makers prefer innovative techniques.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Karen Lorena Martinez-Mendoza, Juan Guerrero-Perez, Juan Barraza-Burgos, Carmen Rosa Forero, Orla Williams, Edward Lester, Nicolas Gil
Summary: This study assesses the combustion behavior of agricultural and industrial residues in the Colombian sugarcane industry. It found that industrial residues have higher combustion reactivity and stability compared to agricultural residues. The composition analysis revealed higher ash content and lower lignin content in agricultural residues. These findings are important for optimizing the utilization of sugarcane residues in energy applications.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Akash Deep Singh, Bhautik Gajera, A. K. Sarma
Summary: Biomass from agricultural production in India has the potential to convert into valuable energy sources, meeting sustainable energy needs and benefiting farmers. The study shows significant bioenergy potential of agricultural leftovers, animal manure, and municipal waste, but challenges in overcoming techno-economic barriers remain.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Esther S. Parish, Latha M. Baskaran, Virginia H. Dale
Summary: Land-management choices for economic and societal gains have significant impacts on landscapes and dependent species. A proposed analysis framework helps identify mitigation practices to reduce negative impacts on species at risk, with a focus on the gopher tortoise in the southeastern United States where wood pellet production is increasing. By considering life-history conditions and forest-management practices, mechanisms of potential impacts on the species can be identified and mitigation practices implemented to support conservation efforts.
WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Francesca Valenti, Monica C. M. Parlato, Biagio Pecorino, Roberta Selvaggi
Summary: With the aim of increasing renewable energy utilization, biomethane production through anaerobic digestion has significantly grown in recent years. Recognizing the opportunity to enhance the efficiency of agro-industrial chains and reduce economic and environmental impact, strategic planning for a sustainable biomethane chain aligned with the circular economy is necessary. This study highlights the importance of strategic planning for the development of a sustainable biomethane sector, particularly in the logistics and supply phase of bioenergy projects. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) methodology developed in this study provides valuable insights for the literature, offering an operational GIS tool to define sustainable strategies and emphasizing the significance of an integrated approach along the entire supply chain for resource management.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mohd Alsaleh, A. S. Abdul-Rahim
Summary: The study shows that bioenergy use within an institutional framework significantly contributes to reducing forest degradation in the European Union countries, regardless of their development status. This highlights the importance of efficient institutions and government governance in combating forest degradation, especially in developed countries.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Avinash Bharti, Kunwar Paritosh, Venkata Ravibabu Mandla, Aakash Chawade, Vivekanand Vivekanand
Summary: Agricultural residue is a valuable resource for energy production, particularly for power generation. The use of satellite data and GIS technology can enhance the assessment and utilization of biomass, improving the efficiency of bioenergy generation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kevin R. Fingerman, Jerome Qiriazi, Cassidy L. Barrientos, Max Blasdel, Jeffrey M. Comnick, Andrew R. Harris, Carisse Geronimo, Chih-Wei Hsu, Jeffrey M. Kane, Elaine Oneil, Sabrinna Rios-Romero, Luke W. Rogers, Mark Severy, Micah C. Wright
Summary: California is facing a crisis on its forested landscapes due to aggressive logging, fire suppression, and climate change. State policymakers have turned to biomass electricity generation as a potential solution, but the climate and air pollution impacts are still unclear. The California Biomass Residue Emissions Characterization (C-BREC) model provides a framework to assess the impacts of biopower from forest residues and suggests that utilization of residue offers the best climate and air quality performance.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Tariq Khan, Muhammad Shoaib, Muhammad Hammad, Hamza Salahudin, Fiaz Ahmad, Shakil Ahmad
Summary: Rainfall-runoff modeling has been a core topic in hydrology research. This study compares the performance of different machine learning techniques and the impact of wavelet pre-processing in rainfall-runoff modeling of the Soan River basin in Pakistan. The MODWT-based DTF model showed the highest Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency and lowest root mean square error among all models, indicating its superior performance in the study.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mohsen Ramezanzade, Hossein Karimi, Khalid Almutairi, Hoa Ao Xuan, Javad Saebi, Ali Mostafaeipour, Kuaanan Techato
Summary: The study aims to select the best renewable energy projects using a hybrid decision-making framework and a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making model. Results show that factors such as social acceptance, net-presented cost, and noise play crucial roles in site selection.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mengyu Li, Ella Middelhoff, Fabiano A. Ximenes, Catherine Carney, Ben Madden, Nick Florin, Arunima Malik, Manfred Lenzen
Summary: This study aims to assess Australia's potential energy transition pathways and 100% renewable electricity supply scenarios under various biomass bidding strategies and cost assumptions. The findings suggest that bioelectricity can be a cost-effective flexible option as carbon prices increase, with its generation share reaching a significant level in higher carbon price scenarios.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Swati B. Bhonde, Sharmila K. Wagh, Jayashree R. Prasad
Summary: Cancer is caused by the transformation of a normal cell into an uncontrollable malignant tumor cell. Microarray analysis is used to classify and predict cancers. Although gene expression classifications remain a challenge, recent advances in microarray technologies have made it possible to discover tumor-specific biomarkers and improve accuracy.
Article
Forestry
Raffaele Spinelli, Natascia Magagnotti, Barnabas Kovac, Patrik Heger, David Heilig, Balint Heil, Gabor Kovacs, Matevz Mihelic
Summary: Early pre-sorting of log-trees and biomass-trees during tree crop harvesting can significantly increase the overall value of the harvest and reduce harvesting costs. This method decreases productivity for the initial feller-buncher machine, but results in a higher productivity for the processor machine. Additionally, pre-sorting makes whole-tree harvesting a cheaper option compared to cut-to-length system.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOREST ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Giovanna Ottaviani Aalmo, Raffaele Spinelli, Natascia Magagnotti, Rien Visser
Summary: Automation in forestry can reduce mental workload and improve productivity, but it is necessary to consider its impacts on other tasks.
Article
Forestry
Stefan Leitner, Massimiliano Renzi, Raffaele Spinelli, Renato Vidoni
Summary: This research focuses on the design of hybrid tower yarder drivetrains in the forestry sector to facilitate the transition to more sustainable equipment. Through simulation and data analysis, the best design and control algorithms are determined. The results confirm the feasibility of hybridization and the potential for energy recovery.
Article
Forestry
Raffaele Spinelli, Natascia Magagnotti, Fabio De Francesco, Barnabas Kovac, Patrik Heger, David Heilig, Balint Heil, Gabor Kovacs, Tomas Zemanek
Summary: Plantation forestry in Europe has a long history and plays a crucial role in supporting the local industry, providing employment, improving environmental quality, and mitigating climate change. However, finding a cost-effective harvesting system for medium-rotation poplar plantations poses challenges due to the small size of the trees and the need for log production. A study conducted in western Slovakia tested four different mechanized cut-to-length chains and found that choosing smaller harvesters is preferable due to the tree size limitation. Furthermore, smaller machines are also advantageous in wetland plantations.
Article
Forestry
Rien M. M. Visser, Raffaele Spinelli
Summary: Skidders are cost-effective extraction machines. A study in Southland, New Zealand, compared the performance of a two-axle skidder with and without winch assistance on different slope trails. The study found that winch assistance improved productivity by 8% on a 30% slope trail, but had no positive effect on a 40% slope trail. Preliminary soil disturbance assessment showed low soil disturbance at the harvest site.
Article
Forestry
Raffaele Spinelli, Natascia Magagnotti, Giulio Cosola
Summary: Interviews with 51 entrepreneurs revealed that cable-yarding specialist companies in Italy are typically small-scale businesses, employing 3 to 5 operators and producing about 5000 m(3) over bark annually. Their main equipment is tower yarders, supported by adapted farm tractors and excavators. Alpine entrepreneurs differ from non-alpine ones in terms of productivity and versatility due to differences in work environment. Non-alpine loggers face limitations such as fragmented private ownership, smaller hardwood trees, and less valuable timber products. However, further expansion of cable-logging south of the Alps could be achieved through the development of new equipment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOREST ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Raffaele Spinelli, Natascia Magagnotti, Barnabas Kovacs, Patrik Heger, Matevz Mihelic
Summary: The study compared the effectiveness of two different logging methods, cut-to-length (CTL) and whole-tree-harvesting (WTH), with two log length specifications (2 m vs. 4 m). The research aimed to determine which combination of method and log length resulted in lower costs and/or better log yield. The study found that CTL harvesting into 4-m long logs was the most effective solution, offering a better log yield compared to WTH and incurring similar harvesting costs. Shortening log length to 2 m increased harvesting costs by 25%.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giulia Graldi, Dino Zardi, Alfonso Vitti
Summary: In this study, a method was developed to estimate superficial soil moisture from SAR data at the field scale on agricultural fields. The method accounted for both the direct and inverse relationship between the backscattering coefficient and measured soil moisture. The method was applied in a semi-arid Mediterranean climate region in Spain, with good results obtained for fields with both direct and inverse relationships.
Article
Forestry
Natascia Magagnotti, Matevz Mihelic, Anna Perazzolo, Raffaele Spinelli
Summary: The study investigates the forest interventions conducted on small-scale forests by Forest Service crews in Verona, Italy, with a focus on restoring degraded forests. Data from 340 worksites over 17 years were used to analyze operational performance and trends. Most interventions involved thinning and conversion of softwood plantations and beech/mixwood coppice stands, with softwood thinning becoming more prevalent over time. Productivity varied between 1 and 8 m3 per worker day, with fuel consumption of 0.4 l m-3 or 38 l ha-1.
SMALL-SCALE FORESTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Valentina D'Alonzo, Pietro Zambelli, Samuele Zilio, Alyona Zubaryeva, Andrea Grotto, Wolfram Sparber
Summary: The European Union has experienced significant growth in the electric passenger vehicle market over the past decade. The increase in the number of electric vehicles necessitates a thorough examination of the current infrastructure and future development, which are crucial for the continued market growth of this technology. The lack of charging infrastructure, along with the high purchase price of electric vehicles, is identified as one of the main barriers. Therefore, the infrastructure and vehicles must evolve together, considering not only the quantitative balance between EVs and charging stations but also the interlinkages with social, technical, and economic criteria for overall system development.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Clara Tattoni, Marco Galaverni, Antonio Pollutri, Damiano G. Preatoni, Adriano Martinoli, Jorge E. Arana
Summary: The unequal distribution of costs and benefits of living with wildlife is a cause of human-carnivore conflicts. The Apennine brown bear, endemic to central Italy, has both ecological value and the ability to attract nature-seeking tourists. The economic value of this flagship species as a destination image was calculated using the Advertising Value Equivalent of the bears' appearances in national media, which greatly exceeded the reimbursements the park received for managing the bear. This cultural value evaluation can help highlight the economic benefits provided by the bear and contribute to discussions with managers and stakeholders.
HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF WILDLIFE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Wolfram Sparber, Andrea Grotto, Pietro Zambelli, Roberto Vaccaro, Alyona Zubaryeva
Summary: Public bus decarbonization is crucial in tackling global climate change, especially in extra-urban regions with challenging weather conditions. This study analyzes the best-fit technology (battery electric buses or fuel cell electric buses) for each bus line in a mountainous region by considering the state-of-the-art zero-emission buses, local bus lines, and timetables. A simulation tool is also developed to assess the compatibility of zero-emission technologies with distance, altitude difference, and climate conditions. The results show that a complete switch to zero-emission technologies is feasible with a slight increase in bus numbers, and both battery electric buses and fuel cell electric buses can cover similar distances in mountainous areas. The developed tool is applicable to all fleet types with clearly defined daily routes.
WORLD ELECTRIC VEHICLE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Benno Eberhard, Natascia Magagnotti, Rodolfo Picchio, Raffaele Spinelli
Summary: Coppice management is becoming more popular due to its ability to meet multiple demands in modern forestry. Mechanization is needed to improve profitability, and this study found that there were no significant differences in the resprouting ability of stumps between using an excavator mounted disc saw and an excavator mounted hydraulic shear.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniele Rossi, Guido Zolezzi, Walter Bertoldi, Alfonso Vitti
Summary: Remote sensing is essential for assessing environmental phenomena, and it has become increasingly useful in monitoring shorelines, river morphology, flood-wave delineation, and flood assessment. This study introduces a cloud-based unsupervised algorithm that uses Sentinel-1 SAR data to monitor river dynamics during extreme flow conditions and extract geometric parameters at high temporal and spatial resolutions. The algorithm can support various analyses of river dynamics and has potential applications with higher resolution SAR data from ICEYE and Capella Space constellations.
Proceedings Paper
Geography, Physical
G. Graldi, A. Vitti
Summary: This study presents a preliminary analysis of a change detection method for high-resolution remote sensed soil moisture retrieval. Sentinel-1 SAR images were used to study agricultural areas in Spain, with in situ soil moisture data available. The relationship between soil moisture and the co-polarized band of Sentinel-1 was analyzed, and the measurement stations with stronger relation were selected. Time series analyses were conducted to study the interactions between SAR parameters and in situ data, and to identify suitable time domains for consistent application of the method.
XXIV ISPRS CONGRESS: IMAGING TODAY, FORESEEING TOMORROW, COMMISSION III
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Jeffrey Wade, Christa Kelleher, Barret L. Kurylyk
Summary: This study developed a physically-based water temperature model coupled with the National Water Model (NWM) to assess the potential for water temperature prediction to be incorporated into the NWM at the continental scale. By evaluating different model configurations of increasing complexity, the study successfully simulated hourly water temperatures in the forested headwaters of H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon, USA, providing a basis for integrating water temperature simulation with predictions from the NWM.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Shaun SH. Kim, Lucy A. Marshall, Justin D. Hughes, Lynn Seo, Julien Lerat, Ashish Sharma, Jai Vaze
Summary: A major challenge in hydrologic modelling is producing reliable uncertainty estimates outside of calibration periods. This research addresses the challenge by improving model structures and error models to more reliably estimate uncertainty. The combination of the RBS model and SPUE produces statistically reliable predictions and shows better matching performance in tests.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Juan Pedro Carbonell-Rivera, Javier Estornell, Luis Angel Ruiz, Pablo Crespo-Peremarch, Jaime Almonacid-Caballer
Summary: This study presents Class3Dp, a software for classifying vegetation species in colored point clouds. The software utilizes geometric, spectral, and neighborhood features along with machine learning methods to classify the point cloud, allowing for the recognition of species composition in an ecosystem.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Zhi Li, Daniel Caviedes-Voullieme, Ilhan Oezgen-Xian, Simin Jiang, Na Zheng
Summary: The optimal strategy for solving the Richards equation numerically depends on the specific problem, particularly when using GPUs. This study investigates the parallel performance of four numerical schemes on both CPUs and GPUs. The results show that the scaling of Richards solvers on GPUs is influenced by various factors. Compared to CPUs, parallel simulations on GPUs exhibit significant variation in scaling across different code sections, with poorly-scaled components potentially impacting overall performance. Nonetheless, using GPUs can greatly enhance computational speed, especially for large-scale problems.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Ludovic Cassan, Leo Pujol, Paul Lonca, Romain Guibert, Helene Roux, Olivier Mercier, Dominique Courret, Sylvain Richard, Pierre Horgue
Summary: Methods and algorithms for measuring stream surface velocities have been continuously developed over the past five years to adapt to specific flow typologies. The free software ANDROMEDE allows easy use and comparison of these methods with image processing capabilities designed for measurements in natural environments and with unmanned aerial vehicles. The validation of the integrated algorithms is presented on three case studies that represent the targeted applications: the study of currents for eco-hydraulics, the measurement of low water flows and the diagnosis of hydraulic structures. The field measurements are in very good agreement with the optical measurements and demonstrate the usefulness of the tool for rapid flow diagnosis for all the intended applications.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Mariia Kozlova, Robert J. Moss, Julian Scott Yeomans, Jef Caers
Summary: This paper introduces a framework for quantitative sensitivity analysis using the SimDec visualization method, and tests its effectiveness on decision-making problems. The framework captures critical information in the presence of heterogeneous effects, and enhances its practicality by introducing a formal definition and classification of heterogeneous effects.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Chad R. Palmer, Denis Valle, Edward V. Camp, Wendy-Lin Bartels, Martha C. Monroe
Summary: Simulation games have been used in natural resource management for education and communication purposes, but not for data collection. This research introduces a new design process which involves stakeholders and emphasizes usability, relevance, and credibility testing criteria. The result is a finalized simulation game for future research.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Tao Wang, Chenming Zhang, Ye Ma, Harald Hofmann, Congrui Li, Zicheng Zhao
Summary: This study used numerical modeling to investigate the formation process of iron curtains under different freshwater and seawater conditions. It was found that Fe(OH)3 accumulates on the freshwater side, while the precipitation is inhibited on the seaward side due to high H+ concentrations. These findings enhance our understanding of iron transformation and distribution in subterranean estuaries.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Grant Hutchings, James Gattiker, Braden Scherting, Rodman R. Linn
Summary: Computational models for understanding and predicting fire in wildland and managed lands are becoming increasingly impactful. This paper addresses the characterization and population of mid-story fuels, which are not easily observable through traditional survey or remote sensing. The authors present a methodology to populate the mid-story using a generative model for fuel placement, which can be calibrated based on limited observation datasets or expert guidance. The connection of terrestrial LiDAR as the observations used to calibrate the generative model is emphasized. Code for the methods in this paper is provided.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Saswata Nandi, Pratiman Patel, Sabyasachi Swain
Summary: IMDLIB is an open-source Python library that simplifies the retrieval and processing of gridded meteorological data from IMD, enhancing data accessibility and facilitating hydro-climatic research and analysis.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Pengfei Wu, Jintao Liu, Meiyan Feng, Hu Liu
Summary: In this paper, a new flow distance algorithm called D infinity-TLI is proposed, which accurately estimates flow distance and width function using a two-segment-distance strategy and triangulation with linear interpolation method. The evaluation results show that D infinity-TLI outperforms existing algorithms and has a low mean absolute relative error.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
