Review
Energy & Fuels
James W. Mjelde, Kannika Duangnate
Summary: This article presents an overview of literature on demand estimation considering committed quantities, with a focus on energy commodities. The overview includes a definition and history of committed quantities, as well as different theoretical modeling methodologies. Previous studies suggest that committed quantities for various commodities range from 15% to 98% of consumption. The inclusion of committed quantities appears to generally improve estimates, although issues arise when estimated committed quantities are negative or exceed consumption amounts. The review concludes with a recommendation for further research to address these issues and enhance understanding of committed quantities in estimation.
Article
Environmental Studies
Mahmoud Qadan, Yasmeen Idilbi
Summary: Newly elected administrations consider the Presidential honeymoon period as the best time to promote legislation about their policies and make their own mark on the future economy and society. We use historical data about the US presidential elections since the presidency term of Ronald Reagan (1980) to that of Joe Biden and examine how the commodity market reacts during this period. The emerging picture indicates that despite the corresponding increase in political uncertainty during this period, commodity prices are generally unaffected, but their variability is slightly lower. In addition, the forward-looking volatility indices related to commodities also show significant drops in their levels. These findings contradict theoretical models suggesting that market participants demand compensation for bearing heightened political risk. Finally, we find evidence that commodities are more volatile under Republican presidents than Democratic presidents.
Article
Thermodynamics
Ashkan Nabavi-Pelesaraei, Hossein Azadi, Steven Van Passel, Zahra Saber, Fatemeh Hosseini-Fashami, Fatemeh Mostashari-Rad, Hassan Ghasemi-Mobtaker
Summary: The study aimed to determine the exergoenvironmental efficiency of using solar technologies in sunflower oil production in Iran. Results showed that the photovoltaic scenario was the most environmentally friendly. The majority of energy consumption occurred in the agricultural phase, with electricity having the highest share of total energy consumption.
Article
Thermodynamics
C. Ortiz, R. Chacartegui, J. M. Valverde, A. Carro, C. Tejada, J. Valverde
Summary: The paper proposes the integration of a Thermochemical Energy Storage (TCES) system in combined cycles to increase the share of solar power and predicts high efficiencies.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Mahboubeh Alizadeh Zolbin, Nassim Tahouni, M. Hassan Panjeshahi
Summary: In this paper, wind and solar energy are integrated into a Total Site (TS) system using pinch concepts to reduce environmental pollution. A new procedure of Total Site Heat Storage Cascade (TS-HSC) construction is proposed, and a strategy for estimating wind power economy in different wind turbine capacities is presented. The case study shows that increasing the area of solar thermal collectors and the capacity of wind turbines can significantly reduce heating requirements and power grid usage.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Timothy J. Silverman, Nick Bosco, Michael Owen-Bellini, Cara Libby, Michael G. Deceglie
Summary: In this study, we applied time-varying air pressure to a PV module using a new dynamic mechanical acceleration apparatus. Through a case study on a single cell in a commercial module, we found that lower pressure and more cycles can cause permanent damage to cracks, with the damage worsening and introducing new cracks over time.
IEEE JOURNAL OF PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Chongjun Wu, Songsheng Zheng, Zhaolin Wang, Riyi Chen, Xiaohui Hu, Jin Chen
Summary: China is seriously considering means to effectively reduce emissions from the increasing energy demand sector. The country leads with its solar PV capacity and is exploring the potential of using ammonia as a low carbon energy storage medium and sustainable fuel. Motivative policies are expected to encourage the development of solar-based ammonia in China.
ENERGY STRATEGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Yong Shuai, Hao Zhang, Bachirou Guene Lougou, Boshu Jiang, Azeem Mustafa, Chi-Hwa Wang, Fuqiang Wang, Jiupeng Zhao
Summary: In this study, the combination of experiments and numerical models investigated the application of solar thermal power coupled with a direct irradiated solar thermochemical reactor using NiFe2O4@ZrO2 oxygen exchange material. The results showed that NiFe2O4 exhibited higher CO2-splitting activity, resulting in significant CO yield at the early stages of the oxygen carriers' re-oxidation with CO2.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
John Mulrow, Joe F. Bozeman, Shantanu Pai, Emily Grubert, Sybil Derrible
Summary: This article proposes an Energy-Material Cycles (EM-cycles) model for comparing tradeoffs in different energy systems. Applying the model to recent vehicle models, the study finds that electrification may have a material efficiency advantage over combustion.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pooja J. Ayare, Noelle Watson, Maizie R. Helton, Matthew J. Warner, Tristan Dilbeck, Kenneth Hanson, Aaron K. Vannucci
Summary: This research demonstrates the photocatalytic synthesis of H2 using a multiphoton mechanism, where both a molecular photocatalyst and a substituted naphthol are excited in the presence of a sacrificial electron donor and proton source. The unique use of a naphthol molecule as both a light absorber and H2 producing catalyst offers a new paradigm for the production of solar fuels in uphill reactions.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yuxuan Zhao, Shengyuan Liu, Zhenzhi Lin, Fushuan Wen, Yi Ding
Summary: This study investigates an integrated solar system with CSP plants and solar prosumers, aiming to improve solar energy utilization and operational flexibilities. By coordinating stochastic scheduling strategies, the integration of CSP plants and solar prosumers can significantly boost profits and enhance operational flexibilities compared to individual operations.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Mohamed Salem, Morteza Fahim Alavi, Ibrahim Mahariq, Oussama Accouche, Mamdouh El Haj Assad
Summary: Organic Rankine Cycles (ORCs) are promising for generating power from medium or low temperature heat sources, including indirectly from solar energy. The performance of solar ORCs with thermal storage unit is influenced by factors such as temperature, pressure, and operating conditions, similar to conventional ORCs. The financial perspective and system configuration can also impact the improvement rate in ORCs by applying storage units.
FRONTIERS IN ENERGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Reyhaneh Loni, Omid Mahian, Christos N. Markides, Evangelos Bellos, Willem G. le Roux, Ailbakhsh Kasaeian, Gholamhassan Najafi, Fatemeh Rajaee
Summary: The organic Rankine cycle is an effective technology for power generation under high temperatures, and using solar irradiation as a driving force is considered promising. Various solar thermal technologies have been studied, focusing on the sustainability and limitations of the systems.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Business, Finance
Rodrigo da Silva Souza, Renee Fry-McKibbin
Summary: This study investigates the effects of commodity demand and supply shocks as well as international liquidity shocks on the small open economy of Brazil using an SVAR model. The results suggest that Brazil is more vulnerable to long-term effects of commodity demand shocks, and that international liquidity serves as a buffer to mitigate the impact of commodity price shocks on Brazil's interest rates in international capital markets.
INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF ECONOMICS & FINANCE
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Monica Hernandez Cedillo, Hongjian Sun, Jing Jiang, Yue Cao
Summary: This paper proposes a dynamic optimal operation of a solar-powered EV charging station, aiming to integrate more electric vehicles and renewable energy sources through pricing and control strategies. Simulations demonstrate that participating in energy markets can bring additional revenue streams to charging stations.
Article
Ecology
Erin Henry, Luca Santini, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Ana Benitez-Lopez
Summary: The intraspecific spatial patterns in body size vary across different species of terrestrial vertebrates, with birds and mammals showing significant correlations between body size and environmental factors. In birds, smaller body size is associated with higher temperature and lower resource seasonality, whereas in mammals, smaller body size is related to lower resource availability and seasonality. However, there is no clear size-environment relationship in reptiles and amphibians.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Maarten Jaap Erik Broekman, Selwyn Hoeks, Rosa Freriks, Merel M. Langendoen, Katharina M. Runge, Ecaterina Savenco, Ruben ter Harmsel, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Marlee A. Tucker
Summary: Home range is an important measure for understanding animal space use. However, previous macroecological studies have not fully considered the environmental context and intraspecific variation. This study introduces HomeRange, a global database with 75,611 home-range values of 960 mammal species, including terrestrial, aquatic, and aerial species. The database provides detailed information on species traits and methodological aspects.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jing Huo, Zhanyun Wang, Christopher Oberschelp, Gonzalo Guillen-Gosalbez, Stefanie Hellweg
Summary: This study explores the feasibility of a global chemical industry relying on CO2 as its carbon source in 2050. The global annual CO2 demand as chemical feedstock is projected to be 2.2-3.1 Gt, well within the possible supply range from various sectors. Feedstock availability is not a constraint, except for a few regions like the Middle East. The environmental benefits and trade-offs of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) are assessed, and it is concluded that capturing CO2 from biomass-fired power plants and pulp mills in Europe would have the least environmental and health impacts.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Louise Christine Dammeier, Joyce H. C. Bosmans, Mark A. J. Huijbregts
Summary: By combining technological parameters, life-cycle inventory data, and meteorological information, we quantified the greenhouse gas footprint of wind farms globally. Our results indicate a median GHG footprint of 10 g CO(2)eq/kWh for global wind electricity, with a range of 4 to 56 g CO(2)eq/kWh.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Javier Babi Almenar, Claudio Petucco, Tomas Navarrete Gutierrez, Laurent Chion, Benedetto Rugani
Summary: Nature-based solutions (NBS) are cost-effective solutions in urban planning and policy making that provide multiple ecosystem services and address societal challenges. This paper introduces a prototype online decision support tool, NBenefit$((R)), that quantifies the environmental costs and benefits of urban forests over their entire life cycle. The tool combines system dynamics, urban ecology, and life cycle thinking approaches, and is presented as a visual web-based interface. The results demonstrate the potential value of NBenefit$ in evaluating the long-term performance of NBS projects.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hadassa Moreira, Koen J. J. Kuipers, Leo Posthuma, Michiel C. Zijp, Mara Hauck, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Aafke M. Schipper
Summary: Land use is a significant driver of biodiversity loss globally, and this study estimated the global extinction threat to vascular plant species based on a novel integration of species-area model and relative endemism richness. The results showed that 11% of vascular plant species are threatened with global extinction, with the highest threat in the Neotropic and Palearctic realms due to different intensities of cropland use.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sif de Visser, Laura Scherer, Mark Huijbregts, Valerio Barbarossa
Summary: Human activities pose increasing threats to highly biodiverse freshwater ecosystems. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a valuable tool to evaluate the impact of products and services on freshwater biodiversity. The current methodologies in LCA mainly consider the impact of climate change on freshwater fish diversity through changes in average river discharge, but fail to include the importance of water temperature changes and climate extremes. This study introduces new characterization factors that account for climate-driven changes in streamflow and water temperature extremes, and quantifies global freshwater fish extinction risks at different levels of global warming.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Correction
Environmental Sciences
Joyce H. C. Bosmans, Louise C. Dammeier, Mark A. J. Huijbregts
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Juan Gallego-Zamorano, Melinda M. J. de Jonge, Katharina Runge, Steven H. Huls, Jiaqi Wang, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Aafke M. Schipper
Summary: Anthropogenic increases in nitrogen have diverse impacts on terrestrial invertebrate communities, with responses varying depending on species traits, local climate, and feeding guilds. These changes can have negative consequences for ecosystem functions and services, including those important for human food production.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sabine Langkau, Bernhard Steubing, Christopher Mutel, Maulana Permana Ajie, Lorenz Erdmann, Ariane Voglhuber-Slavinsky, Matty Janssen
Summary: This article presents a stepwise approach for integrating future scenario development into inventory modelling for pLCA studies. The approach helps organize possible future developments of a technology, product or service system, ensuring consistent and transparent assessments.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Mirza Cengic, Zoran J. N. Steinmann, Pierre Defourny, Jonathan C. Doelman, Celine Lamarche, Elke Stehfest, Aafke M. Schipper, Mark A. J. Huijbregts
Summary: The global expansion of agricultural land is a major contributor to climate change and loss of biodiversity. To address the limitations of current global land change models, we developed high-resolution global maps using artificial neural network models. These maps provide representative estimates of the potential for agricultural land conversion and can facilitate more accurate environmental assessments.
Review
Environmental Studies
Benedetto Rugani, Philippe Osset, Olivier Blanc, Enrico Benetto
Summary: Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) is a reference tool for organizations transitioning towards environmental impact neutrality. However, there is a lack of consensus on how to quantify environmental impacts and the dependencies on ecosystems, leading to a missing NCA technique applicable to all types of actors. This study performs a systematic and non-systematic review to identify the utilization, limitations, and challenges of integrating an Ecosystem Service Accounting in Life Cycle Assessment (ESA-LCA). The ESA-LCA approach is recognized as a solution to balance supply and demand of ecosystem services in NCA, supporting actors in quantifying their distance from impact neutrality targets.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Torsten Hummen, Stefanie Hellweg, Ramin Roshandel
Summary: This paper develops a generic method for determining the optimal environmental lifespan (OEL) of energy-using products (EuPs) in a circular economy, considering various replacement options and lifetime extension processes. The study finds that in Germany, the OEL for climate change impacts is 7 years, and 11 years for the aggregated environmental indicator. This highlights the importance of early replacement and maintaining the system to prevent efficiency degradation.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Francesco Cruz Torres, Javier Babi Almenar, Benedetto Rugani
Summary: The European Green Deal aims to address climate adaptation, energy, biodiversity, and pollution challenges. This paper investigates the potential of Photovoltaic-Green roof Energy Communities (PGECs) in urban areas to meet the objectives of the European Green Deal in an economically convenient manner. The research shows that PGECs can contribute to achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal in an economically convenient manner.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Stefanie Hellweg, Enrico Benetto, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Francesca Verones, Richard Wood
Summary: This Review examines the role of life-cycle assessment (LCA) in evaluating and shaping environmental mitigation strategies. It discusses the applications of LCA in decarbonization, circular economy, sustainable consumption, and sustainable finance. The study finds that LCA is widely used in energy system decarbonization and sustainable consumption, but its applications in circular economy and sustainable finance are still in their early stages.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
