Article
Chemistry, Applied
Shreyas S. Kolapkar, Stas Zinchik, Pralhad Burli, Yingqian Lin, Damon S. Hartley, Jordan Klinger, Robert Handler, Ezra Bar-Ziv
Summary: This study presents a novel pilot-scale system that integrates torrefaction and extrusion to convert mixed fiber-plastic waste into fuel pellets. The produced pellets have low cost, high heating value, better uniformity, and low environmental impact. The analysis indicates potential for the torrefied product to be used as an environmentally beneficial feedstock for future processing.
FUEL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nanlin Liao, Fan Lu, Hua Zhang, Liming Shao, Pinjing He
Summary: Decentralized waste treatment facilities, particularly decentralized composting, have gained attention for their low cost, flexibility, and reliability in treating solid waste in rural areas. However, the environmental and economical performances of these facilities in developing countries are not well documented. This study conducted a life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis of a decentralized composting facility to evaluate its environmental impacts and cost effectiveness. The results showed that the facility had a positive environmental and economic feasibility, with the operation stage having the greatest environmental impacts and the composting and compost substitution processes being most sensitive. This study contributes to the existing knowledge on decentralized composting facilities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Maja Percic, Nikola Vladimir, Ailong Fan
Summary: The study focuses on analyzing alternative fuels to reduce the environmental footprint and lifetime costs of inland waterway transportation in Croatia, aiming to meet the emission reduction targets by 2030. The electrification of ships is highlighted as the most environmentally friendly option, with potential for up to 51% carbon emission reduction, while the most cost-effective option varies for each ship.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Antonio Garcia, Javier Monsalve-Serrano, Santiago Martinez-Boggio, Shashwat Tripathi
Summary: Many countries are promoting the shift towards electric vehicles to reduce emissions, but electric vehicles still have emissions during their entire life cycle. The emissions vary based on the country's electricity generation mix. Additionally, electric vehicles are more expensive than internal combustion engine vehicles with a similar range.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Anubhuti Bhatnagar, Poonam Khatri, Malgorzata Krzywonos, Henrik Tolvanen, Jukka Konttinen
Summary: The current study evaluates the economic and environmental performance of a decentralized biorefinery that converts rice and wheat straw into bio-oil and biochar using two-step pyrolysis. The study found that pyrolysis of unwashed rice straw and wheat straw with biochar as a carbon sink can reduce global warming potential. However, pyrolysis of washed straw contributes to global warming potential. Treating biomass locally is environmentally beneficial compared to centralized processing. The study also calculated the minimum selling price for biochar, which falls within the range of commercial prices.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tom Terlouw, Christian Bauer, Russell McKenna, Marco Mazzotti
Summary: This study evaluates the costs and environmental burdens of large-scale hydrogen production systems on geographical islands. It finds that low-carbon hydrogen production is feasible and that future costs are expected to decrease. Hybrid configurations with different electricity supply options show the best economic and environmental performance.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Hojat Ansarinasab, Mehdi Mehrpooya, Milad Sadeghzadeh
Summary: The research proposes a biorefinery plant utilizing fast pyrolysis and gasification to generate biofuel. Through exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental analyses, it is determined that the hydrocracking unit is the most efficient sector with the greatest environmental impact.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL ANALYSIS AND CALORIMETRY
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Lohit Kumar Srinivas Gujjala, Wangyun Won
Summary: This study focuses on the process design, techno-economic analysis, and life-cycle assessment of lignin hydrogel (LH) for environmental remediation. The study estimates the minimum selling price of LHs and identifies the influential parameters. The results suggest that the developed process is economically feasible and sustainable for lignin upgradation in biorefineries.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Liandong Zhu, Cathal Heavey, Yohanes Kristianto Nugroho
Summary: This paper proposes an agent-based simulation-optimization method to analyze the total cost of the methanol supply chain. By evaluating the overall product system and individual components, and considering key decision-making factors, the effectiveness of different methanol synthesis pathways is assessed. The results show that the conversion technology pathway of producing methanol from biogas has lower carbon emissions, higher internal rate of return, shorter payback period, and lower price sensitivity.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peng Huang, Ashiq Ahamed, Ruitao Sun, Guilhem X. De Hoe, Joe Pitcher, Alan Mushing, Fernando Lourenco, Michael P. Shaver
Summary: This study investigates the recycling of multimaterials and finds that recovering all components can significantly reduce global warming. However, this approach incurs higher economic costs, making the option of only recovering major components a lower-risk and more economically feasible choice.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Chuanshuai Chen, Boyu Qu, Wenxiang Wang, Weijian Wang, Guozhao Ji, Aimin Li
Summary: Torrefaction is an effective pretreatment process for biomass, which can enhance energy density and reduce moisture and oxygen contents. The study showed that increasing torrefaction temperature decreased hemicellulose and cellulose contents, while the activation energy increased with torrefaction temperature.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Vibhuti Chhabra, Anand Parashar, Yogendra Shastri, Sankar Bhattacharya
Summary: This study conducts a detailed analysis on the pyrolysis of unsegregated municipal solid waste in India and finds that the process is economically viable and has potential for reducing climate impact compared to traditional waste disposal methods.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Ji -Lu Zheng, Ya-Hong Zhu, Yan-Yan Dong, Yue Chen, Ming-Qiang Zhu
Summary: This work evaluates the economic feasibility and environmental impact of ammonia generation using bio-oil production from corn stover. The capital investment for the reforming pathway is $1,254,702,937, and for the partial oxidation pathway is $1,273,047,866. The minimum selling price is $0.992/kg for the reforming pathway and $1.05/kg for the partial oxidation pathway.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Naveenkumar Rajendran, Troy Runge, Richard D. Bergman, Prakash Nepal, Nasim Alikhani, Ling Li, Shane R. O. 'Neill, Jinwu Wang
Summary: This study assessed the feasibility and environmental impacts of a novel cellulose nanocrystal/polydimethylsiloxane hybrid moisture-selective membrane. The results showed that the addition of cellulose nanocrystal reduced environmental impacts and had comparable costs, making it the preferred choice.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ramchandra Bhandari, Ronak Rakesh Shah
Summary: Political and scientific discussions on changing German energy supply mix and challenges of energy transition are well established. The economic performance analysis of hydrogen production using solar electrolyzers in Cologne shows that grid connected systems are more cost-effective.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Gregory A. Norris, Jasmina Burek, Elizabeth A. Moore, Randolph E. Kirchain, Jeremy Gregory
Summary: The SHINE project aims to improve the scientific basis for transformative positive changes called handprints, which can be achieved through voluntary reductions in footprints. The handprint framework expands scope, retains accountability, and promotes widespread pursuit of net-positive goals. By quantifying positive actions using dynamic LCA and impact units, the method can encourage innovation, collaboration, and create ripple effects of positive impacts.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wenchao Ma, Chen Ma, Xu Liu, Tianbao Gu, Sonal K. Thengane, Athanasios Bourtsalas, Guanyi Chen
Summary: The renewable and carbon neutral nature of biomass makes it a clean energy alternative, but NOx emission during biomass combustion is a serious environmental concern. The study presents a computational fluid dynamics model (BASIC) that combines nitrogen chemistry with flow and combustion simulations to understand and minimize NOx and nitrous oxide emissions. Results show that factors such as particle size and initial temperature significantly impact NO and N2O formation pathways during biomass combustion.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sonal K. Thengane, Kevin Kung, Josiah Hunt, Haris R. Gilani, C. Jim Lim, Shahabaddine Sokhansanj, Daniel L. Sanchez
Summary: The study assessed the potential of biochar market in California, commenting on production and usage scale, and exploring potential applications in different sectors. Producers face barriers such as access to capital investment and market demand, with soil-based applications, filtration, livestock feed, and manure management being the likely future markets for biochar. Rewarding carbon credits, increasing awareness, and improving production processes are expected to help commercialize biochar in the industry.
BIOFUELS BIOPRODUCTS & BIOREFINING-BIOFPR
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kevin S. Kung, Sonal K. Thengane, Ahmed F. Ghoniem, C. Jim Lim, Shahabaddine Sokhansanj
Summary: Moving or fixed bed reactors are commonly used for continuous processing of biomass in various applications. Understanding the bulk hydrodynamic characteristics of the bed is critical for effective heat and mass transfer. There is currently insufficient data in the literature documenting these characteristics for different types of biomass with various particle sizes.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ehsan Vahidi, Randolph Kirchain, Jasmina Burek, Jeremy Gregory
Summary: The study found that in order to achieve deep decarbonization goals, strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions need to be pursued in both the embodied and operational phases of the building life cycle. The Western US and New England regions are already on the leading edge of emissions reduction strategies, while the Midwest and central US regions have more opportunity to lower life cycle GHG emissions. Interventions to the electricity grid, appliances, and lighting could nearly halve the emissions of new buildings constructed between 2016 and 2050.
Article
Thermodynamics
Kevin S. Kung, Sonal K. Thengane, Ahmed F. Ghoniem, C. Jim Lim, Yankai Cao, Shahabaddine Sokhansanj
Summary: The study focuses on the analysis of start-up, shutdown, and transient timescales of biomass conversion reactors, specifically in the case of biomass torrefaction. The thermal mass of the reactor is found to play a significant role in the reactor's temporal response to changes, and various strategies are devised to optimize time and feedstock consumption. The insights gained from this study provide a foundation for further research on reactor transitional operations and automation.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jasmina Burek, Christian Bauer, Randolph Kirchain, Elizabeth Moore, Jeremy Gregory, Gregory Norris
Summary: This study aims to explore how businesses can adopt eco-innovations to achieve market expansion and meet climate change targets. By investigating the potential carbon handprints of an organization with a milk packaging eco-innovation in the global milk market, the importance of SHINE Handprint assessment method in adopting eco-innovations, pursuing market expansion, and reducing overall sector's climate change impacts is confirmed.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Xingang Zhao, Alexander J. Huning, Jasmina Burek, Fengdi Guo, David J. Kropaczek, W. David Pointer
Summary: This paper presents a carbon handprint perspective on characterizing the environmental benefits of hybrid energy systems (HESs) and explores how this approach can inform and encourage the search for net-positive sustainability. The study emphasizes the importance of transformative action plans and the involvement of every individual and organization in achieving net-zero goals.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Review
Thermodynamics
Sonal K. Thengane, Kevin S. Kung, Alberto Gomez-Barea, Ahmed F. Ghoniem
Summary: Biomass torrefaction is a promising pretreatment technology to enhance the value of biomass. Although some progress has been made, challenges remain in the areas of reaction thermodynamics, reactor design, and large-scale implementation. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in biomass torrefaction research and technology, with a focus on kinetics, particle and reactor scale models, and reactor designs. The impacts of torrefaction on subsequent conversion processes and the novel applications of torrefied biomass are discussed, along with energy management, environmental impacts, economic and market potential, and deployment options.
PROGRESS IN ENERGY AND COMBUSTION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Andrew D. Henderson, Anne Asselin-Balencon, Martin C. Heller, Jasmina Burek, Daesoo Kim, Lindsay Lessard, Manuele Margni, Rosie Saad, Marty D. Matlock, Greg Thoma, Ying Wang, Olivier Jolliet
Summary: Understanding the main factors affecting the environmental impacts of milk production and consumption is crucial for reducing these impacts. This study provides a national perspective on the spatial distribution of impacts associated with milk production and consumption in the United States. The study highlights the importance of differentiating between farm gate and consumer estimates and reveals that water scarcity is the impact category with the highest spatial variability.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jordan Watts, Adam Potter, Vidyut Mohan, Pratima Kumari, Sonal K. Thengane, Shahabaddine Sokhansanj, Yankai Cao, Kevin S. Kung
Summary: This study proposes a strategy to determine the maximum effective temperature experienced by particles during oxidative biomass torrefaction through the use of key thermochemical combustion parameters and optimal machine learning models. The evaluation of 24 machine-learning models suggests that exponential Gaussian process regression (GPR) model is the most effective. These high-performing GPR models are also used to predict the effective preparation temperature distribution of reactor-produced biomass particles under different conditions.
BIOFUELS BIOPRODUCTS & BIOREFINING-BIOFPR
(2023)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Phil Renforth, Rob Bellamy, David Beerling, Miranda Boettcher, Davide Bonalumi, Miguel Brandao, Mathias Fridahl, Sabine Fuss, Anders Hansson, Clare Heyward, Ben Kolosz, Patrick Lamers, Duncan Mclaren, Raffaella Pomi, Daniel L. Sanchez, Soheil Shayegh, Volker Sick, Mijndert van der Spek, Vikram Vishal, Jennifer Wilcox
FRONTIERS IN CLIMATE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniel L. L. Sanchez, Kevin Fingerman, Claudia Herbert, Sam Uden
Summary: California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is crucial for developing low-carbon fuels, but may need administrative changes to further advance technologies for deeper decarbonization. Proposed actions include embracing updated science, creating targeted incentives, and ensuring the LCFS promotes the best-performing fuels in terms of sustainability.
FRONTIERS IN CLIMATE
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Lars odegaard Bentsen, Narada Dilp Warakagoda, Roy Stenbro, Paal Engelstad
Summary: This study investigates uncertainty modeling in wind power forecasting using different parametric and non-parametric methods. Johnson's SU distribution is found to outperform Gaussian distributions in predicting wind power. This research contributes to the literature by introducing Johnson's SU distribution as a candidate for probabilistic wind forecasting.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Xing Liu, Qiuchen Wang, Yunhao Wen, Long Li, Xinfang Zhang, Yi Wang
Summary: This study analyzes the characteristics of process parameters in three lean gas ethane recovery processes and establishes a prediction and multiobjective optimization model for ethane recovery and system energy consumption. A new method for comparing ethane recovery processes for lean gas is proposed, and the addition of extra coolers improves the ethane recovery. The support vector regression model based on grey wolf optimization demonstrates the highest prediction accuracy, and the multiobjective multiverse optimization algorithm shows the best optimization performance and diversity in the solutions.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Cairong Song, Haidong Yang, Xian-Bing Meng, Pan Yang, Jianyang Cai, Hao Bao, Kangkang Xu
Summary: The paper proposes a novel deep learning-based prediction framework, aTCN-LSTM, for accurate cooling load predictions. The framework utilizes a gate-controlled multi-head temporal convolutional network and a sparse probabilistic self-attention mechanism with a bidirectional long short-term memory network to capture both temporal and long-term dependencies in the cooling load sequences. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method, which can serve as an effective guide for HVAC chiller scheduling and demand management initiatives.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhe Chen, Xiaojing Li, Xianli Xia, Jizhou Zhang
Summary: This study uses survey data from the Loess Plateau in China to evaluate the impact of social interaction on the adoption of soil and water conservation (SWC) technology by farmers. The study finds that social interaction increases the likelihood of farmers adopting SWC, and internet use moderates this effect. The positive impact of social interaction on SWC adoption is more pronounced for farmers in larger villages and those who join cooperative societies.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chenghua Zhang, Yunfei Yan, Kaiming Shen, Zongguo Xue, Jingxiang You, Yonghong Wu, Ziqiang He
Summary: This paper reports a novel method that significantly improves combustion performance, including heat transfer enhancement under steady-state conditions and adaptive stable flame regulation under velocity sudden increase.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2024)
