Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mika Lehmusto, Annukka Santasalo-Aarnio
Summary: This paper develops a mathematical model for considering the circular economy in the life cycle costs in the maritime sector. The main finding of the study is that battery material circulation can be conducted in all phases over the lifetime of the marine application and clear revenue streams are identified. However, it is also concluded that material circulation requires more technological, procedural, and industrial innovations during the coming years.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
M. P. dos Santos, Ivan Aritz Aldaya Garde, Carolina Magda Bassoto Ronchini, Lucio Cardozo Filho, Guilherme Botelho Meireles de Souza, Marcelo Luis Francisco Abbade, Natal Nerimio Regone, Veeriah (Jega) Jegatheesan, Jose Augusto de Oliveira
Summary: The proposed technology for recycling LIB cells, named RecycLib, demonstrates high efficiency in recovering active materials and elements, with low environmental impact and operating costs. Experimental characterization shows high recovery rates and low potential environmental hazards, indicating potential for industrial scalability.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Beatriz C. Guerra, Fernanda Leite
Summary: This study investigates the awareness of Circular Economy among architectural, engineering, and construction industry stakeholders in the U.S., identifying major barriers and enabling factors for a transition to a CE model. It reveals the adoption status of various strategies and emphasizes the importance of education, data availability, policies, and incentives in promoting circular construction practices.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kok Siew Ng, Anh N. Phan
Summary: This study introduces a novel concept of integrating material recovery with waste-to-hydrogen production, aiming to save disposal costs and increase revenue by utilizing rejected materials through a Gasification-H-2 system. It is recommended to use a larger scale Gasification-H-2 system to compete with the production cost of hydrogen from fossil-based systems.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Christoffer Wadstrom, Karolina Sodergren, Jenny Palm
Summary: Circular water management, particularly through industrial urban symbiosis (IUS), is recognized as a solution to address water scarcity in urban areas. This study explores the role of different values in driving organizations to participate in circular wastewater collaboration and presents an interdisciplinary framework for assessing actor values. By considering economic value perspectives, careful planning and stakeholder interaction can enhance the legitimacy and policy development of circular wastewater solutions.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Bintang A. Nuraeni, Katri Avarmaa, Leon H. Prentice, W. John Rankin, M. Akbar Rhamdhani
Summary: This study systematically investigates the carbothermic reduction mechanism of LiCoO2 using graphite as a reductant. Through experiments and analysis, the study provides important insights for the improvement and parameter optimization of high temperature recycling of Li-ion batteries.
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Anna Katharina Schnatmann, Fabian Schoden, Eva Schwenzfeier-Hellkamp
Summary: In the era of climate change and resource scarcity, the importance of sustainable renewable energy technologies is increasing. However, the photovoltaic industry faces issues such as linear economy structures, energy-intensive production, and limited sustainability. This paper provides an overview of the current state of encapsulation methods in the PV industry, including production, materials, and recycling. It also discusses alternative encapsulation technologies and emphasizes the need for research to focus on sustainability and recyclability.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Veronica Diaz, Juan Carlos Leyva-Diaz, Mari Carmen Almecija, Jose Manuel Poyatos, Maria del Mar Munio, Jaime Martin-Pascual
Summary: Microalgae-based technologies can be used for bioremediation of wastewater, converting it into valuable biomass and energy products while effectively removing nutrients. Microalgae can also extract lipids for biodiesel production, making it a sustainable source of bioenergy.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Naomi Carrard, Nilanthi Jayathilake, Juliet Willetts
Summary: This paper provides empirical data on the life-cycle costs of a resource-oriented sanitation system in urban Sri Lanka, highlighting the revenue potential and the need for substantial complementary investment in the overall system, while emphasizing the reliance on household investment for the system.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Daniel Holzer, Romana Rauter, Eva Fleiss, Tobias Stern
Summary: Research indicates that there is limited empirical evidence on key corporate practices in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) crucial for transitioning towards a circular economy (CE), as well as a lack of knowledge on the definition of CE for SMEs. Efficient resource utilization, resource procurement, and cooperation with stakeholders are identified as major areas of importance for Austrian SMEs in the context of CE.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ruben Contreras-Lisperguer, E. Munoz-Ceron, J. Aguilera, J. de la Casa
Summary: This paper evaluates a Circular Economy (CE) system based on Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C) philosophy as an alternative to deal with the waste challenge posed by end-of-life C-Si PV panels, exploring the impacts in the form of a Closed-Loop Material Cycle (CLMC). The study introduces the novel concept of circular time and material separation framework, and assesses the performance of the proposed theoretical CLMC model through numerical simulation experiments. The preliminary results suggest the need for introducing new raw materials or reducing the operational lifespan of PV panels to close the material flow loop.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anna Jurga, Krzysztof Ratkiewicz, Anna Wdowikowska, Malgorzata Reda, Malgorzata Janicka, Piotr Chohura, Kamil Janiak
Summary: Plant cultivation is crucial for future space missions, and an efficient food system cannot be achieved without it. The production of fertilizer in space involves extracting water and nutrients from wastewater. A study examined the effects of potential factors, such as anionic surfactants and nutrient deficiencies, on plant growth in a hydroponic system. Results showed that a deficiency of elements was the main cause of decreased yield productivity, while the surfactant had no negative effects on lettuce yield or quality.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dong-Ying Li, Yi-Chin Cho, Ming Huang Hsu, Yi-Pin Lin
Summary: The study developed a procedure to utilize spent refractory brick (SRB) gravels for efficient recovery of phosphate and ammonia from high strength wastewater via struvite precipitation. By leaching Mg2+ and Ca2+ from SRB gravels using nitric acid solution, they were able to achieve optimal precipitation for phosphate and ammonia recovery and treat the wastewater to meet discharging standards. The resulting solids could potentially be used in the cement industry and agriculture sector for sustainable recycle of spent materials.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Weonjung Sohn, Jiaxi Jiang, Sherub Phuntsho, Yeshi Choden, Van Huy Tran, Ho Kyong Shon
Summary: The rising global population has led to increased synthetic fertiliser prices and a surge in agricultural demand. Source separation of urine is an effective solution for nutrient recovery, transforming the linear economy into a circular one. Diverting urine from wastewater improves the energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of conventional wastewater treatment plants, as a significant amount of nutrients in wastewater come from urine. Various treatment processes, such as physical, biological, chemical, and electrochemical methods, have been studied to stabilise and sanitise source-separated urine. Additionally, processes like evaporation, freeze-thawing, and membrane techniques have been explored to recover and concentrate nutrients for use as urine-derived fertilisers. This review also discusses urine diversion systems, previous urine treatment technologies, and the Australian Research Council (ARC) funded industrial research hub called Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NiCE), which focuses on urine collection, processing, fertiliser optimisation, and end-use for a closed circular nutrient economy.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sade K. Cromratie Clemons, Coleman R. Salloum, Kyle G. Herdegen, Richard M. Kamens, Shabbir H. Gheewala
Summary: This study assessed the performance of floating photovoltaics (FPV) compared to other photovoltaic technologies through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Cost-Benefit Analysis, showing that FPV systems have a higher return on investment. It is recommended that Thailand cover 10% of 21 reservoirs with FPV systems to achieve 6.52 GW of installed capacity, aiding the country in reaching its 2036 goal of 30% renewable energy in the energy mix.
Article
Economics
Ioannis Kostakis, Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis
Summary: The empirical study explores the impact of socioeconomic characteristics on the circular economy, revealing positive effects from factors such as economic wealth, fertility rate, environmental taxes, and R&D expenditures on materials recycling and circularity rates in the EU. Urbanization also has a positive but nonlinear effect on recycling and circularity rates. These findings can be valuable for policymakers and managers looking to implement policies to increase recycling and circularity in the EU and beyond.
ANNALS OF REGIONAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Panagiotis D. Paraschos, Alexandros S. Xanthopoulos, Georgios K. Koulinas, Dimitrios E. Koulouriotis
Summary: The implementation of smart manufacturing devices has provided an effective way for monitoring facilities and controlling manufacturing processes. In response to the increasing costs associated with the deteriorating manufacturing/remanufacturing systems, a novel integrated framework utilizing reinforcement learning and specific production control policies has been introduced to improve system flexibility and resilience. Simulation experiments show that this approach can effectively generate sufficient inventory to meet customer demand compared to traditional reinforcement learning methods.
COMPUTERS & INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Georgios K. Koulinas, Olympia E. Demesouka, Gerasimos G. Bougelis, Dimitrios E. Koulouriotis
Summary: In recent years, the seamless construction and operation of natural gas pipelines have become increasingly crucial, with safety being the main factor in the effective operation of the oil and gas industry. Therefore, having a wide knowledge of effective management tactics for implementing safety regulations and procedures is highly important. Ensuring the health and safety of workers in the workplace is a critical component in improving labor productivity and the competitiveness of construction projects. To promote worker health, safety, and well-being, which are integral to the concept of sustainability, this study proposes a safety risk-assessment process that utilizes the analytical hierarchy process to prioritize risks on construction sites.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Panagiotis K. Marhavilas, Michail Filippidis, Georgios K. Koulinas, Dimitrios E. Koulouriotis
Summary: This study presents a cooperative methodology that combines the Analytical-Hierarchy-Process (AHP) with the HAZOP and DMRA processes using safety's level colored maps (SLCM) to pinpoint crucial issues, rank risks, and depict the occupational safety/health (OSH) state at a petrochemical industry workplace.
ALEXANDRIA ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Development Studies
Thomas A. Tsalis, Maria Terzaki, Dimitrios Koulouriotis, Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis, Ioannis E. Nikolaou
Summary: The role of corporate responsibility in protecting the natural environment is crucial for achieving stable and sustainable development. However, the sustainability reporting practices of energy sector companies during the early years of Agenda 2030 showed a lack of sufficient information related to SDG disclosures. The quality and range of disclosed information were found to be low.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Operations Research & Management Science
Mahak Sharma, Rose Antony, Konstantinos Tsagarakis
Summary: This study proposes a methodological framework to evaluate the sustainability of fresh food supply chains (FFSC) from the perspective of GRAS enablers. Through a mixed-method sequential approach, the study identifies twenty supply chain sustainability (SCS) enablers and finds that the firms' 'organization culture' is the most powerful driver towards sustainability in FFSC, followed by 'environmental certification program' and 'financial strength'. This research provides valuable insights for managers/policymakers in the Indian FFSC to focus on the most significant SCS enablers and work towards their successful implementation.
ANNALS OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Idiano D'Adamo, Marco Ribichini, Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis
Summary: Circular bioeconomy models aim to reduce dependence on non-renewable and unsustainable resources, and this study provides an economic analysis and evaluation of biomethane plants under different policy scenarios, demonstrating the feasibility of biomethane as a sustainable energy resource.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ioannis Kostakis, Dimitrios Paparas, Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis
Summary: This study examines the relationship between disaggregated energy use, human development, trade openness, economic growth, urbanization, and sustainability index in OECD countries from 2014 to 2019. The study employs static, quantile, and dynamic panel data approaches. The findings indicate that fossil fuels have a negative impact on sustainability, while alternative energy sources contribute positively to sustainable socioeconomic development. It is noteworthy that alternative energy sources have a strong influence on socioeconomic sustainability in different quantiles. Additionally, human development index and trade openness enhance sustainability, while urbanization poses challenges in achieving sustainability goals within OECD countries. Policymakers should prioritize mitigating fossil fuels and urbanization and promoting human development, trade openness, and alternative energy sources in order to achieve sustainable development.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Georgios Tsironis, Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis
Summary: This article discusses the application of circular economy principles in the apparel, fashion, and textiles industry sectors from a social media perspective. The study is based on data retrieved from 471 companies' LinkedIn profiles worldwide, with a focus on recycling, repairing, reusing, regenerating, renting, and reselling as the most important strategies and activities reported. The approach used in this study can also be applied in the future to monitor the progress of the sector.
CURRENT OPINION IN GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Georgios K. Koulinas, Olympia E. Demesouka, Panagiotis K. Marhavilas, Nikolaos I. Orfanos, Dimitrios E. Koulouriotis
Summary: Road building sites are dangerous due to the combination of personnel, machinery, and construction equipment. This study aims to analyze the risks and their impact on the health and safety of workers at these sites. It also examines workplace stress and psychosocial risk factors and their long-term effects on workers' physical and mental health.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Nikolaos Tsiamis, Loukia Efthymiou, Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis
Summary: This article analyzes a methodological evaluation framework for the levelized cost of drone services for law enforcement purposes. It compares the levelized costs of two drone models based on surveillance time and trip distance and provides equations for rapid estimations. A case study is formulated using the produced equations to support the selection of the best drone for a specific area of continuous monitoring.
Article
Environmental Studies
David Knable, Konstantinos P. P. Tsagarakis
Summary: This study discusses the relevance of circular economy (CE) in Germany based on readily available LinkedIn data. LinkedIn company profiles in Germany with 'circular economy' in their description or any other field were analyzed. A total of 514 German companies belonging to 15 regions were analyzed. The study provides insights into the increasing relevance and trends of the circular economy in German enterprises and highlights the potential of using readily available data from LinkedIn for further national studies.
EUROPEAN PLANNING STUDIES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Theodoros Daglis, Georgios Tsironis, Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis
Summary: This study extracted data from the LinkedIn platform to examine the relationship between circular economy and sustainability. The results indicate a correlation between the keywords, and suggest using LinkedIn data as an alternative proxy for measuring circular economy interest.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION & RECYCLING ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elaine Aparecida Regiani de Campos, Istefani Carisio de Paula, Carla Schwengber ten Caten, Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis, Jose Luis Duarte Ribeiro
Summary: This study evaluates the impact of critical factors on the adoption of end-of-life management practices for medication and its influence on logistics performance. The results indicate that end-of-life management practices have a direct influence on logistics performance.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary
Aikaterini D. Kosta, Kiriaki M. Keramitsoglou, Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis
Summary: Recent emphasis in environmental education has been on developing students' knowledge of the natural environment rather than enhancing their connection with nature. However, this study highlights the positive impact of outdoor activities on students' knowledge and awareness. The findings also suggest that students with previous experience in environmental education tend to feel more connected with nature and retain the knowledge they have gained.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Cameron Bracken, Nathalie Voisin, Casey D. Burleyson, Allison M. Campbell, Z. Jason Hou, Daniel Broman
Summary: This study presents a methodology and dataset for examining compound wind and solar energy droughts, as well as the first standardized benchmark of energy droughts across the Continental United States (CONUS) for a 2020 infrastructure. The results show that compound wind and solar droughts have distinct spatial and temporal patterns across the CONUS, and the characteristics of energy droughts are regional. The study also finds that compound high load events occur more often during compound wind and solar droughts than expected.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ning Zhang, Yanghao Yu, Jiawei Wu, Ershun Du, Shuming Zhang, Jinyu Xiao
Summary: This paper provides insights into the optimal configuration of CSP plants with different penetrations of wind power by proposing an unconstrained optimization model. The results suggest that large solar multiples and TES are preferred in order to maximize profit, especially when combined with high penetrations of wind and photovoltaic plants. Additionally, the study demonstrates the economy and feasibility of installing electric heaters (EH) in CSP plants, which show a linear correlation with the penetration of variable energy resources.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
M. Szubel, K. Papis-Fraczek, S. Podlasek
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
J. Silva, J. C. Goncalves, C. Rocha, J. Vilaca, L. M. Madeira
Summary: This study investigated the methanation of CO2 in biogas and compared two different methanation reactors. The results showed that the cooled reactor without CO2 separation achieved a CO2 conversion rate of 91.8%, while the adiabatic reactors achieved conversion rates of 59.6% and 67.2%, resulting in an overall conversion rate of 93.0%. Economic analysis revealed negative net present worth values, indicating the need for government monetary incentives.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yang Liu, Yonglan Xi, Xiaomei Ye, Yingpeng Zhang, Chengcheng Wang, Zhaoyan Jia, Chunhui Cao, Ting Han, Jing Du, Xiangping Kong, Zhongbing Chen
Summary: This study investigated the effect of using nanofiber membrane composites containing Prussian blue-like compound nanoparticles (PNPs) to relieve ammonia nitrogen inhibition of rural organic household waste during high-solid anaerobic digestion and increase methane production. The results showed that adding NMCs with 15% PNPs can lower the concentrations of volatile fatty acids and ammonia nitrogen, and increase methane yield.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhong Ge, Xiaodong Wang, Jian Li, Jian Xu, Jianbin Xie, Zhiyong Xie, Ruiqu Ma
Summary: This study evaluates the thermodynamic, exergy, and economic performance of a double-stage organic flash cycle (DOFC) using ten eco-friendly hydrofluoroolefins. The influences of key parameters on performance are analyzed, and the advantages of DOFC over single-stage type are quantified.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nicolas Kirchner-Bossi, Fernando Porte-Agel
Summary: This study investigates the optimization of power density in wind farms and its sensitivity to the available area size. A novel genetic algorithm (PDGA) is introduced to optimize power density and turbine layout. The results show that the PDGA-driven solutions significantly reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) compared to the default layout, and exhibit a convex relationship between area and LCOE or power density.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chunxiao Zhang, Dongdong Li, Lin Wang, Qingpo Yang, Yutao Guo, Wei Zhang, Chao Shen, Jihong Pu
Summary: In this study, a novel reversible liquid-filled energy-saving window that effectively regulates indoor solar radiation heat gain is proposed. Experimental results show that this window can effectively reduce indoor temperature during both summer and winter seasons, while having minimal impact on indoor illuminance.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alessandro L. Aguiar, Martinho Marta-Almeida, Mauro Cirano, Janini Pereira, Leticia Cotrim da Cunha
Summary: This study analyzed the Brazilian Equatorial Shelf using a high-resolution ocean model and found significant tidal variations in the area. Several hypothetical barrages were proposed with higher annual power generation than existing barrages. The study also evaluated the installation effort of these barrages.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Francesco Superchi, Nathan Giovannini, Antonis Moustakis, George Pechlivanoglou, Alessandro Bianchini
Summary: This study focuses on the optimization of a hybrid power station on the Tilos island in Greece, aiming to increase energy export and revenue by optimizing energy fluxes. Different scenarios are proposed to examine the impact of different agreements with the grid operator on the optimal solution.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Peimaneh Shirazi, Amirmohammad Behzadi, Pouria Ahmadi, Sasan Sadrizadeh
Summary: This research presents two novel energy production/storage/usage systems to reduce energy consumption and environmental effects in buildings. A biomass-fired model and a solar-driven system integrated with photovoltaic thermal (PVT) panels and a heat pump were designed and assessed. The results indicate that the solar-based system has an acceptable energy cost and the PVT-based system with a heat pump is environmentally superior. The biomass-fired system shows excellent efficiency.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zihao Qi, Yingling Cai, Yunxiang Cui
Summary: This study aims to investigate the operational characteristics of the solar-ground source heat pump system (SGSHPS) in Shanghai under different operation modes. It concludes that tandem operation mode 1 is the optimal mode for winter operation in terms of energy efficiency.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
L. Bartolucci, S. Cordiner, A. Di Carlo, A. Gallifuoco, P. Mele, V. Mulone
Summary: Spent coffee grounds are a valuable biogenic waste that can be used as a source of biofuels and valuable chemicals through pyrolysis and solvent extraction processes. The study found that heavy organic bio-oil derived from coffee grounds can be used as a carbon-rich biofuel, while solvent extraction can extract xantines and p-benzoquinone, which are important chemicals for various industries. The results highlight the promising potential of solvent extraction in improving the economic viability of coffee grounds pyrolysis-based biorefineries.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Luiza de Queiroz Correa, Diego Bagnis, Pedro Rabelo Melo Franco, Esly Ferreira da Costa Junior, Andrea Oliveira Souza da Costa
Summary: Building-integrated photovoltaics, especially organic solar technology, are important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector. This study analyzed the performance of organic panels laminated in glass in a vertical installation in Latin America. Results showed that glass lamination and vertical orientation preserved the panels' performance and led to higher energy generation in winter.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhipei Hu, Shuo Jiang, Zhigao Sun, Jun Li
Summary: This study proposes innovative fin arrangements to enhance the thermal performance of latent heat storage units. Through optimization of fin distribution and prediction of transient melting behaviors, it is found that fin structures significantly influence heat transfer characteristics and melting behaviors.
