Economic Allocation Research Articles

Research on Whether Quality Policies Can Promote the High-Quality Development of China’s Manufacturing Industry and Its Configuration Paths in the Context of Sustainable Development

High-quality development enhances economic quality and resource allocation efficiency through various effective and sustainable means, with particularly notable results in the manufacturing sector. Quality policies, through establishing standards, norms, and incentive measures, aim to foster technological innovation, efficient resource utilization, and quality improvement in manufacturing, thereby supporting its high-quality development. This study explores the impact of quality policies on high-quality development in manufacturing and their configurational pathways, providing theoretical foundations and practical guidance for optimizing policy combinations and promoting sustainable development. This analysis is based on quality policies released from 2013 to 2022 and sample data from 30 Chinese provinces. The findings reveal that quality policies significantly promote high-quality development in manufacturing, particularly through incentive, capacity building, and system changing instruments, while command instruments may exert certain pressures on high-quality development. Configuration analysis further indicates that a single instrument is insufficient to support high-quality development in manufacturing fully; the synergistic effect of multiple policy instruments is essential, and regions should optimize policy combinations according to their characteristics. This study provides valuable insights for sustainable development, offering a deeper understanding of the complex causal relationship between quality policies and high-quality development in manufacturing.

A “WEST” Theory in the East: Decoupling and synergistic evolution of water utilization, economy, and society in China

AbstractTo attain a thorough examination of the dynamic interaction mechanism between China's utilization of water resources and its economic and social development, this paper innovatively introduces a Western theoretical framework within an Eastern context. The aim is to quantify the process of decoupling and synergistic evolution from 2006 to 2020. Decoupling signifies achieving economic growth while reducing resource use or mitigating environmental impacts, whereas synergy denotes enhancing economic efficiency while contributing to environmental protection. This paper employs the Tapio elastic coefficient method to construct a decoupling model. A collaborative model, based on the entropy weight Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and weighted average methods, also assesses the organization and coordination of subsystems within the complex water‐economic‐social system. The findings reveal a strong decoupling between China's water resource management and economic and social systems, as indicated by a consistently negative decoupling index. Similarly, the economic system exhibits a degree of inefficiency influenced by factors like economic cyclicality and resource allocation. In contrast, the social system experienced a decline, particularly during the pandemic (2019–2020), leading to a social instability. This study provides valuable policy formulation and sustainable development insights, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the intricate dynamics between water utilization, economy, and society.

Fuel and electricity pricing and subsidies in the GCC states: recent developments

ABSTRACT This paper discusses recent developments for fossil fuel (FF) and electricity pricing and consumption in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which together form the core of OPEC. These countries still subsidize FFs, albeit to varying degrees and UAE least so. The states have indicated a wish to reform their FF subsidies, which has led to a fiscal drain and lower than desired FF export revenues. Apart from UAE, none of these countries’ plans have however yet come to fruition. We discuss in some detail the political basis for such plans, and the factors making them more or less likely to be pursued and succeed. Long-term considerations, and pressures from budget balance, climate change and efficient economic allocation, all speak in favor of price reforms which will be overall beneficial to all the states. More modernistic views, taking over the countries’ political agendas, also push in the same direction. The paper also discusses similar recent developments in two comparator MENA countries, Iran (structurally most similar to the GCC countries), and Egypt (which has a more different economy and export base).

Generic and site-specific social life cycle assessment of municipal wastewater treatment systems in Spain: challenges and limitations of the method when applied to resource recovery systems

Abstract Purpose This work aims to provide insights on the application of social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) in evaluating the social impacts associated with municipal wastewater treatment (WWT). The study assesses the social risks and social performance of two municipal WWT systems in Catalonia, Spain: a conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) (Reference System) and a novel system that recovers water and other valuable resources (Novel System). Methods S-LCA was conducted at Generic and Site-Specific levels using 1 m3 of wastewater treatment as the functional unit (FU). The Generic assessment was conducted via the Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) database, while the Site-Specific assessment employed the Subcategory Assessment Method (SAM) with four-level reference scales to assess the social performance of the WWTP operator and its first-tier suppliers. Furthermore, activity variables were calculated based on organizations’ shares in the total costs per FU, and the Novel System’s multifunctionality was solved through economic allocation. Results were aggregated by (i) assigning equal weights to organizations and (ii) factoring in organizations’ weights and the allocation factor, leading to results per FU. Results and discussion The Generic analysis results indicated that the Novel System entailed fewer social risks than the Reference System. Most social risks in both systems occurred in the subcategories “Access to material resources,” “Fair salary,” “Freedom of association and collective bargaining,” “Contribution to economic development,” and “Corruption.” In the Site-Specific assessment, the Novel System presented better social performance than the Reference System per 1 m3 of wastewater treatment. The latter’s performance per FU did not meet the basic requirement in four out of eleven subcategories, mainly due to the performance and weight of a chemical supplier. Allocation greatly benefitted the Novel System’s results per FU compared to the results obtained when equal weights were applied. Conclusions Activity variables were used to connect organizations’ conduct with particular WWT systems, and multifunctionality was solved. This approach allowed for obtaining results per FU at both assessment levels. However, social performance was also evaluated by calculating the average social performance of each system without considering activity variables and the FU, leading to different results. The social performance of the Novel System per FU was satisfactory across all subcategories but required improvement in four subcategories based on the average results. Given the limitations of using activity variables and allocation in S-LCA, further research is necessary to appropriately evaluate and compare the social effects of novel resource recovery systems.

Minimizing Costs in Fog Nodes Through Effective Resource and Task Scheduling

Background: This system comprises the fog control node, access node, and Internet of Things (IoT) application. This study aims to reduce scheduling-related cloud costs. A user scheduling method and an economical task are carried out for this reason. The algorithm for job scheduling is constructed to determine the best strategy to handle several jobs in a fog access node. Reallocation technology ultimately reduces delays in both time and service. For analytical objectives, extensive simulations were run and performance metrics were compared with those of other currently in use methods. It was discovered that the suggested technique lowers task latency and offers extreme cost-effectiveness by improving the concurrent capability in the fog node, users, and task scheduling with improved performance statistics that made it possible. Materials and Methods: The research paper explores fog computing, a three-layered architecture consisting of IoT devices, fog computing, and cloud computing. The fog computing layer sits between cloud networks and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, providing fast access to these devices and handling computation locally at the network edge. Results: The research paper focuses on reducing cloud costs in scheduling. Although the proposed system showed many similarities in execution times compared to the diverse early completion-time method, it consistently lags behind the heterogeneous method by 5 to 10%. Conclusion: This research aims to reduce the cloud scheduling costs for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. A user-based scheduling algorithm and economical task allocation are implemented. A constraint-based and user-defined strategy is recommended.

Maps of Geographical Distribution Patterns of Industrial Facilities in Dhi Qar Governorate

This study investigates the spatial distribution of industrial facilities within Dhi Qar Governorate. By analyzing geographical patterns, the research aims to identify clusters, hotspots, and potential areas for industrial development. The study utilizes geographic information systems (GIS) to visualize and analyze the distribution of industrial establishments across the governorate. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the industrial landscape, informing future planning and decision-making for economic development and resource allocation in Dhi Qar.

Multimorbidity as apredictor for inpatient admission in clinical emergency and acute medicine : Single-center cluster analysis

Parallel to demographic trends, an increase of multimorbid patients in emergency and acute medicine is prominent. To define easily applicable criteria for the necessity of inpatient admission, ahierarchical cluster analysis was performed. In aretrospective, single-center study data of n = 35,249 emergency cases (01/2016-05/2018) were statistically analyzed. Multimorbidity (MM) was defined by at least five ICD-10-GM diagnoses resulting from treatment. Ahierarchical cluster analysis was performed for those diagnoses initially summarized into 112 diagnosis subclusters to determine specific clusters of in- and outpatient cases. Hospital admission was determined in 81.2% of all ED patients (n = 28,633); 54.7% of inpatients (n = 15,652) and 0.97% of outpatient cases (n = 64) met the criteria for multimorbidity and the age difference between them was highly significant (68.7/60.8 years; p < 0.001). Using ahierarchical cluster analysis, 13clusters with different diagnoses were identified for inpatient multimorbid patients (MP) and 7clusters with primarily hematological malignancies for outpatient MP. The length of stay in the ED of inpatient MP was more than twice as long (max.8.3 h) as for outpatient MP (max.3.2 h.). The combination of diagnoses typical for MM were characterized as clusters in this study. In contrast to single or combined single diagnoses, the statistically determined characterization of clusters allows for asignificantly more accurate prediction of ED patients' disposition as well as for economic process allocation.

Directional nature of technological progress in the petrochemical industry prompting energy marginal substitution

Technological progress does not uniformly benefit all industries or factors' productivity levels. The energy productivity and labour employment situation in the Chinese petrochemical industry have not witnessed substantial improvements in the last decade. The literature has overlooked the importance of recognizing the directional nature of technological progress, which could enable a more strategic approach to economic development, resource allocation, and policy formulation. This study, guided by the core principles of endogenous economic growth theory, aims to uncover the influencing mechanisms and effects of technological progress bias on energy and employment by extending a theoretical model to account for energy, capital, and labour factors. The results reveal: (1) From 2000 to 2021, the relationship between labour, capital, and energy factors in the Chinese petrochemical industry has been predominantly complementary, with technological progress favouring labour-augmenting that is increasing labour productivity; (2) The gross complementarity of production factors leads to labour-augmenting technological progress, ultimately biased towards energy and capital factors; (3) Energy-capital-biased technological progress encourages producers to invest more energy and capital to substitute for labour factors, leading to a limited improvement in energy productivity and a consistent decline in labour employment since 2011. This study further corroborates that without government intervention, it would lead to improper factor allocation in the industry, resulting in market failure. Finally, corresponding policy recommendations are proposed.

Cradle to gate life-cycle assessment of battery grade nickel sulphate production through high-pressure acid leaching

The rising global demand for high-purity nickel (Ni) sulphate, primarily used in lithium-ion batteries, is largely met by processing Indonesian laterite ores via hydrometallurgy. However, this supply chain is associated with significant environmental challenges and lack of transparent industrial data. This study uses a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to quantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy use associated with the production of mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) from low-grade Indonesian laterites via high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL), which is then refined in China for the production of battery-grade nickel sulphate hexahydrate (NiSO4·6H2O, NSH). Fifteen impact categories are analyzed using established impact assessment and allocation (mass and economic) methods. The analysis reveals that feed preparation/HPAL and purification are the stages that contribute most to environmental impacts and in particular to global warming potential (GWP). Mass allocation results in higher environmental impacts, with 36.8 kg CO2-eq per 1 kg of Ni in NSH for GWP, compared to 33.8 kg CO2-eq per 1 kg of Ni in NSH when economic allocation is used. Sensitivity analysis shows a potential reduction (up to 13 %) in key impact categories if production of NSH is fully integrated in Indonesia or a greener electricity mix is used. Overall, our results indicate that the production of MHP in Indonesia and its refinement to NSH in China has a GWP about two times higher than the global average. Given the limited number of LCA studies for the production of battery-grade nickel, this study highlights major environmental concerns for the NSH production process from Indonesian laterites and identifies opportunities for improvement, towards a more sustainable global battery supply chain.

Conceptual design and life-cycle environmental and economic assessment of low-carbon cement manufacturing processes

Cement manufacturing, a fundamental process industry characterized by high CO2 emissions, sees over 58% of its emissions stemming from the limestone calcination process. However, this significant source of CO2 has not yet been adequately addressed by most existing cement decarbonization processes. As such, systematic environmental and economic comparisons between different cement processes are essential. This paper proposes a new cement process (NCP) that uses natural gas to react with limestone to reduce CO2 emissions and simultaneously produce high-value-added chemical products (methanol). To explore strategies for further improving the performance of the CO2 emission reduction, two processes are developed, integrating the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) units with the traditional cement process (TCP) and the NCP, namely TCP-ORC-CCS and NCP-ORC-CCS respectively. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and economic analysis were performed on the TCP, NCP, TCP-ORC-CCS, and NCP-ORC-CCS processes, revealing their advantages and limitations in different scenarios. LCA adopts the "cradle to gate" system boundary, which includes the whole cement process from ore mining to clinker generation and other processes used for carbon reduction. The LCA results show that four cement processes exhibit different environmental performances when choosing different allocation methods. Under economic allocation, the global warming potential (GWP) of TCP, NCP, TCP-ORC-CCS, and NCP-ORC-CCS are 933, 300, 432, and 194 kgCO2eq/ton·clinker, respectively. The comprehensive analysis indicates that NCP has the best comprehensive economic and environmental performance when natural gas and methanol prices are 332 and 319 $/ton, respectively. The price fluctuation of natural gas and methanol is found to greatly impact the levelized cost of clinker (LCOC) of NCP through sensitivity analysis. NCP is economically preferred over TCP when the price of methanol (MeOH) is at least $76 above approximately two-thirds of the price of methane (CH4). Similarly, NCP-ORC-CCS is more advantageous than TCP-ORC-CCS when the price of MeOH is at least $87 above nearly two-thirds of the price of CH4. This study provides a comprehensive analysis for low-carbon cement process design to achieve CO2 emissions reduction.

Carbon footprint of mixed farming crop-livestock rotational-based grazing beef systems using long term experimental data

In the context of ever-growing demand for food and associated concerns regarding the environmental impacts of high-input agricultural systems, there is growing interest in mixed farm enterprises to deliver greater sustainability compared with mono-enterprise production systems. However, assessments of such systems are complex and require high-resolution data to determine the true value and interconnectivity across enterprises. Given the scarcity of information on mixed crop–livestock systems and the difficulties of its analysis, we perform life cycle assessment using temporally high-resolution data (2019–2022) from a long-term experiment in South America to evaluate the ‘cradle-to-farmgate exit’ greenhouse gas emissions intensities of four rotational crop–livestock systems. Systems evaluated were continuous cropping: 2 years of continuous cropping; short rotation: 2-year continuous cropping plus 2-year pasture; long rotation: 2-year continuous cropping followed by 4-year pasture; and forage rotation: continuous pasture. Emissions intensities for beef throughput were reported as kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq) per kilogram of liveweight gain (LWG) using the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6 2021) CO2 characterisation factors. Point estimate results were found to be 11.3, 11.8, 11.8 and 16.4 kg CO2-eq/kg/LWG for continuous cropping, short rotation, long rotation and forage rotation, respectively. Emission averages arising from crops, which were separated from animal-based emissions using economic allocation, were 1.23, 0.53 and 0.52 kg CO2-eq/kg for soybean, wheat and oat, respectively. The inclusion of soil organic carbon stock changes had notable effects on reducing each system’s emissions: by 22.4%, 19.2%, 25.3% and 42.1% under continuous cropping, short rotation, long rotation and forage rotation, respectively, when soil organic carbon was included. Given there are few life cycle assessment studies available on such mixed-enterprise ‘semi-circular’ systems, particularly with novel primary data, this study adds critical knowledge to agri-food-related sustainability literature by addressing environmental issues in complex production systems compared to extant and broad coverage of mono-enterprise systems.

Dynamic incentive mechanisms in mega project-risk management considering the participation of the insurance company

PurposeThe construction of megaprojects often involves substantial risks. While insurance plays an important role as a traditional risk transfer means, owners and insurance companies may still suffer huge losses during the risk management process. Therefore, considering the strong motivation of insurance companies to participate in the on-site risk management of megaprojects, this study aims to propose a collaborative incentive mechanism involving insurance companies, to optimize the risk management effect and reduce the risk of accidents in megaprojects.Design/methodology/approachBased on principal-agent theory, the research develops the static and dynamic incentive models for risk management in megaprojects, involving both the owner and insurance company. The study examines the primary factors influencing incentive efficiency. The results are numerically simulated with a validation case. Finally, the impact of parameter changes on the stakeholders' benefits is analyzed.FindingsThe results indicate that the dynamic incentive model is available to the achievement of a flexible mechanism to ensure the benefits of contractors while protecting the benefits of the owner and insurance company. Adjusting the incentive coefficients for owners and insurance companies within a specified range promotes the growth of benefits for all parties involved. The management cost and economic benefit allocation coefficients have a positive effect on the adjustment range of the incentive coefficient, which helps implement a more flexible dynamic incentive mechanism to motivate contractors to carry out risk management to reduce risk losses.Originality/valueThis study makes up for the absence of important stakeholders in risk management. Different from traditional megaproject risk management, this model uses insurance companies as bridges to break the island effect of risk management among multiple megaprojects. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by designing appropriate dynamic incentive mechanisms in megaproject risk management through insurance company participation, and provides practical implications to both owner and insurance company on incentive contract making, thus achieving better risk governance of megaprojects.

The impact of government budget on social development and optimization strategy

This paper aims to explore the relationship between government budget and economic development, as well as the impact and role of government budget on economic development. First, the important role of government budget in economic growth, resource allocation, and employment promotion is analyzed, and the role of government budget in promoting infrastructure construction, promoting industrial transformation and upgrading, and improving social welfare is explained. Secondly, the process and basis of government budget compilation are explained. Finally, the key factors affecting government budget on economic development are analyzed, the importance of government budget to economic development is summarized, and effective suggestions related to government budget to promote economic development are put forward.

Corporate income tax reform and intra-industry resource reallocation

ABSTRACT Taxation is a crucial tool for government economic regulation and resource allocation. Our study, using data from the Chinese Industrial Enterprise Database from 1998 to 2010, highlights the significant role of corporate income tax reform in reducing resource misallocation in the industry. Employing the robust Difference-in-Differences method, we empirically confirm this effect. Our mechanism analysis reveals that the reform promotes increased competition among industry firms, resulting in enhanced resource allocation efficiency. These findings emphasize the vital role of tax policy in shaping resource allocation dynamics in Chinese market, underscoring its broader economic significance.

Generative artificial intelligence in healthcare from the perspective of digital media: Applications, opportunities and challenges

IntroductionThe emergence and application of generative artificial intelligence/large language models (hereafter GenAI LLMs) have the potential for significant impact on the healthcare industry. However, there is currently a lack of systematic research on GenAI LLMs in healthcare based on reliable data. This article aims to conduct an exploratory study of the application of GenAI LLMs (i.e., ChatGPT) in healthcare from the perspective of digital media (i.e., online news), including the application scenarios, potential opportunities, and challenges. MethodsThis research used thematic qualitative text analysis in five steps: firstly, developing main topical categories based on relevant articles; secondly, encoding the search keywords using these categories; thirdly, conducting searches for news articles via Google ; fourthly, encoding the sub-categories using the elaborate category system; and finally, conducting category-based analysis and presenting the results. Natural language processing techniques, including the TermRaider and AntConc tool, were applied in the aforementioned steps to assist in text qualitative analysis. Additionally, this study built a framework, using for analyzing the above three topics, from the perspective of five different stakeholders, including healthcare demanders and providers. ResultsThis study summarizes 26 applications (e.g., provide medical advice, provide diagnosis and triage recommendations, provide mental health support, etc.), 21 opportunities (e.g., make healthcare more accessible, reduce healthcare costs, improve patients care, etc.), and 17 challenges (e.g., generate inaccurate/misleading/wrong answers, raise privacy concerns, lack of transparency, etc.), and analyzes the reasons for the formation of these key items and the links between the three research topics. ConclusionsThe application of GenAI LLMs in healthcare is primarily focused on transforming the way healthcare demanders access medical services (i.e., making it more intelligent, refined, and humane) and optimizing the processes through which healthcare providers offer medical services (i.e., simplifying, ensuring timeliness, and reducing errors). As the application becomes more widespread and deepens, GenAI LLMs is expected to have a revolutionary impact on traditional healthcare service models, but it also inevitably raises ethical and security concerns. Furthermore, GenAI LLMs applied in healthcare is still in the initial stage, which can be accelerated from a specific healthcare field (e.g., mental health) or a specific mechanism (e.g., GenAI LLMs’ economic benefits allocation mechanism applied to healthcare) with empirical or clinical research.

Integrating technological and strategic analysis: Evaluating the key determinants of transportation sustainability in taipei Mass Rapid Transit using the Rough-Fermatean DEMATEL approach

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) systems are essential in densely populated cities, providing efficient, reliable transportation that alleviates congestion, reduces pollution, and promotes sustainable development. By accommodating large passenger volumes, MRTs enhance urban mobility, economic vitality, and quality of life, making them a vital component of modern urban infrastructure. Identifying key economic, social, environmental, and institutional determinants is crucial for advancing sustainable transportation systems. Integrating technological and strategic perspectives, this paper employs the innovative Rough-Fermatean Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (RFF-DEMATEL) approach to delve into the critical determinants of transportation sustainability in the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (TMRT). The study acknowledges the interconnections among these factors, leading to a more genuine and precise evaluation, distinct from conventional methods that presuppose factor independence. Research outcomes indicate that “operations and performance” stand out as the paramount factors, underscoring the importance of operational strategies and economic allocation. “Digital technology economy” and “sustainable supply chain management” are also emphasized, pinpointing the necessity to harmonize public welfare with financial sustainability while cultivating enduring partnerships. The proposed approach's thorough categorization offers specific managerial suggestions, assisting TMRT in realizing its sustainability aspirations and aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This investigation accentuates the significance of recognizing factor interdependence and adeptly managing uncertainties, bolstering the research's credibility and applicative worth.

Life cycle assessment to quantify the environmental performance of multi-products food processing systems such as milk fractionation: Importance of subdivision and allocation

Many industrial food processes are multi-steps, multi-products systems, and sharing the environmental impacts produced by each step to each product is critical when implementing life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The objective of the study was therefore to investigate subdivision and different allocation rules as means of accounting for branched process itineraries such as the fractionation of milk into cream, casein, whey proteins and lactose as a case study. Depending on the mass, dry matter, protein or economic allocation, single products may or may not bear significant environmental impacts, thereby stressing the need for equally detailed inventories for all co-products. Aggregating the results by step or by input further helps identifying hotspots. Methodological choices in LCA of multifunctional systems are therefore strategic decisions that ultimately affect the eco-design of products, processes and food chains.

Optimization of Frequency Modulation Energy Storage Configuration in Power Grid Based on Equivalent Full Cycle Model

This paper aims to meet the challenges of large-scale access to renewable energy and increasingly complex power grid structure, and deeply discusses the application value of energy storage configuration optimization scheme in power grid frequency modulation. Based on the equivalent full cycle model and a large number of actual operation data, various energy storage technologies are technically analyzed, and the economic and environmental performance of different energy storage configuration schemes are comprehensively evaluated. On this basis, this paper puts forward a set of efficient and economical energy storage configuration optimization strategies to meet the demand of power grid frequency modulation and promote the wide application of energy storage technology. After an in-depth analysis, it is found that the optimized energy storage configuration scheme is excellent in technology, economy, and environmental protection. Specifically, in terms of technical performance, the optimization scheme has significantly improved key indicators such as energy storage efficiency, capacity and power, and response speed, which can better meet the requirements of power grid frequency modulation. Through the verification of actual operation data, it is found that the overall efficiency of the optimized energy storage configuration scheme is above 55%, which is helpful to the stability and efficiency of power grid frequency modulation. In terms of economic performance, although the initial investment cost of the optimization scheme may be high, it is found that it has good economy through the evaluation of long-term operation benefits. Considering that the energy storage system can reduce the operating cost of the power grid, improve the energy utilization rate, and achieve the optimization of cost-effectiveness in the long run, this scheme is economically feasible and attractive. In terms of environmental performance, the optimization scheme effectively reduces the negative impact on the environment by improving energy storage efficiency, reducing emissions, and optimizing resource utilization. This is not only conducive to the sustainable development of the power grid but also in line with the current global trend of promoting green and low-carbon transformation. To sum up, this paper not only provides an efficient and economical energy storage allocation optimization strategy for power grid frequency modulation but also provides a scientific basis for relevant decision-making departments. By promoting the practical application and development of energy storage technology, this paper is helpful to improve the frequency modulation ability of power grid, optimize energy structure, and reduce environmental pollution, and thus achieve the goal of sustainable energy development. The data results and in-depth analysis of this paper provide strong support for the practical application of energy storage configuration optimization scheme and also provide important reference for the further innovation and development of energy storage technology.

Environmental and Economic Life Cycle Assessment of Enzymatic Hydrolysis-Based Fish Protein and Oil Extraction

As global fish consumption rises, a large amount of waste is generated that is generally neglected. Considering the value embedded in these resources, sustainable methods become more important in extracting valuable ingredients from fish processing residues. Enzymatic hydrolysis is a fast and easily reproducible method for recovering protein ingredients and obtaining valuable by-products. To confirm its advantages, an environmental and economic impact assessment is essential. This study overviewed the sustainability and economic viability of extracting protein compounds and oil from Atlantic mackerel processing residues using enzymatic hydrolysis. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) methods were employed. It was found that the climate change impact of the whole process was 0.073 kg CO2-eq per 1 g of fish protein hydrolysate (FPH). As the process produces FPH as the main product and fish oil as the by-product, economic allocation was used to distribute the impacts of FPH and fish oil. The findings of the LCCA showed that producing 1 g of FPH costs EUR 3.68. The contribution analysis indicated the crucial role of electricity and fish in environmental impacts. To ensure the accuracy of the calculation, the results of an LCA study published previously were recalculated. The sensitivity analysis showed that the results were susceptible to the region and source of electricity production. This research provides valuable insights into the sustainability and economic aspects of using enzymatic hydrolysis for extracting protein ingredients and oils from Atlantic mackerel. This can inform future investigations of environmentally friendly and economically viable solutions for extracting fish ingredients.

Economic development and optimal allocation of land use in ecological emigration area in China

Due to factors such as climate, environment, and resource scarcity, a large number of ecological immigration activities have been carried out in many regions of the world, and a large amount of land has been abandoned in emigration areas, which makes it difficult to reflect the economic value of the land in the process of land ecological restoration. Many scholars mainly focus on the socio-economic development of the immigration area, while the ecological economic value of the land in the emigration area is neglected. The Chinese government has organised and implemented six large-scale resettlement projects in Ningxia to alleviate poverty and bring prosperity to areas where the soil and water are not well nourished and people are struggling. Thus, this study observed Guyuan City, Haiyuan County, and Tongxin County in central and southern Ningxia and conducted a systematic and comprehensive analysis of land resources, natural resources, the ecological environment, and social economy in the emigration area. Based on the accurate identification of the land scale of the emigration area, evaluating industrial suitability in the ecological emigration area, this study intended to strike a balance between ecological and economic development. The results showed that the emigration area is 8.0794 million mus, and the main types of land use are grassland, arable land, and forest land; the industrial development directions include large-scale livestock farming, drought-tolerant fruit farming, cold-resistant vegetable farming, modern forestry, specialised understory and photovoltaic and wind power production. The results provide policy inspiration for sustainable land use in ecological emigration areas, and propose practical ways for social capital and financial institutions to participate in the land development and promote ecological and economic value balance of emigration areas in the world.