Plant Capacity Research Articles

Floodproofing at New Braunfels Utilities

Key TakeawaysA Texas utility planning to double its surface water treatment plant (SWTP) capacity weighed the most cost‐effective path to achieving flood resilience for its critical assets.Adopting an asset‐by‐asset approach, the utility applied wet and dry floodproofing techniques to the proposed assets depending on resilience needs and priorities.Highlights of the SWTP project's success included bringing a flood‐resilience mindset to the proceedings, centering safety goals, and discussing permitting from the outset.

Influence of surface water and groundwater on functional traits and trade-off strategies of oasis communities at the end of the Keriya River, China.

Plant functional traits reflect the capacity of plants to adapt to their environment and the underlying optimization mechanisms. However, few studies have investigated trade-off strategies for functional traits in desert-wetland ecosystems, the mechanisms by which surface water disturbance and groundwater depth drive functional trait variation at the community scale, and the roles of intraspecific and interspecific variation. Therefore, this study analyzed specific differences in community-weighted mean traits among habitat types and obtained the relative contribution of intraspecific and interspecific variation by decomposing community-weighted mean traits, focusing on the Daliyabuyi Oasis in the hinterland of the Taklamakan Desert. We also explored the mechanisms by which surface water and groundwater influence different sources of variability specifically. The results showed that plant height, relative chlorophyll content, leaf thickness, leaf nitrogen content, and nitrogen-phosphorus ratio were the key traits reflecting habitat differences. As the groundwater depth becomes shallower and surface water disturbance intensifies, plant communities tend to have higher leaf nitrogen content, nitrogen-phosphorus ratio, and relative chlorophyll content and lower height. Surface water, groundwater, soil water content, and total soil nitrogen can influence interspecific and intraspecific variation in these traits through direct and indirect effects. As arid to wet habitats change, plant trade-off strategies for resources will shift from conservative to acquisitive. The study concluded that community functional traits are mainly contributed by interspecific variation, but consideration of intraspecific variation and the covariation effects that exist between it and interspecific variation can help to further enhance the understanding of the response of community traits in desert-wetland ecosystems to environmental change. Surface water disturbance has a non-negligible contribution to this adaptation process and plays a higher role than groundwater depth.

Coordinated operation and optimal sizing strategy of P2G—CNG trucks scheme on wind farm for participating in retail gas market

The increase in wind penetration and the stochastic nature of wind can cause some wind power to be curtailed, leading to a loss of revenue. Wind farm owners can invest in power to gas (P2G)—compressed natural gas (CNG) truck systems to utilize the curtailed wind power that would otherwise have been wasted. This paper proposes a coordinated operation and optimal sizing strategy of P2G and CNG trucks. P2G derives its power from curtailed wind power and also purchases electricity at low prices to facilitate methane (natural gas) production. The methane is directly stored in CNG trucks, which are used as temporary storage and as a means of transporting the gas, thereby reducing costs by eliminating storage tank. Firstly, a coordinated operation strategy for P2G and CNG trucks considering curtailed wind power and electricity purchased from the grid is presented. Secondly, an optimal sizing optimization model to determine the capacity of P2G and the number of CNG trucks using particle swarm optimization is presented, considering the coordinated operation strategy and operation constraints to maximize profit when the proposed system participates in the retail gas market. Finally, case studies were conducted to verify the viability of the proposed strategy using curtailed wind power data, electricity price data, and gas price data. Result show that optimal capacity of the P2G plant is 9.9 MW, and the optimal number of CNG trucks is 2. There is a 19.8% cost reduction with a payback period of 5.728 years compared to the conventional strategy with a payback period of 8.52 years. 89.74% of curtailed wind power is utilized, while only 10.26% of curtailed wind power is unutilized. Higher utilization of curtailed wind power that would otherwise have been wasted is achieved. The system earns a profit by selling the produced natural gas to a retail gas market.

Total Capital Investment of plastic recycling plants correlates with energy losses and capacity.

Plastic pollution is a generational problem, and stakeholders are turning to chemical recycling as a potential solution. However, decision-makers necessitate quick and reliable capital investment estimations to evaluate innovative technologies, especially in the early project stage, when limited historical data are available. To address this need, we built a database of 160+ chemical recycling plants, querying for nominal capacity, year and place of construction, total capital investment (TCI), number of long-term jobs and opportunity of subsidies. Then, we compared conventional association of the advancement of cost engineering AACE class 5 estimation methods, with literature estimates, and commercial capital expenditure confidence intervals for pyrolysis, gasification, solvolysis, and selective dissolution. We demonstrate the unreliability of classic methods, and we propose ballpark correlations based on the plant capacity, or the energy loss. Chemical recycling plants suffer from poor economy of scale (with current technologies), and capacity is not always the best indicator for TCI estimation. Pyrolysis and gasification are energy-driven technologies, and their TCI correlates very well (R2 =0.91-0.92) with the total energy losses. Solvolysis and selective dissolution, instead, are at an earlier development stage, so cost engineers or researchers will have to accept less certain TCI vs capacity (R2 =0.60).

Unravelling the neglected role of ultravioletradiation on stomata: A meta-analysis with implications for modelling ecosystem-climate interactions.

Stomata play a pivotal role in regulating gas exchange between plants and the atmosphere controlling water and carbon cycles. Accordingly, we investigated the impact of ultraviolet-B radiation, a neglected environmental factor varying with ongoing global change, on stomatal morphology and function by a Comprehensive Meta-Analysis. The overall UVeffect at the leaf level is to decrease stomatal conductance, stomatal aperture and stomatal size, although stomatal density was increased. The significant decline in stomatal conductance is marked (6% in trees and >10% in grasses and herbs) in short-term experiments, with more modest decreases noted in long-term UV studies. Short-term experiments in growth chambers are not representative of long-term field UV effects on stomatal conductance. Important consequences of altered stomatal function are hypothesized. In the short term, UV-mediated stomatal closure may reduce carbon uptake but also water loss through transpiration, thereby alleviating deleterious effects of drought. However, in the long term, complex changes in stomatal aperture, size, and density may reduce the carbon sequestration capacity of plants and increase vegetation and land surface temperatures, potentially exacerbating negative effects of drought and/or heatwaves. Therefore, the expected future strength of carbon sink capacity in high-UV regions is likely overestimated.

Unveiling the Spatial-Temporal Characteristics and Driving Factors of Greenhouse Gases and Atmospheric Pollutants Emissions of Energy Consumption in Shandong Province, China

As the largest energy-consuming province in China, Shandong faces the dual task of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and atmospheric pollution control. Based on the latest activity data and updated emission factors, this study establishes a high-resolution emission inventory (5 km × 5 km) for GHGs and main atmospheric pollutants from the energy consumption sectors of Shandong Province from 2010 to 2021, quantifies the relationship between social economic factors and GHGs and atmospheric pollutants emissions using the expanded stochastic environmental impact assessment (STIRPAT) model, and forecasts the future emission trend with the help of the scenario analysis method. Results indicate that the electricity and transportation sectors are the main contributors to all pollutants. Spatially, the high value of pollutants is mainly concentrated in the urban agglomerations of central and eastern Shandong. Up to 72% of GHGs and 50% of air pollution emissions are attributed to the top 10% of emission grids. Emission peaks occur mainly in summer and winter due to straw burning, increased utilization of temperature-controlled facilities, and expansion of plant capacity. Population, energy consumption, the proportion of secondary industry, and energy consumption intensity are the most significant influencing factors for pollutant emissions. Scenario analysis results indicate Shandong province can reach its carbon peak in 2027 without sacrificing population growth or economic progress.

Seismic Monitoring and Geomorphic Impacts of the Catastrophic 2018 Baige Landslide Hazard Cascades in the Tibetan Plateau

AbstractSurface hazards can form hazard cascades which expand their reach. However, our understanding of their complex dynamics and ability to mitigate their impacts remain limited. In 2018, two landslides dammed the Jinsha River in the Tibetan plateau and formed landslide‐dammed lakes. Subsequent dam breaches prompted the evacuation of >120,000 people. An early warning system for floods using a regional seismic network has been proposed on the basis of catastrophic floods having been detected ∼100 km away, with seismic energy proportional to discharge. Surprisingly, we find that this catastrophic outburst flood was undetectable beyond a few kilometers, with peak seismic energy preceding peak discharge. We propose that river channel stability also controls seismic energy generation and should be considered for accurate monitoring of catastrophic floods. In contrast, we find that the various processes during dam breach can be well‐characterized seismically further away and provide warning ∼60 min before discharge exceeds monsoon flood levels. We also show that numerical modeling of dam breaches which typically lacks in situ measurements can benefit from incorporating seismic data as constraints. Finally, we show that this event drastically increased sediment fluxes ∼670 km downstream for years and may significantly reduce the capacity of hydropower plants. Our results reveal ways to improve early warning of catastrophic outburst floods and the need to consider surface hazards' long‐term impact when managing infrastructure in mountainous regions.

Carbon Fixation and Oxygen Release Capacity of Typical Riparian Plants in Wuhan City and Its Influencing Factors

In order to explore the carbon fixation and oxygen release capabilities of riparian plants in Wuhan, the photosynthetic rate (Pn) and morphological indicators of 13 typical riparian plants in the middle section of the Xunsi River in Wuhan were measured by portable photosynthesis apparatus. The daily carbon fixation and oxygen release of each plant at different scales were calculated, and the carbon fixation and oxygen release capacity and its influencing factors were analyzed. The results show that: (1) according to the biological characteristics, the daily carbon fixation and oxygen release capacity per unit leaf area was higher in herbaceous than in trees; the daily carbon fixation and oxygen release capacity per plant, per projected area, and per land area were higher in trees than in herbaceous. (2) The plant with the strongest ability of daily carbon fixation and oxygen release per unit leaf area was Ruellia brittoniana, and the weakest was Triadica sebifera; the plant with the strongest ability of daily carbon fixation and oxygen release of a single plant was Metasequoia glyptostroboides, and the weakest was Lolium perenne; the plant with the strongest ability of daily carbon fixation and oxygen release per land area was Metasequoia glyptostroboides, and the weakest was Alternanthera sessilis. (3) The carbon fixation and oxygen release ability of 13 plant species was analyzed by cluster analysis based on per unit leaf area, per plant, and per land area; ten species of herbaceous plant could be divided into three grades and three species of trees into two grades. This study provides a theoretical reference for the selection and application of riparian zone vegetation in Wuhan, and provides a scientific basis for the evaluation of riparian zone ecological benefits.

Teaching plant biology through “Plant senses”—a more engaging, holistic approach and introduction

Higher education offers unique ways to provide students with knowledge of plant biology, as well as an engaging lens through which plants may be seen and appreciated. The tremendous volume of knowledge sometimes calls for introducing a different conceptual view to students who aim to become involved in plant research and related fields. It requires stepping back to consider the plant as a whole organism, connected to other organisms within an ecosystem and as a complex living form with its own plant-specific senses. Inspired by several bestselling books in this field, I launched a Plant Senses course. When using the Plant Senses tool to teach plant biology it is challenging to prevent students from over-interpreting and projecting animal features onto the plants, yet avoid an elitist zoocentric position that denies plant capacities we cannot observe with our animal perception. My course attempts to stimulate students to see the ecological importance of plants for much of life on this planet and to draw their attention to the economic value of plants to human societies. Here, I present the structure of the course and the topics covered. Further, I discuss the potential to spread this approach to other curricula and how these different fields may benefit from implementing such a course.

Solar-Powered Direct Air Capture: Techno-Economic and Environmental Assessment.

Direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 has gained attention as a sustainable carbon source. One of the most promising technologies currently available is liquid solvent DAC (L-DAC), but the significant fraction of fossil CO2 in the output stream hinders its utilization in carbon-neutral fuels and chemicals. Fossil CO2 is generated and captured during the combustion of fuels to calcine carbonates, which is difficult to decarbonize due to the high temperatures required. Solar thermal energy can provide green high-temperature heat, but it flourishes in arid regions where environmental conditions are typically unfavorable for L-DAC. This study proposes a solar-powered L-DAC approach and develops a model to assess the influence of the location and plant capacity on capture costs. The performed life cycle assessment enables the comparison of technologies based on net CO2 removal, demonstrating that solar-powered L-DAC is not only more environmentally friendly but also more cost-effective than conventional L-DAC.

Defining of eligible capacity for biomass cogeneration plants in small towns in Estonia

There is a high potential for small-scale and medium scale biomass cogeneration in Estonia. It can be explained by high heat loads in household sector and large availability of biomass energy sources. During the research an eligible size for biomass cogeneration capacity in Estonian small towns was defined. Estonian conditions were taken into account: local energy sources, fuel and electricity prices, cold climate, state of local district heating systems, Estonian legislation and support mechanisms for cogeneration plants. Heat load duration curves for four Estonian small towns with heat load 5-20 MW were taken as a base for small-scale and medium-scale cogeneration potential. Partial load cogeneration optimal sizing was researched in this paper. Results were checked and approbated by economical and environmental factors.

Effect of Change in Plant Capacity towards Controllability of Biohydrogen Production Plant from Biomass

This paper discusses the plant-wide control system of a biohydrogen plant from biomass. The plant’s control structure is designed by assessing the use of model predictive control (MPC) and proportional-integral (PI) controllers for each controlled variable. Then, the control structure design is tested by set point and disturbance change tests, and its performance is evaluated by integral square error (ISE). This plant is simulated in two different capacities to understand the effect of change in plant capacity on the plant’s controllability. Results show that the plant with capacity A has controllability of +25% and −5%, while the plant with capacity B has controllability of +100% and −5% for the dry biomass molar flow rate change test. Both plants have the same controllability of +100% and −100% for the dry biomass temperature test. Both plants result in a dry biomass conversion rate of 16.52%, where the amount of H2 produced is 382 kg/h and 2,291 kg/h, respectively.

A simple and efficient in planta transformation method based on the active regeneration capacity of plants

Plant genetic transformation strategies serve as essential tools for the genetic engineering and advanced molecular breeding of plants. However, the complicated operational protocols and low efficiency of current transformation strategies restrict the genetic modification of most plant species. This paper describes the development of the regenerative activity–dependent in planta injection delivery (RAPID) method based on the active regeneration capacity of plants. In this method, Agrobacterium tumefaciens is delivered to plant meristems via injection to induce transfected nascent tissues. Stable transgenic plants can be obtained by subsequent vegetative propagation of the positive nascent tissues. The method was successfully used for transformation of plants with strong regeneration capacity, including different genotypes of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), potato (Solanum tuberosum), and bayhops (Ipomoea pes-caprae). Compared with traditional transformation methods, RAPID has a much higher transformation efficiency and shorter duration, and it does not require tissue culture procedures. The RAPID method therefore overcomes the limitations of traditional methods to enable rapid in planta transformation and can be potentially applied to a wide range of plant species that are capable of active regeneration.

Low-temperature desalination driven by waste heat of nuclear power plants: A thermo-economic analysis

Nuclear desalination is one of the ideal options to achieve net-zero emissions. However, most nuclear desalination plants extract steam from the power cycle to drive desalination, leading to a reduction of electricity output. To avoid the parasitic effects of desalination on the power cycle, this study considers recovering waste heat from the power plants' condensers to drive low-temperature desalination systems, including spray-assisted low-temperature desalination system (SLTD), multi-effect distillation system (MED) and spray-assisted multi-effect distillation system (SMED). Thermodynamic and economic models of the three desalination systems are firstly established and validated with experimental data. Then, the impacts of key design, operation and economic parameters are evaluated using the validated models. Results reveal that the productivity and thermodynamic efficiency are promoted by increasing the cooling water flowrate of desalination condenser, enlarging the heat exchanger area and lifting the heat source temperature, while the number of effects has an optimal value of 3. Under the optimal configuration, the gained-output ratio and Second Law efficiency of a 20 m3/day SLTD plant are 0.71 and 1.25 % respectively. In terms of economic performance, the levelized-cost of desalinated water (LCOW) for three plants can be reduced substantially under a larger plant capacity and longer lifespan. When the plant capacity exceeds 20,000 m3/day, the LCOW of SLTD can be reduced to 0.757 $/m3, which is lower than all other desalination systems coupled with power plants or renewable energy sources.

Role of Biostimulants in Inducing Resistance for Phytosanitary Management

Biostimulants perform functions that improve plant metabolism and can positively interfere with processes such as respiration, photosynthesis, synthesis of nucleic acids and absorption of ions. Furthermore, they improve the roots’ ability to absorb nutrients. Thus, bistimulants can help to induce plant resistance by improving the nutritional capacity of plants, making them more tolerant to pathogen attack. Therefore, the use of biostimulants can have beneficial effects, providing an increase in plant productivity, whether through stimulating their physiology or controlling diseases.

Differential absorption of cadmium and zinc by tobacco plants: Role of apoplastic pathway

Cadmium (Cd) contamination presents a significant challenge in global agriculture. This study explores the efficacy of chemical induction, specifically using sodium chloride (NaCl), to limit Cd uptake in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and assesses its impact on essential divalent metal ions (DMIs). We conducted a comprehensive analysis encompassing ion absorption, root histology, and biochemistry to understand the influence of this method. Our results revealed that NaCl induction led to a notable 30 % decrease in Cd absorption, while maintaining minimal impact on zinc (Zn) uptake. Intriguingly, the absence of essential DMIs, such as calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and Zn, was found to diminish the plant's capacity to absorb Cd. Furthermore, moderate NaCl induction resulted in an increased diameter of the root stele and enhanced lignin content, indicating a restriction of Cd absorption through the apoplastic pathway. Conversely, a compensatory absorption mechanism via the symplastic pathway appeared to be activated in the absence of essential elements. These findings highlight the potential of chemical induction as a strategy to mitigate agricultural Cd risks, offering insights into the complex interplay between plant ion transport pathways and metal uptake regulation.

Feasibility study of desalination plant powered by SMR

The aim of the paper is to assess the feasibility of nuclear desalination, which will be obtained using both electricity and heat generated by nuclear power plant to remove salt and minerals from seawater. The integration of a water desalination plant into a small and modular nuclear power plant is described by considering a combination of a variety of seawater desalination co-generation configurations/ techniques (thermal or membrane in single or hybrid mode) to show they are successfully coupled with SMRs (of different types) to produce water and electricity at different scales. Running SMRs as base load plants is more economical and simpler than requiring them to follow load. Therefore, in a cogeneration mode and while grid load is low, they may run at full capacity even if their capacity exceeds water demands.The proposed solution was numerically investigated from both thermodynamic and economic points of view using the Desalination Economic Evaluation Program (DEEP) software made available by the IAEA.The study highlights the role of factors such as site characteristics, plant capacity, feed/product-water quality, energy costs, in affecting the economics of desalination regardless of the energy source used. The economics of nuclear desalination has been found to be competitive with other desalination techniques driven by other sources of energy. Results show that e.g., for an average per capita electricity consumption of 4.7 MWh/year and 80.3 m3/year of water, the CAREM25 reactor coupled to a desalination plant could produce electricity for 35,000 inhabitants and water for domestic use for 200,000 inhabitants.

Selenium Nanoparticles Mitigate Cadmium Stress in Tomato through Enhanced Accumulation and Transport of Sulfate/Selenite and Polyamines.

Accumulation of cadmium (Cd) ions in soil is an increasingly acute ecological problem in agriculture production. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) can mediate Cd tolerance in plants; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, we show that the foliar application of SeNPs improved the adaptive capacity of tomato plants to decrease Cd-induced damage. SeNPs induced more Cd in roots but not in shoots despite greater accumulation of selenium and sulfur in both tissues and high selenate influx. Additionally, SeNPs significantly increased thiol compounds, including glutathione, cysteine, and phytochelatins, contributing to enhanced Cd detoxification. Importantly, SeNPs induced the expression of sulfate transporters 1:3, S-adenosylmethionine 1 and polyamine transporter 3. Then, experiments with mutants of these genes showed that SeNP-reduced Cd stress largely relies on the levels and shoot-to-root transport of selenium/sulfur and polyamines. These findings highlight the potential of SeNPs to improve crop production and phytoremediation in heavy metal-contaminated soils.

Applicability of multi-agent control for virtual inertia modes in a wind power plant

This work presents a literature review devoted to increasing the efficiency and quality of managing wind power plants. The analysis focuses on mitigating the adverse effects of wind turbines on the power system and providing system services, such as primary frequency regulation. Nearly 150 scientific publications and reviews, selected from various scientific sources (such as IEEE, Web of Science and Scopus) by the keywords, including “wind power station”, “wind turbine”, “multi-agent control”, “virtual inertia”, “microgrid”, “virtual power plant”, and “frequency control”, were evaluated.A systematic review methodology of specialised sources was applied, which offers a defined structure for this field of research by categorising articles. The study emphasises the urgency of developing technologies to increase the regulation capacity of a wind power plant, since the low inertia of renewable energy sources leads to a decrease in the stability of power systems, a significant proportion of which accounts for wind power plants. It follows from the literature review that one of the means to increase the stability of such power systems is the creation of virtual inertia for wind power plants. However, due to the limited capacity and control capabilities of each individual wind turbine, the efficiency of introduced virtual inertia may be insufficient, when implemented for individual units. Moreover, it is shown that uncoordinated control can affect the stability of the system. In this review, the specific sources considering coordinated multi-agent control of the virtual inertia for several wind turbines (wind power plants) were analysed. The review concludes that the proposed approach is currently understudied, while the outlined theses can be confirmed by developing the necessary algorithms and analysing the results.

Does soil history decline in influencing the structure of bacterial communities of Brassica napus host plants across different growth stages?

Soil history has been shown to condition future rhizosphere microbial communities. However, previous experiments have also illustrated that mature, adult plants can "re-write," or mask, different soil histories through host plant-soil community feedbacks. This leaves a knowledge gap concerning how soil history influences bacterial community structure across different growth stages. Thus, here we tested the hypothesis that previously established soil histories will decrease in influencing the structure of Brassica napus bacterial communities over the growing season. We used an on-going agricultural field experiment to establish three different soil histories, plots of monocrop canola (B. napus), or rotations of wheat-canola, or pea-barley-canola. During the following season, we repeatedly sampled the surrounding bulk soil, rhizosphere, and roots of the B. napus hosts at different growth stages-the initial seeding conditions, seedling, rosette, bolting, and flower-from all three soil history plots. We compared composition and diversity of the B. napus soil bacterial communities, as estimated using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding, to identify any changes associated with soil history and growth stages. We found that soil history remained significant across each growth stage in structuring the bacterial bulk soil and rhizosphere communities, but not the bacterial root communities. This suggests that the host plant's capacity to "re-write" different soil histories may be quite limited as key components that constitute the soil history's identity remain present, such that the previously established soil history continues to impact the bacterial rhizosphere communities, but not the root communities. For agriculture, this highlights how previously established soil histories persist and may have important long-term consequences on future plant-microbe communities, including bacteria.