Cleaner Production Research Articles

Risk minimizing framework for solar photovoltaics

The complexity of risk assessment and the challenges in decision-making often impede the application of various models to renewable energy systems. This study introduces a comprehensive framework designed to streamline this process, facilitating informed decisions regarding the estimation of risks associated with solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Leveraging data and information available in the literature, the framework is particularly useful for manufacturers in selecting materials that balance low environmental risk with high efficiency. The framework emphasizes early-stage risk minimization by integrating changes during PV development, thereby promoting cleaner production systems. It’s interconnected components encompass various approaches to risk assessment, control, and management, providing a structured methodology for risk reduction. Based on available information, the defined steps guide users through evaluating and mitigating risks. Applying risk minimization by metal substitution approach lowers the oral-ingestion and dermal-contact risk by a magnitude of four and six times, respectively. This framework will guide regulatory bodies throughout each step of the product life cycle, suggesting necessary changes and assessment strategies aligned with the perspectives of various stakeholders. By facilitating the identification and implementation of the most effective risk management strategies, the framework aims to advance the development of sustainable and safe PV technologies.

Making Interfacial Solar Evaporation of Seawater Faster than Fresh Water.

Interfacial solar evaporation-based seawater desalination is regarded as one of the most promising strategies to alleviate freshwater scarcity. However, the solar evaporation rate of real seawater is significantly constricted by the ubiquitous salts present in seawater. In addition to the common issue of salt accumulation on the evaporation surface during solar evaporation, strong hydration between salt ions and water molecules leads to a lower evaporation rate for real seawater compared to pure water. Here a facile and general strategy is developed to reverse this occurrence, that is, making real seawater evaporation faster than pure water. By simply introducing specific mineral materials into the floating photothermal evaporator, ion exchange at air-water interfaces directly results in a decrease in seawater evaporation enthalpy, and consequently achieves much higher seawater evaporation rates compared to pure water. This process is spontaneously realized during seawater solar evaporation. Considering the current enormous clean water production from evaporation-based desalination plants, such an evaporation performance improvement can remarkably increase annual clean water production, benefiting millions of people worldwide.

A High‐Efficiency System for Long‐Term Salinity‐Gradient Energy Harvesting and Simultaneous Solar Steam Generation

AbstractThe vast energy stored in the ocean, which receives an average solar power of ≈60 000 TW per year, surpasses human energy consumption by three orders of magnitude. Harnessing even a small fraction of it holds great promise in addressing global energy and water crises. Here, an integrated device that achieves unprecedented power density up to 1.1 W m−2 with excellent stability through a salinity concentration gradient induced by solar evaporation, while simultaneously producing clean water at a rate of 1.25 kg m−2 h−1 under one sun irradiation is presented. The remarkable electricity generation capability stems from the unique interlayer structure of polyaniline‐graphene oxide‐MnO2 (PANI@GO/MnO2) electrodes, enabling the recovery of electrochemical potentials from a wide range of ion salinity concentrations within the device and the additional Donnan potential generated by the anion‐exchange membrane. Furthermore, periodic flipping of the device effectively reactivates the electrodes and suppresses salt accumulation, enabling long‐term operation. Notably, a prototype device of 8 × 25 cm2 exhibits a short‐circuit current of 10 mA and an open‐circuit voltage of 10.2 V, as well as a clean water production rate of 24.8 g per hour. These findings shed light on the reliable technology for power and freshwater supply in marine environments.

An Investigation of the Batch Adsorption Capacity for the Removal of Phosphate from Wastewater Using Both Unmodified and Functional Nanoparticle-Modified Biochars

One of the most widely employed methods for adsorption is the utilization of biochar produced during pyrolysis. Biochar has attracted considerable attention due to its oxygen-containing functional groups and relatively high specific surface area. In alignment with the principles of cleaner production, the sludge generated from sewage treatment plants is typically classified as waste. However, it can be effectively repurposed as an adsorbent following pyrolysis and subsequent nanoparticle modification. This environmentally friendly approach presents an ecological alternative to conventional water treatment methods. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of batch adsorption for the removal of phosphate from wastewater using both unmodified and modified sewage sludge biochars (SSBs) that were produced at various temperatures (300 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C, and 600 °C) and modified with zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI-SSB300, nZVI-SSB400, nZVI-SSB500, and nZVI-SSB600). The findings indicate that biochar modified with functional nanoparticles is a highly effective adsorbent for the removal of phosphate from wastewater. As demonstrated by the research results, the adsorption capacity of modified biochar is approximately 3 to 3.5 times greater than that of the unmodified variants. The phosphate removal efficiency with modified biochars was optimal with nZVI-SSB600. In experiments with a phosphate concentration (25 mg/L), the modified sorbent biochar exhibited an equilibrium adsorption capacity of 23.74 mg/g, translating to a phosphate removal efficiency of 60%. Under similar test conditions, at an initial phosphate concentration of 50 mg/L, the adsorption capacity improved to 25.67 mg/g (75% efficiency); at 75 mg/L, it reached 27.97 mg/g (80%); at 100 mg/L, it was 28.44 mg/g (85%); and at 125 mg/L, it achieved 29.48 mg/g (89%). The models confirmed the observed adsorption behavior, yielding a maximum phosphate adsorption capacity (qe) of 19.00 mg/g for the 600 °C pyrolysis of modified biochar at the primary phosphate concentration (25 mg/L). Furthermore, this study indicates that the influence of solution pH on phosphate adsorption remains stable and maximal (nZVI-SSB600, ranging from 16.87 to 20.46 mg/g) within the pH range of 3 to 8. On average, the modified biochar (nZVI-SSB) demonstrated 20 to 30% superior adsorption performance compared to the unmodified biochar (SSB). Additionally, significant differences were noted between various ambient temperatures, ranging from 5 °C to 25 °C. As the ambient temperature increased, the sorption capacity of the adsorbent exhibited a considerable improvement. With a primary concentration of phosphate (100 mg/g) at 5 °C, the adsorption capacity of nZVI-SSB600 was measured at 7.99 mg/g; this increased to 14.33 mg/g at 10 °C, 21.79 mg/g at 20 °C, and 28.44 mg/g at 25 °C. This research highlights the potential application of biochar in wastewater treatment for phosphate removal, simultaneously enabling the effective utilization of generated sewage sludge waste through pyrolysis and coating with zero-iron nanoparticles, resulting in a sustainable solution.

Towards p-11B medium configurations with high Pfus/PBrems ratios

Aneutronic p-11B nuclear fusion is promising for clean energy production, as it produces three (3) alpha particles with 8.7 MeV total energy. However, the main difficulty for p-11B fusion ignition (Q = Pfus/PBrems≥ 1) concerns the nuclear cross section and thus, reactivity efficiency at higher than 200 keV medium temperatures. To overcome this difficulty, the present work emphasizes on the numerical investigation of medium schemes (configurations) with enhanced reactivity. The configurations refer to the addition of energetic protons in a low-density 11boron or proton–11boron medium (n = 1020 m−3), with (np/nB) > 1 for Bremsstrahlung losses optimization and initial temperature in the range of 1 keV ≤ Tin≤ 400 keV. A self-consistent multi-fluid global particle and energy balance code, including collisions between all medium species (p, 11B, e, α), is used for the description of the temporal evolution of all fusion medium physical parameters and the evaluation of the optimum initial conditions for the obtainment of Q ≥ 1. The numerical simulation results show that the coupling between the 200 keV < Ep,0≤ 750 keV energetic protons and the 1 keV ≤ Tin≤ 400 keV initial fusion medium leads to ignition, 1 ≤ Q < 1.4, below Tin= 100 keV. In all the presented initial medium temperature cases, and especially, the lower (<) than 100 keV, the ignition condition (Pfus/PBrems) > 1 arises, as a consequence of the chain reactions and the related avalanche alpha heating effect.

Toward revolutionizing PEMFC manufacturing for clean energy conversion: a review on the innovative contribution of 3D printing techniques

AbstractThree-dimensional printing (3DP) is a technology useful for fabricating both structural and energy devices. Of great concern to this review is promising nature of additive manufacturing (AM) for engineering fuel cells (FCs) for clean energy conversion. 3DP technique is useful for the fabrication of fuel cell components, and they offer waste minimization, low-cost, and complex geometric structures. In this review, significance of different 3DP techniques toward revolutionizing fuel cell fabrication is given. The aim is to unravel the importance and status of 3D-printed fuel cells and hence provides researchers and scientists with extensive opportunities of 3DP techniques for fuel cell engineering. After careful selection of state-of-the-art literatures, different kinds of 3DP techniques of relevance to electrolytes, electrodes, and other key components (e.g., gas diffusion layers (GDLs), bipolar plates (BPs), and membrane electrode assembly (MEA)) fabrication are explicitly discussed. Among the techniques, the best approaches are recommended for further studies. Advantages associated with these techniques are indicated for the benefit of those whose interests matter most on clean energy production. The challenges researchers are facing in the use of 3DP for fuel cell fabrications are identified. Possible solutions to the identified challenges are suggested as way forward to further development in this research area. It is expected that this review article will benefit engineers and scientists who have interest on clean energy conversion devices.

Visible-Light-Induced Rapid Elimination of Antibiotic Resistance Contaminations Using Graphitic Carbon Nitride Tailored with Carrier Confinement Domains.

Solar water disinfection facilitated by photocatalyst has been considered a viable point-of-use (POU) method for mitigating antibiotic resistance contaminations at the household or community levels. Here, density functional theory calculations are used to guide the fabrication of a carrier confinement domains (CCD)-decorated graphitic carbon nitride (CN) photocatalyst. The CCD integration effectively disrupts the electron distribution symmetry of CN, amplifies its local electron density, and facilitates the formation of long-range ordered structure, thereby enhancing charge separation efficiency. Importantly, the CCD directs the migration of photogenerated carriers to specific regions upon light illumination, effectively minimizing their spatial proximity. As a result, the overall reactive oxygen species level of the photocatalytic system is markedly elevated, with a twelvefold increase in H2O2 concentration, alongside a nearly two-order-of-magnitude rise in •O2 - and •OH steady-state concentrations. Remarkably, a record-high disinfection efficiency is attained, successfully inactivating 7 log of antibiotic-resistant bacteria within 30min. Additionally, the photocatalyst can be integrated into a continuous-flow fixed-bed reactor, facilitating clean water production for up to 60h at a rate of 121Lm-2day-1, highlighting its significant potential for POU applications.

Additive Manufacturing Applicability for Efficient Solid Waste Management

Objective: This study intends to perform a theoretical analysis of Additive Manufacturing applicability and integration with Solid Waste Management practices. Theoretical Framework: The main concepts and theories in Industry 4.0, Additive Manufacturing, Solid Waste Management, Cleaner Production, Reserve Logistics stand out, providing a solid basis for understanding the investigation context. Method: This study investigated two of the largest sustainable companies that develop green products and resources for Additive Manufacturing uses operating in the Brazilian market. The information was collected from portals, reports of results, processes, and green manufactured products, according to literature. Results and Discussion: The study results that Additive Manufacturing implementation generated significantly less waste due to technology applied and its usage of green and efficient inputs. Research Implications: This research provides insights into how the results can be applied in Additive Manufacturing Field. These implications could encompass the waste management area and the recycling methods for polypropylene residues. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by analyzing the relationship between additive manufacturing and waste management with the Industry 4.0 concepts, showing additive manufacturing as an alternative way of more sustainable production.

Agrivoltaic systems towards the European green deal and agricultural policies: a review

Excessive exploitation of natural resources has an environmental impact on ecosystems due to demographic and economic growth, and energy demand. For this reason, world economies have been implementing policy tools to achieve eco-friendly energy growth, minimizing environmental impact. It is necessary to increase Renewable Energies (RE) fraction in terms of electricity supply, improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption in greenhouses as well as in the agricultural sector. Thus, the European Green Deal (EGD) is a sustainable package of measures which, due to the ecological use of natural resources, strengthens the resilience of European food systems. The EGD’s objectives include: ensuring food security, reducing environmental impact, and supporting the farm to fork strategy and energy communities. The aim of this review is to present innovative energy technologies integrated with agrivoltaic systems to produce and utilize energy with eco-friendly methods. In this review, agrivoltaic systems were presented in the EGD perspective, since, as shown by several studies, they increase simultaneously clean energy production and crop yield, avoiding limitations in land use. As agrivoltaic systems produce energy by the installation of PV panels, an overview of PV technology was provided. PV panels can feed electricity to the power grid. Nowadays, since there are many impoverished rural areas which do not have access to electricity, a lot of projects have been developed that utilize power generation from microgrids combined with hybrid systems (e.g., wind and solar energy) to feed agricultural facilities or community buildings.

Water Resource Recovery Facilities Empower the Electrolytic Hydrogen Economy.

The global transition to net-zero emissions necessitates the integration of clean hydrogen as a key solution. To facilitate the required expansion of clean hydrogen production, sustainable water sources are required to support the electrolysis process. Utilizing nontraditional water sources such as water resource recovery facility (WRRF) effluents could potentially alleviate the water constraints and create cobenefits, but the real-world feasibility has not been explored in depth. Here, we investigated the geospatial interplay between WRRFs and H2 users in a clean hydrogen economy. We developed an optimization framework for contiguous U.S. that would identify H2 users-WRRF pairing through techno-economic constraint and multicriteria decision analysis, and we found that utilizing reclaimed water from WRRFs could save 66% (62-99%) of freshwater for clean hydrogen economy while accumulating $758 (275-1162) million annual national cost savings. The added benefits from H2 users to WRRFs such as pure oxygen aeration would provide a compelling new opportunity for infrastructural symbiosis but warrant a future investigation on its technical and economic feasibilities.

Evaluating Environmental Risks and Waste Management in Chemistry Laboratories: Integrating FMEA and Cleaner Production

The issue of environmental waste production has increased substantially, and educational institutions have become initiating agents because of their research and practical activities. This research work has the following objectives: To assess and analyze the environmental aspects and environmental impacts created by the chemistry laboratories at the Institute of Health and Biotechnology (IHB) in Coari, Amazonas, using management methodologies. The FMEA and Cleaner Production (CP) approaches were applied for risk assessment and decision-making to identify risks and propose preventive measures. It becomes clear that the Environmental Risk Index (ERI) guides activities toward managing or reducing risk. In the 67 cases of the process, 32 of them were assessed as priorities, two of which are high risk and require action. The results include the following objectives for a Waste Management System (WMS) suited to the environment in the institution: compliance with current environmental laws or regulations and the creation of a safer environment for students to work and learn.

Recent Advances in High-Performance Membrane Materials for Fuel Cells

Fuel cells have emerged as a key technology for clean energy production, with proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells being one of the most promising types due to their high efficiency and low emissions. A critical component of PEM fuel cells is the membrane, which plays a crucial role in ion transport and overall system performance. Recent advances in membrane materials have focused on improving proton conductivity, chemical stability, and durability while reducing production costs. This review discusses recent developments in high-performance membrane materials, including polymer blends, hybrid membranes, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). These innovative materials have shown significant potential in overcoming the limitations of traditional membranes like Nafion®. Advances in acid-base membranes, such as polybenzimidazole (PBI)-based systems, have demonstrated improvements in high-temperature performance. Enhanced cross-linking techniques, the use of antioxidant additives, and nanofillers have further contributed to improved membrane durability. Despite these advancements, challenges remain in scaling up production and reducing costs. Future research must focus on addressing these issues to enable the widespread commercial use of fuel cells. The progress in membrane material technology is critical to realizing the potential of fuel cells as a viable solution for sustainable energy.

Bimetallic PdPt Nanoparticles Decorated PES Membranes for Enhanced H2 Separation.

Hydrogen separation has significant importance in diverse applications ranging from clean energy production to gas purification. Membrane technology stands out as a low-cost and efficient method to address the purpose. The development of efficient gas-sensitive materials can further bolster the membrane's performance. In this pursuit, bimetallic PdPt nanoparticles were synthesized using a wet chemical approach and were strategically decorated onto poly(ether sulfone) (PES) membranes. The fibrous morphology of the PES membranes provided an ideal platform for the decoration of nanoparticles, promising enhanced gas transport properties. Prior to the attachment of nanoparticles, the membranes were pretreated under UV light to enhance their surface properties and facilitate improved adhesion. The synthesized bimetallic nanoparticles were characterized by using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for their morphological and elemental analysis. Furthermore, the engineered membranes were characterized using various techniques, such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) with rigorous scrutiny to ensure a comprehensive understanding of their structural, chemical, and morphological properties. The membranes were examined for their separation performance using pure H2, N2, and CO2 gases, and the results revealed a 30% increment in H2 permeability and 40 and 42% increments in H2/CO2 and H2/N2 selectivity, respectively. These findings confirmed the critical role of tailored material design and synthesis strategies in advancing membrane technologies for H2 separation applications.

Exploring the Nexus of Electric Vehicles, Environmental Health and Sustainability: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Review

This study analysed 636 papers from the Scopus database using bibliometric and graphical techniques to trace the evolving research on sustainability, environmental health (EH), and electric vehicles (EVs). Research patterns, notable authors, most contributing nations, associations, leading journals, and the most widely referenced publications were all noted. Although the top journals for EV policy research are Sustainability and Journal of Cleaner Production, Sovacool Bk is acknowledged as the most active contributor. The top two contributions are the USA and China, underscoring their vital roles in the creation of EVs and creative policies. The primary contributor to the field research is Tsinghua University. With the maximum citations, the study by Egbue (2012) in Energy Policy suggests a significant long-term influence. The study uses Bradford's Law to confirm that important research is concentrated in specific publications and Lotka's Law to analyse author productivity. The results indicate that certain authors are quite prolific, which are in line with Bradford's Law but not Lotka's Law. The seven thematic clusters that emerged were (a) "Sustainable transportation and policy," (b) "Sustainable mobility and energy," (c) "Environmental Impact and Circular Economy," (d) "Electric Vehicles Adoption and Climate Change," (e) "Battery and Lithium-Ion Technology," (f) "Shared and Connected Mobility," and (g) "Smart Grid and Vehicle-to-Grid Integration." Overall, the study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary EV research as well as the need for infrastructure, regulatory, and technology improvements to support sustainable EV adoption. By employing keyword co-occurrence analysis, the study offers academics and policymakers valuable information, establishing the framework for resolving problems and promoting innovation in the EV ecosystem.

The impact of replacing chemical nitrogen fertilizer with monosodium glutamate waste liquid residue on yield, quality, and carbon emission of rice production

Replacing chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer with monosodium glutamate waste liquid residue (MSGWLR) is beneficial for achieving clean production in both the monosodium glutamate (MSG) industry and agriculture. However, the impact of this method on rice production and environment has not yet been clear. This study adopted field experiments to clarify the rice yield, quality and carbon emissions applying conventional application of chemical N fertilizer (CF), reduction of N fertilizer by 20% (N80%), based on reduction of chemical N fertilizer by 20% and replacing 50% chemical N fertilizer with MSGWLR (MSGWLR50%), and replacing 100% chemical N fertilizer (MSGWLR100%). The results showed that compared with CF treatment, MSGWLR100% showed no significant changes in rice yield, milling quality, fatty acid value, and taste quality. The chalkiness rate of rice significantly decreased, and the protein content significantly increased. On the other hand, the carbon emissions from rice production treated with MSGWLR100% were the lowest, with a 58.5% decrease in global warming potential (GWP) compared to CF treatment. This was mainly because MSGWLR100% treatment could provide rich and balanced nutrients for rice growth, and it did not promote greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from paddy field. At the same time, it effectively reduced the indirect carbon emissions in chemical fertilizer production by reducing chemical N fertilizer. Therefore, the MSGWLR100% fertilization treatment is beneficial for cleaner production in the MSG industry and rice cultivation.Graphical

Sustainability strategies: A proposal for food sector SMEs, based on the integration of life cycle assessment and ESG strategies

The significant climate change the planet has faced in recent decades has prompted global leaders, policymakers, business leaders, environmentalists, academics, and scientists from around the world to unite their efforts since 1987 around sustainable development. This development not only promotes economic sustainability but also environmental, social, and corporate sustainability, where clean production, responsible consumption, and sustainable infrastructures prevail. In this context, the present article aims to propose a development framework for sustainability in food sector SMEs, which includes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies as key elements to reduce CO2 emissions and improve operational efficiency. The methodology includes a comparative analysis of strategies implemented between 2019 and 2023, supported by quantitative data showing a 20% reduction in operating costs, a 10% increase in market share, and a 25% increase in productivity for companies that adopted clean technologies. This study offers a significant contribution to the field of corporate sustainability, providing a model that is adaptable and applicable across different regions, enhancing innovation and business resilience in a global context that requires collective efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals.

Will tariffs on clean energy products support the clean energy transition?

Will tariffs on clean energy products support the clean energy transition?

Development of cleaner production composite rebar using sugarcane bagasse biochar and areca short fibre for eco-friendly construction

Development of cleaner production composite rebar using sugarcane bagasse biochar and areca short fibre for eco-friendly construction

LEVERAGING ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE IN ALGERIAN ECONOMIC INSTITUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Purpose: The study explored how environmental performance contributes to sustainable development, focusing on its role in achieving key dimensions of sustainability. Theoretical Framework: It emphasized that essential administrative tools for environmental protection are primarily found within the legal and institutional framework, which includes various national bodies established to support sustainable development. These organizations play a significant role in raising awareness, providing training, and emphasizing the importance of adhering to environmental standards through preventive, conservation, and regulatory measures, all backed by legal authority. Additionally, civil society has a crucial role in fostering environmental awareness, particularly within economic institutions. Design/Methodology/Approach: The designof the study is descriptive and analytical. Data for this study were collected from official Algerian sources. Findings: Cleaner Production this approach is a practical implementation of sustainable development, enabling greater efficiency in production while minimizing the use of raw materials and resources, all while protecting the environment.

Corporate sustainability commitment in the Middle East and North Africa region: Impact on innovation and firm performance

AbstractThis study examines the effects of corporate sustainability factors (CSFs)—specifically gender diversity, energy practices, and environmental practices—on innovation and their subsequent impact on firm performance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. By integrating Absorptive Capacity Theory, we explore how these CSFs drive innovation, contributing to broader sustainable development goals. We analyze the impact of innovation on firm performance using the resource‐based view (RBV). Utilizing secondary data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES), we employ a two‐stage instrumental variable regression (IV‐2SLS) to address endogeneity and establish causal relationships. Our findings reveal that stakeholder engagement through gender diversity, energy practices, and environmental practices significantly enhances innovation, which, in turn, drives firm performance. Diverse leadership fosters creativity and innovation, while energy‐efficient and environmentally sustainable practices reduce costs, improve brand reputation, and align with sustainable development goals. These insights underscore essential policy implications for promoting environmental policy, clean production, and sustainable innovation ecosystems. Encouraging MENA firms to engage stakeholders and adopt sustainable practices can drive economic prosperity and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).