Conversion Cost Research Articles

Perovskite Solar Cells: Challenges Facing Polymeric Hole Selective Materials in p–i–n Configuration

AbstractPolymeric hole‐selective materials (P‐HSMs) offer advantages like solution processability, tunable energy levels, and improved mechanical stability, making them suitable for large‐scale and flexible substrates. Poly[bis(4‐phenyl) (2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl) amine] (PTAA) based p–i–n perovskite solar cells exhibit promising power conversion efficiency (PCE), but wettability, dopant, and cost challenges necessitate the development of advanced next‐generation P‐HSMs. To provide a clear understanding of the structural property with photovoltaic performance, this review classifies such newly developed P‐HSMs into five distinct structural categories. Specifically, this review discusses the current status, advancements, challenges, and prospects in structural design and synthetic variations, focusing on enhancing photovoltaic performance, wettability, mitigating surface defects, and stability. Notably, incorporating polar units into P‐HSMs enhances wettability and mitigates ion instabilities and uncoordinated lead defects. Promising structural designs like polymeric self‐assembled monolayers and in situ polymerized hole‐selective materials are examined. Despite performance advancements, emerging, P‐HSMs face significant challenges such as limited thermal stress analysis (55–85 °C) and scalability restricted to small‐scale devices. To bridge this gap, this review emphasizes the urgent need for prioritizing thermal stability testing and large‐scale device fabrication in future research, paving the way for commercial viability of P‐HSMs in p–i–n perovskite photovoltaics.

Enhancing Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Rice Straw by Acid-Assisted Mechanocatalytic Depolymerization Pretreatment

The inherent complexity of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contributes to the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass, resulting in a low conversion efficiency and high cost of bioethanol conversion. Pretreatment methods that disrupt the plant cell structure of lignocellulose, such as straw, can significantly enhance the conversion efficiency. In this study, we utilized an acid-assisted mechanocatalytic depolymerization technique to pretreat rice straw, and the results demonstrated a significant disruption of the cellulose structure of the straw. Compared to the untreated straw, the particle size of pretreated straw reduced from 279 μm to 11.8 μm, the crystallinity of cellulose decreased from 43.05% to 22.71%, the specific surface area increased by 177%, and the surface oxygen-to-carbon ratio (O/C) ratio was enhanced by 75%. The changes in microstructure enabled the pretreated straw to achieve a total sugar yield of over 95% within 12 h of enzymatic hydrolysis, significantly superior to the 36.24% yield from untreated straw, the 45.20% yield from acid impregnated straw, and the 73.25% yield from ball milled straw. Consequently, acid-assisted mechanocatalytic depolymerization emerges as a highly effective pretreatment strategy to enhance both the enzymatic hydrolysis and the overall conversion efficiency of rice straw.

ICE to EV Conversion in Thailand: Evaluating Feasibility, Benefits, and Challenges

Abstract: The shift to electric vehicles (EVs) is vital for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but Thailand faces challenges in adopting new EVs due to high costs and limited infrastructure. This study investigates the feasibility of converting internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs over the next decade, examining the economic, environmental, and social impacts. Findings show that EV conversions can reduce operational costs by 40-50% and lower GHG emissions by up to 70%, even when accounting for electricity-related emissions. In addition, the transition could significantly improve air quality, leading to public health benefits. However, barriers such as high upfront conversion costs, limited access to conversion kits, and the need for skilled labor remain. Addressing these challenges through government incentives, infrastructure development, and workforce training will be essential for scaling up EV conversions, enabling Thailand to accelerate its shift toward sustainable transportation and meet its climate goals.

Single-screw extrusion performance for LLDPE resin as a function of compression ratio

High-quality polyethylene film and sheet must be free of solid polymer fragments and degraded resin. Moreover, the products must be produced at high rates to minimize conversion costs. Thus, the extruder must produce a homogenous extrudate at the proper discharge temperature and pressure. The screw design and process operating parameters are key. A key screw design parameter is the compression ratio. This paper experimentally studies how the compression ratio affects a linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) resin extrusion process. A 2.8 compression ratio screw was optimal for LLDPE resin. Significant solid polymer fragments were observed in the extrudate for 2.8 to 3.6 compression ratio screws at 110 rpm and higher. For 2.0 and 2.4 compression ratio screws at less than 50 rpm, the internal pressures in the extruder were relatively low. At screw speeds 50 rpm and higher, the specific rates for all screws were higher than the calculated specific rotational rate, creating negative axial pressure gradients in the metering sections.

Increased biosimilar options in oncology and impact on administrative burden caused by drug switches: Implications of step therapy.

18 Background: Within drug classes, some payers require a particular drug to be tried and failed first, before reimbursing other drugs within the same drug . This is called a step-edit. These step edits are mandated despite physician or patient preference. With the increased utilization of biosimilar drugs, the instances of step edits have dramatically increased. With the increase of step edits the administrative burden of inventory management, authorizations, appeals and regimen maintenance has significantly increased. The extent of the increased step therapy requirements and associated costs are unclear. Methods: Drug conversions due to step edit requirements were tracked for twelve months and compared to the same twelve-month period the prior year at Tennessee Oncology, a large community-based practice. Ten drug classes containing biosimilar options were reviewed for ten different payers. The review monitored the addition of biosimilar drug options within the various drug classes and the number of patients that required a switch to an alternate therapy, solely due to payer step edits. A per patient cost was calculated by evaluating the time spent per patient to obtain an authorization, manage inventory, appeal denials and revise regimens. Results: July-Dec 2022, 83 patients required drug conversions due to payer step edits. This included eight payers within the ten drug classes. Each drug class had an average of 3 therapies. July -Dec 2023, over 500 patients were converted due to payer step edits. Each drug class had an average of eight step therapy choices. The cost of conversion, per patient, was an average of $76.00. If extrapolated, $76,000 in 2023 compared to 12,616 in 2022. It was noted that not all required drug switches resulted in the least costly drug being mandated by the payer. There were cases where the practice was required to switch from a less costly drug to a more costly drug due to a payer step edit. Conclusions: There was a six-fold increase in the number of patients requiring a step-edit year over year. This increased the administrative burden of drug management while costing practices over $75 per switch each . Step edit drug classes and drug choices have also grown exponentially highlighting the fact that the step therapy trend continues to grow and become more complex. Physician practices bear the financial burden of the payer UM requirements and patients are placed in the middle. 2022 vs 2023 required drug switches due to step edits. Payer Drug Classes Requiring Step Therapy 2022 Drug Classes Requiring Step Therapy 2023 Total Drug Agents With Step Edits 2022 Total Drug Agents With Step Edits 2023 Payer 1 0 1 0 6 Payer 2 7 9 14 49 Payer 3 0 1 0 6 Payer 4 0 9 0 49 Payer 5 2 9 3 49 Payer 6 2 9 4 49 Payer 7 4 10 12 53 Payer 8 3 10 10 50 Payer 9 7 9 9 49 Payer 10 6 9 18 49 Total 31 76 70 409

Advancing syngas production: A comparative techno-economic analysis of ICCU and CCU technologies for CO2 emission reduction

The Paris Agreement stresses the need to cut CO2 emissions, a global priority. Innovative methods like carbon capture and utilization (CCU) aim to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C by 2100. Traditional CCU involves separate CO2 collection and purification steps, while integrated carbon capture and utilization (ICCU) streamlines the process by capturing CO2 using CaO adsorbents and using it with CH4 on-site to produce syngas. ICCU reduces CO2 conversion costs by eliminating intermediaries, potentially resulting in lower operational costs than traditional CCU. This study employs the Aspen Plus model to evaluate ICCU and CCU processes, analyzing parameters such as CaCO3 consumption, purge production, annual CO and H2 production, energy balance, total annual costs, and CO production costs. Results show that ICCU generates 1.39 million tons of CO annually, with lower CH4 and CaCO3 consumption along with improved energy efficiency at 46.75% compared to CCU for 42.49%. ICCU incurs an annual capital outlay of $554.92 million with $396.94/ton of CO, while CCU costs M$853.10/year with $325.11/ton of CO. Notably, ICCU reduces costs of CO2 avoidance to $380.44/ton compared to $513.59/ton for CCU. These findings highlight ICCU as a more efficient and cost-effective approach to reducing CO2 emissions, aligning with the Paris Agreement goals and providing insights for future deployment and regulatory considerations. The use of Aspen Plus simulation software has been instrumental in facilitating the analysis, modeling, and validation of these conclusions.

AIFIS controlled BLDC Motor Drive for Agricultural Application with Solar System

In India, it is of utmost significance to ensure that the agricultural fields receive supplies of water. Agricultural applications are the focus of this paper, which depicts the implementation of an advanced BLDC motor connected drive that is controlled by an adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). In this work, the implementation of the bidirectional power flow among the load and the renewable energy source (RES) is carried out. In order to power the water pump, renewable energy sources (RES) are generated through the use of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. Additionally, a BLDC motor load is connected to the water pump through a single phase bi-directional converter and a voltage source inverter (VSI) inside the design. The PV system is able to get the maximum amount of power while simultaneously lowering the main grid and enabling consumers to run their motors and loads at their maximum efficiency throughout the entire day. This is made possible by the integration of fusing into the solar generating framework. Using the suggested controller, the PV system is able to reduce conversion costs and total harmonic content of the grid, all while maintaining the power factor, good quality in power, and stability of the system.

Organic Agriculture for Sustainable Food Systems: A Comprehensive Review of Benefits and Constraints

The global population is increasing at a rapid pace, posing significant challenges to sustainable development and food security. This review paper examines the advantages and challenges of organic farming as a potential solution to address the pressing issues in modern agriculture and food production. Organic farming offers a range of benefits, including improved soil fertility, higher profitability, reduced external input usage, land reclamation, improved market access, and enhanced farmer capacity and self-reliance. Organic farming practices prioritize environmental sustainability by reducing chemical usage and reliance on biological methods of pest control, as well as enhancing biodiversity, which strengthens ecological balance and resilience against pests and diseases. However, organic farming also faces challenges that need to be addressed for its widespread adoption. These challenges include uncertainty surrounding legislative environments, psychological and sociological costs of conversion, financial risks during the transition period, securing marketing channels for organic produce, and diminishing profit margins. Efforts should be made to provide farmers with the necessary support, including technical assistance, subsidies, and access to markets, to overcome these challenges. Despite the challenges, the potential of organic farming in promoting sustainable agriculture and ensuring a secure food system cannot be overlooked. It offers a natural and environmentally friendly approach to food production, prioritizing the health of both humans and the ecosystem.

Economic framework for green shipping corridors: Evaluating cost-effective transition from fossil fuels towards hydrogen

Global warming's major cause is the emission of greenhouse-effect gases (GHG), especially carbon dioxide (CO2) whose main source is the combustion of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels serve as the primary energy source in many industries, including shipping, which is the focus of this study. One of the measures proposed to tackle GHG emissions is the development of green shipping corridors - carbon-free shipping routes that require the transition to alternative fuels, which are gaining competitiveness. One of the reasons for that is carbon pricing, which taxes CO2 emissions. However, the lack of consensus on the most cost-advantageous alternative fuel in the long run results in the delay of the implementation of green shipping corridors.To make it more accessible for stakeholders to conduct an economic analysis of the various options, a framework to determine and minimize the costs of transitioning from fossil fuels to any alternative fuel is proposed, over the period of one voyage, considering the lost opportunity cost, the deployment cost of bunkering vessels at the necessary call ports, the cost of converting the vessel, the car-bon emissions tax cost, and the fuel cost. This will allow stakeholders to choose the most economical alternative fuel, accelerating the development of green shipping corridor initiatives. To validate the effectiveness of the framework, it was applied in a case study involving a shipowner seeking to transition from heavy fuel oil (HFO) to Ammonia, Hydrogen, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), or Methanol. This study faced limitations due to the unknown costs of installing bunkering vessels for Ammonia and Hydrogen. However, it evaluates the cost-effectiveness of alternative fuels, providing insights into their short-term economic viability. The results showed that Hydrogen is the most cost-advantageous fuel until a deployment cost per bunkering vessel of 1,990,285$ for a sailing speed of 22 knots and 2,190,171$ for a sailing speed of 18 knots is reached, after which LNG becomes the most economical option regardless of variations in the carbon tax. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the effects of variations in parameters, such as carbon tax, fuel prices and vessel conversion costs in the total cost of each fuel option. Results highlighted that even though HFO remains the most economical fuel option, even when considering a high increase in carbon tax, the cost gap between HFO and alternative fuels narrows significantly with the increase in carbon tax. Furthermore, the sailing speed impacts the fuels’ competitiveness, as the cost difference between HFO and alternative fuels decreases at higher speeds.

Assessment of energy, economic and environmental aspects of the methanol-fueled Allam cycle in cross-border renewable energy supply chain

This study addresses the challenge of uneven renewable energy distribution by proposing a renewable energy supply chain using MeOH-fueled Allam Cycle for power generation. With the escalating demand for renewable energy, regions with a surplus can produce MeOH using green H2 and recycled CO2, which can then be transported to energy-deficient regions. In these importing regions, MeOH is used for electricity generation via the Allam Cycle, with captured CO2 recycled for MeOH synthesis, creating a closed-loop carbon system. This study evaluates the energy, economic and environmental aspects of this supply chain. It projects that electricity costs in importing regions could decrease from USD 233.02/MWhimpt to USD 101.33/MWhimpt, and MeOH costs could drop from USD 585.39/t to USD 173.40/t, assuming a reduction in renewable electricity costs in exporting regions from USD 45/MWhexpt to USD 15/MWhexpt. Comparative analysis shows acceptable energy conversion and transportation costs, with an electricity conversion rate of 30.65 %-37.07 %. This design offers a promising, cost-effective solution for a sustainable future, with the onshore wind supply chain exhibiting lower emissions of 111.3–97.2 kg/MWhimpt.

Single-Center Experience on the Elective Hybrid Combination of Single Perclose + Angio-Seal VIP 8F Compared With Standard Dual Perclose During Percutaneous Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

This single-center study aimed to assess patients who underwent intentional percutaneous endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (pEVAR) with Hybrid Technique combining a single Perclose (Abbott, Abbott Park, Illinois) Suture-Mediated Closure Device + single Angio-Seal VIP 8F (Terumo, Tokyo, Japan) and compare outcomes with the standard Dual Perclose technique. Materials and Methods: Consecutive elective pEVAR patients treated from November 2022 to November 2023, with healthy femoral accesses and introducer sheaths ≤20 French (F) outer diameter, were included. Coin-toss randomization determined whether a combination of single Perclose Device + single Angio-Seal VIP 8F (Hybrid Technique) or the standard double Perclose Devices (Dual Perclose) was used. In Hybrid Technique, a single Perclose device was positioned at 12 o'clock; a single Angio-Seal VIP 8F was placed after sheaths removal. Dual Perclose followed standard procedure. Primary endpoints included immediate hemostasis, sheath diameter differences, access conversion rate, technical success, and cost analysis. The study involved 60 pEVAR patients (median age=78, interquartile range [IQR]=72-85 years) within the inclusion criteria. In 14 (24%) cases, only 1 femoral access was studied. There were 106 pEVAR accesses, with 58 (54.7%) in the Hybrid Technique group and 48 (45.3%) in the Dual Perclose group. Both groups exhibited homogeneity in pre-operative characteristics and sheath diameter (Hybrid Technique-16F vs Dual Perclose-18F; p=0.202). Immediate hemostasis was achieved in 100% of the Hybrid Technique group vs 87.5% for the Dual Perclose group (p=0.006). Surgical access conversion was unnecessary. Technical success was 100%, with all 6 femoral bleeding cases after Dual Perclose resolved endovascularly, using additional devices. Cost analysis showed a median cost of 330 euros (IQR=0) for the Hybrid Technique group vs 384 euros (IQR=360-456) for the Dual Perclose group (p<0.001). Thirty-day mortality was 3%, in 2 fragile patients, without access-related complications. Multivariate analysis identified Dual Perclose access (odds ratio [OR]=35.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]=18.3-36.8; p<0.001) and obesity (OR=19.7; 95% CI=1.4-23.9.5; p<0.001) as independent risk factors for immediate hemostasis failure. Median follow-up was 134 days (IQR=41-227), with 1 Hybrid Technique case (2%) successfully treated with thrombin injection for a small femoral pseudoaneurysm after 62 days. The elective Hybrid Technique with combination of single Perclose Device + single Angio-Seal VIP 8F during pEVAR in selected patients appears to be non-inferior to the standard Dual Perclose procedure. It demonstrates a positive trend in reducing immediate hemostasis failure and costs. Both procedures achieved technical success and avoiding surgical access conversions. This study introduces a novel elective hybrid technique combining a single Perclose device with a single Angio-Seal VIP 8Fr for percutaneous endovascular abdominal aortic interventions. Results for hybrid technique showed 100% technical success and efficient immediate hemostasis, while costing less than standard dual Perclose procedure. Both procedures did not require surgical conversions. Despite being a single-center study, it demonstrates potential benefits of the intentional application of this hybrid technique towards minimally invasiveness. Obesity and dual Perclose technique were identified as independent risk factors for hemostasis failure, reaffirming the hybrid technique procedure's efficacy as well as and non-inferiority to standard procedure.

Multi-objective Bonobo optimisers of industrial low-density polyethylene reactor

Abstract A multi-objective optimization (MOO) technique to produce a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is applied to address these two problems: increasing conversion and reducing operating cost (as the first optimization problem, P1) and increasing productivity and reducing operating cost (as the second optimization problem, P2). ASPEN Plus software was utilized for the model-based optimization by executing the MOO algorithm using the tubular reactor model. The multi-objective optimization of multi-objective Bonobo optimisers (MOBO-I, MOBO-II and MOBO-III) are utilised to solve the optimization problem. The performance matrices, including hypervolume, pure diversity, and distance, are used to decide on the best MOO method. An inequality constraint was introduced on the temperature of the reactor to prevent run-away. According to the findings of the study, the MOBO-II for Problems 1 and 2 was the most effective MOO strategy. The reason is that the solution set found represents the most accurate, diversified, and acceptable distribution points alongside the Pareto Front (PF) in terms of homogeneity. The minimum operating cost, the maximum conversion and productivity obtained by MOBO-II are Mil. RM/year 114.3, 31.45 %, Mil. RM/year 545.3, respectively.

Experimental study on the hydrodynamic performance of a multi-DOF WEC-type floating breakwater

A hybrid system consisting of wave energy converters and breakwaters can be applied for both wave energy conversion and shoreline protection. Besides, the cost of wave energy conversion is believed to be reduced by such a combination. In this paper, a two-dimensional asymmetric wave energy converter-type breakwater with a triangle-baffle bottom that can convert wave energy through its heave motion is proposed and investigated experimentally in regular waves. A supporting system is designed and established to allow the model to move in a single degree of freedom or prescribed combination of multiple-degree-of-freedoms. The effects of the geometric asymmetry, the bottom slope, the width-to-draft ratio, and the multiple-degree-of-freedom motion on the wave energy conversion and attenuation performances are analyzed. The results show that the triangle-baffle wave energy converter-type breakwater has much higher wave energy conversion efficiency than its rectangular counterpart with the same displacement. Increasing the bottom slope and allowing pitch motion can improve efficiency, allowing surge motion will reduce efficiency, and the effect of increasing the width is uncertain due to two conflicting effects. The asymmetry, bottom slope, and width only have a limited influence on the wave attenuation, whereas surge and pitch motions reduce the wave attenuation in short waves, analogizing a wavemaker.

Assessing the environmental and downstream human health impacts of decentralizing cancer care.

1522 Background: Greenhouse gas emissions from healthcare are substantial and harm persons with cancer. Emissions from outpatient cancer care visits are not well described, nor are the downstream reduction in human harms that could be obtained through visit “decentralization” (telemedicine and local care when possible). Methods: This life-cycle assessment (LCA)-based study evaluated changes in emissions and downstream health harms associated with (1) telemedicine visits using retrospective observational analysis and (2) fully decentralized visits using counterfactual modeling. The retrospective observational cohort included persons receiving cancer care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) and 20 affiliated facilities between 5/2015-12/2020. The main outcome was the adjusted per visit-day difference in emissions (in kilograms carbon dioxide equivalents: kgCO2e) between two periods: an in-person care period (5/2015-2/2020; “Pre”) and a telemedicine period (3/2020-12/2020; “Post”). Mixed effects log-linear model assessed emissions changes adjusted for age, sex, race, ethnicity, and cancer type, with random effects on person. The counterfactual model assessed emissions changes between actual in-person visits during the Pre period and a counterfactual with maximal decentralization. Visit-day eligibility for decentralization was obtained by categorizing appointments (e.g., clinician visit, infusion) as DFCI required, local care possible, or telemedicine possible. This cohort was matched to a national population diagnosed with cancer over the same period (Cancer in North America [CiNA] dataset) using mixed-effects linear modeling, through which annual changes in disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) from clinician visit decentralization were estimated using Eckelman’s mortality cost of carbon conversion. Results: There were123,890 unique patients in the DFCI cohort seen over 1.6 million visit-days (Pre N=110,180, Post N=61,691) at a median of 6 visit-days per patient (IQR 2, 15). An estimated 72,554,006 kgCO2e were within scope of the LCA emitted during the study period. In mixed-effects log-linear regression, the adjusted mean absolute reduction in per visit-day emissions between Pre and Post periods was 36.4 kgCO2e (95%CI 36.2,36.6), or a reduction of 81.3% (95%CI 80.8,81.7) compared to the baseline model. In the counterfactual decentralized care model of the Pre period, there was a relative emissions reduction of 33.1% (95%CI 32.9,33.3). When demographically matched to 10.3 million persons in the CiNA dataset, decentralized care would have reduced national emissions by 75.3 million kgCO2e annually; this corresponds to an estimated annual reduction of 15.0-47.7 DALYs. Conclusions: Employing decentralization through telemedicine and local care can substantially reduce emissions during cancer care delivery; this corresponds to a small reduction in human mortality.

Agricultural Waste Valorization: Exploring Environmentally Friendly Approaches to Bioenergy Conversion

The pursuit of sustainable energy production through the conversion of agricultural waste into different bioenergy resources is of paramount importance given its potential to mitigate environmental impact while meeting energy demands. In this review, a comprehensive overview of the technologies for the biochemical and thermochemical conversion of agricultural waste into bioenergy is provided. A summary of the process of its conversion into different bioenergy products such as biogas, bio-oil, and biofuel is provided, in addition to the potential advantages and challenges faced using different biomass conversion technologies. The review highlights the potential of agricultural waste valorization to address the current energy demand while at the same time contributing to environmental benefits and greenhouse gas emission reductions. Moreover, this review highlights some significant gaps for improvement. These include the challenges in the pretreatment of agricultural waste biomass in optimizing the conversion rates and lowering the required energy consumption throughout the process while enhancing both the quantity and quality of the output. Some recommendations are proposed to address the identified challenges. These include the need for further studies for a thorough assessment to evaluate the efficacity and sustainability of agricultural waste valorization technologies. Assessment methods such as life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle analysis (LCA), net energy ratio (NER) calculations, life cycle costing (LCC), as well as techno-economic assessment (TEA), are recommended, together with collaboration among governments, farmers, and researchers, as well as the integration of cutting-edge technologies to enhance various aspects of agricultural waste, optimizing the conversion process, cost efficiency, time management, and labor requirements, consequently boosting the conversion efficiency and product quality.

Navigating the Path to Electric Bus Integration: Ecological, Financial, and Strategic Analyses

Electric buses (E-buses) are gaining global attention for their positive impact on the environment and urban living. Governments worldwide recognize their potential to reduce air and noise pollution, ultimately enhancing urban environments. Despite their high energy conversion rates and economic advantages, widespread adoption faces challenges such as the need for extensive charging infrastructure, financial constraints, and concerns over long charging times and battery replacement costs. Due to these complexities, developed regions like Europe and North America have been cautious in fully embracing electric buses. To assess the pros and cons of transitioning to E-buses, this article examines factors including charging infrastructure, financial implications, and the challenges associated with long charging times and battery replacement costs. (1) Analysis of the ecological consequences of the E-bus transition is crucial for promoting its adoption, focusing on a five-dimensional comparison with diesel buses. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze air pollution using selected city data. (2) A financial implications model examined investment and returns, encompassing operational, capital, and overall costs for E-bus replacement. Expected returns were calculated considering three factors, providing a comprehensive financial overview. (3) Leveraging the financial analysis results, we devised a 10-year roadmap for full electric bus integration using linear programming. This approach maximizes expected returns by solving the investment portfolio proportions. Finally, we detailedly calculated the ecological sequence cost of conversion to fully electric flies for the selected city.

The State of the Art of Photovoltaic Module Cooling Techniques and Performance Assessment Methods

Due to its widespread availability and inexpensive cost of energy conversion, solar power has become a popular option among renewable energy sources. Among the most complete methods of utilizing copious solar energy is the use of photovoltaic (PV) systems. However, one major obstacle to obtaining the optimal performance of PV technology is the need to maintain ideal operating temperature. Maintaining constant surface temperatures is critical to PV systems’ efficacy. This review looks at the latest developments in PV cooling technologies, including passive, active, and combined cooling methods, and methods for their assessment. As advances in research and innovation progress within this domain, it will be crucial to tackle hurdles like affordability, maintenance demands, and performance in extreme conditions, to enhance the efficiency and widespread use of PV cooling methods. In essence, PV cooling stands as a vital element in the ongoing shift towards sustainable and renewable energy sources.

CCUS-assisted electricity-chemical polygeneration system for decarburizing coal-fired power plant: Process integration and performance assessment

In the context of global carbon neutrality, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology has become an important transition pathway to decarbonizing coal-fired power plants (CFPP). However, CCS technology has strict requirements for geological storage and the potential risk of CO2 leakage. Meanwhile, the deployment of the CCS technology in the CFPP could drastically reduce plant efficiency. To address the aforementioned issues, a novel carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS)-assisted electricity-chemical polygeneration process (i.e., ECPP) was proposed to produce electricity, liquid fuels, and high-calorie synthetic natural gas simultaneously. To reduce the efficiency loss caused by the consumption of internal steam and electricity, heat integration and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technologies were adopted to fully recover the available waste heat and achieve the cascade utilization of the internal energy. Meanwhile, a detailed techno-economic assessment was conducted to further determine the benefits of the process integration. The results indicated that the application of heat integration and ORC technologies improves plant efficiency by 6 %. Moreover, it also reduces the cost of electricity and CO2 conversion cost by 17 and 15 %, respectively. In addition, compared with the traditional CFPPs retrofitted with CCS technology, the CO2 utilization and waste heat recovery technologies in ECPP enhance net electricity output and plant efficiency by 19 and 34 %, respectively. Therefore, the proposed CCUS-assisted ECPP achieves the efficient utilization of the waste CO2, and reduces the efficiency penalty for retrofitting the CFPPs. Overall, the proposed ECPP is an essential alternative for the retrofit of the existing CFPPs, and provides a feasible strategy for establishing a clean and sustainable power polygeneration system.

Assessment of Nutritional Potentials and Economic Significance of Sesame Seed Meal (Sesamum indicum) in the Diet of Growing Snails (Archachatina marginata)

The purpose of this study was to assess the economic effects of replacing the groundnut cake meal portion of the diet with sesame seed meal (SSM) on the performance traits, carcass analysis, and cost benefits of the feeding strategy. One hundred and twenty snails, weighing an average of 175±2.7g, were divided into four dietary regimens at random and reproduced three times. Each replication had ten snails in it, following a completely randomized design. Four diets were formulated to contain SSM at 0% (SSM1) Control, 50% (SSM2), 75% (SSM 3), 100% (SSM 4) as replacement for soybean meal fraction in the diet of growing snails. The diets were formulated to contain about 24% crude protein and energy of 2400 kcal/kgME. Data were collected on Feed intake, weight gain, shell length, thickness and width, Feed conversion ratio and cost per weight gain. The findings indicate that the different inclusion levels of SSM in the diet had a significant impact on the mean total feed intake (P&lt;0.05). The feed intake and mean total weight gain showed similar trends. (P&lt;0.05) was the greatest mean weight gain. The ratio of feed intake to weight gain, or feed conversion ratio (FCR), was essentially constant across all treatments. The diet with the highest level of SSM4 (100%) inclusion had the lowest cost per weight (CPW) gain (N170.61), while the control diet with 0% SSM1 inclusion had the highest CPW gain (N221.88). It is however interesting also to note that as feed intake (kg) increases, CPW (N) gain reduces. The dressing percent (DP) of the snail was significantly influenced by the dietary treatments.

TensorTable: Extending PyTorch for mixed relational and linear algebra pipelines

The mixed relational algebra (RA) and linear algebra (LA) pipelines have become increasingly common in recent years. However, contemporary widely used frameworks struggle to support both RA and LA operators effectively, failing to ensure optimal end-to-end performance due to the cost of LA operators and data conversion. This underscores the demand for a system capable of seamlessly integrating RA and LA while delivering robust end-to-end performance. This paper proposes TensorTable, a tensor system that extends PyTorch to enable mixed RA and LA pipelines. We propose TensorTable as the unified data representation, storing data in a tensor format to prioritize the performance of LA operators and reduce data conversion costs. Relational tables from RA, as well as vectors, matrices, and tensors from LA, can be seamlessly converted into TensorTables. Additionally, we provide TensorTable-based implementations for RA operators and build a system that supports mixed LA and RA pipelines. We implement TensorTable on top of PyTorch, achieving comparable performance for both RA and LA operators, particularly on small datasets. TensorTable achieves a 1.15x-5.63x speedup for mixed pipelines, compared with state-of-the-art frameworks—AIDA and RMA.