The 2024 revision of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for particulate matter less than 2.5 μm diameter (PM2.5) to 9 μg/m3 by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has motivated an assessment of whether reducing Electric Generating Units (EGU) emissions is a potential strategy for bringing nonattainment counties into compliance. We assessed coal power plants' contributions to PM2.5 using a chemical transport model. We identified the contribution of specific coal EGUs to PM2.5 concentrations using a reduced complexity air quality model and demonstrated health benefits of emissions reductions at facilities that would need to shutter to attain the new standard. In 2023, 9 nonattainment counties could have met the standard by eliminating SO2 emissions at 94 facilities (9% of US EGU capacity). Retiring these EGUs would avoid stack emissions of 500,000 tons of SO2, 304,000 tons of NOx, and 485 million tons of CO2, along with approximately 1,170 premature deaths per year (95% confidence interval: 1,060-1,280) among elderly people. Reducing coal power plant emissions continues to provide an avenue to meet U.S. air quality standards and improve public health.

Integrated assessment of resource synergy and emission reduction benefits in iron and steel and cement industries

Under the macro background of actively responding to climate change and promoting the “double carbon” strategy, the construction industry, as a key field of energy consumption and carbon emissions, has become a trend of green and low-carbon transformation. The operation efficiency of building equipment system, especially HVAC, electrical lighting and water supply and drainage system, directly determines the overall energy consumption of the building. This study focuses on the frontier technology integration of “ai+digital twins”, and explores its application and implementation path in the optimization of building equipment system. Through systematic literature review, the application status of digital twins and AI technology in the whole life cycle of building equipment design, construction, operation and maintenance is summarized. Through the case analysis of multiple scenarios, the energy efficiency improvement ability and carbon emission reduction benefits of the technology in typical scenarios such as commercial buildings, factories, municipal water supply networks are quantitatively evaluated. Finally, based on the comprehensive research data and AI intelligent analysis, a set of “technology economy policy” collaborative transformation path covering technical standards, business models and policy incentives is constructed, which provides an operable solution for the implementation of the “double carbon” goal in the construction field.

In response to the national strategy for energy conservation and emission reduction, and to enhance the efficiency of clean energy utilization, this study focuses on a public bathhouse of an industrial and mining enterprise located in Wuhai City, a severely cold region. Addressing the challenges of high energy consumption, excessive carbon emissions, and insufficient thermal comfort in the original system, a novel air-source–sewage-source dual-source heat pump system with coordinated energy storage is proposed and constructed. A system model is developed in TRNSYS, in which the air-source heat pump serves as the primary heat source and the sewage-source heat pump as the auxiliary heat source. Combined with a large-scale thermal storage tank and a time-of-use electricity pricing regulation strategy, the system achieves “peak shaving and valley filling” by storing energy during off-peak hours and releasing it during non-off-peak hours. Simultaneously, sewage waste heat recovery and thermal storage buffering are employed to improve system adaptability under low-temperature and load-fluctuation conditions. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the system can save approximately 414,400 kWh of electricity annually, reduce operating costs by about 253,800 CNY, cut CO₂ emissions by roughly 291.12 t, and significantly improve users’ thermal comfort. The findings indicate that the dual-source coordination and intelligent energy storage regulation model not only offers remarkable energy-saving and emission-reduction benefits as well as strong economic performance, but also shows broad prospects for engineering application and promotion in public bathhouses of industrial and mining enterprises in severely cold regions.

The construction of a "zero-waste city" is synergistic with carbon emission reduction. Estimating the carbon emission reduction potential of various solid wastes during the "zero-waste city" construction process, which is achieved through source reduction, harmless disposal, and resource utilization, can provide a scientific foundation for formulating and implementing relevant solid waste management measures to obtain greater carbon emission reduction benefits. Taking Yantai City as an example, based on the improved WARM model, the emission factor method was used to predict the carbon emission reduction potential throughout the entire life cycle of solid wastes from the industrial sector, urban and rural living areas, and agricultural sector. The results showed that through the construction of a "zero-waste city, " Yantai City was expected to achieve a carbon emission reduction benefit of 19.52 million tons (calculated in CO2eq, hereinafter the same) in the field of solid waste. In the industrial sector, although the total amount of solid waste generated increased, a carbon emission reduction benefit of 17.45 million tons could still be realized. This would be accomplished through source reduction of solid waste in the coal-fired power industry, such as fly ash, and by increasing the utilization rate of gold tailings in building materials production. In the urban and rural living areas, the realization of 100% incineration treatment of domestic waste will decrease the amount of landfill and, at the same time, reduce carbon emissions. In the agricultural sector, by changing the utilization method of straws from crushing and returning to the field to fuel utilization, a carbon emission reduction of approximately 2 million tons could be generated. Increasing the intensity of carbon emissions source reduction in the coal-fired power industry, strengthening the research and development of resource utilization technologies for gold tailings, and improving the level of large-scale fuel utilization of straws are important approaches for the coordinated carbon emission reduction in the construction of a "zero-waste city" in Yantai City.

Vigorously promoting new energy vehicles is an important measure for China's transportation industry to implement the "dual carbon" strategy. In order to comprehensively understand the carbon emission transfer and carbon reduction effect caused by cross regional consumption of electricity in the promotion of new energy vehicles, a refined provincial new energy vehicle dataset was first constructed, and the electricity demand during the use stage of new energy vehicles in various provinces of China was calculated. Subsequently, based on the quasi-input-output model, an interprovincial power transmission network was constructed, and the carbon emission transfer amount and transfer path caused by the use of new energy vehicles in 2020 and 2021 were calculated. Finally, the carbon reduction effect of promoting new energy vehicles in various provinces of China was evaluated through counterfactual scenario simulations. The results showed that the promotion of new energy vehicles has intensified the trend of carbon emission transfer from economically developed coastal areas to underdeveloped central and western regions, and the phenomenon of carbon emission transfer within each region was also quite evident. Carbon emissions will also be indirectly transferred through power hubs. From a national perspective, new energy vehicles had significant emission reduction benefits compared to fuel vehicles and were closely related to the power structure of local and power output regions. Provinces with a high proportion of clean energy use had more prominent emission reduction effects.

ABSTRACT Plant factories are an innovative agricultural model that leverage controlled environments and advanced regulation technologies to improve land‐use efficiency and reduce resource dependence. However, their development is constrained by high energy consumption. Given the high costs and environmental impacts associated with fossil‐fuel‐based electricity, renewable energy sources such as solar power have emerged as promising alternatives. In this study, a model vertical plant factory consisting of 20 stories (area = 100 m 2 ) was applied to 21 Chinese cities with populations exceeding 5 million. Three power supply modes were considered: a grid‐powered system, a standalone solar‐powered system, and a grid‐solar hybrid system. The net present cost (NPC), levelized cost of energy (COE), and carbon dioxide emissions were assessed for each mode. Among the three systems, the hybrid system substantially reduced economic costs (40.87%–65.68% lower NPC than the grid‐powered system), whereas the standalone solar‐powered system most effectively reduced carbon dioxide emissions (85.99%–97.93% lower than the grid‐powered system). By comprehensively analysing solar resources, system design, economic indicators, and emission reduction benefits, this study provides scientific evidence to support decision‐making and implementation of vertical agriculture farming projects, promoting the coordinated advancement of agriculture and environmental protection.

This study employed an interdisciplinary approach to assess the impact of agricultural production modifications and dietary changes on ammonia emissions, health outcomes and health inequalities. Statistical and econometric methods were applied to analyse agricultural emission trends and dietary patterns. Spatial data analysis and numerical modelling techniques were used to simulate the dispersion and transformation of atmospheric pollutants. Health impact modelling estimated mortality and morbidity outcomes under various policy scenarios, while cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses supported decision-making. A participatory approach involving multistakeholder engagement was utilised to enhance policy relevance and implementation feasibility. A systematic scoping review of academic studies on agricultural-derived air pollution and clinically coded outcomes revealed very limited research on this topic, which presents an inconsistent picture as to whether agricultural-derived particulate matter affects health. Key findings indicate that dietary modifications have greater potential health benefits than direct reductions in particulate matter exposure from ammonia emissions. Small reductions in meat and dairy consumption, supported by taxation and subsidies, could help achieve environmental and health targets. A 20% meat and dairy tax, coupled with a 20% subsidy on fruits and vegetables, could reduce meat consumption by 21.5% and increase fruit and vegetable intake by up to 13.5%. These dietary shifts also significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and water use. While ammonia's environmental effects are well documented, its direct health impacts remain uncertain. Epidemiological studies suggest a possible association between ammonium-derived particulate matter and increased mortality and cardiorespiratory diseases, though findings are inconsistent. Toxicological assessments indicate limited intrinsic toxicity of ammonium nitrate and sulfate. A 'high-ambition mitigation' scenario integrating ammonia reduction measures with dietary shifts could prevent 67,000 premature deaths and 270,000 cases of respiratory diseases over 30 years. Notably, older adults and lower-income populations would experience the greatest health benefits. Most farm-based ammonia reduction strategies demonstrated net economic benefits, with only a few measures having limited abatement potential. Additionally, reduced greenhouse gas emissions further amplified the benefits of each scenario. Despite robust modelling techniques and multistakeholder engagement, several limitations exist. The direct health effects of ammonia-derived particulate matter remain an area of uncertainty, necessitating further epidemiological research. Additionally, while economic and environmental benefits were quantified, behavioural responses to policy interventions - such as consumer acceptance of dietary changes - require further exploration. The study primarily focused on UK-specific data, limiting generalisability to other regions with different agricultural practices and policy landscapes. Finally, unintended consequences of dietary shifts on food security and cultural preferences were not fully explored, indicating the need for future research to refine policy recommendations. The Assessing Mitigation Pathways to Realise Public Health Benefits of Air Pollutant Emission Reductions from Agriculture project provides a comprehensive, interdisciplinary framework for evaluating integrated policy measures. It underscores the importance of sustainable agricultural and dietary transitions in achieving cobenefits for public health and environmental sustainability, while emphasising the need for continued research to address remaining uncertainties. More detailed spatial and temporal analyses are required to fully understand the potential importance of significant local sources on human health in specific areas/times of year. There is a need to better align evidence of studies, such as Assessing Mitigation Pathways to Realise Public Health Benefits of Air Pollutant Emission Reductions from Agriculture, with toxicological studies which suggest that (pure) ammonium nitrate and sulfate have only very modest toxicity. This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42020172116. This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme (NIHR award ref: NIHR129440) and is published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 14, No. 3. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

• Direct EV market participation without aggregators is enabled. • 100% driving distance is guaranteed despite travel uncertainty. • Voltage unbalance is maintained below 2% across the grid. • A transactive market efficiently balances demand using EV flexibility. • Local controllers manage user uncertainty with low communication overhead. The increasing integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into distribution grids offers significant flexibility and emissions reduction benefits, but it also introduces operational challenges for distribution network operators (DNOs). While user-managed charging (UMC) strategies align with individual driving needs, they can negatively impact grid performance. Conversely, DNO-controlled strategies often neglect real-time user preferences and travel uncertainties. Although EV participation in transactive energy markets (TEMs) has been previously explored, direct engagement of individual EV users considering hardware limitations, uncertain travel behavior, and flexible pricing preferences—remains insufficiently addressed. This paper proposes a hierarchical control strategy that enables individual EV users to participate directly in TEMs without relying on aggregators. The approach incorporates local controllers to manage travel uncertainty, hardware constraints, and user preferences, thereby reducing communication and computational overhead. A central controller coordinates real-time charging/discharging actions and determines the market clearing price (MCP). Simulation results on an Australian low-voltage distribution grid demonstrate that the proposed method maintains the voltage unbalance factor (VUF) below 2% across all nodes, fully complying with regulatory standards. In contrast, UMC results in VUF exceeding 2% at most nodes, with a maximum observed value of 5.67%. Additionally, the strategy guarantees 100% fulfillment of EV driving distance requirements, enables user-driven ancillary service provision, and enhances solar energy utilization through a preference-based dynamic bidding framework.

In this paper, we investigate a bidding strategy for a photovoltaic-energy storage (PV-ESS) system in the electricity market, taking into account the benefits of carbon emission reduction. First, we analyze the operational characteristics of the PV-ESS system and its revenue streams in the electricity market. Next, we formulate a bidding model that incorporates the value of carbon emission reductions by considering China Certified Emission Reduction (CCER) trading. The objective is to maximize the overall gain of the PV-ESS system, accounting for both electricity market revenues and CCER benefits. To address the uncertainty inherent in electricity prices and renewable output, we propose a deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-based approach to derive optimal bidding decisions. Finally, we validate the proposed strategy through case studies, demonstrating not only its effectiveness but also its feasibility. The results indicate that energy storage effectively smooths photovoltaic power fluctuations, captures additional revenue from both the electricity and CCER markets, and substantially enhances the profitability of the PV-ESS system.

Preparation and application of gangue-based artificial aggregate using silicone mold casting method

Can digital transformation deliver the dual benefits of emissions reduction and efficiency gains?

Abstract In late December 2023, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China implemented a joint reginal air pollution prevention and control initiative in key areas encompassing Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, and Henan to mitigate severe pollution episodes. Taking Henan Province as a case study, this research employs the WRF-SMOKE-CAMx modeling system to assess the impacts of emergency emission reductions during a heavy pollution period spanning late December 2023 to early January 2024 (Y2023). Despite unfavorable meteorological conditions, observed PM 2.5 concentrations in Henan during Y2023 declined by 20.9% compared to a comparable heavy pollution episode during the 2022–2023 year-end transition (Y2022), attributable to stringent control measures. Sulfate exhibited the most pronounced response to emission controls, showing a 95.4% reduction in relative concentration change after meteorological normalization, followed by ammonium at 50.3%. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the Y2023 intervention in curtailing sulfate and ammonium formation. Moreover, earlier activation of orange alert measures in northern Henan cities yielded significantly greater emission reduction benefits compared to southern cities. The findings underscore that in industrialized, energy-intensive regions such as Henan, controlling sulfate precursors remains a critical strategy for achieving rapid PM 2.5 reductions. Graphical Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) development in arid regions faces challenges such as sparse observational data, insufficient consideration of natural environmental heterogeneity, and a disconnect between site suitability assessments and actual power generation potential. To address these issues, this study integrates ERA5-Land reanalysis data, ESA CCI land cover data, DEM terrain data, and PV site information to construct a land suitability factor ranging from 0 to 1. Coupled with the Photovoltaic Library Python model(PVLIB-Python), a comprehensive assessment framework is established, spanning from site suitability to power generation potential and emission reduction benefits.Results show that Xinjiang’s theoretical PV generation potential from 2015 to 2025 averages approximately 113.5 PWh per year. After applying land suitability constraints, the technical potential decreases to 71.4 PWh annually, representing about 63% of the theoretical potential. Spatially, suitability follows a pattern of “concentration in basins and dispersion in mountainous areas,” with highly suitable zones mainly located in the central-western Tarim Basin, the Hami Basin, and the southern edge of the Junggar Basin.Based on the calculated technical potential, annual PV deployment could achieve around 53.5 billion tonnes of CO2 emission reductions.Incorporating environmental benefits significantly lowers the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for PV systems, demonstrating considerable net social value. This study provides quantitative evidence to support the scientific planning of PV power stations in Xinjiang and the formulation of carbon neutrality pathways.

Urban underground space is increasingly being developed to alleviate surface land constraints and support low-carbon urban development. However, carbon emission reduction (CER) benefits remain inadequately quantified and are not comparable across underground infrastructure types, largely due to the absence of a unified assessment framework, inconsistent system boundaries, and the omission of multi-pathway mitigation mechanisms such as carbon capture and storage and biological sequestration. This study proposes a CER benefit assessment framework for urban underground space that integrates mitigation mechanism identification, pathway analysis, and benefit accounting, explicitly incorporating biological carbon sequestration, carbon substitution, and carbon capture and storage within a unified accounting structure. Accounting models are then established for three representative underground infrastructure systems: transportation, public and commercial services, and municipal utilities. Using Nanjing as a case city to operationalize and validate the proposed assessment framework, we estimate CER across multiple pathways and compare regional differences. The results indicate that underground transportation infrastructure provides the largest benefit (8.74 × 105 tCO2e per year), mainly driven by travel substitution and energy savings in station buildings. Underground public and commercial facilities achieve 6.64 × 105 tCO2e per year, dominated by green-building energy savings and geothermal integration. Municipal utilities contribute a smaller but strategically important reduction, as they provide a long-term carrier for carbon capture and storage and are structurally integrated within underground utility corridors, totaling 0.98 × 105 tCO2e per year citywide. Overall, the findings reveal differentiated mitigation mechanisms and spatial heterogeneity across underground infrastructure systems, providing a theoretical basis for optimizing urban spatial planning and informing low-carbon transition policies.

In the context of the ongoing green transformation in the construction industry, this research presents a comprehensive economic assessment of emission reduction in residential buildings from the perspective of carbon trading. The assessment accounts for energy saving revenue, emission trading revenue, economic cost, and environmental cost. By adopting two dynamic economic indicators—Net Present Value (NPV) and Dynamic Payback Period (DPP)—a dedicated economic evaluation model for residential building emission reduction is developed. A case study of a residential building shows that roof retrofits deliver the highest NPV, owing to their lower costs and significant emission reduction benefits. Although external walls achieve the highest carbon reduction per unit area, their high costs mean they are ranked second in terms of NPV. Moreover, the introduction of a carbon trading mechanism can generate additional value of approximately 87,377.08 CNY and shorten the payback period by 0.83 years, highlighting its crucial role in advancing the low-carbon transition of the construction industry. However, current emission reduction efforts still face challenges such as a relatively low NPV and an extended payback period. To enhance the investment value and market competitiveness of such projects, it is essential to reduce emission reduction costs and increase emission reduction benefits.

To investigate the decoupling effect of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on carbon emissions, this study employs nonlinear panel models and threshold regression models to analyze the impact of FDI on economic growth and carbon emissions in RCEP member countries from 2000 to 2023. First, the Tapio decoupling model reveals that since 2012, the relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions has predominantly exhibited a weak decoupling state. Second, the results from the nonlinear panel models and threshold models indicate that FDI has a significant "U-shaped" nonlinear relationship with both economic growth and carbon emissions. Specifically, in terms of economic effects, FDI may initially suppress economic growth, but ultimately contribute to it. In terms of environmental effects, FDI initially shows emission reduction benefits, but may eventually intensify carbon emissions. The moderating effect model shows that digital infrastructure significantly weakens these "U-shaped" relationships, reducing the steepness of the original curves. Finally, based on this "U-shaped" relationship and the moderating role of digital infrastructure, policy suggestions are put forward to enhance the synergistic benefits of FDI for both economic development and environmental sustainability. The findings of this study shed new light on the classic debate concerning foreign direct investment (FDI), economic development, and environmental sustainability within the RCEP context.

Abstract. Surface ozone, a major air pollutant with important implications for air quality, ecosystems, and climate, shows long-term trends shaped by both anthropogenic and climatic drivers. Here, we developed a machine learning-based approach, namely the fixed emission approximation (FEA), to decouple the effects of meteorological variability and anthropogenic emissions on summertime ozone trends in China under the clean air actions. Anthropogenic emissions drove an approximately +23.2 ± 1.1 µg m−3 increase in summer maximum daily 8 h average ozone during 2013–2017, followed by an approximately −4.6 ± 1.5 µg m−3 decrease between 2017 and 2020 in response to strengthened emission controls. In contrast, meteorological anomalies, including heatwaves and rainfall conditions, emerged as substantial drivers of ozone variability during 2020–2023. Satellite-derived formaldehyde-to-nitrogen dioxide ratios revealed widespread urban volatile organic compounds-limited regimes for ozone production, with a shift toward nitrogen oxides-limited sensitivity under influence of heatwaves. Extending the FEA framework to assess long-term climate influences from 1970 to 2023, we find that sustained climate warming has driven a substantial increase in urban summertime ozone in China. These results demonstrate that climate change was increasingly offsetting the benefits of emission reductions and highlight the need for integrated ozone mitigation strategies that jointly address emission controls and climate adaptation in a warming world.

Land suitability and environmental benefit assessment for wind-solar integrated development: A case study of Inner Mongolia, China.

Low-carbon sustainable bio-electrochemical system for upgrading oilfield wastewater treatment: Comparative life cycle assessment.