Energy Fuels Research Articles

Environmental Emissions Performance for Energy Transition in Cement Industrial Sector from Natural Gas to Energy Fuel Mix Case Study: Cement Company in Egypt

Environmental Emissions Performance for Energy Transition in Cement Industrial Sector from Natural Gas to Energy Fuel Mix Case Study: Cement Company in Egypt

Advances in Blue Energy Fuels: Harvesting Energy from Ocean for Self‐Powered Electrolysis

Abstract70% of the earth's surface is covered by the ocean, and it represents a promising and renewable clean energy reservoir that waits for further exploration. Although hydrogen (H2) boasts a high energy density of 143 MJ kg−1 and environmentally friendly attributes, the widespread commercialization of green H2 production remains a formidable challenge. With huge amounts of water, the ocean presents an opportunity for generating H2 fuel through the process of seawater electrolysis. This review introduces ocean‐driven, self‐powered blue energy conversion devices, including triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), magnetoelastic generators (MEGs), and solar cells. They are able to convert renewable energy from the ocean, including water waves, wind, and solar energy, into electricity for on‐site seawater‐splitting and H2 generation. This review systematically reports this compelling approach by introducing the fundamental principles of the devices and showcasing the practical applications. Additionally, aiming to promote future research in the field of sustainable energy, this review also delves into the development of novel ocean energy harvesting systems with high energy conversion efficiency for large‐scale and effective H2 production.

A micro-credential approach for life-long learning in the urban renewable energy sector

The present paper describes the development of a novel framework for the creation of specialised Micro-Credentials supporting the training and re-training of students and professionals on the integration of renewable energy and sustainable fuels in urban settings. The framework is built upon a set of stackable micro-credentials, co-designed with the stakeholders input and it uses advanced natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to assess the impact on the job market at regional level. The use of Micro-Credentials are considered to be the optimal methodology for enhancing the knowledge of specific topics especially for life-long learning for professionals. A co-design approach of such an innovative educational framework with relevant stakeholders fosters a tailored educational path for green upskilling. Finally, the framework is validated processing and analysing a large dataset of job descriptions, extracting the skills required by the market, organising the skills in categories and clusters. All this process lead to the creation of a basket of 74 Micro-Credentials oriented to students and professional with both a technical and non-technical backgrounds.

A Review on Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Technology: An Efficient Energy Conversion System

The increasing global dependence on fossil fuels for energy has prompted researchers to explore alternative power generation sources that offer higher efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and low environmental impact. Developed countries have been making continuous efforts to reduce their reliance on depleting fossil fuel sources to curb carbon emissions. As a result, hydrogen has gained significant attention among researchers as a potential future fuel that meets all the necessary criteria. Many countries aiming for a hydrogen economy have invested in research on fuel cells. Among various fuel cells, the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) has emerged as a commercially viable power source at a small scale. This paper provides an extensive review of the components, materials, design, operation, and integration strategies of SOFCs with existing thermal-based power plants. The performance and prospects of various SOFCs in standalone and hybrid modes are summarized, along with the limitations. Additionally, the research and commercialization efforts that can enhance the potential applications of SOFCs as a sustainable and reliable system in the long term are outlined.

Evaluating the bulk commodities supply risk from the perspective of physical trade

Geopolitical conflicts, trade barriers, and other factors pose great risks to the stable supply of bulk commodities; however, cross-country and inter-temporal assessments and comparisons of various bulk commodity supply risks from the physical trade perspective are still lacking. This gap hinders a holistic understanding of global resource security and further appropriate policy formulation. Based on the Net Positive Import share, the Worldwide Governance Indicator (WGI), and the Bilateral Relationship Indicator which was innovatively quantified using the Global Database of Events, Language, and Tone (GDELT) this study evaluated 32 bulk commodity supply risks (including agricultural products, metals, and energy fuels) in China, Japan, and the USA for the period 1992–2019. We found that the three countries have experienced different supply risk evolutions related to their diverse domestic resource endowments and socioeconomic developmental stages. During the study period, China had increasing supply risks for 20 of the 32 bulk commodities compared to 10 for Japan and the USA. The overall bulk commodity supply risk increased substantially for China, remained high for Japan, and remained relatively low for the USA. Under increasing global trade system uncertainty, in addition to the supply diversification strategy, we advise net importer countries to utilise news media data such as GDELT to monitor and analyse geopolitical changes, especially for major suppliers, which would help improve resilience to supply disruptions.

Extreme Events Cause Market Efficiency or Inefficiency? Evidence from Precious Metals and Green Stock Indices

Background: Green investments offer a promising market-based approach to tackling global climate change but are susceptible to risk transmission from multiple assets. Purpose: To examine the multifractality between precious metals (Gold, Silver, Platinum) and green stock indices, such as Clean Energy Fuels, Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy, S&P Global Clean Energy and WilderHill Clean Energy, over the period from 1 January 2018 to 23 November 2023. The study aims to answer the following question: Did the events of 2020 and 2022 cause efficiency or inefficiency in the markets analysed? Methods: The Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) econophysics model will be used to answer the research question. Results: During the period of stability, there was a clear division between the markets, with Gold and green energy indices demonstrating market efficiency, while Platinum, Silver and some green indices exhibited price persistence, suggesting opportunities for above-average gains. However, the 2020 global pandemic led to widespread inefficiencies in all the markets analysed, with precious metals and green energy indices showing price persistence, indicating patterns that could lead to arbitrage opportunities. The persistence in returns suggested a tendency for asset prices to continue in the same direction for an extended period, offering opportunities to identify ongoing market trends for investment. In the pre-conflict period, the random walk hypothesis was rejected in all markets, with precious metals exhibiting anti-persistence in returns, while green energy indices showed significant persistence. During the conflict period, precious metals and green energy indices converged towards persistence in returns, except Platinum, which showed anti-persistence. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights for investors and financial market professionals, highlighting the importance of understanding asset price behaviour patterns in different economic contexts.

Side Effects and Interactions: Exploring the Relationship between Dirty and Green Cryptocurrencies and Clean Energy Stock Indices

This study aimed to assess whether renewable energy cryptocurrencies such as Cardano (ADA), Ripple (XRP), IOTA (MIOTA), and Stellar (XLM) can be considered hedging assets and safe havens for cryptocurrencies classified as "dirty", such as Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Bitcoin (BTC) Litcoin (LTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ethereum Classic (ETC) and the clean energy stock indices WILDERHILL Clean Energy (ECO) and Clean Energy Fuels (CLNE), from July 6, 2018, to July 6, 2023. The results show that the movements decreased significantly during the Stress period, which includes the events of 2020 and 2022. The Cardano cryptocurrency shows moderate movements, indicating stability and diversification, while Stellar shows moderate movements that suggest resilience. Conversely, XRP shows varied movements, requiring some caution, while IOTA stands out for significant movements associated with sustainable assets. These results interest players operating in these markets when they want to diversify and rebalance their portfolios.

Path to clean and sustainable energy from nuclear and renewable sources: Evidence from France

France is one of the countries that have made commendable progress towards accomplishing sustainable development goals but still struggles with combating environmental challenges. Decarbonizing the energy sector by deploying clean energy and reducing fossil fuels in the energy mix are essential steps. The study uses annual time series data from 1980 to 2021 and employs the ridge regression estimation technique to estimate a twice-differentiable transcendental production function, which approximates the second-order Taylor series to explore the potential for such decarbonization for France. The study finds that substitution possibilities exist between clean energy and fossil fuels, with substantial substitution possibilities coming from nuclear energy. Nuclear energy and renewables are found to be complements that can be deployed concurrently, but since nuclear energy already constitutes a significant proportion of clean energy for France, the study recommends increasing the proportion of renewable energy in the overall energy mix as the most plausible path to decarbonization. Other complementary sustainable energy policies are recommended in the body of the paper.

Evidence on Price Formation In Financial Markets: A Multitemporal Analysis

Background: Although clean energy stocks have become a popular new asset class for market players, relatively little research has been done on risk management strategies for investors in clean energy stock markets. Gold and Silver are examples of precious metals typically considered suitable investments to hedge against uncertainty. Therefore, their demand tends to rise when stock markets decline. Purpose: The study aims to analyse the influence of precious metals (Gold, Silver and Platinum) and green stock indices (Clean Energy Fuels, Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy, S&P Global Clean Energy, WilderHill Clean Energy) on price formation during different economic periods between 1 January 2018 and 23 November 2023. Methods: The periods analysed were Tranquil, 2020 pandemic, pre-conflict and Conflict (Russian invasion of Ukraine). To this end, a VAR Granger Causality/Block Exogeneity Wald model was estimated to identify different influence patterns during each period. Results: During the Tranquil period, 15 movements affecting prices were observed, with Silver significantly influencing all its peers, while Gold impacted Platinum, S&P Global, Nasdaq and WilderHill. Platinum was the asset that received the most shocks from its peers. During the 2020 pandemic, there was an increase to 26 movements, with the S&P Global and Nasdaq Clean indices influencing most of their peers. Gold and Platinum continued to be the assets most influenced by their peers. In the pre-conflict period, 11 movements were identified, with the highlight being the mutual influence between Gold, the Nasdaq and WilderHill indices, and Platinum. During this period, Silver and S&P Global only affected the price formation of Platinum and Clean Energy Fuels, respectively. During the Conflict period, 18 movements were observed, highlighting the influence of Platinum and S&P Global on the price formation of various assets. Gold was the asset that received the most shocks from its peers during this period. Conclusion: the results indicate changes in the interactions between assets throughout the different economic contexts, highlighting the importance of understanding these dynamics to make more informed decisions.

Hydrogen as Potential Primary Energy Fuel for Municipal Solid Waste Incineration for a Sustainable Waste Management

The control of municipal stable waste (MSW) has lengthy offered difficulties for the community. Affecting the sustainability of the environment. The expected reasons are rising earnings and population. The maximum superior and practicable technique for coping with municipal strong waste is incineration generation. The foundation of incinerator generation is the combustion of trash with the use of fossil fuels. Not handiest are these fuels strolling out day by day, however burning them poses a chance to the environment. The modern study appears into the viability of using hydrogen as the main gas for combustion within the incineration of municipal strong waste (MSW). It is now viable to run an incinerator of the vertical shaft type on natural hydrogen. Through specially made burners, a gasoline aggregate of hydrogen and oxygen in a stoichiometric ratio has been fed. The burners are made in this kind of manner as to offer uniform heat dispersion. In order to envision how the incinerator operates at the very best accredited moisture degree, more than a few Tests were carried out on both homogeneous and heterogeneous MSWs with excessive moisture possibilities ranging from 60 to 90%. It has been mentioned that the incineration reached a most temperature of 850C. There has been a important drop in weight percentage, 86–94%, and loss on ignition (1.74%–6.41%). For homogeneous paper and meals waste (1 kg), the hydrogenbased totally incinerator executed fine, accomplishing 60% and 87% of moisture content, in that order. The weight reduction become 97.14% and 88.88%, respectively, with energy expenditure of 108 Wh and 321 Wh. The efficiency of the hydrogen-based incinerator gadget decreases as the moisture content of the rubbish will increase. Keywords: Municipal waste management (MSW), hydrogen, incineration, fuel.

Heterogeneity of Monocarboxylate Transporter Function in Gastrointestinal Epithelium

Short-chain fatty acids and ketone bodies are important energy fuels of GI epithelial cells. Slc16a family encodes proton-coupled monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) that mediate cellular metabolism of those energy fuels. Increasing evidence demonstrates that adenocarcinomas with overexpression of MCTs are better able to maintain microenvironmental pH and high energy metabolism to grow. However, the precise distribution and function of each MCT subtype in normal epithelial or precancerous cell lineages are mostly unknown. We investigated cell type-specific expressions of MCT subtypes MCT1, MCT2, and MCT4 by immunofluorescence in normal and gastric metaplasia model mice. As total MCT knockout leads to early lethality, we generated inducible, intestine-targeted knockout mouse models for MCT1 and MCT4, respectively. In normal GI tissues, MCT1 was strongly expressed on basolateral membranes of gastric surface cells and enterocytes, with intense staining of proliferating cells and enteroendocrine cells. No staining was observed in Brunner’s glands or Paneth cells. The low affnity subtype, MCT4 expression was localized to the first corpus glands and tuft cells in the stomach, suggesting that these cells may monitor the luminal chemical environment. Intestinal MCT4 was localized on basolateral membranes of mature enterocytes and tuft cells. In contrast, MCT2, which has the highest affnity for lactate, was localized reciprocally to MCT1. Strong MCT2 staining was identified on the basolateral membrane of secretory cells, including gastric parietal and chief cells, Brunner’s glands, and Paneth cells. The distinct MCT2 expression suggests that those secretory cells possess different energy metabolism and MCT2 may contribute to their intracellular pH homeostasis. In gastric metaplasia tissues of Mist1-Kras(G12D) mice, MCT1+ metaplastic cells were increased, and Ki67+ cells were more dependent on MCT1 than normal tissues. MCT2 expression in chief cells was disappeared during metaplasia development. MCT1ΔIEC mice lost MCT1 expression on day 8 after tamoxifen injection and decreased transcriptions of other subtypes, Mct4, Mct7, and Mct10 in intestinal mucosa. MCT1ΔIEC jejunum showed significant increase in crypt length, indicating that MCT1 loss disrupted proliferative cell function. Contrary, MCT4ΔIEC mice had no change in crypt length or Mct1 expression, but increased Mct7, and Mct10. These observations indicate that different cell types require a different MCT subtype. The increase in MCT1-dependency in proliferative metaplastic glands is consistent with the predicted effect of MCT1 inhibitors for cancer treatment. Alterations in MCT subtype expression might be a marker for early diagnosis of metaplastic cells. R37 CA244970 and R01 CA272687 to EC, VDDRC P30-058404 and VICC GI SPORE P50-CA236733 to IK. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Biden's climate agenda: The most ambitious ever, or overlooking key technological bottlenecks?

The White House claims that Biden's Climate Agenda is “the most ambitious ever.” While the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Jobs Act (IJA) indeed do earmark billions of dollars for clean energy technologies, they also direct substantial sums of public money to conventional energy and fossil fuels. In comparison, energy storage technologies and projects—which are critical to renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles—are set to receive a much smaller amount. This marks a potentially substantial bottleneck that could eventually derail the administration's climate ambitions. By triangulating three sources of data: policy documents and funding commitments, trends in emissions reductions, and innovation, this article finds that Biden's Climate Agenda might not be as ambitious as the White House claims.

Pengaruh Campuran Minyak Jarak Pagar dengan Dexlite Terhadap Performa Mesin Diesel

One of the alternative energy fuels in the transportation sector is biodiesel. Biodiesel made from a mixture of vegetable materials has great potential as an environmentally friendly fuel for diesel engines. This experimental research aims to analyze the effect of using Jatropha curcas (Jatropha curcas Linn) oil on diesel engines. The experiment was carried out using a mixture of Dexlite and pure castor oil (JCO) with varying compositions of JCO 0%, JCO 20%, and JCO 30%. Torque test results against load show an insignificant comparison between Dexlite without mixture and Dexlite with 20% and 30% JCO mixture, especially when loading high using Prony Brake. Although the effective engine power of the three fuel variations does not show significant differences at the same engine speed and load, the use of a mixture of Dexlite and 20% castor oil at an engine speed of 1700 rpm is more effective in improving diesel engine performance and saving fuel. Additionally, fuel consumption decreases as load increases, indicating high efficiency potential. In the context of exhaust gases, the mixture also has the potential to reduce the opacity of diesel engine exhaust gases.

Investigating the potential of geothermal energy as a sustainable replacement for fossil fuels in commercial buildings

Commercial Buildings release large volumes of greenhouse gases, expediting global warming. The commercial building industry accounts for 37% of global CO2 emissions. Geothermal energy technologies are an intriguing solution that provides a low-impact, emission-free, and cost-effective thermal fuel source for baseload energy production. Geothermal energy systems offer a potential solution to dramatically halt global warming and facilitate the transition to a carbon-neutral civilization. This study develops a framework for assessing the geothermal power capabilities of innovative house and district heating systems. The energy requirements are first assessed, and then the spatial evaluation of district heating infrastructure is carried out using a Python-based program. Economic comparisons between geothermal energy and fossil fuels are made using LCC analysis. Environmental impacts are measured by Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). This study compares geothermal energy to fossil fuels, and the LCA results show that geothermal energy has a low environmental impact. With a Net Present Value (NPV) of 34.81 USD, it displays economic viability as well as a satisfactory financial return. The study's findings show that geothermal energy has the ability to compete with fossil fuels in commercial heating applications while still being environmentally beneficial.

Panel Data Analysis on the Determinants of Renewable Energy Consumption in African Countries

Africa consists of countries that are primarily dependent on fossil fuels for energy but have significant potential in many types of renewable energy. Therefore, the study investigates the factors affecting the use of renewable energy in 15 African countries in the context of panel data analysis over the period of 1980-2018. Cointegration analysis of variables is carried out using Kao, Pedroni, and Westerlund techniques, and Driscoll-Kraay and FGLS estimation methods examine long-term coefficients. The findings point out a cointegration between the variables. While economic growth, FDI, and trade openness support renewable energy use, financial development and natural resources hinder it. The findings also indicate a two-way causality between all independent variables and renewable energy use. The study will be able to put forward some policy suggestions that can improve the renewable energy sector in African countries.

SDEWES 2023: Barriers and Possibilities for the Development of Short-Rotation Coppice as an Agroforestry System for Adaptation to Climate Change in Central European Conditions

This article compares different production, economic, and selected environmental aspects of agroforestry systems in a standard (alley cropping) and a newly proposed design with fast-growing trees grown in short-rotation coppice. Our models of agroforestry systems (AFSs) are as follows: (i) alley cropping AFS with cherry and walnut trees in single rows (tree strips) with 28 m-wide arable fields between them (crop strips), and (ii) coppiced tree belt AFS with poplars and willows and 25 m-wide arable fields between them (crop strips). To evaluate the production characteristics of trees, we used yield curves from experimental plantations in conditions of the Czech Republic from previous research projects. Cost data were collected from long-term experimental plantations and combined with current operation and energy prices. The article presents an economic methodology for assessing the competitiveness of biomass production in AFSs under the current identified market conditions. Our results show that AFSs with short-rotation coppice can have similar economic and production results as annual crops if grown on suitable sites and with appropriate quality of agronomy. In comparison, alley cropping AFSs with fruit trees would not be economically viable for farmers without a significant subsidy for establishment and maintenance in the first years after establishment. Concerning the latest economic and political developments, the product from SRC (energy woodchips) can be evaluated as strategic, increasing the producer’s independence from purchased energy fuels.

Amorphous and crystalline heterostructure MoSe2/NiFe-LDH through p-n junction formation for electrochemical water splitting-synergistic back bonding effect

Designing a long-lasting, highly effective, non-noble metal-free electrocatalyst for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a strenuous task for water electrolysis. Here, in our study, an ordered NiFe-layer double hydroxide (LDH)/MoSe2 as p-n junction material was designed using facile two-step hydrothermal process for the overall water splitting reaction. Additionally, synthesized NiFe-LDH/MoSe2, electrode exhibits long-term durability in both acidic and alkaline medium for HER and OER, respectively. Mott-Schottky experiments provides the insights of interfacial electron transfer, where the electron is transported from n-type NiFe-LDH to p-type MoSe2, resulting in the generation of the p-n junction in MoSe2/NiFe-LDH. As the formation LDH and transition dichalcogenides p-n junction leads to activation of the catalysts towards the OH− adsorption that may enable the water electrolysis with a low overpotential. The XPS analysis supports the electron transfer from Fe to Mo resulting in the formation synergistic back bonding between the p-n heterojunction. This strategy opens up an alternative path to a highly effective, relatively low-price catalyst for the global production of renewable energy fuels.

Visualization and Analysis of Mapping Knowledge Domains for Coal Functional Groups

ABSTRACT In this paper, a systematic review of the research on functional groups in coal is presented. In recent years, the research on functional groups in coal has been extended from the macroscopic level to the microscopic layer, and a large number of studies have shown that functional groups have significant effects on various properties of coal, such as gas adsorption and spontaneous combustion. To understand the current status and future trends of research on functional groups in coal, this study analyzed 3956 papers on this topic published in the Web of Science (WOS) core database from 2000 to 2022. The spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of publications, authors, countries, institutions, and major journals were visualized using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. Keyword co-occurrence and burst analysis are used to reveal the research status and hotspots in this field. The results show that the development of research on functional groups in coal goes through three stages: the fluctuating development period, the steady development period, and the results explosion period; China, USA, Australia, Japan, and India are the most active countries in the field of coal functional groups research, and China has a greater advantage in the number of publications and influence. A core group of institutions, mainly research universities, has been formed in this field, and Fuel, Energy and Fuels and Fuel Processing Technology are the main source journals for published results on coal functional groups. At present, the framework of basic theories and research methods is complete, and the study of functional groups for gas adsorption, the analysis of the evolution of functional groups in the process of coal thermodynamic behavior, and the characteristics of functional group categories and distribution in coal are the main knowledge framework basis for the study of functional groups in coal. The research on coal functional groups has been extended to the molecular level, and in the future, quantum chemistry, molecular simulation, and fine characterization research of functional groups will become the frontier of research in the field of coal functional groups.

Opportunities and Challenges Associated with the Uptake of Residential Clean Fuel Usage.

Almost 3 billion people worldwide use solid fuel for cooking and heating. This review examines (i) household energy practices and infrastructures and their influence on fuel usage in different contexts; (ii) barriers in adoption of household clean energy technologies and uses in diverse settings and population groups and (iii) potential air pollution exposure reduction in homes through using processed fuel. Population health burden from solid fuel combustion-derived particulate air pollution has been estimated in several low- and middle-income countries. However, such studies have not been carried out in high income countries (e.g., UK). Irrespective of the region, fuel prices are the most dominant factor influencing the choice of fuel. Laboratory studies suggest processed fuel - pellets and briquettes - reduce particulate matter emissions by 70-80% and can be a promising alternative. Adoption of clean fuels for domestic energy needs facilitates progress towards five of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There is evidence that a variety of factors, including cost savings, encourage and hinder such uptake. These factors include price fluctuations, expenses, and the usage of clean fuels. Due to their distinct development scenarios, more expansive policy frameworks, and political economies of energy, these determinants are localized in character and differ significantly amongst economies. Therefore, in order to create innovative plans for the adoption of clean fuel use, strategies centred on local settings must be developed while keeping broad socio-technical and socio-economic issues in mind. Solid fuel processing - pelletization and briquetting - have the potential to reach Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)-like emissions, and could be a potential strategy to mitigate exposure to household air pollution.

Circular Economy Approaches in the Palm Oil Industry: Enhancing Profitability through Waste Reduction and Product Diversification

Today, facing difficult environmental and sustainability questions, the palm oil industry is an important force in global trade and development. As a transformative solution to these problems, this review assesses the implementation of circular economy (CE) strategies. CE principles promote the transformation of waste into value through recycling, upcycling and other low-carbon innovation applications. This review estimates the capability of palm-based biomass, including palm oil mill effluent (POME) and refinery wastes. It evaluates how different technologies such as gasification are used to change these fuel sources into energy fuels and value-added products for industry. It also involves incorporating Industry 4.0 to boost efficiency and waste value creation into the operation. Although the potential of CE in creating an eco-friendly, profitable palm oil industry is apparent, nevertheless it must overcome all kinds and levels of barriers – from economic to technological to social. This review points out for collaborative efforts, technological advancement, and supportive policies to navigate these challenges, advocating for a unified shift towards sustainability and efficiency in the palm oil sector.