Integrating large language models into Peer-to-Peer energy management for multi-tenant buildings: A guardrail approach to ensuring resilience.

Climate change, fossil fuel depletion, and rising global energy demand underscore the need for strategic alternatives in energy conversion. In this context, the citrus processing industry, particularly orange juice production, represents a promising pathway for bioenergy recovery. Global orange processing (17.14 million metric tons), led by Brazil, Mexico, and the United States, generates large volumes of wastes such as peel, pulp, and seeds. This study characterized the chemical and thermophysical properties of these wastes and evaluated their energy availability potential. The results revealed attractive fuel characteristics, with a heating value ( HHV db = 17.64 MJ kg −1 ) and ultimate and proximate compositions comparable to those of sugarcane bagasse, a biomass extensively used in Brazilian sugar–energy facilities. Despite the high theoretical energy potential (∼429 thousand toe), the high as-received moisture content (>80%) remains a major barrier to efficient combustion. To address this constraint, scenarios combining mechanical pressing (reducing moisture to 65%) and subsequent thermal rotary drying were evaluated in terms of net energy availability. Under these conditions, the net energy available (∼202 thousand toe) not only met the thermal demand of the juice concentration stage but also generated surplus energy for processes such as juice pasteurization or sale through cogeneration. Although the use of orange wastes as solid biofuels may not yield the highest financial returns, it presents a technically viable strategy to strengthen energy self-sufficiency, reduce dependence on external fossil fuels, and mitigate environmental liabilities in the citrus industry. • Fuel properties comparable to sugarcane bagasse used in cogeneration. • Orange waste can be applied as a solid biofuel for use in industrial boilers. • Orange residues high moisture requires pre-drying before combustion. • Mechanical pressing plus drying in rotary dryer greatly increases net energy yield.

Multilevel assessment of energy security in Cameroon: A 3A-based framework for bridging renewable-nonrenewable trade-offs in emerging African economies

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are increasingly discussed as a low-carbon option to strengthen energy security, yet their deployment depends on public acceptance. Empirical evidence on SMR acceptance remains limited, particularly in developing countries such as Thailand, and prior studies have rarely provided a theory-integrated test that combines behavioral, innovation, moral–normative, and risk–benefit mechanisms within a single explanatory framework. Addressing this gap, this study examines determinants of SMR acceptance in Thailand by developing and testing an integrated framework combining Diffusion of Innovation (DOI), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the Norm Activation Model (NAM), together with perceived risk–benefit appraisals and knowledge sharing. Data were collected through an online questionnaire survey during November–December 2025. Respondents were screened to include individuals with prior awareness of SMRs, yielding 428 valid cases. The proposed model was assessed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results indicate that behavioral intention is the most proximal predictor of SMR acceptance and is shaped by attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and personal norm. Innovation perceptions—especially observability—strengthen attitudes, while knowledge sharing substantially enhances perceived behavioral control. Perceived risk and perceived benefit are significant predictors of subjective norm, suggesting that risk–benefit narratives may operate through socially shared discourse and normative signaling within reference groups. The findings provide a policy-relevant explanation of SMR acceptance and suggest that stakeholder engagement should prioritize institutionalized knowledge infrastructures, evidence transparency and independent validation, and participatory mechanisms that improve public understanding and support informed decision-making for low-carbon energy transitions. • Integrated TPB–DOI–NAM model explains SMR acceptance in Thailand. • Online survey of SMR-aware adults (n = 428); PLS-SEM tested hypotheses. • Behavioral intention strongly predicts SMR acceptance via TPB determinants. • Observability boosts attitudes; knowledge sharing strengthens perceived control. • Risk–benefit perceptions shape subjective norms through social discourse cues.

Mycelium-based scaffolds for cultured meat production: Characteristics and application trends.

Africa's energy security remains fragile amid unreliable supply, high import exposure, and climate shocks, even as the continent pursues a low carbon transition. This study examines how climate-oriented finance and renewable energy deployment relate to energy security in 16 African countries from 2000 to 2021 using a Panel Vector Autoregression framework. To ensure conceptual clarity, external financial inflows, foreign direct investment and mitigation related development finance, are distinguished from renewable energy consumption as an energy system outcome. Energy security is measured using energy import dependence, energy intensity, and energy productivity. Results show that shocks to renewable energy consumption are followed by medium run improvements in energy intensity and productivity, alongside volatile short run dynamics. In contrast, foreign direct investment exhibits weak average effects in pooled models, becoming more evident when conditioning on institutional quality and income groups. Robustness checks using alternative finance proxies and stratified models confirm the main patterns. The findings are interpreted as time ordered dynamic relationships rather than structural causal effects. • Reframed abstract and introduction to foreground Africa’s energy security and financing constraints, linking strategy. • Expanded and structured contributions across theory, empirics, and policy, distinguishing finance flows and renewables. • Strengthened theory and empirics by integrating development and energy theories, synthesizing African literature, and justifying. • Improved transparency by motivating Panel VAR, comparing alternatives, and interpreting dynamics against theory and evidence.

Are natural resources a blessing or a curse for the development of nuclear energy in times of energy insecurity

Systematic review of justice-based transitions in climate, renewable energy, and food security from 2009 to 2025

A multi-dimensional energy security index: The critical roles of geopolitical risk and natural resource income

The decarbonization of fossil fuel is crucial for balancing energy security and carbon management. Underground coal gasification (UCG) is a promising process because of its potential for mitigating ecological impacts, but its conventional autothermal approach with oxygen injection still generates substantial CO 2 . By utilizing thermal plasma to simultaneously provide heat and highly reactive species, can enable rapid coal seam heating and drive directed carbon-reduction pathways without carbon combustion, thereby effectively mitigating CO 2 generation. Experimental results demonstrate that, plasma-driven underground coal gasification (PUCG) initiates within 1 min, producing >94% effective gas and reducing CO 2 concentration by over 86%. Under plasma treatment, aromatic clusters in coal undergo cleavage and recombination into longer, more planar polycyclic assemblies, then carbon defect sites develop on these aromatic clusters, driving the carbon structure toward a more reactive state. The carbon defects serve as attack sites for reactive species, promoting the formation of oxygen-containing functional group (C O ). The activation energy for the reaction between a coal model compound and OH· species to form syngas is only 27.65 kJ·mol −1 . Compared with coal gasification by ground-state water, the activation energy is reduced by more than 80%. Therefore, PUCG offers a promising novel pathway for low-carbon transition of coal-based energy. • A novel in-situ enhanced coal seam gasification system via plasma for H 2 production • Plasma-driven gasification achieves >94% effective gas with >86% CO 2 reduction • Active carbon sites are continuously generated under conversion • Reactive oxygen-containing functional group (C O ) formed under plasma conditions • Activation energy for gasification is reduced by over 80%

Measuring household energy insecurity in a dense, warm-climate city: Behavioural coping profiles and perceived financial burden in Hong Kong

Hydropower-dependent electricity systems are increasingly vulnerable to climate-driven hydrological variability, which threatens supply reliability in water-limited regions. This study evaluates the techno-economic feasibility of hybrid renewable energy systems designed to ensure reliable electricity supply under hydropower constraints. Three configurations are analyzed: hydropower-biopower, hydropower-CSP, and a combined hydropower-CSP-biopower system. Hourly dispatch simulations are conducted under a fixed annual hydropower availability of 696.162 GWh, representing realistic reservoir operation through a monthly energy budget constraint. Results show that all configurations meet the annual demand of 986.065 GWh with zero unmet load (LPSP = 0). In the hydropower-biopower system, a 128.79 MW biopower plant generates 289.903 GWh annually and achieves the lowest LCOE of 0.083 $/kWh while using 7.8% of biomass resources. The hydropower-CSP configuration, with a 132.5 MW solar tower plant, offers a fully renewable solution but yields a higher LCOE of 0.1226 $/kWh. The integrated system, with 23.86 MW CSP and 127.33 MW biopower, achieves an LCOE of 0.0892 $/kWh while reducing biomass use to 6.6%. Overall, hybridization enhances reliability, flexibility, and energy security under hydro-limited conditions.

Prevalence and Predictors of Energy Insecurity Among United States Households with Children.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as Cabo Verde (CV) face persistent energy insecurity due to heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels and limited deployment of land-based renewables. This study develops a transferable, risk-informed multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework for ocean current energy site selection, integrating high-resolution hydrodynamic modeling, environmental constraints, techno-economic factors, and tropical cyclone (TC) exposure. Using a high-resolution ocean circulation model that resolves tidal and inter-island flow dynamics, we characterize the spatial and temporal variability of surface currents and associated power densities across CV. These resource layers are combined with depth, distance-to-coast, protected areas, shipping routes, and TC hazard fields within an MCDA structure supported by sensitivity analysis. Results show that the strongest and most persistent currents occur within the northwestern inter-island channels, where seasonal mean speeds exceed 0.7m/s and power densities surpass 200 W/m2, with 95th-percentile speeds above 2m/s. Several locations meet key feasibility thresholds with mean currents near or above 1m/s, suitable depths (10-20m), proximity to shore, and relatively low variability while also lying outside high-TC-risk zones, low wave conditions, and major maritime corridors. The proposed framework demonstrates how hazard-aware, multi-criteria evaluation can support resilient OCE planning in SIDS and is transferable to other cyclone-exposed coastal systems.

Pilot-scale biomass pyrolysis dual fluidized bed with in-situ biochar recovery for high-quality bio-oil and negative carbon emissions.

Energy security is a major issue in the 21st century, especially in the context of climate change and political conflicts. The shift to renewable energy has the potential to transform international dependency patterns, the geopolitical landscape, and the dynamics of energy trade. This upcoming change highlights the necessity of adopting a holistic approach to energy policy, one that incorporates the unique features of a renewable energy-dominated landscape characterized by growing electrification, digitalization, and decentralization. Conventional methods of ensuring energy security are already failing. The changing energy system necessitates a proactive approach to strengthen interdependencies and increase the system’s resilience so that it can adjust to broader economic, social, and political changes in addition to changes within the energy sector. Through the lenses of political and security considerations, this paper investigates the major public governance issues related to the advancement of renewable energy. To find structural obstacles influencing the implementation of renewable energy, the study uses a qualitative analytical methodology that combines systems analysis, institutional analysis, and comparative policy assessment. The implementation of long-term energy transition initiatives is frequently hampered by political short-termism, regulatory ambiguity, institutional fragmentation, and the influence of incumbent fossil-fuel interests. In order to ensure successful and socially acceptable renewable energy policies, the study also emphasizes the significance of robust regulatory frameworks, transparent governance institutions, and public participation.

The article is devoted to the formation of a framework for strategic management of innovative development of energy companies under conditions of digital transformation, energy transition, military risks, cyber threats and market instability. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to modernize management systems of energy enterprises, develop smart-grid technologies, ensure energy security, and integrate ESG principles into strategic decision-making. The purpose of the study is to develop a conceptual framework that combines strategic, technological, digital, personnel and ESG components into a unified management system. The methodological basis includes a systemic approach, structural-functional analysis, logical generalization, comparison and synthesis of modern scientific approaches to innovative development in the energy sector. The study analyzes existing framework models related to Utility 4.0, digital transformation, ESG-oriented management, data analytics and sustainable energy development. It is substantiated that most existing approaches focus on separate aspects of transformation and do not fully ensure the integration of all key components of strategic management. As a result, a comprehensive framework for strategic management of innovative development of energy companies is proposed. Its structure includes five interrelated blocks: strategic-management, technological-innovative, digital, personnel-competence, and ESG & sustainable development. The strategic-management block acts as the coordinating core of the framework and ensures the alignment of innovation policy, corporate strategy, digital transformation and ESG priorities. The technological-innovative block forms the basis for modernization of energy infrastructure, implementation of smart-grid technologies and development of intelligent energy systems. The digital block creates an information and analytical environment based on digital platforms, Big Data, artificial intelligence and decision-support systems. The personnel-competence block focuses on human capital development, digital skills and innovation-oriented organizational culture. The ESG block integrates decarbonization, energy efficiency, environmental responsibility and sustainable development principles into strategic management. The practical significance of the results lies in the possibility of using the proposed framework to improve strategic management systems of energy companies, strengthen energy security, increase adaptability to crisis conditions and support sustainable post-war recovery of the Ukrainian energy sector. Keywords: ESG, smart-grid technologies, energy security, energy companies, energy efficiency, innovative development, human capital, sustainable development, strategic management, framework, digital transformation, digitalization

This article examines the role of international law in ensuring Mongolia’s national security from the perspective of small-state security policy. The contemporary international security environment is no longer limited to traditional military threats, border disputes, and armed conflict. It is increasingly shaped by multidimensional factors such as human rights, information and cyber domains, economic and energy security, environmental risks, migration, transnational crime, and hybrid threats. Under such conditions, the legal system for ensuring national security must develop not only within the scope of domestic legislation but also in close connection with the generally recognized principles and norms of international law, international treaties, multilateral institutional mechanisms, international courts and dispute settlement systems, and legal regimes relating to human rights and collective security. As a landlocked small state located between two great powers, with relatively limited demographic, economic, and material military resources, Mongolia has a particular need to use international law as a strategic instrument of national security. International law plays a crucial role in safeguarding Mongolia’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability of borders, human rights, multi-pillared foreign policy, international cooperation, peace support operations, disarmament commitments, and nuclear-weapon-free status. The study applies document analysis, systemic legal analysis, comparative legal analysis, small-state security policy analysis, and theoretical synthesis of international law. The findings suggest that international law performs five key functions within Mongolia’s legal system for ensuring national security: first, a guarantee function for protecting independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, second, a normative function for strengthening human security, human rights, democratic governance, and the rule of law, third, a strategic function for supporting the external security of a small state through multilateral cooperation, international organizations, diplomacy, and legal mechanisms, fourth, a cooperation function for addressing non-traditional and transnational threats, and fifth, a regulatory function for guiding domestic legal and institutional reform. The article concludes that Mongolia needs to strengthen the incorporation of international legal norms into domestic legislation, assess the implementation of international treaties, enhance professional capacity in international law, introduce international legal risk analysis into national security policymaking, and increase Mongolia’s active contribution to the development and implementation of international law.

The pharmaceutical supply chain continues to face significant challenges, including the circulation of counterfeit medicines, limited traceability, and insufficient transparency among stakeholders. To address these issues, this study presents a blockchain- and IPFS-based traceability framework designed to improve the secure tracking and verification of pharmaceutical products. The proposed system combines role-based smart contracts with decentralised off-chain storage to maintain product history and enable integrity validation using unique digital identifiers. The prototype was implemented in Ethereum-compatible environments. Repeated workflow measurements were obtained in the Remix VM environment, while Sepolia was used for deployment-level validation and public testnet verification. The system demonstrated the complete workflow, including participant registration, product enrollment, manufacturing, multi-stage transfer of ownership, and authenticity verification. Analysis of the execution outputs indicates that the core operations exhibit consistent gas consumption across repeated runs, offering clear insight into computational cost and system behaviour. The findings suggest that the proposed framework can serve as a viable foundation for improving traceability in pharmaceutical supply chains at the prototype level. However, further investigation is required to assess system performance under real-world deployment conditions, particularly with respect to scalability, latency, and large-scale operational constraints.

A Hydraulic-Thermal Decoupled Multiobjective Optimization Approach for Balancing Supply Security and Profit in a Gas Pipeline Network under Extreme Conditions