Entire Value Research Articles

Self-driving AMADAP laboratory: Accelerating the discovery and optimization of emerging perovskite photovoltaics

AbstractThe development of new solar materials for emerging perovskite photovoltaics poses intricate multi-objective optimization challenges in a large high-dimensional composition and parameter space, with in some cases, millions of potential candidates to be explored. Solving it necessitates reproducible, user-independent laboratory work and intelligent preselection of innovative experimental methods. Materials Acceleration Platforms (MAPs) seamlessly combine robotic materials synthesis, characterization, and AI-driven data analysis, enabling the exploration of new materials. They revolutionize material development by replacing trial-and-error methods with precise, rapid experimentation and generating high-quality data for training machine learning (ML) algorithms. Device Acceleration Platforms (DAPs) focus on optimizing functional energy films and multilayer stacks. Unlike MAPs, DAPs concentrate on refining processing conditions for predetermined materials, crucial for disordered semiconductors. By fine-tuning processing parameters, DAPs significantly advance disordered semiconductor devices such as emerging photovoltaics. This article examines recent advancements in automated laboratories for perovskite material discovery and photovoltaics device optimization, showcasing in-house-developed MAPs and a DAP. These platforms cover the entire value chain, from materials to devices, addressing optimization challenges through robot-based high-throughput experimentation (HTE). Ultimately, a self-driven Autonomous Material and Device Acceleration Platforms (AMADAP) laboratory concept is proposed for autonomous functional solar material discovery using AI-guided combinational approaches. Graphical abstract

Enhancing the Public-Private-Community Partnerships in the Banana Value Chain in Mutasa District, Zimbabwe

The paradigm shift from the New Public Administration to the New Public Governance underlines the significance of multi-stakeholder collaborations in attending to complex societal challenges. In this vein, Public-Private-Community Partnerships are a feasible mechanism for enhancing the banana value chain in Mutasa District of Zimbabwe. Bananas are extensively eaten fruits in the world with smallholder farmers playing a vital role in production, particularly in developing nations like Zimbabwe. Yet smallholder farmers’ economic returns in the banana value chain are a cause of concern. Thus, this study focuses on enhancing Public-Private-Community Partnerships in the smallholder banana value chain. A concurrent mixed methods research design allowed for both objectivity and detailed analysis. The target population comprised public, private, and community stakeholders in the banana value chain. The multiplicity of stakeholders motivated a mixture of quota, purposive, and snowball sampling techniques to ensure representation. Questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions were the data collection methods. There was descriptive analysis of quantitative data, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically, and related findings were grouped together. Public-Private-Community Partnerships are attractive because they reduce information asymmetry, enhance transparency, ensure fairness in pricing, facilitate risk sharing, increase productivity, and enhance value addition. Public-Private-Community Partnerships are not “magic bullets”, necessitating attention to their potential deficits, which include power imbalances, conflicts of interest among partners, and challenges associated with ensuring active participation by diverse stakeholder groups. Pathways for strengthening Public-Private-Community Partnerships include consensus building, clear definition of partners’ roles, fair sharing of risks and benefits, monitoring and evaluation, selection of competent actors, and farmer capacity building. Effective Public-Private-Community Partnerships facilitate active participation among the public, private, and community actors along the entire value chain.

Digital Platform, Spatial-Digital Fix, and the Reconfiguration of Apparel Production Networks

Digital Platform, Spatial-Digital Fix, and the Reconfiguration of Apparel Production Networks

Assessment of selective quartz flotation in phosphate beneficiation: A waste-to-product solution for tailings valorization

Silicate minerals, primarily quartz and clays, are frequently encountered as impurities in sedimentary phosphate ores. If not effectively removed, these gangue minerals can undermine the entire phosphate value chain. In this study, the challenge of selectively recovering silicates from a sedimentary carbonaceous siliceous phosphate ore was successfully addressed, enabling the recovery of an enriched phosphate concentrate as the main product, along with a high-purity quartz concentrate as a valuable by-product. This approach aligns with circular economy principles, promoting integrated waste management. The effective flotation of quartz was investigated using various amine-based collectors, including fatty alkyl amines, ether amines, diamines, quaternary ammonium salts, alkanolamines, and Gemini amines. Preliminary tests yielded unsatisfactory results, characterized by a lack of selectivity and substantial apatite losses. Consequently, this study identified the detrimental impact of dissolved ionic species on the adsorption of collector molecules onto quartz surfaces, which hindered effective flotation. To mitigate this issue, an acid-washing and water substitution process was implemented, resulting in significant improvements in flotation efficiency. The integration of response surface methodology (RSM) and automated mineralogical characterization enabled a comprehensive analysis and optimization of the flotation process. A systematic evaluation of operating parameters enabled the effective removal of most silicate impurities from the phosphate ore. This approach resulted in the recovery of high-purity silicate concentrates (greater than 80% SiO2), suitable for various industrial applications. Furthermore, the optimized flotation process reduced the silicate content in the final phosphate concentrate from 18.83% to below 2%.

Toward the Global Plastic Treaty: A Review of the Vietnamese Regulatory Framework on Plastics

Countries around the world are negotiating a ground-breaking legally binding instrument by 2024 that will address the problem of worldwide plastic pollution. Vietnam is actively advocating for that global plastic treaty. This article discusses the comprehensive approach of addressing the full life cycle of plastics envisioned in the future treaty and analyses the current Vietnamese framework regulating plastics based on such a future treaty approach. Vietnamese regulations are examined to see whether they are sufficient and effective to support the implementation of the future plastic treaty in preventing plastic waste pollution across the entire plastic value chain. Based on the review, recommendations are made to further improve the relevant Vietnam’s regulatory framework.

Split wooden rods for novel wood-based boards in the construction sector

Wood has been utilized as a building material for thousands of years. Nowadays, its renewable nature and carbon-storing capacity can become important factors in climate change mitigation efforts. This has led to a resurgence of timber engineering in recent years, with impressive multi-story timber buildings worldwide. However, it should not be overlooked that the wood sector will face several challenges in the coming years and decades to pave the way to a leading role of wood in the desired transition toward bioeconomy. Based on the assumption that an increasing demand for wood will make it a more precious resource, a couple of strains will emerge across the entire value chain of wood processing. This calls for innovations to address issues arising from predicted changes in resource provision, to increase material yields, and to promote reuse after the end of life. Our conceptual article proposes a new wood separation and processing method. This approach is inspired by the well-known production of wood shingles and is currently being developed for the implementation of new wood-based products.

Институциональное регулирование глобальной и региональной климатической повестки в условиях деглобализации

The problem of climate change is a global challenge that requires a joint solution at various levels—global, regional, national, and individual. At the same time, modern global and economic processes are characterized by two significant trends: the growth of regionalization and the intensification of deglobalization, which cannot but affect the architecture of the climate agenda. In this article, we review the current state of the multilevel climate agenda and discern the factors of this agenda that affect the activities of multinational enterprises in the context of deglobalization. We conclude that we should expect further fragmentation in the climate regulation system at the global level, which will affect the configuration of global value chains (GVC) of companies. The regionalization of GVCs increases the importance of regional interaction and building relationships between business and government on climate issues to ensure economic competitiveness along the entire value chain from upstream to downstream.

Transforming European Food Systems with multi-actor networks and Living Labs through the FoodSHIFT Approach.

Our current global Food System is facing extraordinary challenges in both size and severity, including a rise in unsustainable consumption behaviours, continued environmental degradation, growing food insecurity, and widening social inequalities. A Food System transformation is now both critically important and overwhelmingly complex, requiring nothing less than a complete overhaul of the entire value chain. Everyone is needed: Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with technological solutions, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) with social innovations, researchers with novel methodologies, governments with food policy advancements, professionals with varying expertise, and last but not least, empowered and informed citizens with the ability and resources for better decision-making. Living Labs offer a holistic, place-based approach needed to facilitate multi-actor inputs on various levels, specifically Food System Living Labs (FSLLs) like the ones established as part of the FoodSHIFT 2030 Project. Nine front-runner Food System Living Labs were operationalised alongside a novel framework merging high-level interdisciplinary initiatives with a diverse set of innovative approaches towards more Sustainable Food Systems (SFS). The FoodSHIFT Approach concept was praised by external evaluators for its ground-breaking framework, and the nearly completed project has been listed as a best practice. However, positive applications alone will not ensure a cross-sector European-wide Food System transformation, and the following text offers a critical reflection coupled with experience-based solutions to further improve the FoodSHIFT Approach.

Влияние изменения климата на устойчивое развитие мировой винодельческой индустрии

Interest in sustainability in the wine sector has increased significantly over the past few years, driven by customer interest as well as the impact of extreme weather conditions, exacerbated by global warming, on wine growers. For a sustainable future the wine industry must design its entire value chain in such ways that it preserves and regenerates the natural environment. One of the key challenges to overcome to achieve this goal is the impact of climate change and adaptation strategies. The article presents research gaps and possible solutions to this problem that can holistically improve the sustainability of the entire wine value chain from vineyard to consumer. It is concluded that a comprehensive transformation of the industry will ensure its long-term competitiveness and compliance with new environmental and economic realities.

The Problems and Solutions of Enterprise Financial Management in the Perspective of Digital Economy

From the perspective of the digital economy, enterprise financial management is facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Traditional financial management models are no longer suited to current development needs. Fine-tuning financial management is essential to support the modernization of enterprises, guard against operational risks, and promote coordination across the entire value chain for greater economic efficiency. With the help of digital technology, data-driven, highly interconnected, and intelligent decision-making processes are becoming more prominent, profoundly transforming the operational and financial management models of enterprises. This enables financial management to keep pace with modern developments. In light of this, the paper explores the connotations and mechanisms of the digital economy and enterprise financial management, clarifies relevant conceptual characteristics, and identifies problems in financial management under the digital economy. It also offers strategies for optimization and problem-solving, with the aim of providing valuable insights for educators and practitioners.

Research on the Optimization Path of Strategic Cost Management under the Background of the Digital Economy

Under the background of the digital economy, the research on the optimization path of strategic cost management for enterprises is particularly important. This paper discusses key paths such as data-driven cost management systems, intelligent cost control, and collaborative cost management, revealing the profound impact of the digital economy on corporate cost management and proposing a series of optimization strategies. The data-driven cost management system requires enterprises to establish comprehensive data collection and analysis mechanisms, using big data and advanced analytical tools to achieve real-time monitoring and dynamic analysis of costs. This not only improves the accuracy of cost management but also enhances the enterprise's ability to respond to market changes. Secondly, the implementation of intelligent cost control, through automated and predictive cost management, enables enterprises to more effectively control and predict cost changes, thereby improving the efficiency of resource allocation and the quality of cost management decisions. Furthermore, the development of collaborative cost management emphasizes the synergy between internal departments of enterprises and with external partners. By breaking down information silos and promoting resource sharing and business collaboration, enterprises can achieve cost optimization throughout the entire value chain.

How to Advance Sustainable Innovations for Circular Bioeconomy: Perspectives from a Public Research Institute

This article presents a case study of public research institute innovation process for the circular bioeconomy in Finland. If an invention is to become an innovation, it requires actor alignment and cooperation from research to product development all the way to the end user. Despite the high uncertainty, the decision makers along the value chain need to identify possible directions and promising options, in addition to managing various risks. Support for these decisions is crucial to enable sustainable innovations. Furthermore, the role of public research institutions in providing “seeds” for innovations has been researched less extensively than the role of private companies or universities. This paper develops and tests a new circular bioeconomy product questionnaire to assist researchers. The questionnaire was designed for Natural Resources Institute Finland, combining risk management, new product development, and innovation process perspectives. The authors interviewed researchers and developed the framework further based on the interview analysis and tested it in a workshop. For the end product to succeed, it is necessary to understand the requirements of the entire value chain, especially the needs of end users. The research (and innovation) process should already involve stakeholders in the early stages to better meet their expectations.

Decentralised by-product valorisation in the dairy value chain: An opportunity for sustainable intensification

Increasing the sustainability of the livestock sector is a vital goal in lowering the environmental burden of food production globally. The dairy sector is of particular interest in this context since it is responsible for a significant share of this burden. In the past, research has focused on approaches to lower the impacts at the farming stage of production, while fewer efforts have been directed at the later stages of the value chain. By-product valorisation is a tool within the wider framework of Circular Economy that allows to increase the efficiency of resource use by increasing the product output at high quality, potentially leading to a sustainable intensification. The present study aims to test this hypothesis. For this purpose, data was collected from a cheese production case study and pilot-scale experiments on whey valorisation, to model several scenarios of by-product valorisation in the dairy value chain. This includes a decentralised valorisation scenario modelled for the purpose of supporting a local Circular Economy and three scenarios representing common valorisation approaches. The impacts of the entire value chain are then assessed based on an attributional LCA considering three different functional units in order to examine the potential for a relative reduction of impacts per unit of product output. The results suggest that while there is no clear favourite among the investigated valorisation scenarios, by-product valorisation in general can lower the relative impacts of the value chain significantly as compared to the base scenario without valorisation. Depending on the valorisation scenario and impact category, impact reductions of up to 14%, 20% and 32% can be achieved for the three functional units, respectively. Hence, by-product valorisation allows for a sustainable intensification. While centralised lower quality valorisation is favourable in terms of product mass and overall process efficiency, decentralised and high-quality valorisation performs better when the economic value of the products is taken into consideration. Thus, the choice for the most suitable approach for a production site will depend on the context of the production and the intentions of the stakeholders.

Resolving complexity: Material flow analysis of a national wood flow system integrating the versatility of wood

AbstractA systemic understanding of the use of wood resources is required to defossilize society and promote bio‐based developments. This study provides a novel approach to represent a comprehensive material flow analysis (MFA) spanning the entire wood value chain; encompassing wood harvest to products, use in society, collection, reuse, recycle, energy generation, and trade. By recognizing wood as a complex material, with changing properties throughout its lifespan, we developed a method where we employed a color‐coded system for processes (27 boxes) and 110 flows to symbolize distinct life stages and the dynamic characteristics, including 23 different trade flows. The wood processes and flows are categorized (11 categories) into different wood types (e.g., softwood and hardwood) and harmonized to include all available data on each single step of the wood life cycle, improving data traceability and visualization, and allowing for replicable analysis with respective data noted for each process and flow. Methodological obstacles due to different units, uncertainty of flows, and discrepancies in data are addressed and adjustments proposed. Switzerland was chosen as a case study as a large number of various types of data were available to perform the analysis. The categorized and harmonized flows of woody biomass mapped and analyzed in the MFA provide a comprehensive basis to identify and recommend avenues to increase cascading use of wood as a carbon sink, by considering relevant aspects like the network of flows and processes, the quality and availability of the woody biomass, and the organization of the industry.

The Doughnut Biotool: A tool to assess life-cycle biodiversity impacts from building projects

Abstract Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is widely used in certifications, regulations, and voluntary declarations covering the climate impact of buildings over their entire value chain. However, biodiversity impacts and other environmental impact categories are often disregarded. Conversely, there is a trend towards more systematic assessments of the biodiversity impacts that occur on-site as part of development projects (e.g. land transformation on the project site). However, off-site biodiversity impacts occurring throughout the rest of the value chain (e.g. from forestry activities, mining, manufacturing, heat and electricity production) are rarely considered. To bridge this gap, this article introduces the Doughnut Biotool, an open-source calculation tool to assess biodiversity impacts throughout the entire life cycle of development projects. The tool was initially developed to help implement Doughnut Economics and absolute sustainability principles in development projects. It constitutes a first step towards a better consideration of biodiversity impacts related to material- and energy use in building and construction projects. This paper presents the design of the tool and the method and data it relies on. The tool is applied to two separate case study projects, and used as a basis to discuss hotspots of biodiversity impacts within the building’s life cycle. Finally, the paper includes a discussion of the main challenges and opportunities for the future development and use of the tool, as well as for biodiversity impact assessments in the building sector as a whole.

Assessing and mitigating transfer gaps through ecosystem interactions

The purpose of this paper is to determine the most appropriate model of cooperation between an enterprise and the innovation ecosystem of the territory based on the assessment of its readiness to implement joint innovation activities. One of the requirements necessary for the effectiveness of innovation activity is to ensure the continuity of innovation processes along the entire value chain. The peculiarities of different organizations and different levels of readiness of ecosystem participants for innovation activities lead to ambiguity in the choice of possible options for partnership interactions. The paper presents a scheme of development for the territory's innovation ecosystem based on the concept of a minimum viable ecosystem. The concept of transfer gap is introduced as a violation of the continuity of the process of transfer (transfer) of the results of innovation activity along the entire value chain, which does not allow to obtain a competitive result (an innovative product) and/or bring it to the consumer within a competitive timeframe. Researchers identify two components of the transfer gap: technological and managerial. We developed indicators and scales for their assessment. On the basis of analyzing the interests and risks of participants in innovation processes in all links of the innovation chain, the possibilities of the innovation ecosystem to dampen transfer gaps are identified. We form the model of overcoming transfer gaps on the basis of partnership interactions.

How to green the European auto ABS market? A literature survey

AbstractThis literature survey explores the potential avenues for the design of a green auto asset‐backed security (Green Auto ABS) by focusing on the European auto securitization market. In this context, we examine the entire value chain of the securitization process to understand the incentives and interests involved at various stages of the transaction. We review recent regulatory developments, feasibility concerns, and potential designs of a sustainable securitization framework. Our study suggests that a Green Auto ABS could be based on both a green use of proceeds and a green collateral‐based methodology.

Certified data chats for future used car markets

Used car market platforms are interested in extending their offering from information provision to the whole customer journey. Providing certified data on the car’s state and history enables this extension by eliminating the need to physically inspect the car before buying it. Hence, communication and negotiations can move entirely to a used car platform to cover the entire value chain. How can such a market communication be designed when certified data come into play? This study designs and develops a certified data chat for the selective and controlled exchange of blockchain-based certified data in used car negotiations. An experimental market game is played with students to evaluate the usefulness of the chat. The study contributes to the augmentation of market communication with valuable and sensitive data exchange and demonstrates what a key component of a future used car market can look like. It offers three design principles and insight into why certified data chats are useful.

Vegetable Mountain Products, as Functional Food. A Cross-sectional Study of European Romanian Agricultural Producers

Background:: Mountain areas, in a normal ecosystemic context as the analyzed region from the European Romanian Carpathians, offer healthier solutions through different agronomical practices and solutions designed for the production of functional food. The paper approaches a chain formed by mountain functional food – agronomic practices – mountain products commerce, the purpose being the development of the entire mountain products value chain from an area focusing on the matrix "from the farm to the fork". The paper analyzes highly consumed mountain products with functional food roles Allium cepa, Allium sativum, Cucumis sativus, Capsicum, and Solanum lycopersicum. Objective: The research highlights the importance of vegetable mountain products as a functional food in the current hunger and environment contexts, in a more and more polluted world Methods:: The experimental, clinical, and agronomical research, together with the production territorial profile, show that mountain products present high qualitative valences comparatively with low-land areas or with reference values given by USDA. Results:: According to macro-nutritional and micro-nutritional analysis – lipids-fats, saturated fatty acids, protein, cyanocobalamin (B12), ergocalciferol (D2 ), cholecalciferol (D3 ), iron and calcium – Allium sativum dominates the mountain product's top with a functional food role. Instead of this, mountain producers prefer to cultivate mountain products with a higher income horizon. Conclusion:: Functional food represents an imperative in a more polluted world. Being less polluted than other ecosystems, the mountain area offers healthier agricultural products and requires notable investments, together with more involved agronomy.

Workflow to support cost-benefits comparison and sensitivity analysis of BIPV case studies: Three examples of BIPV facades in the south of Switzerland

The building skin surfaces represent a vast potential for decentralising renewable energy investments and offering unique opportunities for prosumers thanks to the built environment. Despite the recognised potential of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), cost-effectiveness is still a market barrier to accelerate deployment. The literature reports investigations on costs at product level and cost-effectiveness scenarios and prospects. However, the literature assessing the economic viability of real building processes is scarce. BIPV costs are strongly project-related and affected by construction work factors that cannot be generalised or observed at a macro-scale. Thus, the lack of concrete and documented applications in existing buildings is a missing gap for the sector and doesn’t support the market in clarifying the real economic costs and benefits of BIPV systems or the main parameters influencing the economic variability in real constructions. This study contributes to the field by developing a cost-benefit analysis of established BIPV case studies situated in the southern region of Switzerland. The approach employs a comprehensive economic evaluation, utilizing the net present value method. A sensitivity analysis is developed to assess costs by varying key economic input parameters that significantly impact the financial aspects of BIPV installations. This research aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of specific case studies, presenting original findings that elucidate the interplay between energy and construction factors. By discerning these relationships, the study seeks to unveil the determinants of cost competitiveness, ultimately contributing to the increase of attractiveness within the realm of BIPV facade benefits throughout the entire value chain.