EU Transport Research Articles

Elemental and particle size fractionation during the transport of Eu(III)-silicate colloids in water-saturated porous media

Actinides (An)-bearing colloids could facilitate An migration in the environment. However, little is known about the transport behavior of An(III)-silicate colloids, which are readily formed by the reaction of An3+ with silicic acid under environmental conditions. Column experiments were conducted to investigate the transport of Eu(III)-silicate colloids (chemical analog of An(III)-silicate colloids) in water-saturated porous media as a function of pH, ionic strength (IS) and the presence of fulvic acid (FA). The results showed that colloid transport was more favorable at relatively low IS (≤ 50 mM) and high pH levels (pH ≥ 7). The presence of FA (5−10 mg/L) significantly enhanced the colloid transport. Under high IS (≥ 100 mM), the transport feature of colloids was turned from blocking to ripening due to the on-going aggregation of colloids. Additionally, an interesting elemental fractionation, i.e., a discrepancy in the breakthrough curves (BTCs) with respect to the C/C0 values of Si and Eu, was observed in the IS of 100−500 mM. A detailed investigation indicated that the elemental fractionation could be attributed to the partial Si dissolution of the colloids, the heterogeneity of the colloid size and element composition, and particle size fractionation during colloid transport. Extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek interaction energy calculations and convective-dispersive equation modeling were performed to illustrate variations in the colloid transport profiles. These findings illustrate the importance of Si dissolution in the migration of metal-silicate colloids and highlight the significant influence of the heterogeneity of colloid size and composition on the transport/migration behavior of colloids in the environment.

Developments and Issues in Renewable Ecofuels and Feedstocks

Ecofuels and their feedstock come in three main product classes: electrofuels (e-Fuels), biofuels, and non-biowaste-derived fuels. Ecofuels originate from non-fossil sources, derived from circular raw materials such as non-food organic waste, renewable hydrogen, and captured CO2 through a rapid process of carbon fixation. Proposed regulation drafts under discussion indicate that new fuels would need to reach a substantial degree of climate neutrality. The manufacture of all ecofuels, however, requires energy input to accomplish the conversion of the initial feedstock; their climate neutrality claims stem from the use of renewable electric energy and/or biomasses in the production process, but fossil fuels are still the main primary sources of global (and the EU’s) electric power, and most biofuels consumed in the EU transport mix are still crop-based, with potential conflicts with food and land use. Furthermore, entirely neglecting GHG emissions from renewable energy generation is scientifically debatable, as the impact of the energy (and the related GHG emissions) embedded in the materials used to build renewable energy facilities is small, but not nil. The paper reports ecofuel trends according to the above-mentioned originating technologies and discusses the issues related to their development.

The European Green Deal and prospects for Ukraine

In January 2020, the European Union launched the European Green Deal, a comprehensive programme for the transition to new environmental standards in all sectors of the economy with the aim of making Europe the first carbon-neutral continent. Given Ukraine's European ambitions, it is important for it to understand the requirements of the Green Deal and assess the possibilities of taking these requirements into account in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. Purpose. To examine the requirements and current achievements in the implementation of the European Green Deal with a view to the prospects of Ukraine's post-war recovery. Results. Based on the EU regulations, current thematic reports, statistics and other open-source publications, the article analyses the main components of the European Green Deal in the context of plans and current achievements in their implementation in the following areas: legislative support, emissions trading system, carbon emissions regulation mechanism at the EU border, transport, energy, construction, agriculture and land use, ecosystem and biodiversity restoration, financial support of the green transition, science and education. Some promising directions of post-war recovery of Ukraine in the context of the Green Deal are considered. Conclusions. Despite the harsh criticism of the European Green Deal, it is vital to overcome the most acute environmental crisis in history, which threatens sustainable development and possibly the very existence of humanity. During the first 3 years of the Green Deal implementation, significant progress has already been made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, although there are still some difficulties and obstacles. Ukraine has a significant potential for post-war restoration of the energy and industry sector in line with environmental requirements, but this will require significant investments.

The Role of EU Transport Market Liberalization in Shaping Directions of Rail Energy Consumption Rationalization in Relation to the Export of Goods: The Case of Poland

This article discusses the impact of rail market liberalization on the energy intensity of rail in relation to the export of goods, as well as the identification of multidimensional cause-and-effect relationships between rail energy intensity and the importing country’s economic condition, transport performance, and transport distance. Three research questions were formulated: (1) Does the liberalization of the EU transport market and the implementation of a sustainable transport policy contribute to minimizing the energy consumption of rail transport? (2) Does the pursuit of economic growth allow for reducing the energy intensity of goods exported by rail transport in global trade? (3) Is there a justified paradigm for shifting long-distance freight transport from roads to rail? This study concerned 21 directions of the export of goods transported by rail from Poland to partner countries (worldwide) in 2010–2020. A panel model of rail transport energy consumption with random effects was constructed. As a result of rail market liberalization, the export of goods transported by rail across great distances occurs without harming economic development and leads to a reduction in energy intensity. On this basis, key strategies were formulated to promote rail transport in reducing the energy intensity of the transport sector. The authors filled the research gap by identifying the relationship between the energy intensity of exports of goods by rail transport in value terms, depending on the European transport market’s liberalization process, the importing countries’ economic situation, transport volume, and distance. The presented approach is innovative and can be adapted to the analysis of other modes of transport, including road transport, and other countries (and their structure and export directions).

Transport and separation behavior of La(III) and Eu(III) in a plate type supported liquid membrane with DMDODGA as the carrier

Transport and separation behavior of La(III) and Eu(III) in a plate type supported liquid membrane with DMDODGA as the carrier

Reducing transport sector CO2 emissions patterns: Environmental technologies and renewable energy

The research explores the impact of environmental technologies and renewable energy on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the EU transportation sector (2007–2020). Utilizing panel corrected standard error and feasible generalized least squares methods, the study uncovers key drivers influencing declining CO2 emissions. The results reveal a significant and variable effect of environmental technologies and renewable energy on CO2 emissions in the EU transport sector, emphasizing the positive correlation between increased renewable energy adoption and emission reduction. This underscores the necessity for heightened EU investment in sustainable transport infrastructure and clean energy solutions, encompassing initiatives like electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and biofuels. The study further recommends promoting renewable energy sources for transport systems, aligning with the broader goals of the European Green Deal and the EU Climate Law. Additionally, the research provides essential insights into policy implications, emphasizing a multifaceted approach including comprehensive strategies for cleaner transportation, innovation, and education to accelerate the transition towards sustainable practices in the EU.

2022 Russian-Ukrainian War and the Future of EU Energy and Transport Security: Analyzing the Implications of Diversifification the Transport and Energy Transit Routes – the Case of the Black Sea/Caspian Region

Given recent events, such as the full invasion of Ukraine’s sovereign territories by the Russian armyin 2022, this article critically analyzes how the use of the Caucasus-Caspian region could serve Brusselsas an alternative means of diversifying energy sources to ensure its energy security. The study iscomprehensive and covers various forms of energy projects. Particular attention is paid to exploringthe various phases regarding Shah Deniz and potential expansion plans. In addition, it carefully examinesall other important factors associated with the production, transportation, and explorationof energy resources in the Caspian reserves.In addition, a key task is to classify and compare the EU’s geopolitical priorities before and after the2022 war, present an analysis of the complex paths of transformation of the EU’s energy supply,and clarify its new policies regarding the relations between the main regional players: the RussianFederation, the EU, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.It has been established that the Black Sea-Caspian steppe contains valuable energy reserves. Dueto the critical geopolitical, geostrategic, and geoeconomic importance of the region, the EU has aninterest in the region. The study provides a comparative overview of different aspects of EU energydiversification policies. It examines how these policies have influenced the approach of foreignstates to the Caucasus-Caspian region, taking into account recent events. Moreover, it considersnational goals and takes into account the important interests of leading powers.Keywords: energy security, diversification of fossil fuels, Caucasus-Caspian region, Black Sea-Caspian steppe, EU policy on energy diversification, energy projects.

The influence of the powers of executive authorities in the EU transport sector on environmental safety (on the example of some EU countries with the lowest number of transport accidents and incidents)

Transport accidents and incidents are closely related to environmental safety. Ukraine became a candidate for EU membership. In addition, Ukrainian legislation must be reformed to speed up EU membership. One of the pressing problems is also the reduction of transport accidents and incidents in order to maintain environmental safety. To do this, it is necessary to analyze the powers of those executive authorities of the EU countries where the smallest number of transport accidents and incidents are observed in order to make the necessary changes to Ukrainian legislation. The author proposed recommendations.

Possibilities for the Development of Intermodal Transport in Slovak Republic

One of the main goals of the EU transport policy in the field of freight transport is to improve interoperability, unify technical standards and procedure support more ecological and energy efficient freight transport. In the area of freight transport, support for intermodal transport is essential. The synergistic effect created by the combination of several modes of transport has significant technological and environmental benefits. Such a supportive approach can lead to a more efficient and reliable transport of goods, thus improving the competitiveness of European freight transport. The aim of this contribution is the variants of proposals for intermodal transport support in the Slovak Republic.

Inclusive transport as a priority for European transport policy

Transport accessibility, or rather the lack of it, increasingly referred to as transport exclusion or poverty, can lead to social exclusion and a range of negative social consequences. The aim of this article is to identify how accessibility and inclusiveness are treated in EU transport policies, in order to determine to what extent those policies are inclusive. The content analysis of EU transport policy documents issued between the years 2000 and 2022 will be conducted in this research. References to access and accessibility in the analysed documents consistently address mainly two issues: access for peripheral areas to the European transport system and ensuring accessibility of public transport. The second approach is relevant for ensuring the inclusiveness of the transport system.

Insight into Impact of Phosphate on the Cotransport and Corelease of Eu(III) with Bentonite Colloids in Saturated Quartz Columns

Understanding the fate and transport of radionuclides in porous media reduces the risk of contaminating soils and groundwater systems. While the cotransport of bentonite colloids (BC) with radionuclides in saturated media is well documented, the role of phosphate (P) in the colloid-driven transport of radionuclides in saturated porous media is still unaddressed; in particular, phosphate increases the mobilities of radionuclides in porous media, which should be subjected to an environmental risk assessment and model construction. In this work, the effects of phosphate on the transport and release of Eu(III) in different colloid systems (P-Eu(III), P-BC, P-BC-Eu(III)) was investigated with a fundamental colloid chemistry approach and a range of characterization techniques. The results showed that intrinsic europium colloids with size of 685 nm were formed by precipitation with phosphate, which affected the mobility of Eu(III) due to colloid stability and physical straining. Phosphate enhanced BC and BC-Eu(III) transport, and a high phosphate concentration promoted BC transport by eliminating physical straining and enhancing the electrostatic repulsions. The crystal structure of EuPO4 was not destroyed by the subsequent introduction of BC, which carried EuPO4 for further migration. However, when phosphate, bentonite and Eu(III) coexisted in a colloid suspension, the phosphate promoted Eu(III) transport by preferentially interacting with the BC to form ternary BC-P-Eu(III) pseudo-colloids rather than forming the intrinsic EuPO4 colloids. The synergetic role of P and BC on Eu(III) transport involved a relatively complex process and was not a simply additive effect. The findings in this work highlight the significance of phosphate in controlling the fate and transport of Ln(III)/Am(III) radionuclides in the presence of intrinsic colloids and pseudo-colloids in P-rich colloid-bearing environments.

Barriers and opportunities towards monitoring and asset management of EU transport infrastructure

AbstractRecent technological developments have clear potential to support paradigm shift from corrective maintenance towards risk‐based/predictive maintenance through data‐informed decision‐making. The most promising developments are already taken up by local communities. Acknowledging that successful development, rollout and implementation of standardisation is only possible with thorough understanding of the full context, the H2020 CSA IM‐SAFE project evaluated the main barriers and opportunities that need to be overcome to enable well‐functioning monitoring and maintenance of transport infrastructure. As the European countries have different political, economic and social situations, the analyses have been performed on the national level, and the outcomes have been aggregated to identify main barriers at EU level. This paper presents the outcomes of the analysis of PEST barriers and SWOT analyses and discusses the connection between the barriers and the limitations in the existing EU monitoring standards and opportunities for the national implementation. Finally, the article highlights the importance to consider different scenarios and their potential environmental constraints in order to ensure that the exploitation opportunities are successful and sustainable in the long‐term.

Simulation of the Progress of the Decarbonization Process in Poland’s Road Transport Sector

In the years ahead, the majority of the EU member states will be implementing their energy and climate plans. These plans are aimed at fulfilling obligations related to the strategy for the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and the “Fit for 55” package. The European Commission has presented highly challenging proposals for the decarbonization of the transport sector through electrification and support for innovation. The decarbonization of transport will not be possible without cooperation and mutual understanding between manufacturers, suppliers, and customers, or without proper organization of the transport process itself. High-emission means of transport must be replaced with low-emission ones. In the EU, road transport generates 70% of all transport emissions. There are few scalable decarbonization opportunities in the transport sector. Various kinds of solutions should be promoted, yet at the same time, it is imperative to analyze the current situation and forecast desirable potential future outcomes. By employing optimization theory tools, specifically the SOLVER add-in—an Excel-based optimization tool—the optimum structure of the stock of road transport vehicles in Poland’s commercial road transport sector was searched for. Several research hypotheses were formulated, primarily focusing on the potential for electric vehicles to reduce emissions significantly. These findings suggest a promising outlook for this transition, with particular implications for decision-makers in the field of shaping transport policy. As a result of the conducted analyses and simulations, the hypothesis—that the application of selected elements of optimization theory tools allows us to determine the optimum stock structure of the Polish road transport sector in terms of propulsion system type (emission performance) in the context of pollutant emission targets set for the sector resulting from the EU’s climate policy targets, the European Green Deal, and the EU’s transport policy in terms of decarbonization, taking into account determinants and constraints included in the analysis—was confirmed. An important finding and result is the statement that, in its current state, the Polish road transport sector is not ready for the challenges related to the new goals of climate policy, the European Green Deal, and EU transport policy in the context of decarbonization.

The Energy Situation in the Federal Republic of Germany: Analysis of the Current Situation and Perspectives for a Non-Fossil Energy Supply

Formulating energy policies at national, European, and global levels is extremely challenging. The move away from fossil fuels is associated with a variety of technological, economic, and social implications, each of which is subject to dynamic changes and societal scrutiny and can hardly be predicted with certainty. Therefore, a fact-based assessment for the path to a sustainable green energy future is sought out in this paper, using the road-based mobility sector of the Federal Republic of Germany as an example. The analysis performed in this paper is built on publicly accessible, reputable sources like DESTATIS and EUROSTAT. In addition, some very simple calculations were made, e.g., on the potential for wind and photovoltaic energy within Germany. Such an analysis needs to start with the overall energy consumption of any one country. A basic assumption of the paper is that the energy system of the future will be based to a large extent on electricity and its storage in chemical energy. It is assumed that, in addition to hydrogen, liquid energy sources will play a significant role due to the simplicity of their logistics and the subsequent implications on cost. Examples of green, electricity-based fuels with great potential are methanol, methane, and ammonia. Additionally, biomass plays an important role, either for direct use as a fuel or as a source of non-fossil carbon. Today, biofuels, i.e., biodiesel and bioethanol, deliver the largest contribution to climate protection in the EU transport sector. The main goal—the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions—often collides with geopolitical circumstances or national political necessities. This includes, for example, the current world market situation and its national impacts caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine. The prospect for a green, sustainable, and defossilized energy supply are discussed in this context. The paper concludes that a defossilized world energy supply and trade based on renewable electricity and its derivatives, eHydrogen and refuels, and on biomass, is feasible.

Surface charge property governing co-transport of illite colloids and Eu(III) in saturated porous media

The transport of colloids and radionuclides is sophisticated because of the variety of charge properties between colloidal particles and host subsurface media, which causes great difficulty in establishing a reliable model of radionuclides migration by taking the colloid phase into consideration. In this work, the co-transport of illite colloids (IC) and Eu(III) in the quartz sand and iron-coated sand porous media was investigated by column experiments to address the predominant mechanism of charge properties on co-transport. Results showed that Eu(III) transport was driven by the illite colloids and electrostatic interaction was critical in governing the co-transport patterns. The promotion of Eu(III) transport by IC was attenuated in the iron-coated sand systems; more IC-Eu(III) complexes were retained uniformly in the column. The pore throat shrinkage caused by electrostatic attachment between aggregated IC and iron oxides exacerbated the physical straining and size exclusion effect of IC-Eu(III) complexes. An aggravated irreversible retention of IC-Eu(III) was detected in iron-coated sand column due to the electrostatic attraction of IC-Eu(III) to host media. The findings are essential for improving the understanding on the potential transport, retention and release risk of colloids associated radionuclides, and imply that the positively charged permeable reactive barrier is an effective strategy to reduce the transport risk of colloid associated radionuclides.

Sorption and transport characteristics of europium on sandy soils

Radioactive europium can be released as a fission product during nuclear incidents and pose a threat to the human and surrounding environment because of its biological activity and long decay half-lives. For safe design issues and human health protection demands in construction of the planned nuclear power plants (NPPs) at Al-Dabaa site, it is necessary to study the sorption and transport of different radionuclides as europium within the selected area for predicting their fate at any crisis. Many soil samples were collected from different locations at the area selected along the northwestern coast of Egypt. The samples were transported to the laboratory, preserved, and characterized using X-Ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR), and X-Ray diffraction (XRD). Experiments were performed to study the sorption and transport kinetics of Eu(III) ions on two sandy soil samples from the collected ones. The effect of different parameters (e.g. contact time, pH, initial europium concentration, and temperature) on the sorption behavior europium was explored in a static condition. The maximum sorption capacity was determined and found to be 3.4 and 7.0 mg g−1 for sorption of Eu(III) ions onto soil-1 and soil-2, respectively. Different models were applied to assess the sorption of europium onto the surface of the investigated soils. Data confirmed that Eu retention was attained through a chemisorption process. Further, the thermodynamic parameters were determined and their values confirmed the endothermic nature of the sorption process. The transport of europium radionuclides, with groundwater, through homogeneous porous media with uniform one-dimensional flow in the geosphere was processed and the relative migration velocity was determined in presence of both distilled and seawater media. The transport of Eu(III) radionuclides was higher in presence of seawater than that in presence of distilled water by about two order of magnitude. This obviously clarified the effect of seawater in accelerating the transport of radionuclides with groundwater in the geosphere of studied area. The role of different competing ions have various valances on the relative migration velocity was explored. Further, the time required for studied radionuclides to reach Mediterranean Sea was determined.

The status quo of the EU transport sector: Cross-country indicator-based comparison and policy evaluation

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are declining in all major sectors in the European Union, with the exception of one sector that has seen a significant increase in GHG emissions over the past decade - transport sector. The European transport sector faces a significant challenge in achieving the decarbonization goal set by the European Green Deal. Although the European Commission is planning to introduce a set of EU-level measures, such as the inclusion of road transport in the EU Emissions Trading System, the progress of greening the transport sector has so far largely depended on national policies. To understand whether European countries are committed to rapidly adapt to low-carbon transport systems, it is crucial to evaluate what progress have national policies achieved so far in moving towards a sustainable transport system. This study used a three-level assessment of transport sector sustainability across European countries. First, this study assessed the overall sustainability level of the transport sector in all European Union Member States and the United Kingdom using the composite sustainability index method for cross-country comparison. Countries were compared using 15 transport indicators grouped into four dimensions (mobility, sustainability, innovation, and environment) based on the latest available data from 2017 obtained from Eurostat, European Commission, and Odysee-Mure databases. Second, in order to identify the dynamics of progress, Logistic Mean Division Index (LMDI) decomposition analysis was conducted to assess the changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transport sector over ten years, taking into account the five main factors: emission intensity effect, renewable energy (RES) transition effect, energy intensity effect, economic growth effect, and population growth effect. Third, to analyse what has impacted the sustainability of the transport sector in countries, the study highlighted several key policies (directions) for decarbonizing transport from the analysis outlining the good practice policies from the best performing countries. The combined results of the composite sustainability index and decomposition analysis revealed significant differences between Nordic, Western, and Eastern European countries, suggesting that different approaches should be taken in developing effective sustainability policies for transport.

Co transport of bentonite colloids and Eu(III) transport in saturated heterogeneous porous media

Co transport of bentonite colloids and Eu(III) transport in saturated heterogeneous porous media

TRANSPORT STRATEGY DURING MILITARY CONFLICT: PATHS TO RECOVERY AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

The transport sector is one of the vital sectors of the Ukrainian economy, encompassing a comprehensive railway network, road infrastructure, seaports, river terminals, airports, an extensive aviation network, an intricate network of public transportation routes, bus stations, and freight customs terminals. This creates the necessary conditions to meet the transportation needs of users and business development. However, the transport sector, in its entirety, only partially meets the basic transportation needs of the population and the economy in terms of volume, not quality. Moreover, the current state of the transportation sector does not fully comply with the requirements for the effective implementation of Ukraine's European integration course, international standards, ensuring the full implementation of Ukraine's international obligations, and the integration of the national transport network into the Trans-European Transport Network, which demands appropriate organizational, personnel, material resources, and a modern legal framework. In European countries, the development horizon for the transport sector mostly extends to 2030. Consequently, the primary programmatic document defining the goals and objectives for the development of Ukraine's transport sector, considering integration with the European transport system, is the National Transport Strategy of Ukraine for the period up to 2030 (hereinafter referred to as the Strategy), approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on May 30, 2018, No. 430-r. The circumstances of martial law necessitate a review of the priority goals and measures of the Strategy. For this purpose, the Ministry of Community Development, Territories, and Infrastructure of Ukraine initiated a review of the Strategy with the development of an updated action plan involving consultants, representatives of the transport sector, and the scientific community. During the development of updated amendments to the Strategy, a balanced approach should be employed that responds to the expected future growth and changes in demand for transportation services, contributing to economic development, improving the quality of life, and efficient resource utilization. The aim of updating the Strategy is to restore the transport infrastructure affected by armed aggression to a qualitatively new level and to build an integrated transport network linked to the global transportation system, including the EU's transportation system. This will ensure the safe functioning and efficient transport complex of Ukraine, capable of meeting the transportation and other service needs in the transport sector, ensuring the defense capability of the state, competitiveness, and resilience of the national economy.

Research on selected positive externalities from road freight transport in Slovakia and EU

Research article specializes on the identification of positive externalities in the road freight transport and their correlation with economic growth. Processed data on economic indicators of the Slovak Republic, its individual regions, and economic indicators of the European Union are analyzed. Researched positive externalities of road freight transport were selected according to the analysis. At the current situation, most of the attention is shifted towards the negative impact of the transport and the positive externalities are in the back despite the fact that road freight transport and road infrastructure have undeniable positive impact on the economic growth of the country and development of society.