Fossil Carbon Emissions Research Articles

Holistic regenerative design: the Common House by Common Practice

In the August 2023 issue of The Structural Engineer, Oliver Broadbent and James Norman presented the principles of regenerative design, and Will Arnold and Phil Isaac discussed how structural engineers can achieve this in buildings through designing for place, circularity and reuse, material choices and knowledge transfer. However, while the article gave example projects for each of these aspects of regenerative design, it noted that case studies that can be considered exemplars in all four areas at once were lacking. The Common House is a community gathering space and the heart of the Hazelmead co-housing development in Bridport, Dorset, UK. Featuring a locally sourced timber frame, straw-bale wall panels, and concrete-free foundations, its construction was also a catalyst for long-term social engagement and ecological conservation. The authors believe that the Common House project design process has roots in the four areas outlined above. With a quietly revolutionary vision for its surrounding land and communities, the Common House is a rare case study representing a holistic approach to regenerative design. Through conversation with designers Common Practice, this article examines the transformative potential of developing construction projects as strategies to empower local communities, support continuous-cover forestry, protect endangered crafts, minimise fossil carbon emissions and promote biogenic carbon storage, and make construction sites spaces of care and support.

Preliminary thermal performance characterization of a flexible separate heat pipe used for the tracking-type photovoltaic/thermal system

In the solar heating field, the separate heat pipe-based photovoltaic/thermal technology can improve the comprehensive utilization efficiency of solar energy and reduce the maintenance difficulty in long-term outdoor operation by preventing freezing and scaling problems. Its promotion and application are of great significance for reducing fossil energy consumption and carbon emissions, and thus have attracted much attention. However, the performance of conventional photovoltaic/thermal modules is limited by their frame shadow due to the insulation demand, which leaves plenty of room for overall efficiency gains. To solve this problem, a novel separate heat pipe-based photovoltaic/thermal system is proposed by introducing a dual-axis tracking method through a flexible separate heat pipe and side-altitude inclination. To preliminarily characterize the thermal performance of the flexible separate heat pipe in dual-axis tracking conditions, an indoor experimental platform of the flexible separate heat pipe using the solar collector and finned-tube heat exchanger in the water tank as the evaporator and condenser was set up. The effects of side inclination angle, altitude angle of the solar collector and solar irradiance on the thermal efficiency, mass flow rate, and thermal resistance of the system are investigated in detail. The experimental results show the system can generally maintain effective heat transfer in side inclination states, with thermal efficiency mostly ranging from 44.68% to 86.12%. The proposed flexible separate heat pipe is qualified for the dual-axis tracking of photovoltaic/thermal system and shows great potential in improving the utilization of solar energy.

Electrochemical-thermochemical complementary hydrogen production system for efficient full-spectrum solar energy storage

Solar hydrogen production, which can store unstable solar energy into clean hydrogen, has garnered widespread attention from researchers. However, there are some shortcomings in the single solar hydrogen production pathway: Photovoltaic-electrolytic green hydrogen production primarily harnesses short-wavelength solar energy, neglecting a significant portion of solar energy in the long-wavelength, while solar thermochemical methane reforming for gray hydrogen production underutilizes high-grade solar energy and emits carbon dioxide. This study presents a hybrid system capable of concurrently producing green and gray hydrogen, effectively harnessing the entire spectrum of solar energy while minimizing carbon emissions. Thermodynamic investigations reveal that the system attains energy efficiency of 47.43 %, exergy efficiency of 41.93 %, and solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 25.61 % at the direct normal irradiance (DNI) of 1000 W/m2. It is intriguing to observe the discrepancy in the proportions of energy input from solar energy and methane, along with their respective impacts on hydrogen production. Although solar energy input constitutes 85.26–63.44 % of the total energy input, its contribution to hydrogen production is 64.94 %–33.71 %. Despite the reduced proportion of solar energy's contribution to hydrogen production compared to its input proportion, it significantly contributes to reducing fossil energy usage and carbon emissions. This system's average carbon dioxide reduction rate stands at around 16.84–13.80 kg/kgH2. The proposed system offers an efficient approach to full-spectrum solar energy storage and hydrogen production, thus contributing to a cleaner energy future.

The endless expansion of carbon offsetting: sequestration by agricultural soils in historical perspective

Abstract The growing popularity of the idea of carbon budgets has contributed to a reshaping of climate policy goals in terms of carbon neutrality (net zero emissions) instead of strict emissions reductions. As a consequence, new legitimacy has been given to debatable efforts to use negative emissions for offsetting purposes. In this respect, sequestration by agricultural soils is now presented as a promising way to offset fossil carbon emissions. Adopting a historical perspective, this article studies the way soil sciences and economics amplified the political promise of agricultural sequestration, despite enduring concerns about its non-permanence and reversibility. First, it shows how, from the 1980s, the soil sciences conveyed a mechanical representation of soil as a carbon sink, and on this basis worked to assess its sequestration potential. Second, it shows how agricultural economics helped to translate this physical potential into economic opportunity, extolling its low cost relative to decarbonisation options. Both tendencies contributed to the institutionalisation of a new equivalence between the reduction of CO2 emissions and organic carbon sequestration through the enlargement of the international system of carbon accounting, and both encouraged the development of soil-based offsets, at the cost of environmental integrity.

Fossil energy use and carbon emissions: An easy-to-implement technical policy experiment

<p>Macroeconomic research on carbon policy mostly revolves around carbon pricing mechanisms such as carbon taxes, cap-and-trade-schemes, and a mix of them. Despite their relevance, however, carbon pricing is not the only policy available to mitigate carbon emissions. A richer and diversified arsenal of carbon policies may prove more effective in addressing carbon mitigation across different social, economic and geographic contexts. We proposed a policy experiment, which took the form of a <italic>technical tax</italic> on fossil energy use aiming at stabilizing carbon dioxide emissions. The <italic>technical tax</italic> responded to variations in all elements that are supposed to alter climatic phenomena, that is, domestic carbon emissions, domestic fossil energy use, and the industrial stock of atmospheric carbon dioxide, to which all world economies contribute. The macro-effects of the <italic>technical tax</italic> were simulated using an off-the-shelf Real Business Cycles (RBC) model targeting the economy of the United States and featuring a climatic block. The economy was perturbed by a technology shock and an energy-price shock. Special care was devoted to the processes of validation and calibration. The tax was responsive to the business cycle and showed positive aspects. When a technology shock hit the economy, it curbed carbon emissions with minor costs in terms of potential output losses. It also protected the economy from an increase in energy prices, mitigating the fall in output despite the drop in fossil energy use. Last but not least, the tax effectively stabilized carbon dioxide emissions by reducing their variance.</p>

Efficiency or Fairness? Research on the Allocation of Energy Consumption and Carbon Emission Rights among Chinese Provinces

Abstract Using a dynamic ZSG-SBM model under the common frontier, this paper allocates provincial energy consumption and carbon emission rights in China and conducts theoretical analysis and efficiency analysis from the perspective of balancing efficiency and fairness. The research results show that, under the allocation method that prioritizes efficiency, fossil energy consumption and carbon emission rights are significantly adjusted from the central and western regions to the economically developed eastern regions. Under the allocation model that considers fairness indicators, the net inflow of energy consumption and carbon emission rights from the eastern region is significantly reduced, with a greater focus on regional coordinated development, and a tendency to allocate more indicators to the relatively underdeveloped central and western regions in terms of energy consumption and carbon emissions. In addition, there is a significant regional difference in the initial technical efficiency gap between different regions, with the efficiency value in the eastern region significantly higher than that in the central and western regions. The allocation method that prioritizes efficiency can significantly improve energy consumption and carbon emission efficiency nationwide, but the allocation method that balances efficiency and fairness will cause some efficiency losses. Improving the national technical efficiency is the key to achieving the national “dual-carbon” and “dual-control” goals.

EU-Russia energy decoupling in combination with the updated NDCs impacts on global fossil energy trade and carbon emissions

The updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and EU-Russia energy decoupling have profound impacts on global fossil energy trade and carbon emissions. This study utilizes a dynamic general equilibrium model (GDyn-E) and conducts scenario analysis to illustrate the evolving patterns of global fossil energy trade and carbon emissions in light of the updated NDCs and EU-Russia energy decoupling. A sharp decrease in global fossil fuel consumption will reduce the global volume of fossil energy trade. Major fossil energy trade flows will divert from Europe to Asia, particularly China and India. EU-Russia energy decoupling directly triggers adjustments in the global fossil energy trade such that the EU imports more fossil energy from the Middle East, Norway, and the United States, while Russian fossil energy exports are steered toward Asia. This shift in energy trade patterns is expected to lead to a reduction of approximately 2 Gt CO2 in cumulative carbon emissions worldwide by 2050, which is primarily driven by the intensified efforts of European countries in transitioning to renewable energy sources. The findings of this study offer valuable insights into the interplay between geopolitical conflicts, fossil energy trade dynamics, the updated NDCs, and carbon emission reduction.

Thermal storage process of phase change materials under high humidity and laminar natural convection condition: Prediction model and sensitivity analysis

The application of phase change materials (PCMs) in renewable energy storage and building temperature regulation is considered an effective method to reduce the use of fossil fuels and carbon emissions. However, issues concerning the utilization of PCMs in high-humidity environments remain to be addressed to fill the gap in real-world applications. This paper establishes a simplified novel two-zone model, comprehensively considering the natural convection on the surface of the PCP in high-humidity environments, as well as the formation, movement, and evaporation of water films on the surface. Subsequently, numerical solutions and experimental validation are conducted, and the influence of high-humidity environments on the heat and moisture transfer is elucidated. The results indicate that a high-humidity environment can significantly suppress the sensible heat transfer with a ratio range of latent heat to sensible heat typically around 1–4. Furthermore, the increase in the height of PCP leads to an increase in the proportion of sensible heat transfer. On the contrary, increasing the thermal conductivity of the PCM can amplify the latent heat transfer. The results can help further study the thermal storage and the dehumidification potential of phase change units in application on a large scale under high humidity conditions.

Health Inequalities Associated with Climate Change: An Urgent Public Health Concern

Climate change is negatively affecting human health and is well documented. Annually, over 8 million people die of fossil fuel air pollution worldwide. If no action is taken to mitigate the effects of climate change morbidity and mortality will continue, especially vulnerable marginalized populations (African Americans, Hispanics, Asians) that contribute the least to greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. This is propelled primarily through consumption of fossil fuels and carbon emissions. Climate change has proven challenging and effective policies are needed to mitigate the adverse effects on communities. Public health officials must advocate for continued systemic change that advances environmental justice and health equity. If no action is adopted, then over the next few decades increases in morbidity and mortality will continue to rise.

Effect of Ammonia Injection on the Iron Ore Sintering Process: Reducing Fossil Fuel Consumption and Carbon Emissions

Effect of Ammonia Injection on the Iron Ore Sintering Process: Reducing Fossil Fuel Consumption and Carbon Emissions

The design of solar power thermoelectric radiant panel as cooling system in small buildings under tropical climate

The usage of an air–conditioning (AC) system in any building is necessary to maintain its indoor thermal comfort and health. However, this system consumes a lot of energy, while the usage of refrigerant causes irreversible damage to the ozone layer. To solve this problem, a solar thermoelectric radiant panel (PV-TERP) system has a high potential in replacing conventional AC system because it requires no refrigerant and easier to be controlled due to the absence of moving and mechanical parts such as water pumps, compressors, including auxiliary and hydronic pipes. Meanwhile, the usage of solar energy in the PV-TERP system can also help reduce fossil energy consumption and carbon emissions. The main objective of this work is to design a new PV-TERP system for replacing conventional AC systems in buildings located in tropical climate countries, like Malaysia. It is found that the designed PV-TERP system can provide up to 4.84 kW of cooling power, which is about 0.6% higher than the cooling load of targeted rooms. Here, the targeted rooms operate under indoor parameters within the acceptable range of ASHRAE standard-55. The obtained results clearly show that the new design is applicable to be used as a cooling system for the targeted building. In the future, it is then essential to understand the thermal properties and mechanism of the design via simulation process, followed by experimental validation to support the design feasibility. In conclusion, this new design of PV-TERP will lead the path toward expanding renewable energy applications for cooling purposes in sustaining and preserving the environment. HIGHLIGHTS Alternative cooling system in replacing air-conditioning (AC) system for maintaining indoor thermal comfort without harming the environment. Designation of the PV-TERP system as a cooling system for building in a tropical country (Malaysia) under indoor parameters within the acceptable range of ASHRAE Standard-55. The designed PV-TERP is refrigerant-free and operates using renewable energy, which can sustain and preserve the environment for a better future. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Alarming contagion effects: The dangerous ripple effect of extreme price spillovers across crude oil, carbon emission allowance, and agriculture futures markets

The inherent financial interconnections between crude oil prices, carbon emission allowances, and agriculture commodity futures warrant a thorough investigation as fossil energy consumption, carbon emissions, and agriculture plants are three critical components of global environmental protection. This paper aims to quantify not only the normal (mean quantile) static and dynamic spillover effects among them in both time and frequency domains but also the more critical extreme spillovers that occur across various time horizons. Additionally, we explore the vital role of carbon futures in hedging risk and enhancing the performance of oil and agricultural portfolios. Empirical results indicate that, under extreme market situations, the total spillovers among oil, carbon, and agriculture commodity futures are much larger than those under normal conditions. Furthermore, soybean and corn are generally the most potent information transmitters over other futures in the time domain, while carbon emission allowance futures act as an obvious spillover receiver at both normal and extreme market conditions across various time frequencies. Both the total spillover and the net spillover are centered at a short-term frequency (i.e., one to four weeks). Finally, we find that carbon futures can contribute to improving the hedge effectiveness and performance of oil and agricultural portfolios. These findings have valuable implications for policymakers, relevant producers/consumers, as well as futures investors.

Thermodynamics and 3E analyses of a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell-based CCHP system with cascade utilization of waste heat

Hybrid hydrogen fuel cell energy systems have proven a promising way to reduce carbon emissions. To achieve the cascade utilization of waste heat, a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell-based combined cooling, heating, and power (PEMFCCCHP) with condensation heat recovery is proposed. The waste heat of PEMFC is used to drive an organic Rankine cycle and an absorption refrigeration cycle, while the low temperature waste heat of organic Rankine cycle and the absorption refrigeration cycle are used to heat domestic hot water. The PEMFCCCHP system is characterized using a validated model under different working conditions. The equivalent power density increases from 59.4 kW to 211.5 kW, as operating current density of PEMFC increases from 0.2 A/cm2 to 1.0 A/cm2, while the exergy efficiency of the integrated system decreases from 0.689 to 0.491. The maximum equivalent power density of 157 kW is obtained at the waste heat distribution ratio of 0.43, compared to 128 kW of the individual PEMFC system. Compared to the single PEMFC system and the PEMFCCCHP without condensation heat recovery, the exergy efficiency of the proposed system is improved by 22.6% and 10.4%, respectively. The system has the smallest fossil energy consumption and carbon emissions and the highest cost saving ratio under the wind-to-hydrogen technology, with the payback period of 4.5 years when the price of hydrogen is 5 $/kg.

2D Cobalt Chalcogenide Heteronanostructures Enable Efficient Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

The development of high-efficiency non-precious metal electrocatalysts for alkaline electrolyte hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) is of great significance in energy conversion to overcome the limited supply of fossil fuels and carbon emission. Here, a highly active electrocatalyst is presented for hydrogen production, consisting of 2D CoSe2 /Co3 S4 heterostructured nanosheets along Co3 O4 nanofibers. The different reaction rate between the ion exchange reaction and redox reaction leads to the heterogeneous volume swelling, promoting the growth of 2D structure. The 2D/1D heteronanostructures enable the improved the electrochemical active area, the number of active sites, and more favorable H binding energy compared to individual cobalt chalcogenides. The roles of the different composition of the heterojunction are investigated, and the electrocatalysts based on the CoSe2 /Co3 S4 @Co3 O4 exhibited an overpotential as low as 165mV for 10 mAcm-2 and 393mV for 200 mAcm-2 in 1m KOH electrolyte. The as-prepared electrocatalysts remained active after 55h operation without any significant decrease, indicating the excellent long-term operation stability of the electrode. The Faradaic efficiency of hydrogen production is close to 100% at different voltages. This work provides a new design strategy toward Co-based catalysts for efficient alkaline HER.

Data acquisition and monitoring system framed in Industrial Internet of Things for PEM hydrogen generators

Hydrogen is an energy carrier with increasing relevance in the current energy scenario since it contributes to reduce fossil fuels dependence and carbon emissions for a sustainable development. For its generation, Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) technology uses water and electricity to produce hydrogen and oxygen, avoiding pollutants. In this paper, a novel data acquisition and monitoring system for PEM hydrogen generators is presented. The main magnitudes of the PEM electrolyzer (PEMEL) such as current, voltage, pressure, hydrogen flow, etc., are sensed and acquired by an industrial controller. A middleware layer gathers the measurements through a communication network and stores them in a database. The user accesses online to this information in real time through a web-based interface. All components and functions are orchestrated according to an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architecture, integrating industrial equipment, IoT software and sensing devices, which constitutes a novelty in literature. Experimental data of a PEMEL under real operating conditions are reported to prove the feasibility and successful performance of the developed system.

Reducing emissions using renewable sources for electricity generation in Stewart Island

The electricity is generated in a traditional way extensively using diesel in off-grid areas. However, it increases the consumption of fossil fuels and carbon emissions and therefore it is essential to find alternative solutions to help reaching sustainability goals. The case study is Stewart Island, where the electricity is provided by a distribution network powered by up to five diesel generators at a central diesel power station. Local residents believe that reducing the consumption of diesel and having a renewable source of electricity generation are two of the island’s highest priorities. HOMER PRO software is used to compare current diesel generators system with a hybrid system merging a tidal energy source (predictable) with wind (unpredictable) and diesel (back-up), through a microgrid. Using two wind and four tidal turbines, plus one diesel generator for back-up, produces the highest renewable fraction (61.1%) and reduces the fuel consumption and green gases emissions (GHGs) 199,176 l and 534,061 kg/yr, respectively, in comparison with using diesel station. Its levelized cost at 21 c/kWh is also more cost-effective rather than 23 c/kWh in the present scenario.

Current Implementation and Development Countermeasures of Green Energy in China’s Highway Transportation

The transportation industry is one of the largest consumers of fossil fuels and sources of carbon dioxide emission, with highway transportation accounting for more than 70% of the total. In order to promote efficient, clean, diversified, and intelligent use of energy, this study proposes an innovative application technology model for integrating highway transportation and energy to improve the utilization of clean energy and reduce the proportion of fossil energy and carbon emissions in highway transportation. This study addresses the current problems of green energy development in China’s highways, and combines green low-carbon development policies in international transportation with inspirations based on experience. Based on the principles of safety, efficiency, environmental friendliness, wisdom, and economy, this study systematically analyzes the current situation of green energy application in China’s highway transportation. It proposes one core objective, two major roles, and five major security systems of development measures for green energy application China’s highway transportation with the aim of promoting the transformation and upgrade of China’s highway transportation industry. This study can also help to achieve green and low-carbon development of highway transportation and provides a decision-making reference for the ecological civilization construction goals of the industry.

Dynamic thermal analysis of a coupled solar water heaters-thermal storage tank for solar powered district heating networks

The integration of solar thermal and energy storage systems into district heating networks (DHNs) has been considered as one of the most advantageous solutions to reduce the use of fossil fuels and carbon emissions. In this context, this work deals with the numerical investigation of a coupled solar water heaters-thermal storage unit for urban heating networks. The studied system contains flat plate solar collectors (FPCs) for hot water production, a shell-and-tube thermal storage unit with phase change material (PCM) for latent storage or water for sensible storage, hydraulic pumps and a mass flow rate regulation system. The functioning of the coupled system is simulated using a detailed dynamic model based on transient energy and mass balances. The reliability of the developed model is verified through comparing numerical results with measurement data from the literature and a good agreement is obtained with a maximum relative error of about 4.5 %. The validated model is used to investigate the system thermal performance under the weather conditions of the city of Pau, France, and the effects of multiple parameters such as the FPC area, the DHN target thermal power, and the storage medium type (latent or sensible) during both charging and discharging processes are presented and analyzed. Results show that the use of FPCs is beneficial for DHNs during summer as they allow the production of thermal energy for both the DHN use and the storage process. It was also shown that increasing the DHN target thermal power from 30 kW to 50 kW leads to a reduction in the thermal storage process duration by up to 40 %. For both charging and discharging operations, the use of PCM (latent storage) as a storage medium is more suitable than water (sensible storage) as it leads to an increase in the storage density and extends the duration of hot water production with constant thermal power by about 65 %.

The Dynamic Nexus of Fossil Energy Consumption, Temperature and Carbon Emissions: Evidence from Simultaneous Equation Model.

With the continuous increase in global fossil energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and the greenhouse effect have gradually increased. This study uses a simultaneous equations model to explore the dynamic nexus of fossil energy consumption, temperature, and carbon emissions in OECD and non-OECD countries, with panel data from 2004 to 2019. The results show that the improvement of international competitiveness has reduced the frequency of extreme weather in OECD and non-OECD countries, significantly reducing fossil energy consumption in non-OECD countries and carbon emissions in OECD countries. Sustainable economic growth has significantly reduced fossil energy consumption in OECD countries but increased carbon emissions, especially in non-OECD countries. In addition, in the short term, the improvement of international competitiveness has significantly reduced fossil energy consumption and carbon emissions in OECD and non-OECD countries. In the long term, the improvement of international competitiveness has a greater impact on reducing fossil energy consumption and carbon emissions in non-OECD countries and has a significant impact on reducing the frequency of extreme weather in OECD countries. Moreover, the long-term impacts of sustainable economic growth on fossil energy consumption and carbon emissions are more significant.

Recent Advancements in Augmentation of Solar Water Heaters Using Nanocomposites with PCM: Past, Present, and Future

Energy consumption in India is massive, and even the quantity used for household tasks is substantial. The majority of the requirement is satisfied by using fossil fuels, which are the traditional methods. Heating water is the most frequent home application. Accordingly, this article examines studies from the previous ten years. The information in this article demonstrates that using renewable energy is the greatest way to cut back on both the use of fossil fuels and carbon emissions while heating water for residential use. Solar, hydroelectric, wind, and biofuels are the most significant renewable sources for improving building efficiency that can be used for an extended period of time. The solar water heater is a common example of how solar energy is being used in homes more frequently. In order to identify key issues and solutions related to employing solar water heaters as an effective water heating application in both commercial and residential buildings, this article compiles research data from earlier studies (2012–2022). The literature survey was carried out using Scopus, a specialized database. Sixty-six dedicated research publications having search keywords plus recently published articles that matched the inclusion criteria were chosen for this review study. The study’s findings show that there is a greater inclination of researchers towards research and development in the field of domestic solar water heaters. The research publications that are being presented are all from the past 10 years (2012–2022) and stress the use of solar energy in increasing building efficiency. The study highlights how flat plate solar collectors with distilled water as the heat transfer fluid and a phase-changing substance as the thermal energy storage could potentially be enhanced. The thermal conductivity of paraffin wax and distilled water was improved by 75% of the researchers by using 0.05 to 0.5% concentrations of Al and Cu oxide nanoparticles, making it useful in solar water heaters. A total of 78% of researchers are interested in domestic water heating applications since they use a lot of energy in both urban and rural settings.