Future Energy Transition Research Articles

Extracting minerals for the energy transition – Local data for global decision making

Strong long-term demand outlooks are driving investments in energy transition minerals. New mines must be developed to supply the 34 minerals necessary for low-carbon energy technologies and infrastructure. Responsible investment is critical to ensure that mining for the energy transition does not come at unacceptable social and environmental costs. Investment decisions rely on access to site-level information. Achieving both reliable and sustainable mineral supply chains is a complex proposition that requires deep local-level knowledge for all sites across the supply chain. This paper analyses a global dataset of local disclosures for 444 geolocated mining projects hosting the bulk of future energy transition minerals supply. The dataset captures disclosures related to the interactions between mining projects and their local context and connects a supply source point and its host context to global supply chains. Our analysis reveals the paucity of local-level data, with 37% of analysed records containing no context-related disclosure, and another 30% containing minimal, compliance-centred disclosure. We also find evidence of disclosure not matching reality, e.g. 78% of records of projects intersecting Indigenous peoples land do not have Indigenous people-related disclosures. These findings put into question the capacity of investors and governments to make informed decisions about mining development, including which sites to develop and how. We also analyse the magnitude and types of costs incurred at mine sites and find that 12% of projects face or have faced severe costs originating from interactions with the local context. We stress the need for full local disclosures to ensure responsible governance and investment in the mining sector.

Sustainable and Tunable Electrochemical CO2 Conversion to Chemicals and Fuels at Industrial Scale Using Metal-Oxide-Based Materials

The most challenging deal we face these years is the need to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and tackle climate change; though calls to reduce it are growing louder yearly, emissions remain high. CO2 is the key contributor. For this reason, the synthesis of high-added-value products from CO2 conversion is a promising approach to mitigate the problem.1 Among the different alternatives, exploiting CO2 via electrochemical reduction under mild conditions (ambient pressure and temperature) represents an opportunity to support a low-carbon economy.2 The electrocatalytic (EC) CO2 reduction (CO2R) driven by renewable energy can be exploited for the future energy transition, for the carbon storage into valuable products like syngas (H2/CO mixtures), organic acids (formic acid) and chemicals/fuels (C1+ alcohols).3 A big challenge for the industrialisation of this technology is to find low-cost electrocatalysts, efficient reactors and process conditions. In the efforts to develop efficient, selective and stable materials, we have exploited the current knowledge of thermocatalytic CO2 hydrogenation to develop noble-metal-free CO2R electrocatalysts.4 For instance, Cu/Zn/Al synthesised catalyst producing methanol and CO from the CO2 thermocatalytic (TC) hydrogenation (at H2 pressure (P) of 30 bar and temperature (T) > 200 oC) promotes the formation of methanol (⁓32% of FE) during the EC CO2R in a gas-diffusion-electrode system; while operating in the liquid phase, the same catalyst produces syngas with a tunable composition (95% of FE at the most positive applied potential) and other liquid C2+ products (in both cases at ambient T, P).4 On the other hand, Cu/ZnO electrocatalyst has also been tested at industrially relevant current densities in liquid phase configuration.5 We demonstrated through ex-situ characterisations that the presence of ZnO nanoparticles in the mixed Cu/ZnO catalyst plays an important role in forming and stabilising mixed oxidation states of copper and Cu1+/Cu0 interfaces in the electrocatalyst (in bulk and surface). These interfaces seem to promote CO dimerisation to ethanol. Indeed, ethanol was produced with the Cu/ZnO catalyst, reaching ethanol productivity of about 5.3 mmol∙gcat -1∙h-1 in a liquid-phase configuration at ambient conditions. The Cu/Zn/Al and Cu/ZnO electrocatalysts also have been tested in a catholyte-free configuration with an increased selectivity to ethylene, reaching approx. 60% and 70% of FE, respectively. Here, Cu catalyst structure transformed, on average, completely to metallic with a very thin layer of Cu1+ during testing, which seems to promote the selectivity towards C2H4, demonstrating that the reaction pathways for EC CO2R are largely determined by transport limitations rather than only by the intrinsic properties of the electrocatalysts. Our results open a promising path for the prospective implementation of metal-oxide nanostructures for CO2 conversion to the chemicals and fuels of the future. Acknowledgements This work has received financial support by the EU H2020 SunCOChem Project, grant agreement: 862192. References Guzmán, H., Russo, N. & Hernández, S. CO2 valorisation towards alcohols by Cu-based electrocatalysts: challenges and perspectives. Green Chem. 23, 1896–1920 (2021).Romero Cuellar, N. S., Wiesner-Fleischer, K., Fleischer, M., Rucki, A. & Hinrichsen, O. Advantages of CO over CO2 as reactant for electrochemical reduction to ethylene, ethanol and n-propanol on gas diffusion electrodes at high current densities. Electrochim. Acta 307, 164–175 (2019).Guzmán, H., Farkhondehfal, M. A., Rodulfo Tolod, K., Russo, N. & Hernández, S. Photo/electrocatalytic hydrogen exploitation for CO2 reduction toward solar fuels production. in Solar Hydrogen Production Processes, Systems and Technologies 560 (Elsevier Inc., 2019). doi:10.1016/C2017-0-02289-9.Guzmán, H. et al. How to make sustainable CO2 conversion to Methanol: Thermocatalytic versus electrocatalytic technology. Chem. Eng. J. 417, 127973 (2021).Guzmán, H. et al. CO2 Conversion to Alcohols over Cu/ZnO Catalysts: Prospective Synergies between Electrocatalytic and Thermocatalytic Routes. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 14, 517−530 (2022).

The impact of non-face to face education due to COVID-19 pandemic on energy consumption and academic achievement

Changes in the energy sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic provided insight into the future energy transition accompanied by technological advancements and social changes. Building sectors also analyzed the impact of schemes such as non-face to face education on building energy consumption, yet the effectiveness of the schemes themselves was omitted.Therefore, this study aims to determine the impact of non-face to face education, i.e. scheme, on building energy consumption and education in educational facilities. In this regard, non-face to face education ratio, energy consumption percentage change, and academic achievement were presented as indicators. Six years of information on non-face to face education and energy consumption for 30 high schools in Seoul, South Korea, as well as national test results of students nationwide are collected, respectively. Partial correlation analysis between scheme and energy consumption, scheme and academic achievement confirmed that scheme significantly reduced energy consumption and partially maintained academic achievement. Conversely, it is possible that energy consumption actually increased after scheme ended. Procedures and results contribute to the analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness of energy transition that can be expected from future technological progress and social change, and probable measures for the success of energy transition can be considered.

Selection of renewable energy development path for sustainable development using a fuzzy MCDM based on cumulative prospect theory: the case of Malaysia

Malaysia's excessive energy consumption has led to the depletion of traditional energy reserves such as oil and natural gas. Although Malaysia has implemented multiple policies to achieve sustainable national energy development, the current results are unsatisfactory. As of 2022, only 2% of the country's electricity supply comes from renewable energy, which accounts for less than 30% of the energy structure. Malaysia must ensure energy security and diversified energy supply while ensuring sustainable energy development. This article uses the fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making(MCDM) method based on cumulative prospect theory to help decision-makers choose the most suitable renewable energy for sustainable development in Malaysia from four dimensions of technology, economy, society, and environment. The results show that solar power is the most suitable renewable energy for sustainable development, followed by biomass, wind, and hydropower, but the optimal alternative is sensitive to the prospect parameters. Finally, it was analyzed that efficiency, payback period, employment creation, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are the most critical factors affecting the development of renewable energy in Malaysia under the four dimensions. Reasonable suggestions are proposed from policy review, green finance, public awareness, engineering education, and future energy. This research provides insightful information that can help Malaysian decision-makers scientifically formulate Sustainable development paths for renewable energy, analyze the problems encountered in the current stage of renewable energy development, and provide recommendations for Malaysia's future renewable energy transition and sustainable development.

Electric Vehicle Supply Chain Risk Assessment Based on Combined Weights and an Improved Matter-Element Extension Model: The Chinese Case

In order to meet energy and environmental challenges, many countries will implement the replacement of fuel vehicles for the future clean energy transition; so, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) operating in cities will grow significantly. It is crucial to assess the risks of the electric vehicle supply chain (EVSC) and prevent them. Based on this, this paper proposes an EVSC risk research framework with combined weights and an improved matter-element extension model: (i) Firstly, the EVSC evaluation index system is constructed from the six stages of supply chain planning, sales, procurement, manufacturing, distribution, after-sales, and external risks. (ii) The subjective and objective weights are calculated by the decision laboratory method and entropy weight method, respectively, and then the minimum deviation method is used for a combined design to overcome the defects of a single method. (iii) An improved matter-element extension model (MEEM) is constructed by introducing asymmetric proximity degree and risk bias. (iv) The model is applied to a case study and its feasibility and superiority are verified through sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis. The final results show that the method and framework proposed in this paper are in line with EVSC risk assessment standards and superior to other models, which can help EVSC managers to identify potential risks, formulate appropriate risk prevention measures, promote the stable development of electric vehicles, and provide a reference for the development of energy and environment.

Understanding the factors that affect households' investment decisions required by the energy transition.

In energy systems' economic models, people's behaviour is often underestimated, and they are generally unaware of how habits impact energy efficiency. Improving efficiency is challenging, and recommendations alone may not be sufficient. Changing behaviour requires understanding the direct impact of needs and habits on energy efficiency. This research introduces a methodology that retrieves human expert knowledge from four key aspects of the current energy transition: everyday appliances, buildings, mobility, flexibility, and energy efficiency. The aim is to examine the causal relationship between energy consumption and human behaviour, gaining a deeper understanding of the links among the factors that drive final energy consumers to change habits through the adoption of energy-saving measures. Working in collaboration with expert panels, this study provides a methodology for extracting expert human knowledge based on a set of future energy transition scenarios aligned with the achievement of the Paris Agreement, a taxonomy of 32 factors that have a strong influence on households' investment decisions, and the results of a survey that characterises the European population through the 32-factor taxonomy and some socioeconomic conditions. In addition, the survey included a sample of the Latin American population to analyse how socioeconomic conditions (region, education, gender, etc.) influence the prioritisation of these factors. We discuss the high priority given to competence and autonomy over financial factors by inhabitants of the European Union residential sector. We provide an analysis of the factors through which other similar projects are focused and on which we converge. In addition, we contribute by presenting the hierarchy of priorities assigned by people. This highlights the importance for policymakers to take these aspects seriously when implementing energy policy interventions that go beyond purely financial measures and fiscal incentives.

ENERGY POLICY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

The article provides a retrospective analysis of the development of the European Union’s contemporary energy policy with a focus on green energy. This study also delves into the transformations taking place in the EU’s energy sector under the influence of recent geopolitical dynamics. The article extensively analyzes the factors influencing the EU’s energy policy. Special attention is given to the REPowerEU plan, aimed at increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the energy structure of EU countries. The author discusses the issues of the practical implementation of the REPowerEU plan and the timeline for its deployment. The article also studies the challenges facing the EU in the process of transition to green energy amidst the freeze of long-term energy cooperation with Russia. The author also draws conclusions regarding possible prospects and directions for the future energy transition of the EU in the context of adjusting energy policy. The article addresses the challenges of diversifying energy resource suppliers, enhancing collaboration with other regions, and diminishing reliance on carbon-based energy sources.

Morocco’s path to a climate-resilient energy transition: identifying emission drivers, proposing solutions, and addressing barriers

Morocco is currently at a critical juncture, facing a pivotal decision regarding its future energy transition and standing at the crossroads of its energy trajectory. The dilemma lies in whether to prioritize energy efficiency (reducing energy consumption and promoting the adoption of electric vehicles) and energy sobriety (limiting the frequency of using energy-consuming equipment) or to pursue the decarbonization of the grid through enhancements in fossil and nuclear production, gradually transitioning to a 100% renewable mix. In an effort to foster a broader contemplation, this study illuminates these concepts, encompassing an analysis of the CO2 emission drivers utilizing the Kaya equation and an exploration of the challenges and opportunities associated with the net-zero challenge and a successful energy transition, including critical materials and policy landscapes. Furthermore, the study delves into Morocco’s advancements across these three pillars of the energy transition.

Assessing the progress toward achieving energy‐ and climate‐related sustainable development goals under four global energy transition outlooks

AbstractClimate change is one of the greatest challenges in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underscoring the critical need for energy transitions to mitigate the climate crisis. The achievement of two energy‐ and climate‐focused SDGs—SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) and SDG 13 (climate action)—remains uncertain under potential future global energy transition outlooks. This study evaluates the progress toward achieving SDGs 7 and 13 by 2050 under four representative energy transition outlooks through 14 performance indicators derived from a global system dynamics model. Our results reveal a progressive trend in achieving SDGs 7 and 13 under these energy transition outlooks. The overall progress scores toward these two SDGs are estimated as 16.23% in 2030 and 20.06% in 2050 under the most conservative outlook and 65.35% in 2030 and 88.24% in 2050 under the most radical outlook. Although energy transitions contribute to achieving SDGs 7 and 13, our analysis indicates that the world is far off‐track in achieving these SDGs by relying solely on the implementation of energy transition policies. We further suggest promising measures from both the energy sector and other vital sectors to facilitate progress toward achieving the two SDGs.

High loadings of carbonaceous aerosols from wood smoke in the atmosphere of Beijing from 2015 to 2017: Implications for energy transition policy

Recently, biomass has been regarded as a promising option for solid energy in China, which is promoted in the residential sector and firing power plants. We collected 200 PM2.5 samples (particulate matter with a aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 μm) at multi-sites across Beijing from three individual sampling cases from 2015 to 2017. The levels of OC, OC fractions, EC, EC fractions, as well as K+ were measured. Then, we adopted the Positive Matrix Factorization 5.0 to apportion the sources of carbonaceous aerosols. The source apportionment results were compared with the estimates of source contribution using the bottom-up technical method with the latest emission inventories after the Action Plan was put into effect in 2013. Our results demonstrate that high pollution of carbonaceous aerosols originated from wood smoking based on the receptor modeling and bottom-up technical method in Beijing from 2015 to 2017. Future energy transition policy should focus on the technologies and regulations for reducing emissions from renewable biomass fuel combustion. This study highlights the importance of regulations that address emissions controls on fuels replacing coal combustion to meet the needs to mitigate air pollution from primary energy use.

A dataset of low-carbon energy transition index for Chinese cities 2003–2019

Cities are at the heart of climate change mitigation as they account for over 70% of global carbon emissions. However, cities vary in their energy systems and socioeconomic capacities to transition to renewable energy. To address this heterogeneity, this study proposes an Energy Transition Index (ETI) specifically designed for cities, and applies it to track the progress of energy transition in Chinese cities. The city-level ETI framework is based on the national ETI developed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and comprises two sub-indexes: the Energy System Performance sub-index, which evaluates the current status of cities’ energy systems in terms of energy transition, and the Transition Readiness sub-index, which assesses their socioeconomic capacity for future energy transition. The initial version of the dataset includes ETI and its sub-indexes for 282 Chinese cities from 2003 to 2019, with annual updates planned. The spatiotemporal data provided by the dataset facilitates research into the energy transition roadmap for different cities, which can help China achieve its energy transition goals.

Heat pump assists in energy transition: Challenges and approaches

Aligning with ambitious targets and commitments towards carbon neutrality, countries around the world are desperately seeking an energy transition to cope with the stark reality of the climate crisis and the surge in demand for heating and cooling. Increased penetration of renewable power is foreshadowing a shift in global energy dominance, from fossil fuel based heating to renewable power based heating. However, we have to address four underlying challenges in energy transition, including (1) to achieve heat electrification, (2) to utilize decommissioned thermal power plants, (3) to meet the demand for large-scale heat storage, and (4) to puzzle out the final “10 ​%” emissions. Given the above challenges, we put forth four heat pump-assisted approaches to break the bottleneck of energy transition and facilitate effective incentive strategies for policymakers. We highlight that the efficiency and flexibility of heat pumps in thermal energy regulation enable them to push forward an immense influence on the future energy transition for the heating/cooling supply that accounts for 50 ​% of the energy consumption for users and the last “10 ​%” carbon emissions.

Bibliometric Analysis of Green Economy Learning for Children (1996-2023): Current Status and Future Directions

This research aims to map research conducted by reputable journals indexed by Scopus on Science Direct from 1996 to 2023 regarding the theme "Green economic learning for children." Data was obtained from the Scopus website (Science Direct), using the keywords: "Green Economy" AND "Learning for Children," with a range of publication years 2016-2023, in the field of Social Sciences, documents: research articles, and open access. Based on the criteria, there were 54 articles, and the analysis used R – biblioshiny software. The analysis technique uses bibliometrics using R biblioshiny software. The results of the bibliometric analysis revealed four quadrants, namely the motor theme quadrant or driving topic, represented by future energy transition, sustainability, transition planning, green, and urban. This topic must be developed considering topics that are important for the future. The special theme quadrants are governance, insight, and students: learning and teachers. The emerging or decreasing theme quadrants represent environmental, economic, and emissions evidence and perspectives. The basic theme quadrant is represented by the themes: learning, education, COVID, climate, strategy, and pathways. The themes from the results of this research recommended for further development are themes related to the keywords governance, insight, students, learning, and teachers, especially themes related to innovative learning models for children.

Environmental Impact Assessment of Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Plant for Heat and Electricity Production

This work is focused on presenting the main results and discussions concerning the environmental benefits of reducing the non-condensable gases emitted from the Nesjavellir geothermal power plant. The primary objective of this study is to conduct a life cycle evaluation to analyse the overall environmental benefit effects of producing 1 kWh of electricity and 1 kWh of thermal energy in the geothermal power plant at Nesjavellir, which is located in Iceland. The assessment is performed both before and after implementing an abatement system designed to reduce CO2 and H2S gases. The production of geothermal energy is increasing every year and, therefore, it is crucial to identify and quantify the key environmental factors of producing this type of energy and improvements for the future energy transition of the energy generation sector. Firstly, the results show that the environmental impact of electricity production is higher compared to heat production. More in detail, the emissions due to the nature of the geothermal fluid and the construction phase represent the most relevant environmental load for both electricity and heat production for nearly all the 18 environmental impact indicators studied. Furthermore, considering the abatement system for the non-condensable gas emissions, reductions of 78% and 60% in global warming potential is achieved for a production of 1 kWh of electricity and 1 kWh of thermal energy. In terms of external environmental costs, the implementation of an abatement system results in a reduction exceeding 95% for both electricity and thermal energy production per kilowatt-hour. The outcomes obtained from both the baseline scenario and the application of the abatement system undeniably prove that the latter results in a substantial decrease in the overall environmental impacts linked to the generation of 1 kWh of electricity and 1 kWh of heat, encompassing a notable reduction in external environmental costs (externalities).

Metal-Oxide-Based Materials for the Sustainable and Tunable Electrochemical CO2 Conversion to Chemicals and Fuels at Industrial Scale

Anthropogenic activities have impacted the planet’s carbon cycle through the emissions of large amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs), shifting the equilibrium of human history since the industrial revolution. CO2 is the key contributor to global climate change in the atmosphere. For this reason, the synthesis of high-added-value products CO2 conversion is a promising approach to mitigate climate change.1 Among the different alternatives, exploiting CO2 via electrochemical reduction under mild conditions (ambient pressure and temperature) represents an opportunity to support a low-carbon economy.2 The electrocatalytic (EC) CO2 reduction (CO2R) driven by renewable energy can be exploited for the future energy transition, for the carbon storage into valuable products like syngas (H2/CO mixtures), organic acids (formic acid) and chemicals/fuels (C1+ alcohols).3 A big challenge for the industrialisation of this technology is to find low-cost electrocatalysts, efficient reactors and process conditions. In the efforts to develop efficient, selective and stable materials, we have exploited the current knowledge of thermocatalytic CO2 hydrogenation to develop noble-metal-free CO2R electrocatalysts.4 For instance, Cu/Zn/Al synthesised catalyst producing methanol and CO from the CO2 thermocatalytic (TC) hydrogenation (at H2 pressure (P) of 30 bar and temperature (T) > 200 oC) promotes the formation of methanol (⁓32% of FE) during the EC CO2R in a gas-diffusion-electrode system; while operating in the liquid phase, the same catalyst produces syngas with a tunable composition (95% of FE at the most positive applied potential) and other liquid C2+ products (in both cases at ambient T, P).4 On the other hand, Cu/ZnO electrocatalyst also has been tested at industrially relevant current densities in liquid phase configuration.5 We demonstrated through ex-situ characterisations that the presence of ZnO nanoparticles in the mixed Cu/ZnO catalyst plays an important role in forming and stabilising mixed oxidation states of copper and Cu1+/Cu0 interfaces in the electrocatalyst (in bulk and surface). These interfaces seem to promote CO dimerisation to ethanol. Indeed, ethanol was produced with the Cu/ZnO catalyst, reaching ethanol productivity of about 5.3 mmol∙gcat -1∙h-1 in a liquid-phase configuration at ambient conditions. A Cu/ZnO electrocatalyst also has been tested in a catholyte-free configuration with an increased selectivity to ethylene, reaching approximately 70% of FE, demonstrating that the reaction pathways for EC CO2R are largely determined by transport limitations rather than only by the intrinsic properties of the electrocatalysts. Our results open a promising path for the prospective implementation of metal-oxide nanostructures for CO2 conversion to the chemicals and fuels of the future. Acknowledgements This work has received financial support by the EU H2020 Project SunCOChem (grant agreement: 862192). References Guzmán, H., Russo, N. & Hernández, S. CO2 valorisation towards alcohols by Cu-based electrocatalysts: challenges and perspectives. Green Chem. 23, 1896–1920 (2021).Romero Cuellar, N. S., Wiesner-Fleischer, K., Fleischer, M., Rucki, A. & Hinrichsen, O. Advantages of CO over CO2 as reactant for electrochemical reduction to ethylene, ethanol and n-propanol on gas diffusion electrodes at high current densities. Electrochim. Acta 307, 164–175 (2019).Guzmán, H., Farkhondehfal, M. A., Rodulfo Tolod, K., Russo, N. & Hernández, S. Photo/electrocatalytic hydrogen exploitation for CO2 reduction toward solar fuels production. in Solar Hydrogen Production Processes, Systems and Technologies 560 (Elsevier Inc., 2019). doi:10.1016/C2017-0-02289-9.Guzmán, H. et al. How to make sustainable CO2 conversion to Methanol: Thermocatalytic versus electrocatalytic technology. Chem. Eng. J. 417, 127973 (2021).Guzmán, H. et al. CO2 Conversion to Alcohols over Cu/ZnO Catalysts: Prospective Synergies between Electrocatalytic and Thermocatalytic Routes. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 14, 517−530 (2022).

Integrated Sustainability Assessment Framework of Industry 4.0 from an Energy Systems Thinking Perspective: Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Literature Review

Sustainable energy systems based on efficiency, low-carbon, and smart technologies are essential for the future energy transition. A new integrated sustainability assessment framework (ISAF) is required to evaluate cross-cutting subjects and future research. Sustainability analysis based on conventional dimensions and complementary categories is needed for a digital energy transition. Industry 4.0 created a new platform and technological portfolio to improve the efficiency and automation of cleaner energy systems (lower environmental and social impacts and high performance). To address these aspects, a new methodology based on bibliometric analysis, systematic literature review, and energy systems thinking was developed. From Scopus and Web of Science databases, 1521 and 959 documents were respectively compiled and merged to select 181 articles related to these research subjects between 2017 and 2021. Out of this total, 62 articles from industrial manufacturing were identified as the most representative energy consumption sub-sector. These articles were analysed from the ISAF using conventional dimensions (environmental, economic, and social) and complementary categories of sustainability (technological innovation, governance and life cycle). The main findings reveal that worldwide studies addressing the nexus between Industry 4.0, Energy and Sustainability have increased significantly in recent years, primaly in high-income countries. These studies have centred on the industrial manufacturing subsector, assessing sustainability unevenly by focusing mainly on technological and environmental issues. Research gaps indicate that a comprehensive assessment of social, governance, and life cycle aspects is still required.

A REGIONAL GEOLOGICAL OVERVIEW OF THE UPPER PERMIAN ZECHSTEIN SUPERGROUP (Z1 TO Z3) IN THE SW MARGIN OF THE SOUTHERN NORTH SEA AND ONSHORE EASTERN ENGLAND

The Upper Permian Zechstein Supergroup has the potential to play an important role in the UK's future energy production and energy transition. However the Supergroup is comparatively poorly understood in the UK, particularly the link between the onshore and offshore geology. In this paper we re‐evaluate available data in order to present a consistent regional interpretation of the Z1 to Z3 Zechstein Supergroup cycles. This review is based on an interpretation and re‐evaluation of 620 offshore wells located in the UK portion of the SW Southern North Sea and 83 onshore wells located in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire (eastern England). The Zechstein Supergroup was interpreted in each well, and the data was used to compile seven SW‐NE oriented correlation panels which show the development of the Supergroup in the study region. Five isopach maps for key formations in the Zechstein Supergroup were created, together with depositional environment maps for each of the main Zechstein carbonate formations. In combination, these regional‐scale maps and diagrams have resulted in a consistent interpretation of the Zechstein Supergroup over an area which extends from the onshore outcrop in the west to the UKCS boundary in the Southern North Sea in the east.

Multi-functional fluorinated NiTiO3 perovskites for CO2 photocatalytic reduction, electrocatalytic water splitting, and biomedical waste management

Multi-functional F-doped NiTiO3 structures with high stability were prepared by a template-free hydrothermal method. A multi-technique approach including several physicochemical techniques was employed to describe the morphology, electronic properties, and structural characters. The F-doped NiTiO3 catalyst showed a much higher CO2 to CH4 photocatalytic conversion rate (2.6 μmol g−1 h−1) than pristine NiTiO3 (1.6 μmol g−1 h−1), highlighting the key role of F impurities in suppressing the charge carriers recombination. In addition to the higher efficiency and reusability than Pt/C reference electrode toward electrocatalytic water splitting, a lower Tafel slope was recorded for the F-doped structure (81.2 mV dec−1). This implies significant improvement in the reaction kinetics, arising from the synergistic effects between the F sites and bulk constituents to supply more desired active electronic states. The capability of the structures for the biomedical wastewater (containing the Caco-2 cancer cells) treatment was also explored. According to several biochemical assays, the fluorinated material shows a promising performance against the tumor cells at its IC50 concentration, 0.15 μg/mL, in a typical hospital wastewater. Our results pave the way for developing novel multi-functional photoactive titanate perovskites aiming at future clean energy transition.

Techno-economic Assessment of CO2 Electrolysis: How Interdependencies between Model Variables Propagate Across Different Modeling Scales.

The production of base chemicals by electrochemical conversion of captured CO2 has the potential to close the carbon cycle, thereby contributing to a future energy transition. With the feasibility of low-temperature electrochemical CO2 conversion demonstrated at lab scale, research is shifting toward optimizing electrolyser design and operation for industrial applications, with target values based on techno-economic analysis. However, current techno-economic analyses often neglect experimentally reported interdependencies of key performance variables such as the current density, the faradaic efficiency, and the conversion. Aiming to understand the impact of these interdependencies on the economic outlook, we develop a model capturing mass transfer effects over the channel length for an alkaline, membrane electrolyser. Coupling the channel scale with the higher level process scale and embedding this multiscale model in an economic framework allows us to analyze the economic trade-off between the performance variables. Our analysis shows that the derived target values for the performance variables strongly depend on the interdependencies described in the channel scale model. Our analysis also suggests that economically optimal current densities can be as low as half of the previously reported benchmarks. More generally, our work highlights the need to move toward multiscale models, especially in the field of CO2 electrolysis, to effectively elucidate current bottlenecks in the quest toward economically compelling system designs.

Research of an Abandoned Tailings Deposit in the Iberian Pyritic Belt: Characterization and Gross Reserves Estimation

Global situations such as economic recovery after a pandemic, geopolitical instability, and future digital and energy transition are some of the drivers for the European Union (EU) to explore new and existing sources of raw materials. The Iberian Pyrite Belt in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) hosts a great number of tailing deposits from centuries of mining operations. A unique tailings deposit has been studied and characterized. The similarities with other tailing deposits deeply studied suggested the presence of critical raw materials. Furthermore, a very gross reserves estimation was made. The characterization and reserves estimations were compared with the bibliography from mining companies who operated in the area decades ago and from the bibliography available at Fundación Riotinto. The presence of critical raw materials was confirmed, some of them in high concentrations. Moreover, a singular difference was found compared with other similar tailings stored within the Iberian Pyrite Belt. The main valuable metals identified were Au (2.25 ppm), Ag (215 ppm), Co (131 ppm) and Cu (0.29%). The reserves estimation showed that this deposit potentially hosts 1.86 t of Au, 177 t of Ag, 108 t of Co or 2358 t of Cu; in other words, with a copper average price of 8366 US$/t in December 2022, the tailings deposit contains a potential value of more than 19 million USD.