High Energy Input Research Articles

Effect of Input Subsidy Reduction on Greenhouse Emission Reduction Potential in Paddy Production Systems in Karnataka State of India

Increasing concerns and call for reduction in Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission have necessitated the search for broader and all-inclusive policy initiatives, extending into agricultural production, where high carbon energy inputs are used. One classical policy strategy for GHG emission reduction, has been taxation. However, given the critical role of agriculture, especially in developing economies, policies that directly or indirectly increase agricultural inputs costs and reduce their demand require stronger theoretical, conceptual and empirical support to ensure that while agri-environmental quality is promoted, welfare of farming households, food security and overall economic growth are not compromised. Using paddy production in Karnataka state in India, the study assessed effects of agricultural input taxation (reduction in rice input subsidy) on future demand for such inputs and their effect on GHG emission reduction, vis-a-viz production and welfare losses. In microeconomic modelling framework, we applied quadratic almost ideal demand system and stochastic efficiency functions in the analysis of the data. Data for the study, a micro-level farm data, was obtained from Cost of Cultivation Scheme (CSS) for irrigated and non-irrigated production systems, covering the period 2009 -2018 production seasons. Specifically, the study used three future tax regime scenarios- 10%, 20% and 30% input subsidy reduction rates, to model an optimum greenhouse emission reduction potential. The results revealed that inputs evaluated were normal with inelastic demand functions; many input coefficients implied significant complementary relationships; irrigated paddy production system had higher estimates of GHG emissions. Input taxation (reduction in subsidy) under all the three scenarios effectively, resulted in declined inputs consumption patterns, and subsequently led to significant decrease in greenhouse emissions. The highest GHG emission reduction potential was observed in irrigated farming system. Greenhouse emission reduction potential was optimal at moderate subsidy reduction policy rate of 10%. It is recommended that, given the inelastic estimates derived, moderate tax (reduction in subsidy) policy option on inputs would yield effective greenhouse mitigation with appropriate compensation through effective integrative schemes.

Role of Biomass Gasification in Achieving Circular Economy

Growing awareness of environmental concerns and the prioritisation of environmental stewardship necessitates the incorporation of sustainability practices that are both economical and profitable. This involves transforming existing industrial practices from the ‘take-make-waste’ approach to one that aligns with the principles of a circular economy. This includes the use and restoration of bioreserves or the cycling of products in a manner that minimizes waste generation by employing the concepts of reuse and recycling. The adoption of circular economy principles is especially critical in energy-intensive industries, and there is increased attention to implementing these principles through biomass gasification. Various methodologies exist for utilizing the potential of biomass by employing biomass gasification to achieve the desired levels of energy output. Techniques incorporating circular economy principles for biomass gasification have become increasingly sought after and achieved widespread implementation in the past few decades. In this paper, we examine the principle of a circular economy and how biomass gasification can be leveraged in processes requiring high-energy input to achieve the same.

Supercontinuum generation in a graded-index multimode tellurite fiber.

We report the generation of a broadband supercontinuum (SC) from 790 to 2900 nm in a tellurite graded-index (GRIN) multimode fiber with a nanostructured core. We study the SC dynamics in different dispersion regimes and observe near-single-mode spatial intensity distribution at high input energy values. Numerical simulations of the (3 + 1)D generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation are in good agreement with our experiments. Our results open a new avenue for the generation of high-power mid-infrared SC sources in soft-glass fibers.

Direct sub-atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry: Evaporation/sublimation-driven ionization is amazing, fundamentally, and practically.

This paper covers direct sub-atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry (MS). The discovery, applications, and mechanistic aspects of novel ionization processes for use in MS that are not based on the high-energy input from voltage, laser, and/or high temperature but on sublimation/evaporation within a region linking a higher to lower pressure and modulated by heat and collisions, are discussed, including how this new reality has guided a series of discoveries, instrument developments, and commercialization. A research focus, inter alia, is on how best to understand, improve, and use these novel ionization processes, which convert volatile and nonvolatile compounds from solids (sublimation) or liquids (evaporation) into gas-phase ions for analysis by MS providing reproducible, accurate, sensitive, and prompt results. Our perception on how these unprecedented versus traditional ionization processes/methods relate to each other, how they can be made to coexist on the same mass spectrometer, and an outlook on new and expanded applications (e.g., clinical, portable, fast, safe, and autonomous) is presented, and is based on ST's Opening lecture presentation at the Nordic Mass spectrometry Conference, Geilo, Norway, January 2023. Focus will be on matrix-assisted ionization (MAI) and solvent-assisted ionization (SAI) MS covering the period from 2010 to 2023; a potential paradigm shift in the making.

A sustainable bio-circular way for biorefinery of rice straw into bioproducts based on energy-efficient pretreatment

Lignocellulosic biorefinery faces challenges associated with high energy input during pretreatment and high enzyme cost for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose, as well as the intricate valorization of lignin and hemicellulose. This study applied KOH-urea pretreatment to obtain maximum lignin removal of 68.93 % from rice straw at 80 °C for 60 min. The pretreatment consumed only 10.49 % of the total energy input. Five-time dilution of neutral black liquor can optimally stimulate the plant growth. Enzymatic conversion of KOH-urea-treated rice straw attained 92.02 % at 20 % solid concentration with 10 FPU cellulase/g substrate. The ethanol concentration achieved 37.02 g/L at a yield of 75.89 %. The solid residue after fermentation contained 42.40 % dietary fiber and 16.70 % protein, which is suitable as animal feed. This study developed a simple bio-circular way to concurrently produce liquid fertilizer, bioethanol, and animal feed from rice straw.

Polymer-grade propylene production through temperature swing adsorption: Molecular simulation and techno-economic analysis

Producing polymer-grade propylene from the propylene-rich mixtures can be quite challenging since the most commonly employed technology, distillation, requires high-energy input and is expensive. Therefore, identifying less-costly, efficient, and environmentally friendly methods, such as the use of the adsorptive process, is highly desirable. In this regard, six pure silica zeolites (AFV, AST, AVL, IFR, LEV, and SWY) as propane selective adsorbents are investigated for the separation of 10 mol.% propane and 90 mol.% propylene mixture. Molecular simulation Monte Carlo (MC) is used to calculate framework structure parameters such as pore volume, surface area, and framework density of pure silica zeolites. Also, adsorption isotherms, propane selectivity, and working capacity are presented using MC calculations. The Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm model is utilized to calculate isotherm parameters. A system model is implemented in Aspen Adsorption software (version 11) and breakthrough curves are achieved. The Temperature Swing Adsorption (TSA) cycle is simulated and key performance parameters such as propylene purity, recovery, and productivity for all six silica zeolites are calculated. Finally, economic analysis of the TSA process is performed using the Aspen Capital Cost Estimator (version 11) and Aspen Process Economic Analyzer (version 11) and compared with the cost of the conventional distillation process. Results showed that the capital cost and operating cost of temperature swing adsorption are 42.3 % and 91.37 % less than those of distillation, respectively.

Surface Tension Estimation of Steel above Boiling Temperature

Surface tension is an important characteristic of materials. In particular at high temperatures, surface tension values are often unknown. However, for metals, these values are highly relevant in order to enable efficient industrial processing or simulation of material behavior. Plasma, electron or laser beam processes can induce such high energy inputs, which increase the metal temperatures to, and even above, boiling temperatures, e.g., during deep penetration welding or remote cutting. Unfortunately, both theoretical and experimental methods experience challenges in deriving surface tension values at high temperatures. Material models of metals have limitations in explaining complex ion interactions, and experimentally measuring temperature and surface tension at high temperatures is a challenge for methods and equipment. Therefore, surface wave analysis was conducted in this work to derive surface tension values around the boiling temperature of steel and identify trends. In addition, a simple ion interaction calculation was used to simulate the impacting parameters that define the surface tension. Since both the experimental values and simulation results indicate an increasing trend in surface tension above the boiling temperature, it is concluded that the dominating attractive forces above this temperature should increase with increasing temperature and lead to increasing surface tension forces in the surface layers of liquid metal.

Higher laser power improves strength but reduces corrosion resistance of Mg WE43 processed by powder bed fusion

Powder bed fusion – laser beam (PBF-LB) of Mg alloys provides new possibilities for the production of complex structures with optimized designs, both for weight reduction in aerospace applications, as well as for patient-specific implants in orthopedic applications. However, even though numerous studies have been carried out on the topic, the influence of the individual PBF-LB process parameters on the microstructure and resulting material properties of Mg alloys remains ambiguous. Thus, this study aims to investigate the influence of laser power on the surface roughness, microstructure and resulting key material properties, namely corrosion resistance and mechanical performance. Samples were produced by PBF-LB from gas atomized Mg-4%Y-3%Nd-0.5%Zr (WE43) alloy powder, using three different laser powers: 60 W, 80 W, and 90 W. Contrary to expectation, the 90 W samples exhibited the highest degradation rate, while 60 W samples had the lowest, despite the latter having highest surface roughness and large internal pores. The higher degradation rate for the 90 W samples was instead found to stem from the near-surface microstructure. The higher energy input and subsequently reduced grain size, resulted in an increased amount of second phase precipitates than for the 60 W samples, thereby increasing the tendency for pitting via microgalvanic corrosion. For the tensile strength and elongation at break, the opposite trend was observed. Here, a reduction in grain size and an increase in precipitates for the 90 W samples were found to be beneficial. In conclusion, a definite influence of laser power on the formation of microstructure was observed, ultimately impacting the resulting corrosion and tensile properties of WE43. Future work should investigate the influence of other PBF-LB process parameters, with the aim of establishing an optimum balance between corrosion resistance and mechanical properties.

Light-Intensity Switching of Graphene/WSe2 Synaptic Devices.

2D van der Waals heterojunctions (vdWH) have emerged as an attractive platform for the realization of optoelectronic synaptic devices, which are critical for energy-efficient computing systems. Photogating induced by charge traps at the interfaces indeed results in ultrahigh responsivity and tunable photoconductance. Yet, optical potentiation and depression remain mostly modulated by gate bias, requiring relatively high energy inputs. Thus, advanced all-optical synapse switching strategies are still needed. In this work, a reversible switching between positive photoconductivity (PPC) and negative photoconductivity (NPC) is achieved in graphene/WSe2 vdWH solely through light-intensity modulation. Consequently, the graphene/WSe2 synaptic device shows tunable optical potentiation and depression behavior with an ultralow power consumption of 127 aJ. The study further unravels the complex interplay of gate bias and incident light power in determining the sign and magnitude of the photocurrent, showing the critical role of charge trapping and photogating at interfaces. Interestingly, it is found that switching between PPC to NPC can be also obtained at 0mV drain-source voltage. Overall, the reversible potentiation/depression effect based on light intensity modulation and its combination with additional gate bias tunability is very appealing for the development of energy-efficient optical communications and neuromorphic computing.

Identifying drivers of county-level industrial carbon intensity by a generic machine learning framework

Carbon intensity has been recognized as a measure of the relative change between carbon emissions and economic development in numerous policy documents at multiple levels. Counties as the basic governmental units for policy formulation and implementation remain largely unexplored in climate governance. This study makes an effort to fill in this gap by examining the dynamics and drivers of industrial carbon intensity (ICI) at the county level. Given the data limitations at both county and industrial levels, we develop a data-driven method that evaluates six commonly used machine learning algorithms to study county-level ICI accounted by statistical data. We find that energy consumption and labor scale are two consistent and significant drivers of ICI across all results, especially, energy consumption acts as the crucial driver. Accordingly, we divide the overall industrial sector into small and large sub-sectors to provide differentiated policy implications. Small sub-sectors with low energy and labor inputs prioritize production-driven ICI reduction strategies, because increasing energy consumption by introducing automated machinery leads to rapid economic growth and thereby negatively impacts ICI. For large sub-sectors with high energy and labor inputs, efficiency promotion through technological innovation is required for ICI reduction. As an example of scenario analysis, we show that an integrated intensity reduction scenario by reducing energy consumption and short-term increasing labor scale and industrial scale will make it possible for Manufacture of Furniture sub-sector in the studied county to achieve an ICI reduction of 68.7% by 2060 compared to the 2015 level. Overall, this study provides an integrated and generic framework for predicting ICI at the county level to overcome the context of data scarcity, laying a basis for making differentiated and applicable policies for ICI reduction at the sub-city level.

Whey Cheeses Containing Probiotic and Bioprotective Cultures Produced with Ultrafiltrated Cow's Whey.

Bovine whey cheese (WC) is a product from southern European countries that presents some challenges: its production process involves high energy inputs; the yield is low; and WC has a short shelf life. The application of ultrafiltration (UF) to bovine whey before manufacture of WC and the employment of protective cultures can reduce these disadvantages. The objective of this research was the production of whey cheeses using ultrafiltrated bovine cheese whey with added probiotics or probiotics plus protective cultures. Three types of WC were produced: control CW without any addition (C); CW with the addition of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA5); and CW with the addition of Lactobacillus acidophilus plus a protective culture containing Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (LA5FQ4). The WCs were stored under refrigerated conditions for 28 days. The products with added cultures presented lower pH values and higher titratable acidities when compared to the control. Sample LA5 presented the lowest pH and the highest titratable acidity, while LA5FQ4 presented intermediate values. Slight differences were observed between products regarding color parameters, chiefly resulting from storage time. The samples with added cultures were firmer when compared to the control, with LA5 cheeses showing the highest values at the end of the storage. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts were on the order of log 8-9 CFU/g for the products with added cultures. Lower levels of yeasts and molds were detected on the sample with the protective culture (LA5FQ4), so that by the end of storage they presented counts one log cycle lower than C and LA5. Hence, the beneficial impact of the protective culture on the shelf life of the product is evident. Regarding sensory evaluation, LA5FQ4 cheeses obtained the highest scores for all parameters evaluated. It can be concluded that the use of UF associated with the addition of protective cultures can be very useful to reduce the energy consumption of the manufacturing process, to prolong the shelf life of WC and to improve its sensory properties.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V/W bimetallic structure via selective laser melting

The titanium alloy Ti–6Al–4V (TC4) and tungsten (W) possess excellent complementary properties that would be useful for a wide range of industrial applications if they could be suitably combined. Selective laser melting was applied to prepare TC4/W specimens with a bimetallic structure. A strong bond without interfacial macrocracks was obtained by adjusting the laser line energy density to <0.75 J/mm. The bond interface of the bimetallic structure reached a microhardness of 503 ± 20 HV, which was harder than that of the two base materials, and the transverse and longitudinal ultimate compressive strengths were 1510 ± 40 MPa at strains of 20%–22.5%. Three-point bending experiments showed that when TC4 was used as the base material, the flexural strength of the specimen was 2210.5 ± 44.5 MPa. The high strength of the bond interface was attributed to sufficient agitation of the molten pool and reinforcement by fine crystalline grains. The agitation was provided by the melting and elemental diffusion of TC4 owing to the high energy input during the formation of W, and the fine crystalline grains were obtained by the dispersed W particles providing multiple nucleation sites for liquid TC4. The bimetallic structure retained the strength of W and toughness of TC4, which bodes well for its industrial application.

Application of MOFs-membrane in post-combustion carbon capture for electricity and thermal energy plants

Greenhouse gas emission typically carbon dioxide which result to global warming is becoming a very acute issue to human society. In order to achieve a sustainable development and society, various approaches to reduce carbon emission have been investigated and applied to industry where the majority of carbon emission happens in recent decays. Carbon capture is one of the key ways to address the emission and widely applied to coal-fired power plants. However, typically carbon capture process requires high energy input during the absorption and desorption process with lead to a low net carbon captured rate and high cost of operation. Materials with low energy penalty and high carbon affinity is desired to address this problem. In this research, a more advanced material, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), for carbon capture under post combustion condition is introduced and evaluated from single material and cooperating with mixed-matrix-membranes to achieve membrane separation. Furthermore, MOFs are usually lack of stability and CO2/H2O selectivity. CALF-20 as the solution to these problems will be introduced later.

Study on the Structure, Efficiency, and Driving Factors of an Eco-Agricultural Park Based on Emergy: A Case Study of Jinchuan Eco-Agricultural Park

The eco-agricultural park is a new comprehensive agricultural technology system integrating agricultural production, rural economic development, ecological environment protection, and efficient resource utilization. Therefore, an in-depth analysis of the ecosystem structure of eco-agricultural parks will help achieve the goal of coordinated symbiosis between human development and environmental protection. This study takes the research area of the Eco-agricultural Park of Jinchuan Town, Huinan County, a typical town in the Changbai Mountains of Northeast China. Based on field surveys, market research, farmer consultation, and related data collection, emergy theory and methods are used to construct an emergy model for the park. The value evaluation index system integrates the unique emergy index of the agricultural ecosystem with the traditional emergy index system to conduct a targeted evaluation of the park’s functional structure and sustainable development capabilities in order to improve the efficiency of material and energy use and provide technical reference for ecological construction and comprehensive development of agricultural industry in mountainous areas in northern China. The research results show that: (1) The annual input total emergy of the eco-agricultural park is 4.04E+24 sej/a, and the emergy of labor input, electricity input, and topsoil loss is relatively high. The park is in a labor-intensive stage. The annual output total emergy is 5.09E+24 sej/a, the park is dominated by planting and forestry industries. (2) The park’s emergy utilization intensity is high—production efficiency is high, economic development is advanced, and the system’s self-control, adjustment, and feedback functions are vital—and plays a significant role in promoting the development of the regional economy. However, the park relies more on investment from external resources, and production in the park puts pressure on the environment. (3) The current sustainable development capability of the study area is weak, and the factors affecting the sustainable development capability are mainly energy loss and uneven distribution of industrial areas in the park. Effective measures to promote the transformation of the park to develop technology-intensive industries and improve the sustainable development performance of the park were proposed. These include: adjusting the proportion of industries in the park; reducing high-energy external input emergy, such as industrial auxiliary emergy; reducing the loss of non-renewable natural resources through ecological engineering measures, such as reducing the depth of slope runoff in the park; and combining modern resource-based production technology and environmentally sound management methods to reduce energy loss and rational use of natural resources.

Electron Beam on Fermentation Medium as an Alternative Disinfection Method for Ethanol Distilleries: A Comprehensive Review

Corn and sugarcane are the primary feedstocks for ethanol production, but microbial contamination hinders yeast fermentation efficiency. Current control methods include antibiotics and sulfuric acid, but they have limitations, resulting in dependence on external inputs and the risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This review examines electron beam technology as an industrial-scale disinfection solution for both corn- and sugarcane-based ethanol production, highlighting its advantages, limitations and opportunities for adoption in Brazil. A critical evaluation highlights the importance of optimal operating conditions for scalability, cost effectiveness and sustainable implementation. Through a practical example, we demonstrate the effectiveness of electron beam treatment in improving fermentation efficiency and reducing contamination-related losses. Notably, the ionizing radiation from this process does not affect wort sugar content or generate radioactive residues. While acknowledging the potentially high energy input requirements, cogeneration in sugarcane mills can address this, making it a viable option; however, further technical and economic evaluation should be made. In addition, electron beam technology is a promising approach for the production of high-value products such as neutral alcohol, amino acids, animal feed and pharmaceuticals. Therefore, this comprehensive review provides valuable insights for researchers, industry stakeholders and policymakers to promote sustainable and efficient ethanol production practices.

Effect of pulse time (Ton), pause time (Toff), peak current (Ip) on MRR and surface roughness of Cu–Al–Mn ternary shape memory alloy using wire EDM

Shape memory and super elasticity are two outstanding properties of Cu–Al–Mn SMAs together with additional copper-based shape memory alloys that make them superior to NiTi alloys. It's quite hard to machine Cu–Al–Mn SMA. The machinability properties of Cu–Al–Mn SMAs during Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM) were experimentally investigated using molybdenum wire as the electrode material. Material Removal Rate (MRR) and Surface Roughness (SR) are two machining qualities that are studied in relation to the combinational values of pulse time (Ton), pause time (Toff), and peak current (Ip), which are selected as the changeable input process factors. From the experimental investigation, it was found that both MRR and Ra values were increased with an increase in pulse on time(Ton), pulse off time(Toff), and peak current (IP)values. Because the wire electrode contains maximum current under these conditions, it is easy to remove more material at the tool and work material interface, resulting in moderate surface finish. Surface quality was higher on samples machined at low energy input than it was on samples machined at high energy input. This SEM micrograph clearly shows that a lower pulse on time produces a superior surface quality.SEM images and the analysis of the machined surface morphology on the surface of the CAM7 alloy clearly showed that the machined surface of the alloy had a lower surface roughness value at a lower Ip-2A and was associated with a higher surface roughness value at a higher Ip-6A, as well as a lot of uncleared debris and blow holes.

Transforming CO2 to valuable feedstocks: Emerging catalytic and technological advances for the reverse water gas shift reaction

Current conditions suggest that to mitigate climate change, carbon neutrality must be achieved. Despite efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, existing strategies remain inadequate. Thus, it is inevitable that carbon dioxide utilization will play a crucial role in the fight against climate change. Among the conversion routes available, the reverse water–gas shift reaction (RWGS) is promising as it allows the conversion of CO2 to CO, which can then be further converted to other valuable feedstocks while utilizing renewable H2. However, this route presents several challenges, as the RWGS reaction requires high energy input and is less favored over the methanation reaction at lower temperatures. Hence, the development of novel catalysts and advanced technologies is necessary to achieve high conversions and selectivity. This review summarizes the most recent progress and advances in heterogenous catalyst systems and emerging technologies explored for the RWGS reaction. Techniques to enhance catalyst performance, alter reaction mechanisms, and improve catalyst stability are discussed. Novel technologies and their recent developments to achieve equilibrium conversions and improve CO yield are also given focus and compared. This review thus provides insight into the possibilities available for improving the RWGS reaction as a practical carbon mitigation route.

Lignins interfacial behavior tailored by formulation parameters

Present work focuses on the understanding of lignins’ capacity to adsorb at the oil–water interface depending on both their concentration and particles size. To this purpose, the premise was that it should be possible to control lignins emulsifying capacities by modulation of both oil content and lignins content as well as particles size. In a first step, interfacial behavior of lignins dispersions was characterized through both interfacial tension and interfacial rheology. This allowed evidencing a strong ability to reduce oil–water interfacial tension, with an interfacial value going up to 1 mN/m. In addition, the occurrence of interfacial viscoelastic properties was established, with interfacial moduli values 1000 times higher than when no lignins were present in the dispersion, and with very different structuring kinetics depending on the characteristics of lignins. Then, corresponding emulsifying properties in the presence of sweet almond oil were investigated. High energy input for emulsification process allowed getting better lignins adsorption at the interface, explained by the decrease of lignins particles size, leading to a more homogeneous, and stable emulsion. Results showed that lignins have a strong emulsifying capacity as they could emulsify up to 60 % w/w of sweet almond oil and form stable concentrated O/W emulsions.

Mechanism of ball milling pretreatment to improve the anaerobic digestion performance and energy conversion efficiency of corn straw

In this study, the effects of ball-milling (BM) pretreatment on the anaerobic digestion (AD) performance and energy conversion efficiency of corn straw (CS) were explored. The AD testing was conducted by varying BM times (0–120 min) and TS (4–10 %). The results showed that BM pretreatment increased microbial and enzyme accessibility to the CS and facilitated the hydrolytic acidification process of AD. The peak concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) (5325.69 mg/L) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) (14524 mg/L) were increased, resulting in more substrates available for methanogenic bacteria. The lag phase time was shortened (37.41–56.12 %) and the cumulative methane production was increased (45.63–104.11 %). Accelerated rate of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) release resulted in increased buffering capacity of the digestion system. Reduced the initial density of the digestive slurry (6.91–9.58 %) and altered the water distribution (maximum increase in free water content to 70.4 %), which facilitated the agitation of the AD process. Excessive BM times (>60 min) and TS (>8%) are not recommended. The BM60-6 presented the highest volatile solids (VS) removal (78.79 %), cellulose degradation (92.07 %) and biochemical methane potential (BMP) (309.69 mL/g VS). The BM pretreatment also improved the rheological characteristics of digestive slurry and reduced the stirring power consumption of the AD process. The BM60-6 showed the largest net energy benefit (28.2101 KJ/g VS) and net residual value (0.5000), and the high energy input of the pretreatment was balanced. This discovery breaks the conventional wisdom that mechanical pretreatment is meaningless because of higher power consumption.

Energy Requirement of Wastewater Treatment Plants: Unleashing the Potential of Microalgae, Biogas and Solar Power for Sustainable Development

Sustainable energy legislation in the modern world is the primary strategy that has raised the benchmark for energy and environmental security globally. The rapid growth in the human population has led to rising energy needs, which are predicted to increase by at least 50% by 2030. Waste management and environmental pollution present the biggest challenge to developing countries. The improvement of energy efficiency while ensuring higher nutritional evacuation wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is a significant problem for many wastewater treatment plants. Some treatment techniques require high energy input, which makes them expensive to remediate water use. Pollutants like chemical pesticides, hydrocarbons, colorants (dyes), surfactants, and aromatic compounds are present in wastewater and are contributing to other problems. Israel consumes 10% of the global energy supply, significantly more than other countries. The lagoon and trickling filters are the most widely used technologies in South African WWTPs, where the electricity intensity ranges from 0.079 to 0.41 kWh.m-3 (Wang et al. 2016). Korea and India use almost the same energy (0.24 kWh.m-3). An estimated one-fifth of the energy used in a municipality’s WWTPs is used for overall public utilities, and this percentage is anticipated to rise by 20% over the next 15 years owing to expanding consumption of water and higher standards. In this review paper, we examined the potential for creating energy-self-sufficient WWTPs and discussed how much energy is currently consumed by WWTPs. The desirable qualities of microalgae, their production on a global level, technologies for treating wastewater with biogas and solar power, its developments, and issues for sustainable development are highlighted. The scientific elaboration of the mechanisms used for pollutant degradation using solar energy, as well as their viability, are the key issues that have been addressed.