Increasing Energy Demand Research Articles

Impact of climate change on the energy performance of building envelopes and implications on energy regulations across Europe

This paper delves into the potential impact of a changing climate on the energy performance of European buildings. Research aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of current energy requirements focusing on the envelope, considering existing regulations in national policies.Energy simulations are conducted at 94 locations across the European Union to cover the climatic variability and Koppen climate classification. The research analyzes future climate scenarios for the years 2030, 2050, and 2070, using three different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 2.6, 4.5, 8.5).According to a comprehensive analysis of heating, cooling, and overall energy performance, climate plays a significant role in buildings' energy balance. In moderately cool climate countries, the demand for air conditioning is projected to decrease in the years ahead. Conversely, in countries with a warm climate, there is a projected increase in the overall energy demand. Consequently, a revision of current energy regulations should be a priority.Providing insights into the relation between building design, energy efficiency, and climate change, the research identifies policy adjustments to ensure buildings can effectively respond to changing climatic conditions. A holistic and dynamic approach can support building design accounting for long-term impacts of climate change to create resilient and energy-efficient structures.

Pore Space as a Resource: A Discussion of the Policy and Regulatory Framework for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage

Reinforced by the International Energy Agency (IEA), carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is currently the only available group of technologies that reduce emissions in key hard to abate sectors and capture CO2 emissions that enable low carbon value chains such as hydrogen. Further, CCUS and carbon management play a critical role in achieving future global climate and energy goals. In fact, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the IEA state that there is no viable path to net zero emissions without CCUS and other carbon management technologies. Due to concerns regarding energy security and an increase in energy demand, generation of energy from conventional hydrocarbon resources continues to be vital. In Alberta, CCUS is a necessary tool to align provincial climate change goals with the responsible and competitive market of energy production. Canada’s oil and gas sector has been an early innovator and adopter of CCUS. Given the petroleum and natural gas resources available in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, and the decades-long energy industry expertise established in connection therewith, there is significant potential to further utilize CCUS to create a CCUS-based value chain. This article provides an overview of the current Canadian regulatory frameworks enabling CCUS, with a focus on the regulatory framework and development in Alberta. Specific topics include: (1) an overview of the regulatory frameworks governing CCUS in key jurisdictions in Canada, including Alberta; (2) an overview of the frameworks for the generation of offset credits from environmental attributes associated with a given project or activity, including both federal and provincial carbon credits and clean fuel credits; (3) a discussion of gaps in policy and legislation; (4) options for regulating “open access” CCUS hubs and CO2 pipelines; and (5) an overview of the various governmental incentives for CCUS projects, including federal and provincial tax credits.

Data-Driven Circular Economy of Biowaste to Bioenergy with Conventional Prediction Modelling and Machine Learning

Rapid population growth has not only increased energy demand, but waste generation that has increased and introduced emerging pollutants into waste streams, posing sanitary and environmental risks. The purpose of this research was to investigate waste to energy (anaerobic digestion-bioenergy process) on integrated waste management and digitalization of biomethane production as a data-driven circular economy model across the value chain of the carbon cycle (transition from take-make-dispose to use-make-return) through waste quantification, characterization, biomethane potential test (BMP) to prediction of the biomethane production. Anaerobic digestion experiment was conducted at a laboratory scale to analyze biomethane production from diverse substrates such as food waste, cow manure, sewage sludge, and chicken manure, with an average pH of 7.58. The experimental results obtained were then modelled and simulated with Modified Gompertz, Logistic, and Richards models and compared to machine learning simulation using Python with Gompertz, Logistics, and Richards models. Modified Logistic model was shown to be the best-fit curve, with a coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.9 validating the conventional mathematical modeling and simulation performance. During simulation with machine learning (Python), the experimental results obtained from the cow manure substrate provided the best fitting curve to the training curve compared to other substrates with the highest average of R2 as 1.0 for training, validation, and test data. Cow manure had the best validation performance at MSE (mean squared error) of 25.36 at epoch 1.Graphical

Engineering core-shell hollow-sphere Fe3O4@FeP@nitrogen-doped-carbon as an advanced bi-functional electrocatalyst for highly-efficient water splitting

Given the rapidly increasing energy demand and environmental pollution, to achieve energy conservation and emission reduction, hydrogen production has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuels because of its high gravimetric energy density, and renewable and environmentally friendly characteristics. Herein, a core–shell hollow-sphere Fe3O4@FeP@nitrogen-doped-carbon (labeled as H-Fe3O4@FeP@NC) with a dual-interface, novel morphology, and superior conductivity is prepared as an advanced bi-functional electrocatalyst for electrochemical overall water splitting using a collaborative strategy comprising of facile self-assembly and phosphating. The prepared catalyst exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity compared to H-Fe3O4@NC and H-Fe3O4 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Additionally, the overpotential of H-Fe3O4@FeP@NC for OER/HER (258/165 mV at 10 mA/cm2) is significantly lower than those of H-Fe3O4@NC (274/209 mV) and H-Fe3O4 (287/213 mV) at 10 mA/cm2. Meanwhile, the as-synthesized H-Fe3O4@FeP@NC, as an electrode pair, displays a low cell voltage of 1.69 V at 10 mA/cm2 and excellent stability after 100 h, indicating its practical application for overall water splitting. This work presents a practical and economical strategy toward the fabrication of catalyst for efficient water splitting and fuel cell.

Fault Detection on Power Transmission Line Based on Wavelet Transform and Scalogram Image Analysis

Given the massive increase in demand for electrical energy, particularly owing to global climate change and population expansion, as well as the development of complicated electrical systems due to the urgent need for a sophisticated component to enhance power delivery, it becomes important to adopt a smart and contemporary approach that is also appropriate for the aim of protecting transmission lines (TLs) and ensuring the continuous delivery of electric power to customers. Consequently, a unique and highly reliable approach for identifying faults in TLs is presented in this work, which employs Wavelet Transform and is evaluated using Matlab simulation. Wavelets of various kinds were utilized to demonstrate their dependability. Furthermore, utilizing this approach has shown itself to be highly successful and has yielded spectacular results even when it is used on a complicated electrical network. Moreover, many types of faults were presented and afterward evaluated and verified for the network in various settings, which also demonstrated their potential to recognize faults within a relatively short space of time. This innovation will alter the idea of fault detection by providing a complete and integrated model for detecting faults in a TL, and it may be regarded as a revolution in the renewal of core principles in TL protection.

Thermal performance of novel ZnFe2O4 and TiO2-doped MWCNT nanocomposites in transformer oil

Efficient heat transfer and optimal dielectric properties are pivotal factors in ensuring the reliability and longevity of transformers, essential components in modern power systems. This study aimed to harness the potential of nanofluids to enhance both heat transfer and dielectric characteristics of transformer oil (TRO), addressing the challenges posed by increasing energy demands. A comprehensive investigation was conducted involving the synthesis of nanofluids with distinct nanoparticle compositions and concentrations. The experimental approach encompassed diverse characterization methods, namely SEM, EDX, zeta potential analysis, DLS, and FT-IR. These techniques were employed to gain insights into the prepared nanofluids’ structural, elemental, and thermal properties, facilitating a comprehensive understanding of their behavior. Notably, the incorporation of nanoparticles led to substantial enhancements in thermal conductivity and volumetric-specific heat of the nanofluids. Convective heat transfer coefficients (CHTC) and Nusselt numbers (Nu) were evaluated under forced convection conditions, revealing improvements ranging from 9% to 21%. These findings highlight the potential for nanofluids to significantly enhance heat transfer efficiency, which is crucial for efficient transformer operation. Furthermore, the breakdown voltage (BDV) investigation identified strategies to counter BDV reduction by employing nanoparticles within nanocomposites. This approach aimed to improve the dielectric performance of the nanofluids, a critical aspect of maintaining transformer insulation. These findings bridge the gap between advanced nanotechnology and practical applications in power systems, providing insights into enhancing transformer efficiency and reliability.

Biogas: An Alternative Source of Energy for Developing Economy

There is an increase in energy demand due to increased population, leading to high waste generation, deforestation, and global warming. The world's reserves of fossil fuel that has resulted in an increase in energy price cannot be allowed to be depleted. There is a need to look more into economic biogas production, which can serve as an alternative source of energy. Biogas is now preferred because of its environmentally friendly, renewable, clean, cheap, high quality, and versatile fuel, which uses feedstocks. This paper looks more into the processes of production of biogas using the waste of plant-based materials that are typically rich in different polysaccharides that are generated from local farm production of plants and animals in rural Nigeria. Four main steps in biogas production are emphasized, and various factors that affect biogas production are stated. Various ways of manipulating these factors for maximal biogas production were suggested. One of the main challenges in biogas production is the high cost of biodigester, which is taken care of in the paper through a low-cost construction of an alternative biogas digester that serves effectively from used materials. Economic production of biogas is given a probable investment, as described in this work.

Profitability of battery storage in hybrid hydropower–solar photovoltaic plants

Increased energy demand and rapid environmental changes triggered by global greenhouse gas emissions have forced numerous countries to consider renewable energy sources (RES) as possible alternatives to conventional fossil-fuel energy sources. Due to the inherent uncertainty, intermittency, and generally uncontrollable power generation by single-source renewable power plants, hybrid power plants (HPPs) incorporating several mutually complementary RES have lately gained much interest. Integrating battery storage systems with such HPPs has the potential to run them more similarly to conventional fossil-fueled power plants, providing controllable power generation, and reducing its variability. Given such a future scenario and the lack of existing detailed studies, this paper investigates the profitability potential for a viable business case for battery storage integration with utility-scale hybrid hydropower–solar photovoltaic (PV) plants. The study presented here is based on a hypothetical, two-reservoir cascaded hydropower plant in Sub-Saharan Africa. The role of the battery is assessed by considering the overall profitability of the HPP when participating in capacity markets, ancillary services, and energy arbitrage. The relationship between the value stacking of battery services and its impact on battery life has been critically examined. This study provides estimates on increased profitability, cost-optimal battery capacities, battery degradation estimates, and the HPP-battery interoperability aspects under various hydropower and electricity market operating scenarios. Batteries will likely increase cost-effectiveness by co-optimization with PV-system as well as power market contracts. In this case, adding a battery increased the profitability by about 2% when combining revenues from capacity markets and ancillary services.

Cellular Energy Metabolism is Altered in the Trem2R47h NSS Mouse Model of AD

AbstractBackgroundHuman GWAS have identified variants of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) gene as a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). TREM2 is necessary for maintaining microglial metabolic fitness and may be critical for providing cellular energy demands for microglial‐dependent β amyloid phagocytosis. Here, we examine the plasma metabolome of Trem2 R47H NSS mice in the presence of β amyloid plaques to examine alterations of cellular energy metabolites.MethodWe examined the abundance of plasma metabolites obtained from homozygous Trem2 R47H NSS (Jax #034036), 5xFAD x Trem2 R47H NSS, 5xFAD hemizygous, and control (WT) mice (n = 10 each group) at 4 months of age. We measured 762 lipids and 204 polar metabolites from peripheral plasma using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC‐MS). We conducted differential abundance (DA) analysis for the individual metabolites and compared the groups using FDR correction (q < 0.05). We used DA metabolites in pathway analysis to examine which metabolic pathways were impacted by TREM2 R47H and the presence of amyloid (5xFAD hemizygous background).ResultHomozygous Trem2 R47H NSS mice, both in the presence and absence of amyloid plaques (i.e. 5xFAD hemizygous or non‐transgenic background), had significantly lower abundance α‐D‐glucose and lactate compared to their relevant control groups (q’s < 0.05). 5xFAD x Trem2 R47H NSS mice also showed significantly lower phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) abundance relative to 5xFAD hemizygous mice (q’s < 0.05) and this was especially apparent for female mice (q’s < 0.05). KEGG pathway analysis using DA features revealed enrichment on Glycerophospholipid Metabolism and Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis pathways.ConclusionWe report lower levels of the entry substrate to glycolysis (Glucose) and an end product metabolite (Lactate) in homozygous Trem2 R47H NSS mice, especially in the presence of amyloid. The depletion of these energy metabolites in circulating blood may reflect failure of the immunometabolic switch from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis in support of increased energy demands of activated microglia. We also find significant depletion of glycerophospholipids in Trem2 R47H NSS mice, which was more pronounced for female mice. These results suggest cellular energy dyshomeostasis associated with microglial activation which can be measured in peripheral blood.

Transition metal carbide‐based nanostructures for electrochemical hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions

AbstractExtensive consumption of limited fossil fuel resources generates serious environmental problems, such as release of large amounts of the greenhouse gas CO2. It is, therefore, urgently necessary to look for alternative energy resources to meet increasing energy demands. Hydrogen is a clean, environmentally friendly, and sustainable energy source. Electrochemical water splitting is one of the cleanest and greenest technologies available for hydrogen production. Unfortunately, large‐scale water electrolysis is hindered by the high costs of catalysts, since noble metal‐based materials have been demonstrated to be the best catalysts (e.g., Pt for the cathode and Ru/Ir‐oxide for the anode catalyst). Recently, transition metal carbides (TMCs) have drawn significant attention for use in electrochemical water splitting, especially for hydrogen evolution reactions, owing to their high intrinsic catalytic activities, extraordinary electrical conductivities, and abundant source materials. TMCs exhibit Pt‐like electronic structures and are considered suitable alternatives for Pt. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the uses of representative TMCs for the electrochemical hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions and highlights advantages in the electrocatalytic effects provided by nanostructuring. Finally, existing challenges and future perspectives for use of these electrocatalysts are discussed.

Electricity generation potential from natural gas pressure reduction turbines in Brazil

This paper addresses the urgent need to meet increasing energy demand while avoiding greenhouse gas emissions by improving energy efficiency. One significant challenge is the energy losses that occur during gas pressure reduction at city gates in natural gas distribution systems. To tackle this issue, this study proposes installing pressure reduction turbines (PRTs) parallel to existing reduction valves, which can generate electricity and enhance system efficiency. This research mainly focuses on Brazil’s natural gas supply, where the potential for installing PRTs is evaluated. The methodology analyzes the country’s distribution network and estimates the electricity generation capacity achievable from PRTs. The results indicate a potential power generation of 66 MW, capable of avoiding the emission of 235,800 tons of CO2 annually and generating 333 GWh/year of electricity, all at a LCOE of $27/MW. These contribute to the environment using the energy efficiency achieved through the installation of PRTs, consequently, Brazil can help to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.

How does institutional quality determine energy consumption? Empirical evidence from the South Asia region

Purpose Due to an increase in energy demands, it has become vital to devise efficient energy policies. Literature has suggested multiple factors influencing the consumption of specific energy types. Among others, institutional quality (INQ) is another factor that can determine energy consumption. Given this, the current study aimed to investigate the impact of INQ on fossil fuel energy (FFE) and renewable energy consumption (REC).Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis was conducted on 20 years (2000–2019) of data from South Asian economies, and regression among variables was established by employing the dynamic ordinary least square and fully modified ordinary least square models. The selection of both techniques is subject to the existence of cointegration identified by the Johansen cointegration test. Other pre-estimation techniques include cross-section dependence and unit root testing validating the estimation of coefficients in the long run.Findings The analysis mainly reveals the negative impact of INQ on FFE and the positive impact of INQ on REC. The authors further find the asymmetric impact of control variables including foreign direct investment inflow, economic growth, inflation rate, financial sector development and energy investment on the consumption of both types of energy.Research limitations/implications Given the positive influence of INQ on REC, it is recommended to focus on improving the efficiency of institutions specifically those that are directly linked with energy-related policies. A better INQ can ensure environmental sustainability by enhancing the consumption of renewable energy. Therefore, it is advised to exert more efforts to improve the INQ.Practical implications In view of the positive influence of INQ on REC, it is recommended to focus on improving the efficiency of institutions specifically that are directly linked with energy-related policies. A better INQ can ensure environmental sustainability by enhancing the consumption of renewable energy. Therefore, it is advised to exert more efforts for improving the INQ.Originality/value This study offers robustness to the empirical findings of existing literature on the INQ-REC nexus and complements the underdeveloped literature on the INQ-FFE relationship.

The Modification of Activated Carbon for the Performance Enhancement of a Natural-Rubber-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator.

Increasing energy demands and growing environmental concerns regarding the consumption of fossil fuels are important motivations for the development of clean and sustainable energy sources. A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a promising energy technology that harnesses mechanical energy from the ambient environment by converting it into electrical energy. In this work, the enhancement of the energy conversion performance of a natural rubber (NR)-based TENG has been proposed by using modified activated carbon (AC). The effect of surface modification techniques, including acid treatments and plasma treatment for AC material on TENG performance, are investigated. The TENG fabricated from the NR incorporated with the modified AC using N2 plasma showed superior electrical output performance, which was attributed to the modification by N2 plasma introducing changes in the surface chemistry of AC, leading to the improved dielectric property of the NR-AC composite, which contributes to the enhanced triboelectric charge density. The highest power density of 2.65 mW/m2 was obtained from the NR-AC (N2 plasma-treated) TENG. This research provides a key insight into the modification of AC for the development of TENG with high energy conversion performance that could be useful for other future applications such as PM2.5 removal or CO2 capture.

From Efficiency to Sustainability: Exploring the Potential of 6G for a Greener Future

This article provides a comprehensive examination of sustainable 6G wireless communication systems, addressing the urgent need for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient networks. The background establishes the broader context and significance of the study, emphasizing the escalating concerns surrounding the environmental impact and energy consumption of wireless communication systems. The purpose of this study is to explore and propose sustainable solutions for 6G networks. The methods employed in this research encompass an analysis of various strategies and technologies, including energy-aware network design, dynamic power management, energy harvesting, and green infrastructure deployment. The main findings of this article highlight the effectiveness of these approaches in enhancing energy efficiency, reducing carbon footprint, and optimizing resource management in 6G networks. The conclusions drawn from this study emphasize the importance of sustainable 6G wireless communication systems in achieving a more eco-friendly and energy-efficient future. It is crucial to adopt these sustainable practices to minimize environmental impact and address the increasing energy demands of wireless communication networks. The article provides valuable insights to researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers, aiding in the development and implementation of sustainable practices for 6G wireless communication systems.

Development of Microbial Fuel Cell in Tofu Liquid Waste in Producing Clean Energy

The high need of Indonesian people for electrical energy has led to an increase in energy demand. This has triggered research efforts based on renewable technologies that are efficient and environmentally friendly. One of the renewable energy sources that is widely developed is Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC). MFC works by utilizing organic matter used by microbes as an energy source in carrying out metabolic activities. This study aims to determine the effect of Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli bacteria with different concentrations of 10% (v/v) and 15% (v/v) on the electrical energy generated from the tofu liquid waste substrate and observe changes in pH and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in the MFC system. This research method consists of several steps, namely the preparation of electrolysis equipment, electrodes, substrates, bacterial cultures, electrolytes and MFC processes. The maximum value of voltage and current in Bacillus subtilis bacteria occurred at the 10 hours with 15% (v/v) bacterial concentration which amounted to 394 mV and 10.6 mA with a bacterial population of 16.15 × 109 CFU/mL and a power density value of 126.67 × 10-4 watt/m2. Furthermore, the maximum value for Escherichia coli bacteria occurred at the 10 hours with a voltage and current of 266 mV and 5.3 mA with a bacterial population of 15.60 × 109 CFU/mL and a power density value of 55.67 × 10-4 watts/m2. The pH value of the substrate variations with the addition of Bacillus subtilis bacteria ranged from 5-6, while with the addition of Escherichia coli bacteria variations ranged from 4-5. This system also reduces the value of biological oxygen demand.

Resources utilization, taxation and green education: A path to sustainable power generation

This study addresses the environmental and sustainability challenges arising from coal dependency in high-income Asian economies. Employing the CUP-FM estimation technique, it investigates the complex relationships among coal consumption, sustainable power generation, and green taxation from 2000 to 2020. The findings indicate that coal usage hampers green power generation due to its carbon-intensive nature, greenhouse gas emissions, and resource diversion from green energy projects. Conversely, a higher environmental tax ratio encourages cleaner energy alternatives and supports green infrastructure. Government investment in education enhances environmental awareness, while the growing number of internet users unintentionally increases energy demand. Urbanization presents mixed effects on energy consumption and sustainability. Importing green components significantly boosts green electricity generation through advanced technology and international collaboration. To tackle these challenges, high-income Asian economies should adopt a comprehensive policy approach focusing on coal efficiency, green taxation, sustainable education, digital transformation, and smart and sustainable urban development.

Probabilistic scheduling of a comprehensive energy hub integrated with renewable energy sources considering the correlation between uncertain variables

The energy hub (EH) is one of the customary and efficient energy supplement systems that have been presented, so far. Nowadays, distributed energy resources (DERs), especially renewable energy sources (RESs), are widely integrated into energy systems to supply increasing energy demands. Despite decreasing carbon emissions and other usefulness of employing RESs, uncertainties originating from unpredictable renewable generation besides demand and price uncertainties, confront energy management with new challenges on both the demand and supply sides. The correlation between uncertain parameters intensifies these challenges, severely. In this paper, the optimal operation of a comprehensive EH system including multiple energy carriers is considered in which some inputs are correlated random variables. Uncertainties of the input variables are managed by the k-means clustering technique and correlations among them are handled by the Cholesky decomposition technique. This EH is integrated with compressed air energy storage (CAES) besides other storage facilities. Also, power-to-gas (P2G) as an efficient storage and energy converter is employed in the EH. Other components of the studied EH are combined heat and power (CHP), wind turbine (WT), photovoltaic (PV) cells, boiler, absorption chiller (AC), Electric chiller (EC), fuel-cell power plant (FCPP), and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). Considering the undeniable role of demand response programs (DRPs) in reforming load patterns, an aggregated DRP execution besides a sensitivity analysis of load participation factors of DRP is studied in this paper. The proposed optimization problem is formulized as a MILP problem and solved by the GAMS software.

A study on comparative environmental impact assessment of thermochemical cycles and steam methane reforming processes for hydrogen production processes

Alternative energy sources are extensively studied to meet the increasing energy demand. To address rising energy demand, hydrogen generation through environmentally friendly sources are explored, and new technologies are now needed badly. Hydrogen can be generated using fossil fuels, nuclear energy and renewable energy. Most of the hydrogen is still produced using fossil-based fuels, which increases the amount of greenhouse gases. This study examines the life-cycle impact of three alternative hydrogen-generating processes. The solar-based hybrid sulfur (HyS) thermochemical cycle, the nuclear-based HyS thermochemical cycle, and steam methane reforming (SMR) are all considered, and the environmental consequences of the SMR and thermochemical facilities are evaluated. The CML-IA impact categories are used to analyze environmental impacts. The SimaPro 9.2, a modeling software package developed for the detailed descriptions and simulations of complex products, services and processes, is used to perform the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). This study aims to determine the best environmentally friendly option for hydrogen production by analyzing and comparing its environmental implications. Different impact categories namely global warming potential (GWP), human toxicity potential (HTP), ozone layer depletion (ODP), abiotic depletion factor (ADF), and acidification potential (AP), are examined based on the CML-IA impact classifications. The results show that the solar-based HyS cycle options yield the lowest global warming potential, abiotic depletion, acidification potential, ozone layer depletion, and human toxicity potential values were 1.04 kg CO2 eq/kg H2, 0.013 kg Sb eq/kg H2, 0.0027 kg SO2 eq/kg H2, 0.0007 kg CFC-11 eq/kg H2, and 0.27 kg 1,4-DB-eq/kg H2, respectively. The environmental impact results further show that the solar-powered hydrogen generation is a promising approach for cleaner hydrogen generation.

Exploring the economic impact of institutional entrepreneurship, social Innovation, and poverty reduction on carbon footprint in BRICS countries: what is the role of social enterprise?

The world is facing challenges to reduce carbon emissions, the complex interplay between socioeconomic dynamics and environmental sustainability is of utmost importance. In the context of the BRICS nations-Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa-this study explores the intricate interactions between institutional entrepreneurship, institutional innovation, poverty reduction, social globalization, urbanization, and social entrepreneurship as well as their combined effects on the carbon footprint over the period of 1990 to 2021. This work examines the multi-dimensional interactions inside this nexus using a thorough analytical strategy that includes the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), Three-Stage Least Squares (3SLS), and Robust regression approaches. Institutional entrepreneurship and innovation are the main forces behind institutional change and may have an impact on how people behave in terms of the environment. Strategies for reducing poverty frequently involve greater resource usage, which has an impact on carbon footprint. Examining social globalization's impact on carbon footprints is necessary given how it affects consumer habits and economic activity. Rapid urbanization is a dual problem because it spurs both increased energy demand and novel sustainability measures. With its emphasis on community-driven solutions, social entrepreneurship can provide regional solutions to reduce poverty and carbon emissions. The study's findings provide policymakers, practitioners, and researchers with insights into the complex web of socio-economic factors that underlies carbon footprint fluctuations. This research paves the way for informed policy decisions, sustainable business practices, and the pursuit of harmonious development that addresses both economic aspirations and environmental imperatives within the BRICS countries by illuminating the connections between institutional entrepreneurship, innovation, poverty reduction, social globalization, urbanization, social entrepreneurship, and carbon emissions.

Cool roof strategies for urban thermal resilience to extreme heatwaves in tropical cities

Extreme heatwaves in tropical cities represent a significant short-term weather challenge, directly impacting urban heat, exacerbating human discomfort, and increasing energy demands. To alleviate this, meteorological adjustments utilizing reflective roofing technologies, such as cool roofs, can effectively mitigate heatwave-induced excess heat and enhance thermal comfort. This study assessed the effectiveness of cool roofs in cooling urban areas following heatwaves in Kolkata, India, using comprehensive city-scale simulations. The study presumed that the existing roofing materials, with a reflectivity of 0.15 and emissivity of 0.85, indicated the unmitigated condition. These materials were replaced with third-generation cool roof materials featuring a reflectivity of 0.80 and emissivity of 0.85, leading to a substantial improvement in urban meteorology and thermal comfort compared to the unmitigated state. Notably, during heatwave episodes, the most significant computed reductions in energy flux were 181.3 Wm−2, 16.6 Wm−2, 56.3 Wm−2, and 251.9 Wm−2 for sensible heat, latent heat, ground storage, and net inflow radiation, respectively. Consequently, this led to decreases of 2.3 °C, 6.1 °C, 21.8 °C, and 1.9 °C in urban thermal parameters during peak hours (14:00 LT) for ambient temperature, surface temperature, roof surface temperature, and urban canopy temperature, respectively. The maximum drops in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) were 130.6 m, 1978.5 m, and 1010.3 m for 6:00 LT, 14:00 LT, and 18:00 LT, with an average of 870.3 m. Cool roofs demonstrated their potential to minimize thermal stress during heatwave periods, showcasing a maximum drop in the heat stress index (HSI) of up to 1.5 °C in the morning. Furthermore, outdoor thermal comfort could be significantly enhanced by lowering the universal thermal comfort index (UTCI) at the near surface, resulting in reductions of up to 1.8 °C during peak hours. On average, there was a reduction in UTCI between day and night of approximately 1.2 °C and 0.7 °C in densely populated urban areas. Additionally, the study evaluated 32 case studies that focused on cool roof strategies, revealing remarkably consistent findings that suggest a plausible justification. These findings provide a valuable framework for urban planners and policymakers considering the integration of cool roofs-based heat reduction technology at the city scale.