Energy Industry Research Articles

Calix[4]arene-decorated polymers of intrinsic microporosity for lithium isotopes separation

Due to the importance of lithium isotopes in the nuclear energy industry, there are increasing number of researchs on the lithium isotopes separation in recent years. However, the adsorbents used for lithium isotopes separation suffer from the low adsorption capacity and isotopes separation factor in aqueous phase, and is difficult to meet the requirements for industrial lithium isotopes production. In this work, two types of calix[4]arenes with different rim groups were incorporated into the polymer backbone. Both calix[4]arene decorated PIMs exhibited good lithium adsorption capacities in aqueous phase. Among them, 4-tert-butyl-calix[4]arene decorated PIM showed excellent lithium isotopes separation performance with a maximum lithium adsorption capacity of 67.99 mg·g−1 and an isotopes separation factor of 1.034 ± 0.003 in aqueous phase. The ease of preparing and stable cycling performance makes it potentially useful for industrial lithium isotopes production.

Production of high-calorific hybrid biofuel pellets from urban plastic waste and agro-industrial by-products

Advances in waste-to-energy technology and sustainable fuel production drive significant changes in the energy industry. These innovative solutions not only address waste management challenges but also contribute to broadening the energy source matrix and reducing dependence on traditional fossil fuels. This study evaluates the incorporation of polyethylene and polypropylene urban plastic waste in various agro-industrial by-product blends, which combine beet pulp, radiata pine, and eucalyptus bark wastes. The generation of the hybrid biofuel from agro-industrial waste and domestic solid waste in pellet form is investigated to determine the optimal blends in terms of durability, ash generation and calorific value. Both urban plastics incorporated in the mixtures not only significantly increase the calorific energy value but also promote the binding of the solid biofuel components. The polypropylene-based urban plastic pellet exhibited superior binding capacity and lower ash generation, even in complex hydroxyl functional groups. It also displayed suitable properties for solid biofuels, such as low fine content, high durability, and dimensional stability. The highest resulting calorific value of 22.6 MJ/kg was determined for the mass ratio of the blend with 99% durability, 0.23% fines content, and 5.1% combustion ash generation. This new hybrid biofuel is presented as a sustainable option and a significant contribution in the field of waste-to-energy technology and renewable energy production. The production cost of the hybrid biofuel is competitive with wood-based biofuels, with only a 6.25% increase observed for pellets made from 50% wood and 20% beet pulp compared to traditional 100% wood pellets. However, significant cost reductions were achieved through specific configurations, resulting in savings of 14.8%. The novel hybrid biofuel requires only 9.2 MJ/kg to produce 22.6 MJ/kg, demonstrating significant energy impact and viability as a sustainable energy source in waste-to-energy technology and renewable energy production.

Role of industrial growth on economic development: A comparative analysis of developed and developing countries

Industrialization has played a pivotal role in shaping economic transformation, influencing growth patterns globally across different stages of development. This study investigates the role of industrialization on economic development by controlling labor force, capital formation, school enerollment, and institutional quality. The panel data of 62 developing and 96 developed countries are collected from World Bank from 1990 to 2023. The empirical results are estimated by using the Panel Quantile Regression (PQR), and its robustness is checked through the Method of Moverment-Quantile Regression (MM-QR) approach. The empirical results found the U-shaped relationship between industrialization and economic development in both samples. The labor force significantly increases economic development in developed countries while declines in developing countries. Gross capital formation and preprimary education also significantly enhance economic development. The institutional quality surges economic development in developed countries and declines in developing countries. The MM-QR approach also shows similar results, proving the PQR approach's robustness. This study recommends that all countries should focus on industrial diversification, improving infrastructure and energy access, strengthening institutions, building a skilled workforce, and ensuring environmental sustainability.

Micro-mechanisms of digitalization-driven financing for renewable energy: Growing capital pools and shifting flows

Recent facts from China suggest that the advancement of digitalization is altering the market expectations regarding renewable energy. Limited studies have offered evidence encompassing the stock effect of digitalization that enhanced corporate financing and the flow effect that initiated speculative behavior. However, a comprehensive discourse remains insufficient. This paper investigates the synergetic effects of digitalization's stock and flow on renewable energy financing, employing the business data of all listed companies in China from 2003 to 2023. The results demonstrate that: (1) Digitalization's stock has expanded the potential fund pool for renewable energy financing, yet it is challenging to influence the flow of funds; digitalization's flow has triggered a flood of funds into the renewable energy industry, but this relies on the new investors attracted by the stock. (2) The synergetic effect governs the systematic influence of digitalization on renewable energy financing and mitigates the measurement bias when considering only a single effect. (3) We further contemplate the indirect effects of renewable energy market expansion, technological progress, and global energy market fluctuations, alleviating concerns regarding the omitted variable bias. The results of the differential regression and generalized method of moments also indicate the robustness of the conclusion.

Exploring the complex relationship between industrial upgrading and energy eco-efficiency in river basin cities: A case study of the Yellow River Basin in China

The synergistic advancement of industrial upgrading and energy eco-efficiency is crucial for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. This study explored the coupling coordination relationship and its spatial-temporal evolution characteristics between industrial structure advancement and energy eco-efficiency, industrial structure rationalization and energy eco-efficiency in Yellow River Basin cities from 2010 to 2020. The super-SBM model and coupling coordination degree model were used to calculate the energy eco-efficiency and coupling coordination degree. Moran's I and Tobit model were used to analyze the spatial autocorrelation and the factors of coupling coordination degree. The coupling coordination degree of industrial structure advancement and energy eco-efficiency decreased from 0.535 to 0.489, with a growth rate of −8.60 %, showing a fluctuating downward trend. The coupling coordination degree of industrial structure rationalization and energy eco-efficiency decreased from 0.296 to 0.246, with a growth rate of −16.88 %, showing an "M" -shaped downward trend. The coupling coordination degree had a significant spatial correlation, and the global Moran's I value was stable around 0.2. Additionally, public transport and degree of opening-up can significantly promote the coordination relationship between industrial upgrading and energy eco-efficiency. These consequences can supply evidence for industrial and energy structure adjustment in river basin cities.

Assessing the potential of collaborative innovation strategies to drive green development: Threshold effect of market competition

Environmental management literature suggests that elevating the total factor productivity (TFP) of the renewable energy (RE) industry is pivotal for achieving green development. With intensifying market competition in the RE sector, collaborative innovation (COI) has emerged as a crucial strategic choice for enterprises to address developmental bottlenecks. To assess the potential of COI in driving green development, we leveraged data from 114 Chinese RE enterprises from 2011 to 2022. The research findings indicate: (1) COI significantly enhances the TFP of RE enterprises; this enhancement primarily stems from the positive influence of COI on innovation capabilities. (2) The positive effects of COI on TFP manifest only when market competition surpasses a certain threshold level. (3) COI significantly impacts the TFP of small and medium-sized RE enterprises in the growth stage.

Tailoring Ruthenium(II) and Rhenium(I) Complexes for Turn-On Luminescent Sensing of Antimony(III)

Antimony (Sb) is currently a widespread element with key roles in telecommunication, sustainable energy, and military industries, among others. Its significant toxicity determines the need to realize sensors for water, air, and soil and the industrial process monitoring of Sb species. Unfortunately, no antimony sensors exist so far, and just laboratory analysis methods are in use. We aimed to contribute to the development of optical sensors for the metalloid by tailoring, for the first time, luminescent Ru(II) and Re(I) polypyridyl complexes to probe and quantify the presence of Sb(III). The molecular design of the complexes includes the multifunctional Sb-binding 2-(2,2′-bithien-5-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f]-1,10-phenanthroline (btip) ligand that ensures the molecular binding of Sb(III) in organic media. The Ru(II)-btip complex is additionally endowed with one 2,2′-bipyrazine (bpz) or two 1,4,5,8-tetraazaphenanthrene (tap) ligands, namely [Ru(bpz)(btip)2]2+ and [Ru(tap)2(btip)]2+, that boost the excited state oxidation potential of the probe, leading to an intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer from btip to the Ru(II) core. The latter is suppressed upon interaction with Sb(III), leading to an 11-fold increase in both the luminescence intensity and lifetime of [Ru(bpz)(btip)2]2+ in the presence of ca. 50 μmol L−1 of SbCl3 in organic medium. The fluorescence intensity of [Re(CO)3(H2O)(btip)]+ also increases upon interaction with Sb(III) but to a much lesser extent due to the intraligand π*→π nature of its emission compared to the Ru(II) ligand-to-metal excited state deactivation. However, the weak π*→d emission band in the red spectral region of the former is quenched by the semimetallic element. The sensing mechanisms of the Ru(II)- and Re(I)-btip probes that allow luminescence intensity (Ru, Re), ratiometric (Ru), and lifetime measurements (Ru) are compared and discussed in this initial solution sensing study.

Novel modular multilevel matrix converter topology for efficient high-voltage AC-AC power conversion

Introduction. This paper delves into the practical application of multilevel technology, particularly focusing on the capacitor-clamped converter as a promising solution for medium-to-high voltage power conversion, with specific emphasis on direct AC-AC switching conditions. Problem. The limitations of conventional single-cell matrix converters (MC) in efficiency and performance for medium-to-high voltage power conversion applications are well-recognized. Goal. The primary objective is to investigate the performance of the 3 phase modular multilevel matrix converter (3MC) with three flying capacitors (FCs) modeling. This investigation utilizes the Venturini method for gate pulse generation, aiming to compare the performance of the 3MC with standard converter designs. Methodology. To achieve the research goal, the Venturini method is adopted for generating gate pulses for the 3MC, representing a departure from conventional approaches. Detailed simulations employing MATLAB/Simulink are conducted to comprehensively evaluate the performance of the 3MC in comparison to conventional converter designs. Results. The simulation outcomes reveal a significant reduction of 73 % in total harmonic distortion (THD) achieved by the 3MC. This reduction in THD indicates improved robustness and suitability for medium-to-high voltage power conversion systems necessitating direct AC-AC conversion. These results highlight the efficacy of the 3MC in enhancing power conversion efficiency and overall performance. Originality. This paper contributes novel insights into the practical implementation of multilevel technology, particularly within the realm of capacitor-clamped converters. Furthermore, the utilization of the Venturini method for gate pulse generation in the 3MC represents an original approach to enhancing converter performance. Practical value. The research findings present significant advancements in multilevel transformer technology, offering valuable guidance for optimizing transformer design in various industrial and renewable energy applications. These contributions serve to enhance the development of reliable and efficient power systems, addressing critical needs in the energy sector. References 54, tables 3, figures 4.

Urban-scale power decarbonization using a modified power purchase agreements framework based on Markowitz mean-variance theory

Urban power decarbonization is essential in the fight against climate change, yet current research often neglects the financial risks faced by investors and the shifting demands of consumers in liberalized electricity markets. This study addresses these gaps by proposing a modified Markowitz Mean-Variance Portfolio (MVP) theory, integrated with the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP), and a deep learning model. On this basis, an urban energy transition framework centered on Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) is proposed and developed. The framework is validated considering a case study in Kitakyushu, Japan, highlighting its potential in accelerating power sector decarbonization and achieving net-zero emissions by 2038. Additionally, the internal rate of return (IRR) remains stable between 14.5 % and 19.6 % across seven other cities. While the framework reduces long-term cash flow volatility, its effectiveness hinges on industrial electrification efficiency and regional energy self-sufficiency. The findings indicate that relying solely on renewable energy for low-carbon transitions is unrealistic. Furthermore, green hydrogen could emerge as a viable alternative to fossil fuels, potentially replacing batteries for long-term energy storage. Future research should explore cross-regional energy trade and establish legal frameworks for long-term energy transactions to bolster urban energy transition resilience across diverse geographic and economic contexts.

Lightweight innovation ADIs help development of renewable energy and new technology industries in China

Lightweight innovation ADIs help development of renewable energy and new technology industries in China

Optimizing Motorcycle Manufacturing Sustainability through the Integration of Waste Heat Recovery and Metal Scrap Recycling: A Process Engineering Approach

The automotive industry manufacturing has experienced rapid growth 2–3 times by 2050, with motorcycles constituting around 30% of vehicles worldwide, but this increase in production has significantly heightened the demand for raw materials and energy. A major challenge arises in managing material waste and waste heat generated during the manufacturing process. This research aims to develop a framework that optimizes the synergy between material waste recycling and waste heat recovery to enhance the sustainability of the motorcycle industry, reduce waste, and lower energy consumption. The design leverages waste heat from the melting process to preheat raw materials, raising temperatures from around 50 °C to 350 °C before melting, thereby reducing additional energy needs, lowering emissions, and decreasing operational costs. Utilizing waste heat for preheating not only mitigates environmental impact and thermal load but also significantly improves energy efficiency, ultimately resulting in cost savings and optimized resource use. Utilizing waste heat directly for preheating raw materials has effectively lowered energy consumption by as much as 30%. This approach not only improves operational efficiency but also decreases production costs and minimizes environmental impact, offering a more sustainable solution for the manufacturing sector.

The Effects of Industrial Value Addition and Energy Consumption on Environmental Deterioration: New Evidence from Islamic Countries

The current research is aimed at finding out the effects of energy consumption and industrial value addition on environmental deterioration. Panel data for the years 2000-2017 was employed to explore the long- and short-term association of variables for the selected Islamic countries. Panel Unit Root Test was used to check the stationarity of the data. Moreover, Fisher panel Co-integration tests, PMG, Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Square method (DOLS) were also applied to find out relationship between the variables. The study suggested that economic growth, industrial value addition and energy consumption positively affect the CO2 emission. Moreover, high-energy consumption to meet the demands of energy in transportation and production sectors leads to increased environmental pollution. The coefficient of industrial value addition shows significant effect on environmental deterioration in long term. Our study suggests the use of cleaner technology in production system and replacing renewable energy by non-renewable energy sources.

Enhancing microhardness and surface integrity of Ti–6Al–4V alloy using WC–Cu composite electrode aided electrical discharge coating

Titanium alloy can be found in numerous applications, such as chemical, aerospace, and energy industries, among other sectors, due to its excellent performance. Nevertheless, the possible uses of a variety of titanium-based alloys have been greatly restricted by their low hardness and inadequate resistance to wear. Therefore, in this research work, WC–Cu composite electrode assisted electrical discharge coating (EDC) is used for improving microhardness (MH) and surface integrity of Ti–6Al–4V alloy. By utilizing powder composite electrode, the conductivity of the electrode can be increased, which provides controlled electric spark, resulting in uniform deposition. In order to increase the rate of deposition, the terminal of the EDM has been changed as WC–Cu composite electrode as anode and workpiece as cathode. Response surface methodology is used for studying the variables including compacting pressure (MPa), discharge current (I), pulse on time (T on). In addition, microstructure, elemental analysis and coating interface of deposited Ti–6Al–4V alloy are investigated through scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The surface roughness of 8.86 µm was achieved at 400 MPa, 6 A, and 40 µs. The maximum MH of 988 HV was obtained at 400 MPa, 10 A, and 80 µs. The MH of the deposited layer is around 2–3 times harder than base material. Moreover, a greater adhesion strength coated layer was ∼118 N, which permits the alloy to have improved wear resistance. It was concluded that using a high-pressure electrode with lower settings resulted in an improved surface finish, while higher settings led to increased MH.

Manufacture and Applications of GaN-based Piezotronic and Piezo-phototronic Devices

Abstract Driven by the urgent demands for information technology, energy, and intelligent industry， third-generation semiconductor GaN has emerged as a pivotal component in electronic and optoelectronic devices. Piezoelectric polarization is the most essential feature of GaN materials. GaN materials based on piezotronics/phototronics combine mechanical signals with electrical signals/optical signals to achieve multi-field coupling of device performance. Piezotronics regulates the carrier transport process in micro-nano devices, which has been proven to significantly improve the performance of devices (such as HEMTs and MicroLEDs) and brings many novel applications. This review examines GaN material properties and the theoretical foundations of piezotronics and phototronics. It also explores GaN device fabrication and integration processes to achieve state-of-the-art device performance. This review also analyzes the impact of introducing three-dimensional stress and regulatory forces on devices' electrical and optical output performance. Additionally, it discusses new applications of GaN devices in neural sensing, optoelectronic output, and energy harvesting. Finally, the potential of piezotronic-controlled GaN devices offers insights for future research and the development of multi-functional, diversified electronic devices.

Can Technological Advancement Empower the Future of Renewable Energy? A Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag Approach

Energy is pivotal in achieving sustainable development’s economic, social, and environmental objectives. However, to attain this crucial goal, it is essential to focus on the type of energy we generate and the methods by which we use them. The availability, accessibility, and use of green technologies have improved significantly since the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). This paper applies the pooled mean group Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG ARDL) model from 2000 to 2021 to 11 countries that, according to the Climate Council, are most affected by environmental degradation issues and are taking new initiatives to reduce their emissions. The results indicate a significant relationship between renewable energy consumption and technological advancements in the short and long term. However, there needs to be more of the literature about the negative impact of research and development on renewable energy consumption. The findings of this paper can assist policymakers in determining effective strategies in the renewable energy sector, as any technological advancement is an innovative way to transform the renewable energy industry completely. By optimizing energy production and reducing costs, technological advancement can help a country achieve its renewable energy goals.

Pore-Scale Simulation of Deep Shale Gas Flow Considering the Dual-Site Langmuir Adsorption Model Based on the Pore Network Model.

As a key resource in the oil and gas sector, shale gas development profoundly influences the advancement of the global energy industry. Deep shale gas reservoirs, typically found at depths exceeding 3500 m, represent a significant portion of total shale gas reserves. Currently, pore network models primarily simulate middle and shallow shale gas, insufficiently addressing the unique challenges posed by high-temperature and high-pressure conditions in deep shale gas formations. There is an urgent need to explore the microscale flow dynamics of deep shale gas. In this work, we use the pore network model to simulate the flow dynamics of deep shale gas, particularly under nanoconfinement conditions. The simulation integrates adsorption, slip flow, Knudsen diffusion, and bulk flow phenomena. Utilizing the dual-site Langmuir adsorption model tailored for high-temperature and high-pressure conditions enhances the accuracy of gas conductivity calculations for the adsorbed phase, thereby reflecting the specific characteristics of deep shale gas reservoirs. Moreover, this research investigates the flow characteristics of deep shale gas under varying sensitivity parameters, such as water saturation, temperature, and pressure. It explores methane flow dynamics, focusing on effective diffusion coefficients and permeability. The modified approach to calculating adsorption phase conductivity using the dual-site Langmuir adsorption model accurately captures the adsorption behaviors and characteristics of deep shale gas reservoirs.

The New Energy State: Offshore Governance Regimes for Renewables as Natural Resources

Maturing renewable energy technologies are birthing new industry configurations, with offshore wind—with the EU holding 80 percent of global capacity—and “energy islands,” as notable examples. However, a clear conceptualization of the role of the state and governance framework is lacking, alongside growing pressure for the state to define the path forward. This paper analyzes recent developments in emerging EU offshore renewable energy regimes, drawing three implications that show the need for new governance frameworks. First, there is a reconfiguration of energy industry structures around changing economics and policies, in a repeat of historical experience. Second, energy islands increasingly represent features of a natural resource in fixed supply, with the economic nature of offshore energy gradually transiting from the sub-domain of renewable energy economics towards natural resource economics. Third, to realize their economic value, governance frameworks are needed to enable these resources to harmonize with other resources in fixed supply, such as the land on which they are sited, which is constitutionally under the stewardship of the state. We set out criteria for governance of these emerging offshore renewables, to underpin the changing industry landscape and new role of the state within it. JEL Classification: L22, L24, L51, Q20, Q24, Q28, Q32, Q38, Q48

Neural-Parareal: Self-improving acceleration of fusion MHD simulations using time-parallelisation and neural operators

The fusion research facility ITER is currently being assembled to demonstrate that fusion can be used for industrial energy production, while several other programmes across the world are also moving forward, such as EU-DEMO, CFETR, SPARC and STEP. The high engineering complexity of a tokamak makes it an extremely challenging device to optimise, and test-based optimisation would be too slow and too costly. Instead, digital design and optimisation must be favoured, which requires strongly-coupled suites of multi-physics, multi-scale High-Performance Computing calculations. Safety regulation, uncertainty quantification, and optimisation of fusion digital twins is undoubtedly an Exascale grand challenge. In this context, having surrogate models to provide quick estimates with uncertainty quantification is essential to explore and optimise new design options. But there lies the dilemma: accurate surrogate training first requires simulation data. Extensive work has explored solver-in-the-loop solutions to maximise the training of such surrogates. Likewise, innovative methods have been proposed to accelerate conventional HPC solvers using surrogates. Here, a novel approach is designed to do both. By bootstrapping neural operators and HPC methods together, a self-improving framework is achieved. As more simulations are being run within the framework, the surrogate improves, while the HPC simulations get accelerated. This idea is demonstrated on fusion-relevant MHD simulations, where Fourier Neural Operator based surrogates are used to create neural coarse-solver for the Parareal (time-parallelisation) method. Parareal is particularly relevant for large HPC simulations where conventional spatial parallelisation has saturated, and the temporal dimension is thus parallelised as well. This Neural-Parareal framework is a step towards exploiting the convergence of HPC and AI, where scientists and engineers can benefit from automated, self-improving, ever faster simulations. All data/codes developed here are made available to the community.

Thriving through innovation: Boosting green tech performance in China's new energy sector

In response to the challenges of sustainable development, green technological innovation (GTI) is considered as a key driver of high-quality growth. However, current research often lacks a comprehensive assessment of GTI's multidimensional performance and rarely explores improvement pathways from a structural perspective. This study evaluates the GTI performance of China's new energy sector using data from 62 listed companies between 2015 and 2021, employing a Back Propagation (BP) neural network model optimized by a genetic algorithm. Additionally, it explores performance enhancement paths through fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). The findings indicate that: Industrial structure and human resource levels significantly boost GTI performance in the new energy sector; Optimizing and upgrading industrial structures plays a crucial role in GTI improvement; High Research and development (R&D) investment and human capital strengthen market competitiveness, leading to higher GTI levels; The development of GTI in the new energy sector exhibited a general upward trend, with notable differences across sub-industries and regions from 2015 to 2021. Based on these results, this study recommends differentiated industry support, targeted regional policies, and enhanced talent cultivation to improve GTI performance in China's emerging energy industry.

Interactive Cycles between Energy Education and Energy Preferences: A Literature Review on Empirical Evidence

The ultimate goal of energy education is to cultivate citizens with energy literacy, which in turn influences the energy preferences of the general public. Various aspects, such as teaching, practice, publicity, and participation, all profoundly impact the formation of energy literacy. This study reviews the role of energy education in educational policy-making, the operation of educational systems, the design of innovative energy industry environments, and public participation. Through a systematic review, this study integrates empirical research across various contexts and environments. The relevant topics of empirical research include ‘energy education’, ‘energy literacy’, ‘energy preferences’, ‘energy education policy’, ‘operation of energy education systems’, ‘creation of a renewable energy industry environment’, and ‘public participation’. These studies indicate that energy education can enhance participants’ awareness of energy through knowledge transfer, enabling them to adopt more effective energy solutions and cultivate citizens with energy literacy. Energy education not only shapes the public’s energy literacy but also further influences energy preferences, which in turn can have profound effects on social interactions, market outcomes, and political and social systems. Finally, from the perspectives of ‘educational shaping’ and ‘cultural shaping’, the research explores the impact of energy education on the energy environment and people’s values. The findings reveal that society gradually forms a consensus on energy through long-term interactions, establishing a unique energy culture that subsequently influences the direction and implementation of national energy policies. There exist interactive cycles between energy education and energy policy: energy education influences public energy preferences, while energy culture, in turn, affects policy formulation.