Low-carbon Production Research Articles

On the prospects of small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses in Russia

The sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as RF, Russia) have most significantly affected high-tech sectors of the economy. In these conditions, it is necessary to solve a number of problems, including import substitution, the transition to the Industry 4.0 concept and low-carbon production and consumption. The need of participation in solving these problems is substantiated not only for large, but also for small and medium-sized businesses (hereinafter referred to as SMB). The current state and prospects for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (hereinafter referred to as SME) in Russia are analysed. The article emphasises the discrepancy between the modern state of the domestic SME and its potential capabilities , in particular the insufficient participation of this business in production activities. The problems of SMB and its risks related to the current geopolitical situation are indicated. Ways of overcoming similar problems in other countries experiencing sanctions pressure, as well as the efforts of the RF to minimise losses of the Russian SMB, are shown. It is noted that the implementation of the national project “Small and medium-sized entrepreneurship and support for individual entrepreneurial initiative” does not solve all the problems of the SME. As promising areas for the SMB development, it is proposed to strengthen its cooperation with big business, modify the “Grow a Supplier” programme, and intensify work on targeted training of personnel for subjects of small and medium-sized manufacturing entrepreneurship in the country’s universities with participation of the big business. The ways to ensure the sustainability of the domestic manufacturing business, possible in modern conditions, are considered.

Engineering high production of fatty alcohols from methanol by constructing coordinated dual biosynthetic pathways

Microbial cell factories provide an efficient approach for the green manufacturing of chemicals. However, the excessive use of sugars increases the potential risk of food crisis. Methanol, an abundant feedstock, holds promise in facilitating low-carbon production processes. However, the current methanol bioconversion is hindered by limited regulatory strategies and relatively low conversion efficiency. Here, a yeast biocatalyst was extensively engineered for efficient biosynthesis of fatty alcohols through reinforcement of precursor supply and methanol assimilation in Pichia pastoris. Furthermore, the dual cytoplasmic and peroxisomal biosynthetic pathways were constructed by mating and exhibited robust production of 5.6 g/L fatty alcohols by using methanol as the sole carbon source. This study provides a heterozygous diploid P. pastoris strain with dual cytoplasmic and peroxisomal biosynthetic pathways, which achieved the highest fatty alcohol production from one-carbon feedstocks to date.

The Influence of Climate Perception and Low-Carbon Awareness on the Emission Reduction Willingness of Decision Makers in Large-Scale Dairy Farming: Evidence from the Midwest of Inner Mongolia, China

In recent years, global climate change has profoundly influenced natural ecosystems and human societies, making climate mitigation and carbon emission reduction a point of consensus among the international community. The issue of carbon emissions in agriculture, particularly in the livestock sector, is garnering increasing attention. This study focuses on large-scale dairy farms in the central and western regions of Inner Mongolia, exploring their low-carbon production behavioral intentions and influencing factors. By constructing a structural equation model (PLS-SEM), we systematically analyze the relationships between variables such as climate perception, value judgment, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived control and their combined effects on low-carbon production behavioral intentions. The findings suggest that the influence of climate perception and low-carbon awareness is mediated. Thus, the stronger the farm owners’ perception of climate change, the more they recognize the value of low-carbon production and the greater the social pressure they experience and their sense of self-efficacy. The farm owners’ attitudes, perceptions of social norms, and evaluations of their own capabilities collectively determine their intentions regarding low-carbon production. Furthermore, multi-group analysis showed significant heterogeneity in behavioral intentions between different scales of dairy farms. Small-scale farms, due to their weaker economic capacity, tend to harbor negative attitudes towards low-carbon production, while large-scale farms, with greater economic power and sensitivity to policy and market demands, are more likely to take low-carbon actions. This study provides theoretical support for formulating effective low-carbon policies, contributing to the sustainable development of the livestock sector and agriculture as a whole.

Exploring the Effects of Low-Carbon Labels on Purchase Intentions for Green Agricultural Products

Expedited economic expansion and innovative technological advancement have precipitated considerable environmental predicaments, giving rise to extensive ecological conundrums worldwide. In response to the pressing situation, numerous countries have implemented policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions. One such initiative is the “low-carbon label”, which signifies a commitment to lowering carbon emissions. On one hand, it offers consumers an effective means to identify low-carbon products, thereby enhancing their willingness towards green consumption. On the other hand, it motivates businesses to transition towards greener practices, thereby guiding the market towards more environmentally friendly directions. This transition has had a significantly positive impact on reducing carbon emissions and promoting the development of a low-carbon economy, highlighting its critical value within the broader environmental movement. This study focuses on exploring whether the low-carbon label can influence consumers’ willingness to purchase green agricultural products. The theoretical framework was developed based on the theory of perceived value and SOR theory. The data were gathered through a randomized survey conducted in China. The research findings suggest that the perceived environmental value, functional value, and emotional value have significant impacts on consumers’ willingness to purchase green agricultural products. Trust in low-carbon labels plays a critical role in mediating the relationship between perceived value and consumers’ purchasing intentions for green agricultural products. Our research yielded the following conclusions. (1) Consumers are progressively cultivating an independent pro-environmental persona and increasingly aligning themselves with sustainable development, as indicated by their affinity towards carbon labels. (2) The selection of low-carbon agricultural products by consumers is contingent upon sensory perception, emphasizing environmental spillover value, functional enhancement, and emotional support. (3) Consumer confidence in green low-carbon agricultural products stems from an intuitive perception perspective, suggesting that low-carbon labels should accentuate functional and emotional values. The study suggests proactive measures to enhance the role of low-carbon labels in the consumption of green agricultural products. These measures include three parts: (1) Improving the content system of low-carbon labels and integrating digital technologies to reconstruct trust systems; (2) strengthening promotional efforts focusing on enhancing consumers’ intrinsic value perceptions; and (3) establishing a national-level low-carbon labels certification system, raising standards, and strengthening supervision.

Current and potential materials for the low-carbon cement production: Life cycle assessment perspective

Given the carbon-intensive nature of cement production, conducting a comprehensive environmental evaluation using life cycle assessment (LCA) modeling is paramount to achieving eco-friendly cement standards. This study meticulously compiles and evaluates LCA findings from diverse analyses of current and potential supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) within the blended cement sector. It underscores the impact of the functional unit (FU) within the LCA approach, supply chain considerations, and technical and regulatory factors on the sustainability of blended cement mixtures. Most of LCAs studied herein show that integrating SCMs into the cement matrix typically reduces land use, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, thereby lowering the global warming potential (GWP) of ordinary portland cement (OPC) samples from 831 to 980 kg of CO2-eq to 768-481 kg of CO2-eq per ton of cement. However, in some instances, environmental indicators like abiotic depletion potential-elements (ADP-E) and human toxicity potential (HTP) rise due to increased mining, electricity, and transportation demand for SCMs. Regarding the environmental potential of alkali-activated cementitious materials and low-carbon clinker formulations, we found that limitations arise in fully replacing OPC due to global raw material availability constraints, rendering them economically unfavorable and impeding their widespread adoption. Among the SCMs examined in this study, clays, which are more widely available compared to industrially sourced materials like fly ash, slag, and silica fume, exhibited a more favorable environmental profile when evaluated using a mass-based FU. Incorporating compressive strength into the FU resulted in greater environmental benefits from high-strength blendedcement composites. However, this approach might lead to inaccurate results because higher strength does not always correspond to a lower environmental impact. Thus, establishing a FU that accurately reflects the environmental impact of blended cement and its composites (e.g., concrete and mortar) is crucial. Despite the potential of various pozzolanic materials to reduce clinker content in cement mixtures, their wide utilization remains restricted due to the absence of widescale market-based initiatives, green procurement strategies, and effective policy measures, which hampers their industrial and public acceptance. Consequently, governmental support is essential for developing and integrating sustainable cement solutions.

Computational simulation of SE-SR of methane in a bench-scale circulating fluidised bed reactor: Insights into the effects of bed geometry design and catalyst-sorbent ratios

Operating sorbent-enhanced steam reforming (SE-SR) of methane in fluidised bed reactors presents a promising pathway for industrial low-carbon hydrogen production. However, further understanding of its complex multi-phase behaviours under certain operating conditions is still needed to guide reactor design and scale-up. This study developed a computational particle fluid dynamic (CPFD) reactor model to study cyclic SE-SR performance. The model was used to simulate scenarios representing potential reductions in catalyst activity and sorbent inventory levels over time by varying catalyst-sorbent ratios. Additionally, the effects of two different bed geometry designs were examined.Results indicate that varying solids ratios influenced reaction progress, with optimised methane conversion and CO2 capture observed at moderate ratios. Higher sorbent loadings enhanced thermal neutrality but risked increased calciner energy penalties. Bed geometry also influenced localised hydrodynamics. Detailed solids and gas concentration contours provided insight into segregation and spatial product distribution in the two designs.

Developing sustainable development indicators for low-carbon tourism itinerary

ABSTRACT The tourism industry has commenced the promotion of low-carbon tourism to combat climate change and reduce carbon emissions. This study focused on low-carbon tourism itinerary planning and sustainable development indicators, which are based on the theoretical perspective of tourism experience value. These insights were gained through interviews with government tourism bureau managers, academic researchers and managers of industry sustainable tourism development associations. The results indicate that among the dimensions of sustainable development indicators, ‘sustainable management mechanism’ and ‘environmental education and training’ had the most significant impact. The order of importance in the attributes was ‘green energy promotion’, ‘low-carbon production and marketing mechanism’, ‘asset protection monitoring’ and ‘carbon reduction education’. This indicates that these attributes play a crucial role in ensuring sustainability and environmental protection. This study thus provides a valuable integrated tool for sustainable development and low-carbon tourism itinerary management.

Tungsten-needle intensifies microwave-sustained plasma accelerating direct H2S conversion to H2

Direct sustainable conversion of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) enables collaborative recovery of H and S resources via a metal-enhanced microwave plasma strategy, avoiding the hydrogen waste in the traditional Claus process. However, the metal size effect on microwave plasma property, the optimal process parameters, and the enhancement mechanism remain unclear in H2S conversion. Herein, the optimal tungsten needle (diameter: 1 mm, length: 60 mm, and tip angle: 10°) is experimentally proven for intensifying microwave discharge in multi-mode cavities. Theoretical calculations and plasma distribution reveal that the optimized tungsten needle achieves the ideal coupling with the microwave field, exhibiting extreme electric field augmentation around the needle tip. Tungsten-needle intensifies microwave-sustained plasma, realizing 40.2 % (90.1 %) conversion of 100 % (10 %) concentration H2S to H2 at a low microwave power of 300 W with a good stability of 30 hrs. Low power, large flow rate, and high H2S concentration are beneficial for improving energy efficiency. The excitation of microwave plasma is accompanied by a massive generation of highly energetic electrons. The direct high-energy electron-H2S collision contributes a lot to H2S splitting, especially for high-concentration H2S. In-situ optical emission spectroscopy confirms the vital S and H radicals in the plasma. The free radical reactions triggered by electron collisions are responsible for the production of H2 and S. This work opens an avenue to sustainable and low-carbon hydrogen production from the direct conversion and utilization of H2S.

High Entropy Alloys as High Performance Catalysts for Electrolytic Water Splitting

Renewable energy driven electrolytic water splitting is a required technology for low-carbon hydrogen production to achieve the goal of net-zero CO2 emission by 2050. This technology also serves as a necessary energy storage route to resolve the intolerable intermittency and unreliability issues of renewable energies. The prevailing of this hydrogen production technology however is restricted by the high cost of electricity. Consequently, developments of cost–effective highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts to drive the electrolytic water splitting reactions are the key. In terms of catalyst developments, mono-component systems are first explored, followed by multi–component systems, taking advantages of possible positive synergy between constituent components. Recently, a new class of multi-component catalyst systems, entropy-stabilized materials, including alloys, oxides, sulfides, phosphides, etc., emerges and is demonstrated promising performances toward electrocatalysis. In light of the variable and flexible element compositions, entropy-stabilized materials provide infinite and enormous potentials for the design of promising electrocatalysts. The key is to maximize the synergy between constituent components. High entropy alloys (HEA), defined as alloys composed of five or more major metallic elements, have been under intensive and extensive development in past fifteen years for their extraordinary mechanical, magnetic, corrosion, and catalytic properties. Herein, an equi–molar FeCoNiCuMo HEA on nickel foam was developed as a breakthrough catalyst for electrocatalytic water splitting, in terms of both activity and stability, in pH-universal media and in severe industrial operation conditions. Furthermore, a new catalytic phenomenon is discovered. Two different catalytic mechanisms function simultaneously on different constituents of the catalyst, and the synergistic interactions between the two categorical domains leads to catalytic kinetics faster than the theoretical limit set by a single rate-limiting step, Tafel step of the Volmer-Tafel route. A new kinetic model is developed to predict a new theoretical lower limit of Tafel slopes of 15 mV/dec based on a synergistic interaction between the two categorical domains of the high entropy alloy catalyst. This new development proves that the theoretical lower limit of Tafel slope of 30 mV/dec posed for the Volmer-Tafel mechanism functioning on a single component catalyst can be further reduced to 15 mV/dec through synergistic interactions between two categorical domains of a multi-component catalyst. It is demonstrated that high entropy materials, composed of five or more atomically/molecularly well-mixed major components, are intrinsically promising candidates for realization of quantum leaps in catalytic performances of catalysts.

The Effect of PTFE Dip Coating on Enhancing the Durability and Performance of Anion Exchange Membrane Electrolyzers

Anion exchange membrane electrolyzers (AEMELs) are widely regarded as one of the most promising technologies to enable low-carbon hydrogen production. AEMELs can combine the advantages the traditional alkaline electrolyzer (AEL) and proton exchange membrane electrolyzer (PEMEL) – allowing for the use of PGM free electrodes, high operating current density, environmentally friendly materials, and compact design. Although significant progress has been made in the field of AEMELs, there is still a gap in performance compared to PEMELs that can be overcome through electrode design.One of the most critical aspects affecting the overall performance of the AEMEC is the water management. It has a major influence on cell behavior, and specifically mass transfer at the anode side of the cell. To improve AEMEL anode water dynamics, our team modified its porous transport layer (PTLs) through the addition of controlled amounts of hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This study investigated the effect of PTFE loading and coating method on the performance of AEMELs. Ni-based PTLs were used. Experimental results revealed that a low amount of PTFE not only enhanced the performance, but it also enhanced the catalyst layer attachment. On the other hand, higher PTFE content led to a reduction in water availability in the electrode, leading to increased mass transfer overpotentials. In summary, increasing the hydrophobicity of Ni-PTLs appears to improve AEMEC performance, with the best performing electrodes having a PTFE loading of ~1-2% (equivalent to 5-10 wt.% on carbon GDLs).

The impact of China’s total carbon emission control policy on low carbon total factor productivity

ABSTRACT The evaluation of the policy effect of total carbon emission control policy (TCP) is crucial to achieve high-quality economic development in China. This paper measures the low-carbon total factor productivity (LCTFP) of 282 Chinese cities from 2010 to 2021, and examines the impact of TCP on LCTFP through differences-in-differences (DID) method. The results show that TCP can effectively improve LCTFP in policy implementation areas. TCP has a stronger LCTFP promotion effect on eastern cities, resource-based cities and higher-level cities. Technological progress effect and industrial structure effect are important channels for TCP to improve LCTFP. TCP has a negative spatial spillover effect on LCTFP. This paper provides valuable references to promote the implementation of TCP in China.

The Emission-Reduction Effect of Green Demand Preference in Carbon Market and Macro-Environmental Policy: A DSGE Approach

Along with the new stage of prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic and the vision and goals of combatting climate change, the challenges of the transition to a green economy have become more severe. The need for green recovery of the economy, stability and security of energy production and consumption, and the coordination of low-carbon transformation and socio-economic development has become increasingly urgent. This paper proposes a new theoretical framework to study the effect of carbon emission reduction on the mutual application of the carbon market, fiscal policy and monetary policy under the non-homothetic preference of energy product consumption. By constructing an environmental dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (E-DSGE) model with residents’ non-homothetic preferences, this paper finds that coordinating the carbon market and macroeconomic policies can achieve economic and environmental goals. However, the transmission paths for each are different. The carbon market influences producers’ abatement efforts and costs through carbon prices. Monetary policy controls carbon emissions by adjusting interest rates, while fiscal policy controls carbon emissions by adjusting total social demand. Improving non-homothetic preferences will amplify business cycle fluctuations caused by exogenous shocks, thus assuming the role of a “financial accelerator”. Further research shows that non-homothetic preferences influence the heterogeneity of different policy mixes. Finally, this paper discovers that the welfare effects, the relative size and difference of long-term and short-term effects resulting from the different policy mixes, also depend on the level of non-homothetic preferences. The intertemporal substitution mechanism due to the improvement of non-homothetic preferences endows low-carbon production with “option” characteristics. Our study reveals the role of non-homothetic preferences on the effectiveness of policy implementation. It highlights the importance of matching monetary and fiscal policies with the carbon market based on the consumption and production side. It provides ideas for policy practice to achieve the goal of “dual carbon” and promoting coordinated socio-economic development.

The Carbon Footprint and Influencing Factors of the Main Grain Crops in the North China Plain

The North China Plain (NCP) serves as a critical grain-producing region in China, playing a pivotal role in ensuring the nation’s food security. A comprehensive analysis of the carbon footprint (CF) related to the cultivation of major grain crops within this region and the proposal of strategies to reduce emissions through low-carbon production methods are crucial for advancing sustainable agricultural practices in China. This study employed the lifecycle assessment (LCA) method to estimate the CF of wheat, maize, and rice crops over a period from 2013 to 2022, based on statistical data collected from five key provinces and cities in the NCP: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, and Henan. Additionally, the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model was utilized to analyze the influencing factors. The results indicated that the carbon footprints per unit area (CFA) of maize, wheat, and rice increased between 2013 and 2022. Rice had the highest carbon footprint per unit yield (CFY), averaging 1.1 kg CO2-eq kg−1, with significant fluctuations over time. In contrast, the CFY of wheat and maize remained relatively stable from 2013 to 2022. Fertilizers contributed the most to CF composition, accounting for 48.8%, 48.0%, and 25.9% of the total carbon inputs for wheat, maize, and rice, respectively. The electricity used for irrigation in rice production was 31.8%, which was much higher than that of wheat (6.8%) and maize (7.1%). The LMDI model showed that the labor effect was a common suppressing factor for the carbon emissions of maize, wheat, and rice in the NCP, while the agricultural structure effect and the economic development effect were common driving factors. By improving the efficiency of fertilizer and pesticide utilization, cultivating new varieties, increasing the mechanical operation efficiency, the irrigation efficiency, and policy support, the CF of grain crop production in the NCP can be effectively reduced. These efforts will contribute to the sustainable development of agricultural practices in the NCP and support China’s efforts to achieve its “double carbon” target.

Development of low-carbon technologies in China's integrated hydrogen supply and power system

Hydrogen and electricity are crucial and interdependent energy carriers in China's pursuit of carbon neutrality, suggesting the necessity of utilizing cost-effective low-carbon technologies that facilitate their integrated development. The cost-optimal, provincial level, deployment of low-carbon technologies under this long-term goal remains to be determined. This study employs the REPO model to identify the cost-optimal, low-carbon hydrogen production mixes and the evolution of the integrated power system of China from 2020 to 2050. The integrated planning and operation of hydrogen supply and power systems are explored at the provincial level. The role of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors in this integrated energy system is also analyzed. The results reveal that electrolytic hydrogen would dominate China's hydrogen supply after 2040, with alkaline, proton exchange membrane, and solid oxide electrolyzers produce over 1 Mt of hydrogen in the short term, by 2035, and in 2050. Leveraging the low-carbon heat production of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors in addition to its electricity generation to meet the thermal requirements of solid oxide electrolyzers could boost the output to 4.2 Mt in 2050 and reducing the total system CO2 emissions and costs by 2.28% and 0.05%, respectively. By 2050, the integration of hydrogen supply and power systems also generates up to 2194 TW h of flexible electricity demand by electrolyzers, which raised the renewable energy penetration by 4 percentage points while decreasing the need of flexible natural gas power generations and energy storages. This study is valuable for proposing the analytical framework and performing the provincial-level study of decarbonization of China's integrated hydrogen supply and power system.

Carbon emission reductions in the University of São Paulo’s transportation sector using hydrogen-powered vehicles

The transportation sector, especially diesel-powered buses in Brazil, faces a significant decarbonization challenge, contributing with 19.76 million tCO2-eq GHG emissions. Therefore, this study aims to calculate the achievable GHG emission reductions by implementing renewable hydrogen vehicles at the University of São Paulo. The methodological approach considers low-carbon hydrogen production using the ethanol steam reforming route, where energy and mass balances are performed throughout the hydrogen chain. Two models are developed to calculate CO2-eq emissions. Results show that replacing the current fleet of conventional internal combustion engine buses with hydrogen-based options leads to a significant annual reduction of 2658 tCO2-eq, approximately an 83% reduction as compared to the conventional one. Moreover, the total energy conversion efficiency, well-to-wheel, reaches 26.9% and 11.8% for hydrogen and conventional vehicles, respectively, without air-conditioning system, or 21.9% and 9.9% when air-conditioning is coupled, respectively. Notably, CO2-eq emissions increase by at least 38.3% and 15.5% due to the presence of that equipment, respectively. Finally, the results of total cost of ownership (TCO) showed that CAPEX represents only 7.14% of the TCO, being the fuel cost the major proportion for both technologies.

Quantifying growth, erosion and dislodgement rates of farmed kelp (Saccharina latissima) to examine the carbon sequestration potential of temperate seaweed farming

Seaweed cultivation, including kelp species, is rapidly expanding in many regions. A widely assumed co-benefit of seaweed farming is increased local carbon sequestration rates (thereby contributing to climate change mitigation), although direct field-based measurements of carbon assimilation and release are largely lacking. We quantified growth, erosion and dislodgement rates of farmed Saccharina latissima in Porthallow Bay (Cornwall, UK) throughout a typical cultivation season to provide insights into the carbon sequestration potential of small-scale kelp farms. Blade elongation rates increased from ~ 1.3 cm day−1 to ~ 2.3 cm day−1 in March–April, before declining to 1.4 cm day−1 by May. Meanwhile, erosion rates remained low, ranging from ~ 0.5 to ~ 0.8 cm day−1. Dislodgement rates decreased from 20% of plants in January–February to 5% in April–May. Rates of carbon accumulation and loss increased from January to May, related to an increase in standing stock. Conservative first-order estimates suggest that the farm captures 0.14 t C ha−1 y−1, of which up to 70% is released into the environment as particulate organic carbon. Based on previous estimates of carbon burial and storage rates, the farm may sequester 0.05 t CO2e ha−1 y−1. These values suggest that scaling-up European kelp farming should be motivated by other co-benefits, such as low-carbon product alternatives, job creation and potential biodiversity gains, and not be solely driven by a perceived meaningful increase in carbon sequestration. Importantly, further information needs to be obtained from a variety of cultivation sites to develop a better understanding of carbon dynamics associated with kelp farms.

Eco-friendly low-carbon manganese ferroalloy production for cleaner steel technologies

Global steel production, a major contributor to anthropogenic carbon dioxide, heavily relies on manganese, a key ingredient that significantly impacts the carbon footprint during the production of high-carbon ferromanganese. A single-step generation of low-carbon ferromanganese (LC-FeMn) from manganese ore in an electric arc furnace (EAF) was investigated. The theoretical and experimental investigations helped to balance the required and supplied energy. The process sustainability was predicted based on the enthalpy of the reaction. Pre-reduction of manganese ore decreased energy consumption in the smelting process and saved raw materials costs. The simulation studies revealed a significant effect of lime and silica on the slag-metal equilibrium. It further confirmed the best-reducing condition with the basicity 1.5–1.77 by smelting tests in EAF. Experimental results showed an optimal charge mixture comprising appropriate ratios of ore:SiMn:lime ratio, producing a standard-grade product. Simultaneous melting and smelting sensibly used the exothermic heat, consuming 410–880 kWh/ton, much lower than the international benchmark, i.e. approximately 2000 kWh/ton. The characterization of resulting slags corroborated the advantages of the manganese ore pre-reduction on the energy and reductant consumption, alloy grade, and slag characteristics. The present study's findings can potentially contribute to the ongoing low-carbon initiatives of steel.

Analyzing the influence of government policy on building carbon emission reduction based on differential game

With the continuous growth of low-carbon economy and people’s increasing preference for low-carbon products, the building carbon emission reduction (CER) has been highly concerned by the government. Therefore, in this study, we establish a game model through differential game to analyze the impact of government policies on building’s CER. We get: (1) Compared with the carbon tax policy, the government policy combining carbon tax and cost subsidy is more conducive to reducing carbon emissions; (2) For the three government policies, when the cost subsidy rate is lower than a fixed value, the government policy combining carbon tax and cost subsidy is the optimal strategy for building’s CER. When the cost subsidy rate is greater than a fixed value, the cost subsidy policy is the best strategy for building’s CER.

Analysis of the impact of resource misallocation and socialized services on low-carbon agricultural production with DML based on random forest

The substantial increase in agricultural carbon emissions (ACEs) contributes significantly to global warming, and agricultural resource misallocation (ARM) plays a major role in the rise of ACEs. Therefore, the aim of developing modern agriculture is to reduce ARM and promote low-carbon agriculture. To achieve this, the double machine learning model (DML) and moderating effect model are adopted in the present study to explore the correlations between agricultural socialized services (ASS), ARM, and ACEs. Also, the ARM index is calculated using the panel data collected from 31 provinces during the 2004–2020 period in China. The research results are as follows. Firstly, ARM has a significant positive impact on ACEs at the 1% significance level. Secondly, ASS exerts significant negative regulatory effects on ARM and ACEs at the 1% significance level. Lastly, the goodness of fit (R2) reaches 95% and 40% for DML and the fixed effect model (FEM), respectively. Relatively, DML performs better in the goodness of fit according to this study. Furthermore, it is found out in this study that land misallocation, labor misallocation and capital misallocation increase ACEs and impede the development of low-carbon agriculture. Also, as a regulatory variable, ASS mitigates the ARM-induced increase of ACEs. Therefore, these findings provide guidance on the development of low-carbon agriculture for ASS.

Pyrolysis kinetic analysis and model constructions of different ranks of coal and validation by GA–BP neural networks

In the current steel industry, environmental pressures are mounting. If the reducing gases generated from coal pyrolysis can be utilized for reducing iron ore, the goal of low-carbon production with controllable costs can be achieved. However, the release of volatile content in coal has a significant impact on the pyrolysis process and final products. Therefore, in this study, the pyrolysis characteristics and gaseous products of four types of coal with different volatile matter content was investigated by thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) technology. The results showed that coals with higher volatile matter content demonstrated stronger reactivity during pyrolysis. As the volatile matter content in coal increased, the starting temperature for releasing the reducing gases decreased, leading to a significant increase in the released gas volume. In addition, the three kinetic factors were calculated by isoconversional method, distribution of the activation energy model (DAEM) and Coats-Redfern (CR) method respectively, and the pyrolysis reaction mechanism function suitable for all coal types was reconstructed based on common solid reaction models. Finally, a predictive model based on a GA-improved back-propagation neural network (BPNN) was developed, which useing 21 input parameters to predict the TG curves, activation energy (E), lnA and mechanism function (fα) and achieving R2 values above 0.95. This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the pyrolysis mechanism of coals with different volatile matter content, providing scientific guidance for effective utilization.