Low Carbon Research Articles

Greenhouse-gas abatement on Australian dairy farms: what are the options?

The Australian dairy industry contributes significantly to the rural economy, but must reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions to remain competitive in a global market that is starting to prioritise a low carbon footprint. Demand for improved environmental, social and governance performance from supply chains creates an imperative for research to deliver options for farmers to make reductions in their environmental footprint. Given the rapidly evolving nature of greenhouse-gas abatement research, this critical review provides an update on the state of the research relevant to Australian dairy systems and identifies research gaps that must be addressed if there is to be widespread on-farm adoption. Current research suggests that Australian dairy farms could theoretically abate enteric methane by 40–50%, with about another 5–10% reduction in whole-farm greenhouse-gas emissions being possible by flocculating or covering stored effluent. Fertiliser- and urine-patch management strategies could substantially reduce direct and indirect nitrous oxide emissions, but by variable amounts subject to local conditions. However, few abatement options are currently cost-effective for farmers. Significantly more research investment is required to facilitate the on-farm adoption of strategies, particularly to reduce enteric methane and improve the efficiency of nitrogen cycling. Improved understanding is required of the influences on each strategy’s abatement potential and interactions with economically important traits in grazing systems, the effect of combining abatement strategies, and systems by which strategies can be implemented cost-effectively on farms. The challenge for research is to consider how the implementation of cost-effective abatement options can be refined for grazing dairy systems to maintain the position of Australian dairy in the global market.

Renewable Solar Energy Facilities in South America—The Road to a Low-Carbon Sustainable Energy Matrix: A Systematic Review

South America is a place on the planet that stands out with enormous potential linked to renewable energies. Countries in this region have developed private investment projects to carry out an energy transition from fossil energies to clean energies and contribute to climate change mitigation. The sun resource is one of the more abundant sources of renewable energies that stands out in South America, especially in the Atacama Desert. In this context, South American countries are developing sustainable actions/strategies linked to implementing solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) facilities and achieving carbon neutrality for the year 2050. As a result, this systematic review presents the progress, new trends, and the road to a sustainable paradigm with disruptive innovations like artificial intelligence, robots, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for solar energy facilities in the region. According to the findings, solar energy infrastructure was applied in South America during the global climate change crisis era. Different levels of implementation in solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities have been reached in each country, with the region being a worldwide research and development (R&D) hotspot. Also, high potential exists for concentrated solar power (CSP) facilities considering the technology evolution, and for the implementation of the hybridization of solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities with onshore wind farm infrastructures, decreasing the capital/operation costs of the projects. Finally, synergy between solar energy infrastructures with emerging technologies linked with low-carbon economies like battery energy storage systems (BESSs) and the use of floating solar PV plants looks like a promising sustainable solution.

Role of zeolite and palm fiber in modifying the strength of cement-treated soil.

This paper aimed to research the role of zeolite and palm fiber in changing strength of cement-treated soil. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) testwas mainly used to study the changes of strength of cement-treated soil by varied content of cement, zeolite, palm fiber under different curing period. The optimum substitution rate of zeolite for cement was researched for the purpose of increasing of strength of cement-treated soil and low carbon and environment protection, while the optimum content of palm fiber was explored for improving of strength and ductility of cement-treated soil by means of analytic software. Finally, the multiple regression technology was used to try to capture the relationship between strength of cement-treated soil and content of zeolite and palm fiber. The results show that the cement, zeolite, palm fiber and curing age have strong effect on the UCS of cement-treated soil.

Selective Oxidation of Polyesters via PdCu-TiO2 Photocatalysts in Flow.

Catalytic upcycling of plastic wastes offers a sustainable circular economy. Selective conversion of the most widely used polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), under ambient conditions is practically attractive because of low energy consumption and carbon footprint. Here, we report selective, aerobic conversion of PET in a flow reactor using TiO2 photocatalyst modified with atomic Pd and metallic PdCu (Pd1Cu0.4-TiO2) under ambient conditions. We demonstrate that atomically synergistic Pd1Cu0.4-TiO2 exhibits a formate evolution of 4707 μmol g-1 h-1 with a selectivity of 92.3% together with trace COx released. Importantly, we show that this corresponds to 10-103 times greater activity than reported photocatalytic systems. We confirm that synergy between atomic Pd and metallic PdCu boosts directional charge transfer and oxygen-induced C-C cleavage and inhibits product decomposition. We conclude that photocatalytic waste plastic-to-chemical conversion is sustainable via targeted engineering of atomically synergistic catalysts and reaction systems.

Performance of Molasses Waste as a Cement Replacement to Study Concrete Compressive Strength

To reduce the negative environmental impact of cement production and preserve natural resources, an experimental investigation was conducted to study the performance of concrete specimens at different curing ages and to determine the compressive strength of these specimens by replacing cement with molasses. Experimentation was carried out on the concrete specimens at a temperature range of 25 °C to 30 °C; six specimens were cast for each replacement ratio, except for 0.75% wt. of cement (86.55 g) and 1% wt. of cement (113.6 g), where five samples were considered for each ratio. The average 28-day compressive strength of the conventional concrete specimens came out to be 29 MPa, but increased to 40 MPa with the addition of 0.25% wt. of cement molasses (28.85 g). It was observed that as the percentage of molasses waste in the concrete mix was further increased by replacing the cement, the compressive strength of the concrete specimens increased gradually and then significantly decreased. The findings shed light on the prospect of using molasses waste instead of cement in the concrete mix. Also, it is worth mentioning that about 30% of the cost–benefit was obtained with reference to that of conventional admixtures available in the market for the production of concrete. However, it is notable that a long-term durability study needs to be conducted before making it viable. This work not only addresses a sustainable and innovative method of waste management (SDG12), but also contributes to low carbon emissions (SDG13). The novelty of this work lies in the fact that no such kind of study has been conducted in Pakistan so far, in addition to the very limited international literature available, and, in particular, no evidence on the compressive strength results at higher molasses dosages, i.e., 1% wt. of cement (113.6 g) and 2% wt. of cement (230.8 g).

The Effect of Cryogenic Treatment on a High Co Bearing DIN 1.2888 Steel Used as Die in Hot Forging Process

Abstract Hot work steels used as dies in metal forming processes must endure harsh conditions, typically achieved through a martensitic structure. However, retained austenite can persist after martensitic transformation, negatively impacting mechanical properties. Cryogenic treatment (CT) refines martensite, reduces retained austenite, and increases fine carbide density, thus enhancing performance. DIN 1.2888, a hot work tool steel with high cobalt content (~10%) and low carbon content (~0.2%), is less studied concerning the effects of CT. The objective of this study was to investigate how cryogenic treatment affects the mechanical and microstructural properties of DIN 1.2888 steel. Samples underwent conventional heat treatment (HT) and CT at -100, -140, and -180°C for 6 hours, followed by double tempering. Various analytical methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and Vickers Microhardness tests, were used to examine the samples. Wear mechanisms were evaluated through pin-on-disc tests under different loads, and impact toughness was measured both at room temperature and the working temperature of dies (350°C). Results indicated that lowering the cryogenic treatment temperature resulted in a slight increase in hardness values from 507HV for the heat-treated sample to 529HV for the sample treated at -180°C. Additionally, the impact toughness improved significantly, with values rising from 12.35J for the heat-treated sample to 23.44J at 350°C for the cryogenically treated sample at -180°C. Wear rates also decreased by approximately 50%, particularly at higher cryogenic treatment temperatures. The improvement in wear resistance was attributed to finer carbide precipitation and a more homogeneous distribution of carbides. These findings suggest that deep cryogenic treatment has a positive effect on DIN 1.2888 steel by decreasing retained austenite and increasing fine carbide density, leading to enhanced mechanical properties and extending the lifespan of the steel in die applications.

A Study on the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Land Cover Change and Carbon Storage in the Northern Gulf Economic Zone of Guangxi Based on the InVEST Model

In recent years, the international community has increasingly focused on the “dual carbon” issue, as human-induced land use changes significantly impact ecosystem structure and carbon cycling. This study analyzes land use changes in the economic zone of the northern Gulf of Guangxi from 1980 to 2020, utilizing the InVEST model to simulate spatiotemporal changes in carbon storage and conducting zoning studies through spatial analysis. The findings reveal that ① forest land and arable land dominate the northern Gulf of Guangxi’s land use, with notable changes observed in forest land, unused land, and construction land areas. Forest land and construction land have increased by 1761.5 km2 and 1001.19 km2, respectively, while unused land has decreased by 1881.18 km2 from 2000 to 2020. ② The total carbon storage values in the northern Gulf of Guangxi in 1980, 2000, and 2020 were, respectively, 504.91 × 106/t, 487.29 × 106/t, and 500.31 × 106/t, with the expansion of construction land and conversion of forest land being the main reasons for the decrease in carbon storage. ③ In the northern Gulf of Guangxi, there is a slight upward trend in total carbon storage values over time. Spatially, higher carbon storage values are observed in mountainous and hilly areas at high altitudes, while the central and southern coastal areas exhibit lower carbon storage values. ④ The local spatial autocorrelation results reveal that Pu Bei County exhibits high–high clustering of carbon storage, while He Pu County undergoes a transition from high–low to low–low clustering, and several other administrative areas in Beihai demonstrates low–low clustering. Due to the imperative of economic development, the expansion of urban construction land encroaches upon ecological land, resulting in a decline in carbon storage. Therefore, in the Northern Gulf of Guangxi, it is essential to implement measures such as reforestation and establish ecological protection areas such as forests, grasslands, and wetlands to develop effective carbon sequestration methods and compensate for the carbon loss caused by the expansion of construction land.

Vegetation and carbon sink response to water level changes in a seasonal lake wetland

Water level fluctuations are among the main factors affecting the development of wetland vegetation communities, carbon sinks, and ecological processes. Hongze Lake is a typical seasonal lake wetland in the Huaihe River Basin. Its water levels have experienced substantial fluctuations because of climate change, as well as gate and dam regulations. In this study, long-term cloud-free remote sensing images of water body area, net plant productivity (NPP), gross primary productivity (GPP), and Fractional vegetation cover (FVC) of the wetlands of Hongze Lake were obtained from multiple satellites by Google Earth Engine (GEE) from 2006 to 2023. The trends in FVC were analyzed using a combined Theil-Sen estimator and Mann-Kendall (MK) test. Linear regression was employed to analyze the correlation between the area of water bodies and that of different degrees of FVC. Additionally, annual frequencies of various water levels were constructed to explore their association with GPP, NPP, and FVC.The results showed that water level fluctuations significantly influence the spatial and temporal patterns of wetland vegetation cover and carbon sinks, with a significant correlation (P<0.05) between water levels and vegetation distribution. Following extensive restoration efforts, the carbon sink capacity of the Hongze Lake wetland has increased. However, it is essential to consider the carbon sink capacity in areas with low vegetation cover, for the lakeshore zone with a higher inundation frequency and low vegetation cover had a lower carbon sink capacity. These findings provide a scientific basis for the establishment of carbon sink enhancement initiatives, restoration programs, and policies to improve the ecological value of wetland ecosystem conservation areas.

Versatile silicate-modified hydrochar based on Scutellaria baicalensis-residue for efficiently removing heavy metal-antibiotic co-contamination and relevant bio-contaminants from wastewater

In this study, we utilized typical Chinese medicine herbal residues (CMHRs)－Scutellaria baicalensis (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi) residue (SR), as the raw material and employed Na2SiO3 and Fe2(SO4)3 as modifying agents to fabricate a novel and multifunctional hydrochar (FeSi-SRHC), which was designed for comprehensive removal of typical contaminants such as Cu2+, Zn2+, tetracycline (TC), and ciprofloxacin (CIP), along with relevant bio-contaminants (resistant bacteria (RBs) and resistance genes (RGs)) present in wastewater. Based on the analysis of adsorption kinetics and Freundlich isotherm, it was found that FeSi-SRHC exhibited physical monolayer adsorption for Cu2+/Zn2+ while mainly chemical multilayer adsorption for TC/CIP in single-contamination system. Furthermore, Langmuir isotherm demonstrated excellent adsorption capacity of FeSi-SRHC towards Cu2+/Zn2+/TC/CIP with maximum capacities of 255.75, 265.26, 425.53, and 404.86 mg/g, respectively. In the co-contamination system, the presence of Cu2+, Zn2+, TC, and CIP exhibited varying degrees of inhibitory or promotive effects on the mutual adsorption by FeSi-SRHC. This divergence stemmed from differences in complexation intensities and concentration ratios among diverse co-existing contaminants. Based on XPS and Density Functional Theory (DFT) analyses, the adsorption process for Cu2+, Zn2+, TC, and CIP by FeSi-SRHC primarily involves pore fill, complexation reactions, ion exchange, hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking interactions, and electrostatic interactions. Bio-contaminant removal experiments revealed that the release of baicalin and wogonoside from FeSi-SRHC disrupts the structure of RBs cells and compromises the integrity of resistance plasmids. The practical application experiment showed that FeSi-SRHC displayed favorable performance for removing heavy metals, antibiotics, and bio-contaminants in actual wastewater. This study presented a “Treating waste with waste” strategy, which provided a method with low carbon, eco-friendly, and inexpensive for CMHRs resources and turning waste into treasure while proposing a idea to address the challenges associated with treating heavy metal, antibiotic, and bio-contaminant contamination in wastewater.

Carbon option pricing and carbon management under uncertain finance theory

Against the backdrop of increasingly severe global climate change issues, more and more countries and regions are adopting carbon emission trading, which is an effective market mechanism. As an important component of the carbon market, American carbon options provide more flexible trading tools to help companies avoid price risks. Therefore, the pricing research of American carbon options is of great significance for promoting the healthy development of the carbon market. Nonetheless, existing pricing methods are all based on probability theory, which need to satisfy the premise that the distribution function is close to the true frequency sufficiently. However, usually such premise is ill-suited in carbon market. To alleviate the predicament of the need for satisfying probability theory’s premise, this work investigates American carbon option pricing under the framework of uncertainty theory, which is another axiomatic mathematical system. For this purpose, uncertain differential equation is adopted to model the price of carbon future, and pricing formulae for American call and put carbon options are derived based on this model. Real data analyses illustrate the proposed method in details. Furthermore, it provides a detailed schema of applying the American carbon option for carbon asset management, which can optimize risk control for carbon consuming enterprises.

Green career education and guidance through the perceptions and experiences of career practitioners in English secondary schools.

The transition to a low carbon economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and nature restoration are expected to lead to a transformation of economic sectors. This will require a growth in green skills, a receptiveness to green roles and an understanding of the potential greening of all sectors. Plant suggests that green career education and guidance could provide the bridge between the emerging greener labour market and career development in schools. This article presents inductive qualitative research, using semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) to explore the perceptions of career practitioners in English secondary schools revealing a broad spectrum of understanding and approach. A nascent green career education and guidance framework has emerged from a synthesis of existing literature and the research findings.

Exploring the correlation between tree structure characteristics and carbon storage in historic gardens using TLS technology: a case study of Jian Xin Pavilions at Jingyi Park, Fragrant Hills Park

Historic gardens contain a greater number and variety of ancient trees, which are older, have unique forms, and larger volumes. These trees hold significant value in both natural ecosystems and cultural heritage. However, current research on the carbon sequestration value of ancient and non-ancient trees in historical gardens is relatively lacking. Based on the unique morphology and carbon storage estimation needs of ancient trees in historic gardens, this paper proposes a morphology-based point cloud single-tree segmentation method. This method can precisely extract the morphological structures of various tree species and accurately estimate their carbon storage. From the perspective of carbon sequestration, it evaluates the correlation between the structural characteristics and carbon storage of trees in historic gardens, as well as the potential changes in their carbon storage capacity.Using the Jing Yi Park’s Jian Xin Pavilions in Fragrant Hills Park as a case study, this method was applied to extract structural indicators of 116 ancient and non-ancient trees. The total carbon storage was found to be 19,171.13 kg, with an average carbon storage of 165.27 kg per tree. Among these, ancient trees accounted for 13,178.32 kg, or 68.74% of the total carbon storage. The study revealed that the correlation between tree age and carbon storage varied by species, and there were significant positive correlations between carbon storage and tree height, DBH, and canopy volume. Notably, there was a significant linear growth trend between DBH, canopy volume, and carbon storage. By 2030, the total carbon storage is projected to increase to 21,924.96 kg, with an annual average increase of 393.40 kg, representing a growth rate of 14.4%.The results indicate that studying the correlation between structural characteristics and carbon storage of aged trees in historical gardens can shed light on the important role of trees in sustainable carbon sequestration. The precise extraction of tree information through 3D digital technology and the prediction of carbon storage potential not only offer new perspectives for the conservation of cultural heritage in historical gardens, urban microclimate planning and design, and spatial management of carbon sinks and emissions but also have significant value for promoting the scientific management and protection of urban green spaces.

Pricing and Financing Strategies in a Dual-Channel Low-Carbon Supply Chain for Bilateral Capital-Constrained Retailers

In the context of low-carbon economy, financial constraints are prevalent among both upstream and downstream enterprises, exacerbated by the trend of online retailers extending into offline physical stores. This study first proposes and evaluates three financing combination models: “bank lending + advance payment,” (in short, AF), “bank lending + delayed payment,” (in short, DF), and “bilateral bank lending.” (in short, TF). It then examines the retailer’s dual-channel supply chain pricing and financing decision-making models under unified pricing strategy and independent self-pricing strategy respectively. The evaluation results indicate that among various financing models, the independent self-pricing strategy has the potential to enhance the retailer's profitability, outperforming the unified pricing strategy. In addition, when channel preference is significant, the retailer should prioritize the independent self-pricing strategy. A comparison of the optimal decisions across the three financing combination models indicates that both the cost coefficient of carbon emission reduction and the loan interest rate exert a limiting influence on the decision-making and income of all supply chain parties. Furthermore, the DF model emerges as a financing equilibrium strategy within the supply chain, with a shift to the AF model being considered only when the manufacturer’s loan interest rate is relatively high.

A Horizontal Double‐Sided Copper Metallization Technology Designed for Solar Cell Mass‐Production

ABSTRACTIn the international photovoltaic market, the “carbon footprint” label has received great attention, and low‐carbon footprint products are widely popular. Compared with metallic silver, copper has the characteristics of low carbon emissions and low cost, which can effectively reduce the carbon footprint. Based on this, this article reports a horizontal double‐sided copper metallization technology. This technology can not only metalize the front and back sides of various types of silicon solar cells at the same time but also has fast speed, good uniformity, and simple process, making it suitable for the industrial mass production of solar cells. This article describes the structure and manufacturing process of TOPCon solar cells patterned with an ultrashort pulse laser and metalized using this novel horizontal double‐sided copper metallization technology. In this batch, average efficiency reached above 26%.

КОНЦЕПЦІЯ НИЗЬКОВУГЛЕЦЕВОЇ ЕКОНОМІКИ: МІСЦЕ В СИСТЕМІ СУЧАСНИХ ЕКОЛОГООРІЄНТОВАНИХ СУСПІЛЬНИХ КОНЦЕПЦІЙ

Introduction. The concept of a low-carbon economy is designed to solve the problem of climate change by transforming the socio-ecological-economic system based on the principles of zero greenhouse gas emissions. However, this issue is also addressed in most other environmentally oriented social concepts. The purpose of the article. The purpose of this article is to determine the place of the low-carbon economy within the system of modern environmentally oriented concepts of social development. Methods. The research was conducted by using general scientific and general economic methods. In particular, the most common methods were abstraction, generalization, comparison, induction, deduction, monographic method, axiomatic method, methods of retrospective and systematic analysis. Results. To achieve this goal, the author analyzed the most popular of environmentally oriented social concepts: the concept of sustainable development, the green economy concept, the blue economy concept, the concept of the blue (ocean) economy, and the circular economy concept. Additionally, a schematic model was constructed to illustrate the position of the low-carbon economy within the system of environmentally oriented concepts of social development. The study provides a retrospective analysis of the inception and evolutionary development of each of the researched concepts. Their guiding ideas, main principles, goals, and tasks were identified. Furthermore, the article differentiates between complementary and interchangeable concepts and shows the horizontal and vertical connections among the reviewed concepts. It was established that the issue of global warming is considered in each of the analyzed concepts. Moreover, the relationship between the analyzed concepts and the low-carbon economy concept was examined. Conclusions. Based on the results of the research, it can be concluded that the low-carbon economy concept consolidates measures and mechanisms to address the important and urgent problem of climate change. Within the system of environmentally-oriented social concepts, the investigated concept occupies the place of a specialized concept focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change to achieve green growth and sustainable development. It is closely related to several other concepts through the common goal of finding ways to combat climate change. Consequently, the ideas of a low-carbon economy have become widespread in the concepts of sustainable development, the green economy, the blue economy, the blue (ocean) economy, and the circular economy.

Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification framework for decentralized systems: Long-term study utilizing rope-type biofilm media under field conditions

This research introduces a novel approach to achieve simultaneous nitrification-denitrification (SND) under dynamic load conditions using a cost-effective rope-type biofilm technology. The approach represents a significant advancement in wastewater treatment, particularly beneficial for remote and decentralized communities. The biofilm-based SND process was developed using a pilot-scale flow-through reactor by implementing upstream carbon management with constant-timer-based aeration control versus dynamic-sensor-based aeration control strategies. The findings indicate that adding an upstream anaerobic pretreatment process to handle excess carbon plays a substantial role in achieving a sustainable SND process under a dynamic load environment using simple aeration on-off control. The most optimal nitrification performance of 0.32 g NH3-N/m2/d (89 % removal) was achieved under a 1-hour ON/30-minute OFF aeration. The process sustained an average bulk liquid DO of 5.16 mg/L and 3.80 mg/L during the aeration ON and OFF periods, respectively, facilitating a 0.13 g N/m2/d (41 %) total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal, notably, implementing advanced aeration strategies driven by DO, NH3, and NO3 sensors enhanced TIN removal efficiency to 72 %. The nitrification performance remained comparable (89 % removal), resulting in 3 and 10 mg N/L effluent ammonia and TIN concentration, respectively. Additionally, utilizing two multivariate approaches accounting for 82 % and 64 % of the variance, this study discerned patterns in monitored variables and performance. Additionally, the analysis underscored the difference of bulk liquid DO levels in the biofilm versus suspended systems inhibiting the SND process. Distinct bacterial communities were established in biofilms under aerobic, anaerobic, and SND conditions, with the SND reactor showing a hierarchy of functional group and enzymes, enriched sequentially from heterotrophs to denitrifiers, nitrifiers, and anammox bacteria. These innovations underline the potential of tailored control strategies to enhance a passive biofilm-based SND process efficiency under dynamic conditions, providing scalable solutions for diverse target water quality demands in remote communities and decentralized systems.

The Ones and Zeros of Carbon Capture

Leading services companies and specialty software firms alike have launched various tools and digital suites to assist carbon capture and storage (CCS) project operators with everything from ideal siting of facilities and pipelines to the efficient operations and around-the-clock monitoring of those facilities. CCS holds the promise of big business if industry can efficiently and economically operate at scale the slate of planned facilities. Oil and gas companies have been making investments in the space with aims to become leaders in a segment—ironic since the petroleum business is also one of the emitters of CO2 into the atmosphere. Last month, supermajor ExxonMobil executed the largest offshore CO2 storage lease in the US with the Texas General Land Office. The 271,000-plus-acre site complements the onshore CO2 storage portfolio ExxonMobil is developing and further solidifies the US Gulf Coast as a CCS leader, according to the operator. In an October 2024 report, the US Department of Energy (DOE) issued a draft strategy for carbon management technologies through 2030, stating that carbon capture and direct air capture are “essential” to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The report says CCS projects will grow dramatically over the next decade and beyond, adding that 18 CCS facilities are operating now in the US. DOE’s near-term CCS strategy through 2030 incorporates focusing research, development, demonstration, and deployment funding on priority use cases; building out CO2 transportation and storage infrastructure where it likely will be needed most in the future; supporting the implementation of effective and evidence-driven policies and regulations related to carbon management at other federal agencies; engaging communities and workers to ensure projects deliver benefits and mitigate potential risks to public health and the environment; and supporting climate diplomacy efforts to accelerate the adoption of carbon management at scale globally in a way that aligns with the Paris Agreement. “DOE is funding a variety of technologies to assist in decarbonization in the industrial and power sectors,” the report explained. “These approaches include carbon management as well as electrification, fuel switching, materials substitution, efficiency, and other emissions-reductions measures. In parallel, DOE is working to envision and develop transformative emissions reductions approaches that will create new options in the long term.” The US government has been an active participant in making funding available for the advancement of CCS technologies. In 2024 alone, almost $3.5 billion was made available between two separate programs—CCS large-scale pilot projects ($937 million) and CCS demonstration projects ($2.5 billion)—as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In June 2023, ceremonial shovels were plunged into the dirt in Ector County, Texas, to mark the start of construction for the largest direct air capture facility in the world, designed to capture 500,000 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere every year. Occidental subsidiary OnePointFive’s $1-billion Stratos project is located on a 65-acre site made up of a network of air contactors, pellet reactors, a centrifuge, and a calciner—all known components that operate in other industries.

Petroleum Engineering Research Shifts Focus From Oil and Gas to New Horizons

Undergraduate education in petroleum engineering (PE) has survived the latest downturn in the industry, and enrollment has started to show an uptick in numbers. However, a different trend is evident in graduate training and academic research: the number of researchers being trained in oil and gas topics is drastically dropping. The story can be summarized in Fig. 1. Funding trends in PE departments have been shifting away from oil and gas research. These shifts require large investments in skill-building, expertise, and laboratory infrastructure, which makes it much harder to reverse the trend. Consequently, the shift may permanently alter the identity of PE departments, something that will not impact only graduate education but could alter the overall identity of these departments and the workforce they train. The data shared in Fig. 1c shows that more than 50% of the 2023 research awards, which will fund graduate students earning degrees between 2025 and 2026, are going to be invested in geothermal, carbon management, hydrogen, emissions, and other topics that do not support improving oil and gas resource extraction. While 73% of the 2023 MSc and PhD graduates still studied oil and gas topics around reservoir, production, fracturing, and drilling, as shown in Fig. 1a, this number is expected to drop to under 50% for 2026 graduates. Fig. 1b reveals the accelerated trend of this transition, where only 65% of the publications generated from these departments in 2023 covered oil and gas topics. Under 60% of the 2024 and 2025 graduates who published in 2023 are building expertise in oil and gas research and development. The team collected data to study the trends over the past 10 years. It included over $137 million in external research funding and over 1,900 thesis/dissertations, in addition to over 1,100 publications in 2023. More details about these numbers can be found in SPE 220735. The trends in graduate training and research funding over the past 10 years are shown in Fig. 2, where the axis for graduate training is shifted by 3 years to account for the lag between the date funding was received and the graduation date for the students it supported. When looking at numbers rather than percentages (Fig. 3), oil and gas research funding to four of the major PE departments in the US dropped from $30 million in 2014 to under $10 million in 2023 as shown in Fig. 3a. Funding in these departments now hovers at around $20 million, where the gap was filled by transitioning to the study of sustainable geoenergy topics relating to carbon and hydrogen storage and the extraction of geothermal energy, as shown in Fig. 3b.

Graphite and multi-layer graphene from a low molecular weight carbon source

While carbonaceous structures formed by pyrolysis of macromolecular carbon sources with silicates are well described in the literature, information on the structure of carbons obtained in the similar way from low molecular weight (LMW) carbon sources is not sufficient. This study is therefore aimed at characterizing the material obtained by pyrolyzing (1300 °C; Ar atmosphere) montmorillonite containing ∼25-50 wt.% LMW cations as a carbon source. Pyrolyzed samples contained ∼5-20 wt.% carbon, and thermogravimetric and elemental analysis showed a higher yield for a higher original amount of the LMW carbon source. In addition to amorphous carbon, graphite was formed during pyrolysis, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The presence of graphene-based nanomaterial, specifically multi-layer graphene, was revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electrical conductivity of the silicate/carbon material reached ∼35 S·m-1. Raman spectra and TEM images are similar to those from studies describing the use of macromolecular carbon sources. LMW compounds are a sufficient source of carbon for the preparation of electrically conductive materials containing graphite and multi-layer graphene.

Application of ANN Concepts for Prediction of Crack Growth and Remaining Life of Circumferentially Cracked Piping Components under Different Loading Scenarios

This paper presents the details of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based models to predict crack depth and remaining life of circumferentially part-through cracked piping components used in the nuclear industry. Crack growth data from experimental studies on (i) straight pipes made up of SA 312 Type 304LN stainless steel having part-through circumferential notch under combined bending and torsion and (ii) dissimilar metal pipe weld joints having circumferential through-wall crack in the weld were used. The dissimilar metal pipe weld joint is made up of SA312 Type 304LN austenitic stainless steel and SA508 Gr. 3 Cl. 1 low alloy carbon steel and joined by Nickel-rich Inconel alloy weld. About 75% of the mixed experimental data has been used for development of model and the remaining data for validation. For the development of ANN model, (i) back propagation technique (ii) sigmoidal transfer functions and (iii) Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm are used. The maximum percentage difference observed between the predicted and the experimental results for crack depth and remaining life was 19.59% and 15.78% respectively. The efficiency of the developed model was verified using several statistical parameters. The developed models are useful for the structural integrity assessment of piping components under different loading scenarios.