Main Emission Sources Research Articles

Analysis of China’s power system transformation

China is the largest CO2 emitter, and thermal power units are the main source of CO2 emissions. The low-carbon transformation of thermal power units is the key to carbon emission reduction. China is rich in wind and solar energy resources; wind power and photovoltaic power generation technologies are mature and have good economic prospects. Significantly increasing the proportion of installed wind power and photovoltaic power is the main idea of the power system low-carbon transformation. Biomass fuel blending is the only solution for thermal power units to reduce carbon emissions. Drawing on the large proportion of biomass blending technology in large foreign coal power units, the low-carbon transformation of thermal power units will be completed, and eventually, together with wind power and photovoltaic power generation, China’s renewable energy-based low-carbon power system will be formed. The process of low-carbon transformation of the power system reduces the use of fossil energy, reduces external energy dependence, and improves national energy security. The low-carbon transformation of the power system should be steadily promoted to prevent large adverse impacts on society and the economy.

Enhancement of guided electromagnetic wave by pre-plasma formation in laser–plasma interaction

Previous studies have shown that adding a section of critical density plasma on the front surface of solid target can effectively improve the laser energy absorption efficiency. Here, we have investigated laser–plasma interactions with different scale lengths of plasma in front of the target created by a pre-ablation laser pulse. A variety of experimental diagnostics employed together with particle-in-cell simulations give us deep insight into these processes. We found that the laser-induced electromagnetic pulse (EMP) intensity inside the target chamber and the target normal sheath acceleration sheath field accelerated protons were promoted using pre-plasma. The transient current due to hot electron emissions is considered to be one of the main radiation sources of EMP emissions within our measurement bandwidth. In our experiment, this current was guided to a grounded conductive wire attached to the rear surface of the target and measured by proton dynamic imaging technique. The discharging currents together with the guided fields were enhanced more than twice. The reflection spectra of experiments and simulations are compared, which reveal that the energy absorption efficiency was increased with proper plasma scale length, resulting in all the measured signals promoted.

Nanocomposites of Quasicrystal Nanosheets and MoS2 Nanoflakes for NO2 Gas Sensors

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of the air pollutant gases that harms the environment, human health, and the world ecosystem. The main source of NO2 emission is the combustion engine, and therefore, it requires a gas-sensing device to monitor the emission. Herein, we report a highly sensitive and selective NO2 sensor by low-cost and scalable fabrication methods using a hybrid nanocomposite of two-dimensional (2D) Al70Co10Fe5Ni10Cu5 quasicrystal (QC) nanosheets and MoS2 nanoflakes. The 2D-QC nanosheets combined with MoS2 nanoflakes form a heterostructure, which improves the gas sensor’s performance. The Al70Co10Fe5Ni10Cu5/MoS2 heterostructure showed an excellent gas-sensing response (ΔR/Ra %) of ∼66%, which is about 2.27 times higher than that of the pristine MoS2 nanoflakes-based sensor for 100 ppm NO2 at 100 °C. In addition, the hybrid nanocomposite gas sensor device also exhibited high selectivity and good sensitivity. The improvement in the gas sensor performance is explained using the density functional theory analysis, which illustrates that the 2D-QC provides a lot of active sites for the adsorption of NO2 molecules, explained using the adsorption energy, charge difference density, and Bader charges analysis. These gas-sensing results emphasize the significance of the integration of the 2D Al70Co10Fe5Ni10Cu5 QC with MoS2 nanoflakes, being useful to the design and development of NO2-based gas-sensing technology and holding great promise in environmental protection.

Evaluation and Promotion Mechanism of Urban Energy Internet Development under Double Carbon Target

Under the "double carbon" strategy, as the main source of carbon dioxide emissions, the energy industry is the main force in carbon reduction, and cities which are the main energy consumers are the main battleground. Thoroughly implementing the new development concept, building a clean, low-carbon, safe and reliable, intelligent and open energy network, and building a modern intelligent energy system are the key to realizing the low-carbon transformation of the national energy industry. This paper analyzes the requirements of energy Internet development and the shortcomings of energy Internet development based on the necessity of energy Internet development in China, constructs a development evaluation index system, and proposes the development mechanism and policy recommendations of urban energy Internet under the background of "double carbon".

Electrification of Oil and Gas Platforms by Wind Energy

In this paper, we address the problem of high greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas platforms in Norway. We look at the potential of integrating an energy system composed of wind turbines and battery systems to unload the electrical power generated by gas turbines being the main source of emissions today. We propose a simulation model of the energy system, the power demand, the available wind speed, and different control strategies. By putting the models together, we evaluate the performance of various compositions of the system and determine their impact on emissions and battery lifetime. The numerical results show that changing today’s practices has great potential to reduce greenhouse gases, with amounts varying between 30% and 80% compared with today’s level.

Current Situation and Solutions for Methane (CH4) Emission in Paddy Rice Cultivation in Vietnam


 Abstract: Paddy rice production emits a significant amount of greenhouse gas, particularly methane (CH4). The purpose of this review is to assess the current status of CH4 emissions from paddy rice cultivation in Vietnam and propose solutions for reducing CH4 emissions. CH4 emissions from paddy rice cultivation account for 49.7 million tons of CO2eq (CO2 equivalent) per year in Vietnam. Soil texture, watering regime, and paddy cultivation technique are important in influencing CH4 emissions. Applications of advanced farming techniques such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), and the use of biochar are among the recommended solutions. In summary, paddy rice production is the main source of CH4 emissions, which causes devastating effects on the global climate. Therefore, solutions that may both reduce GHG emissions and increase economic efficiency should be put into practice.
 
 

Engineered production of isoprene from the model green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Isoprene is a clear, colorless, volatile 5-carbon hydrocarbon that is one monomer of all cellular isoprenoids and a platform chemical with multiple applications in industry. Many plants have evolved isoprene synthases (IspSs) with the capacity to liberate isoprene from dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMADP) as part of cellular thermotolerance mechanisms. Isoprene is hydrophobic and volatile, rapidly leaves plant tissues and is one of the main carbon emission sources from vegetation globally. The universality of isoprenoid metabolism allows volatile isoprene production from microbes expressing heterologous IspSs. Here, we compared heterologous overexpression from the nuclear genome and localization into the plastid of four plant terpene synthases (TPs) in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Using sealed vial mixotrophic cultivation, direct quantification of isoprene production was achieved from the headspace of living cultures, with the highest isoprene production observed in algae expressing the Ipomoea batatas IspS. Perturbations of the downstream carotenoid pathway through keto carotenoid biosynthesis enhanced isoprene titers, which could be further enhanced by increasing flux towards DMADP through heterologous co-expression of a yeast isopentenyl-DP delta isomerase. Multiplexed controlled-environment testing revealed that cultivation temperature, rather than illumination intensity, was the main factor affecting isoprene yield from the engineered alga. This is the first report of heterologous isoprene production from a eukaryotic alga and sets a foundation for further exploration of carbon conversion to this commodity chemical.

Source apportionment and health impact assessment of atmospheric particulate matter in the city of São Carlos, Brazil

In this study, positive matrix factorization method was used for source apportionment of PM10 in the city of São Carlos from 2015 to 2018. The annual mean concentrations of PM10, 15 PAHs, 4 oxy-PAHs, 6 nitro-PAHs, 21 saccharides, and 17 ions in these samples were in the ranges 18.1 ± 6.99 to 25.0 ± 11.3 μg m−3 for PM10, 9.80 × 10−1 ± 2.06 to 2.03 ± 8.54 × 10−1 ng m−3 for ΣPAHs, 83.9 ± 35.7 to 683 ± 521 pg m−3 for Σoxy-PAHs, 1.79 × 10−2 ± 1.23 × 10−1 to 7.12 ± 4.90 ng m−3 for Σnitro-PAHs, 83.3 ± 44.7 to 142 ± 85.9 ng m−3 for Σsaccharides, and 3.80 ± 1.54 to 5.66 ± 4.52 μg m−3 for Σions. For most species, the concentrations were higher in the dry season than in the rainy. This was related not only to the low rainfall and relative humidity characteristic of the dry season but also to an increase in fire spots recorded in the region between April and September every year from 2015 to 2018. A 4-factor solution provided the best description of the dataset, with the four identified sources of PM10 being soil resuspension (28%), biogenic emissions (27%), biomass burning (27%), and vehicle exhaust together with secondary PM (18%). Although the PM10 concentrations were not above the limit established by local legislation, the epidemiological study showed that by reducing PM2.5 concentrations to the level recommended by the WHO, approximately 35 premature deaths per 100,000 population could be avoided annually. The results revealed that biomass burning continues to be one of the main anthropic sources of emissions to the atmosphere in the region, so it needs to be incorporated into the existing guidelines and policies to reduce the concentration of particulate matter to within the limits recommended by the WHO, in order to avoid premature deaths.

Changes in Land Use Carbon Emissions and Coordinated Zoning in China

Carbon emissions from land use changes have become one of the main sources of regional carbon emissions. In order to explore its changes, based on the MCD12Q-LUCC data of MODIS from 2001 to 2019 using the carbon emission coefficient method, clustering, and outlier analysis method, the spatial characteristics of land use carbon emissions in various provinces in China in the past 19 years were discussed from the perspectives of carbon emission economy contributive coefficient, carbon ecological support coefficient, and their coupling and coordination relationship. The results showed that:① from 2000 to 2019, the national land use carbon emissions increased significantly; however, after 2011, the growth rate of carbon emissions became flat, whereas the growth of carbon sinks was relatively slow, and the gap between the two was still large. ② Clustering and outlier analysis showed that during the study period, the high-value agglomeration centers of land use carbon emissions in various provinces and cities across the country shifted from Guangdong, Jiangsu, and other provinces to Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and other provinces, and the agglomeration status became increasingly obvious. ③ The economy contributive coefficient of carbon emissions in all provinces and cities across the country had the spatial characteristics of being high in the south and low in the north, and the ecological support coefficient gradually developed from high in the west to low in the east, followed by that in the north, and the coupling coordination between the two showed a downward trend. ④ Based on the economy contributive of carbon emissions and carbon ecological support, this study divided the provinces into four categories:low-carbon maintenance area, economic development area, carbon sink development area, and comprehensive optimization area. We also put forward our own development suggestions, striving to achieve carbon neutrality and low-carbon sustainable development.

Estimation of reduced greenhouse gas emission from municipal solid waste incineration with electricity recovery in prefecture- and county-level cities of China

Municipal solid waste (MSW) without proper managements could be a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. MSW incineration with electricity recovery (MSW-IER) is recognized as a sustainable way to utilize waste, but its effectiveness on reducing GHG emissions at the city scale in China remain unclear due to limited data of MSW compositions. The aim of the study is to investigate reduction potential of GHG from MSW-IER in China. Based on the MSW compositions covering 106 Chinese prefecture-level cities during the period of 1985 to 2016, random forest models were built to predict MSW compositions in Chinese cities. MSW compositions in 297 cities of China from 2002 to 2017 were predicted using the model trained by a combination of socio-economic, climate and spatiotemporal factors. Spatiotemporal and climatic factors (such as economic development level, precipitation) accounted for 6.5 %–20.7 % and 20.1 %–37.6 % to total contributions on MSW composition, respectively. The GHG emissions from MSW-IER in each Chinese city were further calculated based on the predicted MSW compositions. The plastic is the main GHG emission source, accounting for over 91 % of the total emission during 2002–2017. Compared to baseline (landfill) emission, the GHG emission reduction from MSW-IER was 12.5 × 107 kg CO2-eq in 2002 and 415 × 107 kg CO2-eq in 2017, with an average annual growth rate of 26.3 %. The results provide basic data for estimating GHG emission in MSW management in China.

Multi-dimensional Analysis of the Synergistic Effect of Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction in Tianjin Based on the STIRPAT Model

Based on the STIRPAT model, this study quantitatively analyzed the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction in Tianjin from three dimensions:total emission, emission reduction, and synergy coefficient. The results showed that the main emission sources of air pollutants and greenhouse gases in Tianjin were industrial sources, and the Pearson correlation coefficient of air pollutants and greenhouse gases was 0.984. The total population, urbanization rate, gross regional product, energy intensity, and carbon dioxide emission intensity were important factors affecting the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction in Tianjin. In 2011 and 2012, Tianjin's air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions increased synergistically, and the synergistic effect coefficients were 0.18 and 0.17, respectively. From 2013 to 2014 and from 2018 to 2023, the air pollutant emission reduction and greenhouse gas emission increased, the synergistic effect coefficient was less than 0, and the pollution reduction and carbon reduction had no synergistic effect. In 2015-2017 and 2024-2060, air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions were predicted to be reduced at the same time, with a synergistic effect coefficient ranging from 2.74 to 8.76. Tianjin had the conditions to enter the synergistic stage of pollution reduction and carbon reduction in 2024. The most important things for Tianjin to do to promote the synergy of pollution reduction and carbon reduction were to strictly control the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions, continue to promote the reduction in energy intensity and carbon dioxide emission intensity, and reasonably control the total population, urbanization rate, and regional GDP.

In situ adsorption of CO2 to enhance biomass gasification for hydrogen production using Ca/Ni based composites

The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continues to rise, leading to serious climate problems, such as global warming and the increase in the frequency of extreme weather. CO2 is the main contributor of greenhouse gases, accounting for 70% of greenhouse gas composition. The combustion of fossil fuels is the main source of CO2 emission in the atmosphere. Biomass energy has always been an important renewable clean energy for human survival. It is the fourth largest energy consumption in the world after coal, oil and natural gas, and plays an important role in the whole energy system. This study aims to develop a novel composite catalyst (Ni–Ce–Ca-ceramic membrane), and to evaluate its catalytic activity and CO2 adsorption capability during biomass gasification. Pine sawdust was used as feedstock for biomass gasification, and a two-stage fixed-bed reactor was used as gasification equipment. MCM-41-ceramic membrane support (MC support) was prepared by coating method, and the composite catalyst (Ni–Ce–Ca-ceramic membrane) was prepared by equal volume impregnation method. The catalyst has the functions of adsorption and catalysis at the same time. While adsorbing CO2, the catalyst can promote biomass gasification to produce hydrogen, and improve the syngas composition of biomass gasification. Not only can it reduce CO2 emission in the atmosphere, but it can also promote the use of biomass energy and reduce the use of fossil fuels. Furthermore, optimal operating conditions (i.e. Ca loading amount, reaction temperature and the ratio of Ni to Ce) of the Ni–Ce–Ca-ceramic membrane catalysts were also investigated. The results show that when the Ca loading amount is 20 wt%, the reaction temperature is 800 °C and the ratio of Ni to Ce is 2:1, the CO2 content in the syngas composition of biomass gasification is the lowest, which is 8.18 vol%. The minimum CO2 yield is 2.1 mmol/g, the maximum hydrogen yield is 14.19 mmol/g, and the lower heating value is greater than 10 MJ/Nm3. Through BET, XRD and SEM analyses, it was found that the prepared catalysts had good structure performance and good adsorption performance. The X-ray diffraction of the used catalyst shows that CaO in the catalysts adsorbs CO2 and produces CaCO3. The supported metals can be well dispersed on the surface of the catalysts. The research results show that the composite catalyst (Ni–Ce–Ca-ceramic membrane) prepared by using ceramic membrane as support can effectively capture CO2 produced from biomass gasification and promote hydrogen production in gasification.

How circular economy can reduce scope 3 carbon footprints: Lessons learned from FIFA world cup Qatar 2022

Mega sporting events (MSEs) such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics always attract people around the world to visit the hosting country, boosting its tourism and business, and leaving a positive legacy. However, such events also leave significant negative impacts on the environment such as an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the host and neighboring countries. Considerable research efforts have been devoted to reducing such negative impacts and maintaining the sustainability of infrastructure associated with MSEs. The infrastructure construction in the host country of an MSE is the main and inevitable source of GHG emissions. In particular, the construction work of stadiums. This study presents comprehensive research on scope-based carbon footprint analysis related to two phases, i.e., the construction phase and operation phase of stadiums, by taking the eight world cup stadiums in Qatar as a case study. A life cycle assessment is used to quantify the potential environmental impacts of these stadiums at different stages. The Ecoinvent database is used to quantify the emission factor at each phase. According to the findings, Scope 3 (indirect supply chain) emissions are greater than Scope 1 (direct on-site) emissions, and the construction supply chain is found to be a significant contributor to the carbon footprint of the stadiums, accounting for 98% of the total GHG emissions. The results also show that electricity, district cooling, and waste generation are the three top contributors of GHG emissions with 35%, 25%, and 21% emissions, respectively. Moreover, it is vital to implement innovative approaches such as circular design for end-of-life material recycling and reuse of structural components, which can support a transition toward sustainable and carbon-neutral mega events. Thus, this study presents the role of circular economy in achieving carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. This research will contribute to enhancing the future benefits of the sustainable construction of infrastructure projects for mega events and help in harmonizing mega event strategies with national circular economy targets.

The assessment of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in China's chemical industry

The chemical industry has a large production scale, many products, and very complex processes, so estimating the greenhouse gas (GHG) it produces is not easy. Few comprehensive assessment models at the national level are studied. Emission sources of most models are not complete, and data are outdated. The paper conducts a comprehensive assessment of GHG emissions in China's chemical industry. The emission sources cover direct and indirect emissions. The chemical industry is divided into three main sub sectors to explore GHG flows. GHG flows are examined through chemical production and consumption, and then the emission reduction potential is predicted based on technological developments. The assessment results show that crude oil and coal are the main sources of direct GHG emissions. The indirect GHG emissions are mainly from North China and Northwest China. GHG emissions in the power grid regions are directly related to the distribution of the chemical industry in China. Coal chemical industry has the most GHG emissions. The analysis of driving factors shows that the output effect is the main factor of GHG emissions. Scenario analysis shows that the baseline scenario will reach 6195.95 Mt in 2030. Under the technological improvement scenarios, 589.01 Mt emission reduction can be achieved by 2030 compared with the baseline scenario. Based on the results of the study, this paper provides some policy recommendations.

Decarbonization in Higher Education Institutions as a Way to Achieve a Green Campus: A Literature Review

Reducing the carbon footprint (CF) helps to meet the targets of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), with emphasis on SDG 13, which seeks urgent measures to combat climate change and its impacts. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) or universities, as organizations engaged in education, research, and community service, play an important role in promoting sustainable development. Thus, HEIs are increasingly interested in practices to reduce their CF, in addition to training professionals for this worldwide need. CF reduction is a tool to assess the sustainability and decarbonization of a campus that aligns with Green Campus (GC) initiatives. The objective of this study is to carry out a literature review of the current situation of CF reduction practices in HEIs and the move toward a greener campus, identifying the main sources of emissions according to the GHG Protocol and classification by scope. This article sought to identify the HEIs/universities with already-implemented decarbonization initiatives through the elaboration of a table. This study was based on a portfolio of 33 articles published up to February 2022 that analyze the CFs of HEIs and the implementation of green initiatives. Differences were identified in the methodology and data used by each university. The results show that the main reason for this is the lack of standardization regarding the time metric (year, semester), functional unit (student, employee, area), limitation of data collection (scope 1, 2, 3), and sources of emission and emission factors, mainly about Scope 3 (sometimes not considered in the calculations). However, despite the differences, the search for standardization was observed in the studied articles, as well as the expectation of reduction in the CF of HEIs over time. It also identified the efforts of HEIs in implementing green initiatives aimed at decarbonizing their campuses. It can be concluded that the CF of HEIs requires improvements and solutions to a series of challenges, including the definition of emission sources representative of Scope 3, the creation of a robust database of emission factors, and the development of tools and methodologies—with greater standardization—that cover the needs of the type of institution globally, and that can be used comparatively as an effective model by other HEIs.

Characteristics of volatile organic compounds in 11 cities along Taihang Mountain, an industrial region in Northern China

The cities along Taihang Mountain, one of the most important industrial regions in China, have faced challenges in atmospheric pollution control due to the development of industries. However, few studies have focused on the pollution characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in this region. The concentrations, composition, sources, and chemical reactivity of VOCs were analyzed in 11 cities along Taihang Mountain. The average VOC concentration in the 11 cities (31.4 ± 11.3 ppbv) was higher than that for most cities in China, which was attributed to emissions from coal combustion and industrial processes. Four cities in Hebei province had the highest VOC concentration (32.9 ± 10.9 ppbv). Alkene (7.4 ± 3.9 ppbv) and alkyne (2.6 ± 1.9 ppbv) concentrations in the 11 cities were higher than those in other Chinese cities (2.4–5.9 and 1.0–3.8 ppbv, respectively). Shanxi Province had the largest contributions of alkenes (23.6%) and alkynes (9.7%). Based on the benzene/toluene (B/T) ratio, the 11 cities were divided into three categories: four had B/T ratios of 0.5–0.6, and were classified the “traffic” cities, and four with B/T ratios of 1.5–2.2 were classified as “coal combustion” cities. The chemical reactivity results showed that alkenes were the most important VOCs in terms of ozone formation. Coal combustion and industrial processes were the main emission sources affecting VOCs and O3 pollution in the 11 cities along Taihang Mountain. VOC researchers should pay more attention to this region, and more refined research should be conducted.

Assessment of carbon dioxide emissions in road transport, using exhaust gas cleaning technology, in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Approaches are presented for calculating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated by the use of exhaust gas purification technology based on urea catalysts. To reduce harmful substances in the exhaust gases for diesel-fueled automobile engines, the need for SCR technology is justified. It is shown that the main source of emissions is diesel freight transport, while it is advisable to carry out calculations from 2010, and not from 2005, as a number of foreign experts insist. The working scheme of the integrated cleaning system of diesel engines of passenger cars has been developed. An integrated cleaning system for automotive engines has been developed. Additional emissions are very small and account for less than one percent of the CO2 emissions generated from the operation of all road transport. According to the results of the calculations, it was obtained that the share of emissions from the use of urea additives is very small to the emissions of СО2 formed during direct combustion of fuel.

Assessing the Spatial Distribution of NO2 and Influencing Factors in Urban Areas—Passive Sampling in a Citizen Science Project in Berlin, Germany

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a major air pollutant with diverse impacts on human health and the environment. In urban areas, road traffic is the main emission source for NO2. In Berlin, Germany, a network of measurement stations is operated by the state, fulfilling the monitoring requirements set by the European Union. To get a more detailed overview of the spatial distribution of NO2 concentrations in Berlin, a citizen science project allowed for collection of additional data and an increase in the number of sampling sites. Passive samplers (modified Palmes tubes) were distributed to participants to collect NO2 at a site of their choice. When returned, the samplers were analyzed based on the Griess–Ilosvay reaction and spectrophotometric detection. The results confirmed a seasonal trend of higher NO2 concentrations in winter and lower concentrations during the summer period. Furthermore, the spatially and monthly averaged NO2 concentrations observed in the study period from March 2019 to October 2020 were in good agreement with the average urban background concentration. At small spatial scales, a tendency of decreasing NO2 concentrations with increasing distance from roads was observed. Overall, this study shows the added benefit of extensive low-cost measurements of NO2 concentrations across urban environments in a citizen science project to complement stationary air pollution monitoring networks.

Blast furnace gas decarbonisation through Calcium Assisted Steel‐mill Off‐gas Hydrogen production. Experimental and modelling approach

The Calcium Assisted Steel-mill Off-gas Hydrogen production process (CASOH) is able to upgrade and decarbonise blast furnace gases (BFG), which is the main source of CO2 emissions in integrated steel making plants. The three main reaction stages of the process (i.e. H2 production via calcium-assisted water-gas-shift of BFG, Cu oxidation and CO2 sorbent regeneration) have been investigated in a lab-scale fixed bed reactor, using readily available functional materials (i.e. a commercial Cu-based catalyst and calcined limestone for the CO2 capture). The reactivity and stability of the materials have been studied after multiple cycles resembling the operating conditions expected in a TRL7 CASOH pilot plant under construction. A one-dimensional reactor model has been developed to simulate in detail the CASOH process and successfully validated with the experimental results obtained in the packed-bed reactor. Synthetic BFG mixed with steam has been converted into a product gas containing up to 40 vol% of H2 in N2 during the CASOH stage at atmospheric pressure and average temperatures in the bed around 650 ºC. During the Cu oxidation stage, the O2 contained in inlet air has been completely converted leading to moderate temperatures in the oxidation front (i.e. around 800 ºC). The oxidation at 4 bar has minimized the CO2 leakage during this stage. Finally, the reduction of CuO with simulated BFG and CH4 has produced in-situ sufficient heat to partially calcine at temperatures around 880ºC the CaCO3 present in the reactor leaving the solids ready for subsequent reaction cycles, while a CO2-rich gas is produced. The experimental and modelling results obtained in this work will be used to firstly design the experimental campaigns at the TRL7 CASOH pilot, and subsequently to interpret and scale up the pilot results using the validated model.

Carbon emission and economic development trade-offs for optimizing land-use allocation in the Yangtze River Delta, China

Reconciling carbon emissions and GDP development is a challenge for most Chinese cities in the sustainable development process. Taking the Yangtze River Delta of China as an example, this study calculated carbon-emission inventories for five typical years and assigned anthropogenic carbon emissions to land-use types. A multi-objective particle swarm algorithm was used to consider three functions of land-use allocation: maximizing GDP, minimizing carbon emissions, and maximizing suitability. Thereafter, the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution(TOPSIS) method was combined to find the optimal solution for carbon emission and economic development trade-offs. It is observed that Jiangsu has the largest carbon emissions in the Yangtze River Delta region; energy consumption is the main source of the carbon emissions, and industrial land is the most carbon intensive region. The land-use allocation obtained by multi-objective optimization with the TOPSIS evaluation method increases GDP and reduces carbon emissions, which is worthy of reference for land planners. Land use optimization from the perspective of balancing carbon emissions and economic development can provide a useful reference for the rational use of land resources and socio-economic sustainable development.