Potential Energy Resource Research Articles

Theoretical estimation of energy potential and environmental emissions mitigation for major livestock manure in Bangladesh

This study investigates the potential energy resources from livestock manure to evaluate the country's energy potential from domestic animals (e.g., cows, chickens, sheep, and goats). A comparative analysis of four distinct energy routes, such as process I: anaerobic digestion and co-generation, process II: gasification and co-generation, process III: combustion and co-generation, and process IV: direct combustion to heat energy generation is exclusively examined. In addition to that, a simulation using a Biogas calculator was run to get a better idea of how the technical potential of the mathematical models stacks up. Results from this analysis reveal that the gasification process with heat recovery options (process II) has the greatest energy estimation (26,564.64 TJ) among the four energy-producing paths, whereas process IV (combustion) has the lowest energy potential (4419.75 TJ). The maximum electricity generation potential has been found for process II (1630.77 GW h/year), whereas the minimum from process I (27361.45 MW h/year). Moreover, CO2 reduction potential results show that the maximum potential was obtained for process II (3,78,941.57 ton/year), whereas the minimum reduction potential (63,047.23 ton/year) was obtained from process IV, compared to coal combustion. The annual revenue obtained through process II is the maximum among different techniques, which is 141.87 million dollars.

Characterization of the quasi-liquid layer on gas hydrates with molecular dynamics simulations

Understanding the properties of the surficial quasi-liquid layer (QLL) is a prerequisite in proper handling of gas hydrates, a potential alternative future energy resource. Despite of its critical importance, the characterization of QLL has long been known to be highly challenging. In this work, the evolution of QLL during hydrate decomposition was systematically investigated by Molecular Dynamics simulations. Using the instant displacement of water molecules as a measure of the fluidity of the molecular layer adjacent to hydrate surfaces, QLL thickness was accurately measured using the dynamic properties of water molecules for the first time. The QLL thickness obtained by this new molecular dynamics-based approach takes amorphous water molecules close to hydrate surfaces into account, which was often ignored in the previous results based on the static structural order parameters. The variation of QLL thickness throughout the hydrate decomposition process at different temperatures and pressures was then evaluated. The thickness of QLL was found to increase with elevated temperature and pressure, owing to the varied changes of the amorphous and hydrate-like molecular content in this important layer. The results regarding the dynamics of the QLL with molecular resolution improved the current understanding on the stability of gas hydrate and shed new light on the physical fundamentals relevant to future hydrate exploration as well as anti-hydrate materials design.

Towards Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings: Smart Energy Management of Vehicle-to-Building (V2B) Strategy and Renewable Energy Sources

As countries worldwide strive for net-zero emissions, electric vehicles (EVs) have gained significant momentum. EVs, particularly through Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology, including Vehicle-to-Building (V2B), are recognized as key enablers for achieving nearly-zero energy buildings (NZEB). This research presents an advanced Smart Energy Management System (SEMS) with a novel V2B strategy, offering precise one-hour resolution to reduce grid reliance and optimize peak load management. The SEMS coordinates building energy and EV charging while harnessing the potential of renewable energy resources and battery storage systems. By carefully scheduling EV charging and discharging activities, it maximizes the efficient use of available energy resources. Importantly, the algorithm integrates real-world EV parking patterns, accounting for factors such as fleet composition, parking durations, and charging priorities. Economic evaluation encompasses not only direct EV battery degradation costs but also external expenses associated with environmental impacts. Simulation outcomes underscore a remarkable reduction in building grid power demand (65%) and a substantial decrease in carbon emissions (64%). The PV+V2B Scenario emerges as the preferred choice, striking an optimal balance between initial investment costs, energy savings, and carbon footprint reductions. This study holds great academic and practical significance, contributing to the advancement of smart, sustainable, and economically viable net-zero cities.

Analyzing The Effectiveness of Renewable Energy Policies in Poverty Reduction and Mitigating Climate Change Impacts in Africa

This study explores how renewable energy policies in Africa can help alleviate poverty and combat climate change. The research highlights the significant percentage of Africa's population living in poverty without access to electricity, leading to a cycle of poverty and limited education. By examining relevant literature from various sources, the study aims to deepen our understanding of how renewable energy policies can contribute to poverty reduction and climate change mitigation in Africa. The research emphasizes the untapped potential of renewable energy resources in Africa, including hydropower, geothermal, biomass, solar, and wind, which can significantly increase the region's renewable energy capacity. Renewable energy policies are seen as a powerful tool to alleviate poverty by providing affordable, clean, and reliable energy sources in developing countries. Additionally, these policies play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the transition to sustainable energy systems. Africa faces significant risks from climate change, such as rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events, making the adoption of renewable energy even more important. The study recommends increasing investment in renewable energy infrastructure, developing effective policies, strengthening partnerships, promoting energy efficiency, integrating renewable energy into national development plans, enhancing climate change resilience, and raising awareness among communities. Embracing renewable energy has the potential to bring about positive change in Africa, improving lives, economies, and ecosystems, while addressing climate change

An approach to assess the potential of wave energy resources based on directional energy flux

Estimating the total available wave energy surrounding islands holds significant importance in accessing the hosting capacity of wave energy. This study proposes a novel method for estimating the total available wave energy resources around islands using directional wave energy flux as a key parameter. By introducing the concept of directional across section, this method incorporates the directionality into the total resource calculation. A case study of the northern Zhoushan Archipelago was conducted to demonstrate the practical application of this method. The wave conditions were computed using the SWAN wave model for a 10-year period and validated against 7 months of buoy observations near Shengshan island. Basic wave energy resource characteristics were analyzed and the spatiotemporal features were analyzed using various indices. Subsequently, the proposed method was applied to calculated the total available wave energy around islands at various extend distances from the coastline. The wave energy potential of the islands in the study area stands at 349 MW, 302 MW, 318 MW, and 387 MW respectively, at extend distances of 5 km, 7.5 km, 10 km, and 12.5 km from the shoreline. These values represent approximately 25.1%–42.2% of the total energy obtained using existing methods.

Microalgae as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production in the Philippines: A review

Organic sources of biodiesel, such as microalgae are considered nowadays as potential renewable energy resource. In contrast to higher plants, microalgae have fast growth rate, high photosynthetic efficiency, high biomass productivities, as well as high O2 production and CO2 fixation rate. These organisms can be cultivated using accelerated technologies like open pond and photobioreactors. Extraction of oil and its conversion to methyl esters is of primary importance in biofuel industry. Three well known methods of oil extraction for algal lipids are expellers/press, solvent extraction method and supercritical fluid extraction. These methods are influenced by several operational factors that may have considerable impact on the extraction rate and efficiency. In the Philippines, the current scenario for biodiesel consumption is still expected to increase in the future due to the proposed increase of biodiesel blending as mandated by the Philippine Biofuels Law. Massive research efforts were conducted in search for alternative feedstocks in the Philippines. This led to several studies using third generation feedstock (such as microalgae) for biodiesel production. Based on previous studies, microalgae can be cultivated to engineered systems and is more sustainable (as compared to plants and other microorganisms) since it occupies less land area compared to other feedstocks and it is not consumed as food. Hence, microalgae have the potential as alternative biomass feedstock for a sustainable production of biodiesel in the Philippines with superior quality fuel characteristics.

Sustainable energy transition in Bangladesh: Challenges and pathways for the future

AbstractThe industrial development of a country plays a vital role in its overall progress and is closely tied to its capacity of electricity generation. However, the scarcity of natural resources and increasing costs of fuel in global markets pose significant challenges for developing countries like Bangladesh in managing the rising expenses of electricity generation. Consequently, the government of Bangladesh is exploring alternative energy resources such as solar, wind, hydroelectricity, biomass, and biogas to supplement fossil fuels and optimize electricity generation cost. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current status of natural resources, including gas, coal, and oil, which are conventionally used for electricity generation in Bangladesh. It highlights concerns about dwindling resource availability and their impact on the country's energy landscape. Through numerical analysis, it demonstrates the detrimental effects of relying heavily on gas‐based power plants, leading to electricity supply instability. To address the ongoing energy crisis, the paper proposes the adoption of renewable energy sources as a viable solution. Additionally, it also acknowledges the challenges associated with implementing large‐scale renewable projects in distinct areas of the country, such as limited infrastructure, technical constraints, and the need for significant investment. Overcoming these barriers is crucial for achieving widespread utilization of renewable resources. This paper concludes by offering recommendations to overcome these challenges and maximize the contributions of renewable energy in meeting future energy demands. The suggestions include developing robust infrastructure, implementing policy reforms to attract investment, emphasizing research and development, and promoting community engagement in renewable energy initiatives. It also highlights the potential of renewable energy resources in shaping a more secure and sustainable energy future for Bangladesh, emphasizing the importance of electricity generation for socio‐economic development.

The impact of climate change on the wave energy resource potential of the Atlantic Coast of Iberian Peninsula

This study investigates the impact of climate change on the wave energy potential along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, a region acknowledged for its high wave energy resource. The research focuses on the annual and intra-annual variations in wave power for the high-emission RCP8.5 global warming scenario over different time frames: historical, near-future, and far-future. The results show a decreasing trend in the wave energy resource throughout the study area, with the most notable reductions observed in the northwestern region. The reduction in maximum annual power ranges from 15.1 to 7.2 kW/m. Changes in atmospheric circulation patterns and ocean surface temperature gradients induced by climate change effects could explain these results. This study also discusses the impacts of wave power projections on the design of wave energy converters and their future operation. The outcomes are of high interest to adapt the renewable energy infrastructure to a changing climate, ultimately also aiding in the strategic planning and cost-effective design of future wave energy projects.

MAPPING AGRICULTURAL WASTE FOR BIOGAS PRODUCTION USING A FULLY CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORK AND REMOTE SENSING IMAGERY

The increasing generation of waste and depletion of natural resources has led to a growing need for innovative approaches for utilizing different types of waste as potential energy and material resources. Agricultural activities produce large amounts of Agricultural Waste (AW), which, if not adequately managed, can lead to environmental degradation. One potential solution for the effective utilization of AW is converting it into biogas. However, commercializing this process requires a comprehensive understanding of the types and quantities of AW generated. In this paper, the use of a Fully Convolutional Neural Network (FCN), which has rapidly advanced with the progress of Artificial Intelligence and become essential for tasks such as Semantic Segmentation, Object Detection, and Image Classification, is proposed to improve the prediction of AW for biogas production. Furthermore, this paper presents a Deep Learning-based image segmentation method to recognize vineyard fields, which are a significant source of AW, using remote satellite images. The proposed approach can significantly improve the identification of AW sources, and thus contribute to the efficient and sustainable utilization of AW for biogas production.

Evaluation of the sealing capacity of overlying fine-grained sediments in the process of hydrate exploitation by thermal stimulation with warm water

Although natural gas hydrate is taken a potential energy resource, public concerns over environmental risks associated with hydrate exploitation are also growing, especially possible methane leakage to seafloor. However, whether hydrate exploitation can trigger disastrous methane blowout remains not well addressed. Overlying fine-grained sediments with poor seepage capacity are typically assumed to be good seals for methane. Yet, this view may be challenged when considering the geomechanical response of marine sediments, since sediment failure may provide new high-permeability pathways for methane flow. In this research, a new fracture module is supplemented into the Tough + Hydrate simulator to consider hydraulic fracturing of marine sediments. The modified simulator is employed to investigate methane behavior in the exploitation of hydrate reservoirs overlain by fine-grained sediments via the method of depressurization accompanied by warm water injection. Results suggest that overlying fine-grained sediments cannot necessarily seal methane during hydrate exploitation. The direct cause is that water injection elevates pore pressure above the critical stress of marine sediments and generates fractures. The fractured sediments provide pathways for the flow of mobile methane released from hydrate decomposition. Compared with control groups of simulations without the module executed, the results indicate that ignoring the fracturing process may cause significant underestimation of methane leakage when overlying fine-grained sediments exist. In addition, the results of simulations for the Shenhu area suggest that 0.3546–1.5432 Tg/yr may be leaked to the ocean with large-scale commercial hydrate exploitation in this area, contributing little to the global carbon budget.

Techno-economic analysis of auto-thermal gasification of municipal solid waste with ash direct melting for hydrogen production

Hydrogen is regarded as a promising secondary energy source to tackle the pollutions and carbon emission caused by the usage of fossil fuels. Municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in our daily lives as a potential renewable energy resource can be used for hydrogen production via gasification process. Yet the techno-economic feasibility of the waste-to-H2 process has not been well evaluated. This study proposes a H2 production route from MSW via an auto-thermal steam gasification combined with ash direct melting process. The technical and economic performances of the system are evaluated by process simulation using Aspen Plus. Part of the generated syngas is extracted for combustion with oxygen to provide heat for gasification and achieving ash melting. A net H2 yield of 0.075 kg/kg-MSW was obtained at the gasification temperature of 900 °C and steam/MSW ratio of 0.9. The levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is 18.53 CNY (Chinese Yuan)/kg. Under this condition the energy and exergy efficiency are 47.37% and 40.18%, respectively. Three additional cases were also studied to investigate the effects of external energy supply, ash melting process, and gasification agent on the thermodynamic and economic performances. Using biochar as external supply energy will lead to a higher H2 yield (0.112 kg/kg-MSW), but also a higher LCOH due mainly to the additional biochar cost and CO2 capture cost. If without the ash melting process, the energy efficiency can be improved, yet the generated ash may need further treatment which would otherwise cause environmental pollution. Considering the technical, economical, and environmental perspectives, the gasification and direct melting process as a harmless and resourceful method presents a promising potential for waste-to-H2 conversion.

Geological and energy potential analysis of Küplüce-Gökçesu basin rich in coal and other potential energy resources

The Küplüce-Gökçesu Basin, located in northwestern Anatolia, is an Eocene-aged shallow marine basin known for its rich carbonaceous sediments. The basin is underlined by Paleozoic metamorphic rocks, granites from the Sakarya Massif, and Jurassic-Upper Cretaceous turbiditic and carbonate rocks. The sedimentary deposits in the basin consist of two main lithological units, namely, the Tokmaklar and Sazlar Formations. The Tokmaklar Formation comprises marl, bituminous marl, clayey bituminous limestone, Nummulite limestone, and marl-clay-sandstone successions. Economic coal formations are found at the base of the Tokmaklar Formation, along with bituminous limestone and marl. The Sazlar Formation is composed of thick layered sandy limestones and marls, deposited in reefal conditions. Previous studies conducted in the 1980 s estimated the coal reserves in the Küplüce-Gökçesu Basin to be around 40 million tons. However, this study reveals the discovery of a new coal seam that was not previously identified, with a potential thickness of approximately 11 m. This discovery suggests that the coal reserves in the region could be significantly larger than previously known, potentially 5-6 times greater. The quality of the Küplüce-Gökçesu coals is classified as semi-bituminous hard coal of the lower bituminous coal group, based on chemical analysis results. This study contributes to the understanding of the geology and coal potential of Eocene basins in Anatolia and provides valuable information for future exploration and exploitation activities.

The potential of salinity gradient energy based on natural and anthropogenic resources in Sweden

This paper presents assessment of natural and anthropogenic sources of blue energy within Swedish territory to identify suitable spots for implementing new projects. The natural energy potential of salinity gradients was found to be higher in southwest Sweden, and a national energy resource potential of 2610.6 MW from seawater/river water mixing will be reduced to a technical potential ranging from 1044.3 MW to 1825.4 MW considering technical and environmental constraints. It has been found that the theoretical extractable energy potential in Sweden is equivalent to 13% of the total electricity consumption and 6.2% of the total final energy consumption by energy commodities.Anthropogenic water sources were also highlighted as promising low and high-concentration solutions for SGE extraction. Gotland was identified as an attractive location for generating salinity gradient power. The total salinity gradient power obtainable by mixing municipal wastewater with seawater in Sweden was estimated to be 11.8 MW. The most promising site for this process was determined to be Gryaab AB Ryaverket in Gothenburg, which accounted for 45.8% of the total national potential from anthropogenic sources.

Research on the application potential of solar energy in rural areas from the perspective of common prosperity

Under the policy background of common prosperity, the Hesheng Town and Yunling Township area of Yongjia County is selected as the research area. The development and application potential of solar energy resources are analyzed, aiming to contribute to wealth and income growth, based on three aspects: resource richness, stability and security, and sunshine time (including effective sunshine time). A comprehensive evaluation of regional microclimate simulation is conducted using the Digital Elevation Model (Abbreviated as DEM). ArcGIS is utilized to generate a potential map for solar energy resource development, which is further divided into five levels based on development potential. The results reveal that the eastern part of Yunling Township, Shiweiyan Community in Hesheng Town, the western and northeastern parts of Donggao Community in Hesheng Town, and the northern part of Xiyuan Community in Hesheng Town exhibit an extremely high abundance of solar energy resources. These areas have the potential for large-scale utilization and development. Moreover, the southwest and southeast regions of the central area of Hesheng Town, along with the northwest area of Xiyuan Community in Hesheng Town, possess a relatively high abundance of solar energy resources. These areas can be developed and utilized on a small-scale and seasonal basis.

Wind resource assessment of northern part of Thailand

With the unpleasant occurrences of climate change and global warming, there is an inevitable need to generate energy from renewable sources. Energy generation from burning coal, extracting fuel, ignition of CO 2 , exploiting tar sands, or any other environmentally unfriendly resources are hazardous to our planet. Therefore, the world needs to switch towards renewable sources. Wind energy has developed across the globe due to being the most eco-friendly, comparatively efficient, and affordable. Thailand has a higher potential for wind energy because of the median height of 287 m above sea level with a soaring altitude of 2565 m above sea level. In addition to this, Thailand has a higher energy wind potential are of 550 km 2 . Regarding this, Thailand has realized wind energy is a strong potential renewable energy resource that needs to be developed. To fulfill energy demands, the prospect of particular provinces concerning wind power and the capacity of electrical energy acquired from wind energy has been studied. Consequently, with the data derived from the specific regions, consisting of 13 different stations at 10 m height and 10 min interval, the wind energy potential has been evaluated for each region in the WASP (Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program). In addition, 7 stations data was processable among 13 stations. In this program, the wind data acquired from the study area consists of Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sa Riang, Pha Yao, Theon, and Thung Chang with the latitude and longitude through meteorological stations and entered as an input to the WASP. WAsP simulation software was used to analyze the data generated, which is considered to be among the best simulation applications worldwide. As a result, the potential areas for electricity generation are identified. This study supports the generation of renewable energy in particular northern regions of Thailand and accordingly the purpose is to provide guidelines and contributions to the researchers and related organizations to further dig into which can substitute the conventional methods and economically provide energy.

Assessment of Current Blue Energy Technologies and Their Potential Applications on Romanian Water Resources

This study offers a comprehensive analysis of unconventional renewable and sustainable energy production options by tapping into the energy associated with the natural tendency to cancel salinity gradients that occur when salt water and fresh water come into contact. Furthermore, this paper assesses the potential for generating blue energy in Romania by examining historical data on flow rates from relevant fresh water sources, such as the Danube River, and the salt loading of potential receiving water bodies, including salt lakes, and the Black Sea. In addition, this study briefly references pilot-level technologies for blue energy production in other countries, including Norway, Japan, and the European Union. Based on literature data, this paper highlights the most important technological methods with applicative potential for harnessing energy from salinity gradients. The performances and limitations of these methods have been presented, acknowledging that despite recent years of advancements in materials and technologies, large-scale implementation and commercialization efforts are still limited. The analyzed data reveals that Romania possesses substantial potential blue energy resources for both large capacity installations, such as the Danube River-Black Sea with a potential achievable capacity of about 50 MW, as well as smaller capacity devices situated around saline lakes and salt deposits. This study concludes that Romania has a unique opportunity to capitalize on its vast blue energy potential and drive sustainable energy development.

Battery energy storage systems reinforcement control strategy to enhanced the maximum integration of PV to generation systems

Java Bali area has high potential of renewable energy resources (RES) especially for photovoltaic (PV) energy which can supply the power system electricity. However, the PV generation has intermittent characteristic, which in may disturb the power system operation. The disturbance is related to the system technical minimum load (TML) and system ramping capability. For that purpose, the maximum size of PV generation should be determined and regulated since it depends on generating unit size and type. The regulation can be realized using the reinforcement of battery energy storage system (BESS) which can provide the system flexibility, frequency regulation and energy management. The method to determine maximum penetration level of PV penetration is proposed in this research, which is based on the unit commitment (UC) procedure. The BESS facilities are also included as the technology option which can provide more flexibility. The proposed method will determine penetration level, periodically committed generating unit, dispatched generating unit, BESS charging and discharging status. The method is simulated in simplified Java Bali System under three different period that are weekdays, weekend and lowestday scenario having different demand and peakload combining to BESS facilities as the options. The result shows that under BESS reinforcement the PV integration are 49%, 35% and 23% during weekdays, weekend and lowestday, respectively. On contrary, without BESS reinforcement the PV integration are only 45%, 31% and 17%.

Simulations of hydrate reformation in the water production line of the second offshore methane hydrate production test in Japan’s Nankai trough

Natural gas hydrates are a potential new energy resource, however, challenges for stable, long-term gas hydrate production remain. This study examines the flow assurance risk of hydrate re-formation in production lines during gas hydrate production, which is a key issue in designing reliable production systems and operations. The focus of this study is the second offshore methane hydrate production test conducted in the Nankai trough area of Japan in 2017, where the depressurization method with a pump, wellbore gas separation, and two production lines for gas and water was applied. In this field test, separation inefficiencies caused significant quantities of gas to be produced from the water production line, posing a risk of hydrate re-formation. To understand and aid in management of this risk, we have developed models of hydrate growth and dissociation in water-dominant flow and conducted flow simulations that were compared to field data from the water production line in this field case. The simulation predictions suggest that the hydrate re-formation was not significant in this production test due to use of flexible hoses with a low overall heat transfer coefficient. The thermal insulation of the flexible hoses contained the heat generated by hydrate formation inside the production lines, resulting in a heat transfer limited system with low hydrate volume fractions (<5.2 vol%). Further simulations were conducted to estimate the sensitivity of such systems to insulation and materials choice, where a system with the flexible hoses replaced with carbon steel pipes was predicted to experience volume fractions four times greater (<19.8 vol%). Given hydrate production test systems typically take the form of short vertical lines, this indicates that pipe insulation may be critical in managing the risk of plugging due to re-formation. This insight is particularly important given the widespread use of carbon steels in subsea production facilities. Simulations enabled by the algorithm presented in this work will inform design choices for future methane hydrate production facilities. The use of thermal insulators will likely limit the degree of hydrate re-formation in such systems, and enable the deployment of management strategies that minimize or eliminate chemical injection.

Underexplored but not forgotten: assessing the energy resources potential of the greater Pedirka Basin region through play-based mapping

The Pedirka, Simpson and western Eromanga basins in central Australia have had a chequered exploration history which has seen only 42 wells drilled across a study area of ~210 000 km2. Exploration initially focused on conventional hydrocarbons from the 1950s–1980s, before shifting towards coal seam gas (CSG) opportunities in the mid-2000s. Active petroleum systems have been proven in the region by a non-commercial oil discovery at Poolowanna 1 in 1977, and by several wells that showed evidence of residual oil columns. CSG exploration programs have confirmed the presence of thick, marginally mature coal intervals on the flanks of the basins, but are yet to evaluate the CSG potential of the deeper troughs. Geoscience Australia, the Northern Territory Geological Survey and the South Australian Department for Energy and Mining have been collaborating on the Australia’s Future Energy Resources project to undertake an assessment of the resource potential for conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons, and the geological storage of CO2 (GSC) potential of the greater Pedirka region. The project has applied a play-based exploration approach to qualitatively assess the resource potential of the region. The Carboniferous to Cretaceous stratigraphic interval was divided into 14 plays which were evaluated for the presence of sediment-hosted energy resources through post-drill analysis, gross depositional environment mapping and common risk segment mapping. The analysis identified energy resources and GSC potential across multiple plays and locations within the study area. These results demonstrate, that while the region is underexplored, it should not be overlooked by future exploration activities.

Numerical simulation of direct shear tests on gas hydrate-bearing sediments using the discrete element method

Natural gas hydrate is a potential unconventional energy resource. Understanding the mechanical behavior of gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS) is important to ensure the safe and efficient exploitation of natural gas hydrate and prevent geohazard problems. This study employs discrete element method to investigate the mechanical properties of GHBS with different hydrate saturations under various vertical stresses, and a series of direct shear tests, which requires less computational consumption than triaxial or biaxial tests. Comprehensive analyses of macroscopic and microscopic mechanical behaviors, including shear strength, internal friction angle, cohesion, shear band, average coordination number, and crack number evolution, are carried out, as an effort for understanding the shear strength breakpoint, which is recognized in laboratory experiments, probably caused by the transition in hydrate morphology in sediment pores. The results obtained reveal that: (1) the way of hydrate in strengthening GHBS is to enhance cohesion; (2) the increasing rate of the strength difference between the sediment matrix with and without hydrate remarkably increases when the hydrate saturation is over certain value at which the shear strength breakpoint is observed, and this rate decreases with the increase in median particle diameter (D50) of host sediments; (3) the transition in hydrate morphology in sediment pores is recognized when the hydrate saturation increases at microscale; and (4) the shear strength breakpoint in the curve of strength difference versus hydrate saturation is explained based on the micromechanical properties of GHBS, including shear bandwidth, average coordination number, average normal force, and crack number evolution.