European Potential Research Articles

Material flow, economic and environmental assessment of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash recycling potential in Europe

In 2018 municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration in Europe produced nearly 19 Mt of bottom ash (BA); only 46 %-wt. was treated, often in poorly performing plants, leaving behind 10 Mt of untreated and unrecovered BA, destined to landfill. This work was based on the inventory of BA across Europe, and on the hypothesis to achieve complete BA valorisation through two assumptions: treating 100% BA and minimizing the loss of valuable fractions due to technical limitations of state-of-the-art processes in comparison to advanced innovative processes. The research involved three phases: characterization of potential secondary raw materials (metals and mineral fraction) currently lost from untreated (the surplus compared to treatment capacity) and unrecovered BA (the fine fraction) through material flow analysis; environmental assessment (energy balance and net GHG emissions) of complete BA valorisation; investigation of the economic feasibility of complete BA valorisation through state-of-the-art technologies. The resulting 2.14 Mt loss of valuable materials included 1 Mt mineral fraction and 0.97 Mt ferrous metals, mostly from untreated BA, and 0.18 Mt non-ferrous metals, mostly from unrecovered BA. The energy balance and GHGs emissions required by the treatment of the currently untreated and unrecovered fractions of BA resulted in energy and GHGs emissions savings. Economic profitability was driven by iron and copper recycling and avoided landfill fees. Profitability was achieved by two thirds of considered countries (average values: NPV 83 M€, ROI 20%, payback time 11 years) with BA mass flow exceeding 0.02 Mt.

Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Potentials in Europe by Sector: A Bootstrap-Based Nonparametric Efficiency Analysis

Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Potentials in Europe by Sector: A Bootstrap-Based Nonparametric Efficiency Analysis

Sources of particulate-matter air pollution and its oxidative potential in Europe

Particulate matter is a component of ambient air pollution that has been linked to millions of annual premature deaths globally1-3. Assessments of the chronic and acute effects of particulate matter on human health tend to be based on mass concentration, with particle size and composition also thought to play a part4. Oxidative potential has been suggested to be one of the many possible drivers of the acute health effects of particulate matter, but the link remains uncertain5-8. Studies investigating the particulate-matter components that manifest an oxidative activity have yielded conflicting results7. In consequence, there is still much to be learned about the sources of particulate matter that may control the oxidative potential concentration7. Here we use field observations and air-quality modelling to quantify the major primary and secondary sources of particulate matter and of oxidative potential in Europe. We find that secondary inorganic components, crustal material and secondary biogenic organic aerosols control the mass concentration of particulate matter. By contrast, oxidative potential concentration is associated mostly with anthropogenic sources, in particular with fine-mode secondary organic aerosols largely from residential biomass burning and coarse-mode metals from vehicular non-exhaust emissions. Our results suggest that mitigation strategies aimed at reducing the mass concentrations of particulate matter alone may not reduce theoxidative potential concentration. If theoxidative potential can be linked to major health impacts, it may be more effective to control specific sources of particulate matter rather than overall particulate mass.

THE EMERGENCE OF AN EUROPEAN UNION CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

On 16 April 2020, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released preliminary figures[1] according to which the collective Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the European Union (EU) and its Member States to developing countries amounted to 75.2 billion in 2019, representing 55.2% of global assistance. The EU and its Member States therefore maintain their position as the largest international aid donor. In spite of the vast amount of resources spent annually by the EU, there is widespread perception that the EU punches below its weight. Notwithstanding the undeniable positive impact that the EU external policies have on the ground, the EU’s role in international development remains mostly invisible. This paper presents the perception of the EU and EU’s policies abroad and makes the case for the necessity of an integrated and fully coordinated EU Public Diplomacy (PD) capable of communicating effectively and strengthening EU’s role as a global actor. It argues that culture has a substantial potential in Europe’s international relations, making the case for the necessity of an integrated and tailor-made EU Cultural Diplomacy. This paper shows that culture is a worthwhile investment in driving economic growth. Failure to capitalise on this would be a huge missed opportunity for Europe. JEL classification: O10, Z10 [1] Publication of preliminary figures on 2019 Official Development Assistance, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/files/attachment/864363/Annex_Tables_and_Graphs_ODA_2019.pdf

A Triple-Helix Approach for the Assessment of Hyperloop Potential in Europe

Hyperloop is a proposed high-speed surface mode of passenger and freight transport that has gained much visibility in recent years. Since its introduction in modern form in 2013, progress on Hyperloop has been thriving, with several companies involved in research and development of Hyperloop systems and subsystems. Some of them have planned testing tracks in Europe, anticipating what could be the start of commercial routes. Nevertheless, there are concerns that need to be addressed regarding the safety and serviceability performance, and further steps are necessary for the standardization and certification of the system. This study leverages the state of play of Hyperloop development, identifies issues and challenges from a European perspective, and provides policy insights towards testing and commercialization. To this end, it follows a two-tier approach that (i) addresses safety concerns related to the implementation of Hyperloop as a key enabler of the proposed technology and (ii) analyses Hyperloop technology developments using a triple-helix innovation approach, using a structured methodology based on consolidated data sources (i.e., the Scopus database of peer-reviewed literature and the Patstat patent database). The performed analyses highlight the significant amount of research and patent activity on several aspects of Hyperloop, while the mapping of activities carried out by industry in Europe, as well as from European Services, highlights the progress made towards the future Hyperloop implementation in Europe. Altogether, these findings provide factual information regarding the necessary research, policy, and industry steps taken so far that can help bring Hyperloop into the market. To the authors’ knowledge this represents a very systematic and extensive literature review on Hyperloop’s scientific and technological developments.

Human existence potential in Europe during the Last Glacial Maximum

Archaeological records indicate that many regions in Europe remained unoccupied by hunter-gatherers during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), probably due to the harsh climatic conditions and glacial extent. In the populated regions of southwestern Europe, a new technocomplex, the Solutrean, is known to have emerged among hunter-gatherers but did not reach the regions east of 10°E. To better understand human occupation of Europe during the LGM, Human Existence Potential (HEP) is presented, which expresses the suitability of a region with given environmental conditions for habitation by hunter-gatherers. We estimate the HEP based on archaeological site locations and reconstructed climate/environment data. By geostatistically upscaling archaeological site distributions into Core Areas, we distinguish areas that were likely to have been continuously occupied by hunter-gatherers from areas intermittently occupied. The use of Core Areas in the model improves the description of regions of continuous human presence, removing some of the previously observed mismatches between reconstructions and archaeological records. Using HEP, important anthropological and archaeological questions can be studied. Environmental Human Catchment (EHC) and Best Potential Path (BPP) are applied to quantify an area of HEP attraction and the lowest-cost path between two areas, respectively. With these tools, we characterize the potential connections between the Core Areas, the environmental barriers and possible social and technological interactions. A clear difference in environmental adaptation is found between the populations in western and eastern Europe, with a significant climate barrier preventing the propagation of the Solutrean to eastern Europe.

Comparing negative emissions and high renewable scenarios for the European power system

Emerging literature highlights the essential role played by decarbonised electricity generation in future energy systems consistent with the Paris Climate Agreement. This analysis compares the impacts of high levels of renewable electricity and negative emissions technologies on exploratory visions of the future EU power system (2050) in terms of emissions reduction, technical operation and total system costs. The analysis shows that high renewable power system scenarios coupled with low levels of negative emissions technologies, such as biomass carbon capture and storage (< 2% of installed capacity), can deliver a net-negative European power system at lower comparable cost without breaching published sustainable biomass potentials in Europe (or requiring imports) or geological storage potentials while also contributing to power system inertia. Direct air capture has the capability to further decrease overall carbon emissions. While carbon capture and storage and power-to-gas must overcome market, regulatory and social acceptance challenges, given their potential benefits to emissions reduction, costs and system operation their role in a future power system should be further explored.

Wind and photovoltaic potential in Europe in the context of mid-term energy storage

Both wind and solar irradiance are considered as variable sources of energy. The generated power is dependent on varying weather conditions. In this study, three indicators are introduced: generation power-to-storage day ratio, photovoltaic-to-wind energy ratio, and reliability improvement indicator. The values of the indicators are determined for 5701 points located in Europe. The results have been presented on charts illustrating statistics of the indicators as well as on maps. This study illustrates various aspects of the solar and the wind energy potential in the context of energy storage. The results show that for the majority of locations, the cost of 1 kWh of storage must be up to 3.2 times less than the cost of 1 kW of a photovoltaic system. Also, it should be up to six times less than the unit cost of the wind turbine system at 50 m in order to decrease the system cost, depending on the number of autonomy days. For most of the locations, the nominal power of the photovoltaic system should be significantly lower than the power of the wind turbine if the system is to meet the required reliability. If the reliability of the power supply has to be increased from 95% to 98%, the nominal power of the photovoltaic generator has to be increased, depending on the assumed days of autonomy, between 1.25 and 1.45 times and the power of the wind turbine at 50 m between 1.3 and 2 times for the greater number of locations.

The Potential of Europe’s Sharp and Soft Power

AbstractWhile it lags behind the US and China in conventional hard power indicators, Europe is at par with and even ahead of them in some sharp and soft power indicators. Yet it consistently influences below its potential in world affairs. Its ability to leverage its sharp and soft power is hampered by questions of identity, coherence, and leadership, questions that are reflected in the scenario exercise itself. Is Europe defined as the EU, the EMU, or the Council of Europe, and will it continue to include the UK? The answer will be critical to enhancing Europe’s power. More effective use of Europe’s sharp power will require both political will and more strategic coherence in Brussels, along with some significant institutional modifications. America’s abdication from global leadership creates an opportunity for the projection of Europe’s soft power. Europe’s normative role – both through policy innovation and higher education – is its greatest strength, and its place in the world of 2030 will be determined by how it exercises its potential. It must choose whether it has the will to maintain core elements of the previous order or transform it into new, post‐hegemonic multilateral forms.

Future evolution of surface solar radiation and photovoltaic potential in Europe: investigating the role of aerosols

In recent decades, trends in photovoltaic (PV) technology deployment have shown an overall increase across the world. Comprehensive knowledge of the solar resource and its future evolution is demanded by the energy sector. Solar resource and PV potential have been estimated in several studies using both the global climate model (GCM) and regional climate model (RCM), revealing a GCM–RCM discrepancy in the projected change over Europe. An increase in surface solar radiation (SSR) (and therefore in PV potential production) is projected by GCMs, whereas most RCM simulations project a decrease in SSR over Europe. In this work, we investigate the role of aerosol forcing in RCMs as a key explaining factor of this inconsistency. The results show that RCM simulations including evolving aerosols agree with GCMs in the sign and amplitude of the SSR change over Europe for mid-21st century projections (2021–2050 compared to 1971–2000 for representative concentration pathway climate change scenario RCP8.5). The opposite signal is projected by the rest of the RCMs. The amplitude of the changes likely depends on the RCM and on its aerosol forcing choice. In terms of PV potential, RCMs including evolving aerosols simulate an increase, especially in summer for Central and Eastern Europe, with maximum values reaching +10% in some cases. This study illustrates the key role of the often-neglected aerosol forcing evolution in RCMs. It also suggests that it is important to be very careful when using the multi-model Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) projections for solar radiation and related variables, and argues for the inclusion of aerosol forcing evolution in the next generation of CORDEX simulations.

Symbiosis of soybean with nitrogen fixing bacteria affected by root lesion nematodes in a density-dependent manner

Early maturing varieties of soybean have a high yield potential in Europe, where the main biotic threat to soybean cultivation are root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.). Nitrogen fixation in root nodules by highly efficient inoculants of Bradyrhizobium japonicum is an incentive to grow soybean in low-input rotation systems. We investigated density-dependent effects of Pratylenchus penetrans on nitrogen fixation by co-inoculated B. japonicum. Less than 130 inoculated nematodes affected the number and weight of nodules, the density of viable bacteroids in nodules, and nitrogen fixation measured as concentration of ureides in leaves. With more inoculated nematodes, the percentage that invaded the roots increased, and adverse effects on the symbiosis accelerated, leading to non-functional nodules at 4,000 and more nematodes. When P. penetrans invaded roots that had fully established nodules, growth of nodules, density of bacteroids, and nitrogen fixation were affected but not the number of nodules. In contrast, nodulation of already infested roots resulted in a high number of small nodules with decreased densities of bacteroids and nitrogen fixation. P. penetrans invaded and damaged the nodules locally, but they also significantly affected the nodule symbiosis by a plant-mediated mechanism, as shown in an experiment with split-root systems.

Retrofitting towards energy-efficient homes in European cold climates: a review

Existing buildings represent a significant energy saving potential in Europe, and retrofitting the building stock is essential to reach European targets. Retrofitting measures should reduce the energy consumption as well as improve the indoor climate while still being cost-effective. This can be challenging in European cold climates. This paper discusses energy performance requirements and challenges in the retrofitting process. It also presents an overview of the retrofitting status and relevant energy saving retrofitting measures with their potential for residential buildings. Measures to lower the building’s energy demand and electrical energy consumption and measures to control and monitor the energy use are discussed. Some research directions for the future of building energy usage are suggested. The literature indicates that significant energy savings can be achieved from retrofitting the building envelope. Relatively few research papers have been devoted to the energy saving potential of building control systems for existing residential buildings. However, these savings seem low compared to those that can be achieved through energy conservation. The actual savings from retrofitting the envelope, HVAC-systems and control systems are case specific and should be assessed for reference buildings of each housing typology.

Techno-economic evaluation of squalene recovery from oil deodorizer distillates

The potential of squalene recovery from oil deodorizer distillates (ODD) via a combination of supercritical ethanol esterification, supercritical CO2-extraction and additional purification was assessed via detailed process simulations. The squalene yields and purity from olive, sunflower and soybean ODD were determined. The highest squalene yield and purity could be achieved starting from olive ODD (95gsqualenekg−1ODD, 99wt% pure), followed by soybean ODD (31gsqualenekg−1ODD, 98wt% pure) and sunflower ODD (24 gsqualenekg−1ODD, 98wt% pure). Apart from squalene, two more value-added products can be produced, i.e., high purity ethyl esters (>88wt%) and a mixture of tocopherols and sterols. On a scale of 1kTonneODD per year, all feedstocks demonstrate economical potential in Europe. Even more, a flexible process configuration could be designed which is suitable for the treatment of the different feedstocks.

How much wind power potential does europe have? Examining european wind power potential with an enhanced socio-technical atlas

The continuous development of onshore wind farms is an important feature of the European transition towards an energy system powered by distributed renewables and low-carbon resources. This study assesses and simulates potential for future onshore wind turbine installations throughout Europe. The study depicts, via maps, all the national and regional socio-technical restrictions and regulations for wind project development using spatial analysis conducted through GIS. The inputs for the analyses were based on an original dataset compiled from satellites and public databases relating to electricity, planning, and other dimensions. Taking into consideration socio-technical constraints, which restricts 54% of the combined land area in Europe, the study reveals a nameplate capacity of 52.5 TW of untapped onshore wind power potential in Europe - equivalent to 1 MW per 16 European citizens – a supply that would be sufficient to cover the global all-sector energy demand from now through to 2050. The study offers a more rigorous, multi-dimensional, and granular atlas of onshore wind energy development that can assist with future energy policy, research, and planning.

Valorization of Tomato Surplus and Waste Fractions: A Case Study Using Norway, Belgium, Poland, and Turkey as Examples.

There is a large potential in Europe for valorization in the vegetable food supply chain. For example, there is occasionally overproduction of tomatoes for fresh consumption, and a fraction of the production is unsuited for fresh consumption sale (unacceptable color, shape, maturity, lesions, etc.). In countries where the facilities and infrastructure for tomato processing is lacking, these tomatoes are normally destroyed, used as landfilling or animal feed, and represent an economic loss for producers and negative environmental impact. Likewise, there is also a potential in the tomato processing industry to valorize side streams and reduce waste. The present paper provides an overview of tomato production in Europe and the strategies employed for processing and valorization of tomato side streams and waste fractions. Special emphasis is put on the four tomato-producing countries Norway, Belgium, Poland, and Turkey. These countries are very different regards for example their climatic preconditions for tomato production and volumes produced, and represent the extremes among European tomato producing countries. Postharvest treatments and applications for optimized harvest time and improved storage for premium raw material quality are discussed, as well as novel, sustainable processing technologies for minimum waste and side stream valorization. Preservation and enrichment of lycopene, the primary health promoting agent and sales argument, is reviewed in detail. The European volume of tomato postharvest wastage is estimated at >3 million metric tons per year. Together, the optimization of harvesting time and preprocessing storage conditions and sustainable food processing technologies, coupled with stabilization and valorization of processing by-products and side streams, can significantly contribute to the valorization of this underutilized biomass.

Efficiency improvements in the PV plants market: an application to the Spanish case

PurposeSpain has one of the greatest photovoltaic potentials in Europe. The boom suffered in the photovoltaic sector during the years 2007 and 2008 led to instability in the electrical system, prompting the legislator to develop a large number of legislative changes trying to control the electric system tariff deficit. These measures profoundly affected plant owners creating a non-transparent secondary market, which are not covered by the current exchange platforms. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current situation of the photovoltaic market in Spain, try to understand it based on its historical sequence and propose efficiency improvement measures, based on the implementation of best practices and market mechanisms.Design/methodology/approachThis paper studies the legislative evolution in the photovoltaic sector in Spain and its effect on owners and investors. The authors propose an intermediation system that improves the efficiency of the secondary market.FindingsThe authors propose an intermediation system that improves the efficiency of the secondary market.Originality/valueThe authors have not found any other paper that proposes the creation of a market for photovoltaic facilities to increase efficiency.

Environmental safety in the implementation of carbon dioxide geological storage technologies in the Donbass

The Donbass has the largest potential in Europe for the geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2), which needs to be implemented on a large scale to mitigate the effects of global climate change. The environmental risks of CO2 leaks in the processes of capturing, transporting and geological storage of CO2 at the enterprises of the energy and industrial sectors of the economy of the eastern regions of Ukraine are analyzed. Geographic information systems have been created in these areas with layers of geological structures suitable for long-term storage of supercritical CO2. The impact of CO2 leaks from geological repositories on the environment is estimated. In the proposed CO2 storage areas, some CO2 leakagescenarios were analyzed due to the filtering of CO2 fluids through porous rock layers, through abandoned wells and tectonic faults of the Donbas geological structures. The potential effects of CO2 leakage on groundwater quality in the region are also assessed.

Assessment and quantification of marginal lands for biomass production in Europe using soil-quality indicators

Abstract. The cultivation of bioenergy plants in fertile, arable lands increasingly results in new land use conflicts with food production and cannot be considered as sustainable. Marginal lands have been frequently considered as potential alternatives for producing bioenergy from biomass. However, clear definitions and assessment methods for selecting marginal lands and for calculating potentials are still widely missing. The project “SEEMLA” aims at triggering the exploitation of currently underused marginal lands for biomass production for energy purposes. Study sites have been selected in different European countries: Germany, Greece, and Ukraine. The selected sites represent a wide variety of different types of marginal lands. Based on a soil assessment set given by the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (SQR) system potentially “marginal” sites have been investigated. The SQR system allows for clearly distinguishing between soils of higher and lower quality. Soils with SQR scores below 40 are regarded as “marginal”. They can be classified into different groups with regard to the importance of soil hazard indicators as evaluated by the SQR approach. The calculated SQR scores correlate significantly with biomass yields of bioenergy plants. Further, the SQR method was adapted for use in a GIS study on marginal-land potentials in Europe. Thus, 46 % of the investigated European area could be classified as “marginal” with SQR scores below 40. From that area 22.6 % can be considered as potentially suitable for producing renewable resources after eliminating protected sites or other places not suitable for any kind of land use. Taking the ecological demands of selected bioenergy plants into account it is possible to give first preliminary recommendations for regional crop cultivation. It can be concluded that Europe offers a large potential for renewable resources from marginal sites. However, the implementation into practice is often impeded by missing or varying policies and regulations. A proper implementation needs clear regulations and also incentives for farmers at the European level.

Recovering the “new twin”: Analysis of secondary neodymium sources and recycling potentials in Europe

Sustainable management strategies for securing long–term supply of rare earth elements is priority for Europe due to a complex and interlinked production chain and its dependence on Chinese export. Among rare earth elements, neodymium captured most attention due to its essential role in a wide spectrum of applications including green–energy technologies such as wind turbines and electric vehicles. Being complementary to primary production, end–of–life recycling would diversify neodymium supply, relieve the Chinese dominance on primary production and contrast the balance problem. However, neodymium recycling at end–of–life is not yet in place.In this work, we developed a dynamic material flow model to investigate neodymium stocks and flows in the EU–28 to 2016. The analysis enabled a detailed investigation of secondary sources of neodymium, which set essential boundary conditions for material recovery and recycling. We found that roughly up to 50% of the annual neodymium demand in the EU–28 could be met by domestic secondary supply, if latent recycling potentials were turned into actual capacity. Significant energy savings and GHG emissions cut could be also attained. However, product design, end–of–life collection, and scrap price issues are primary obstacles to neodymium recovery. Thus, unless going beyong those limits, establishing and maintaining a sustainable recycling chain for neodymium in the EU–28 will remain problematic.

Review of Photovoltaic Cells for Solar-Powered Aircraft Applications

This review paper presents the study of photovoltaic cells for solar-powered aircraft applications. Different PV cells and Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPTs) are evaluated, and those applicable to solar-powered aircraft are stated. A good irradiance model is developed based on Malaysia as a case study using R.SUN (IET, 2013). The model was developed using the Photovoltaic Geography Information System (PVGIS) of the European Union. PVGIS provide online interactive maps of potentials in Europe, Asia and Africa. The deviation from the tilt angle and geographical location of the flight to follow the cambered airfoil, the camber efficiency is introduced. The cells are designed to dispose of the wings and connected in series to ensure they have a similar orientation. For the flexibility of PV silicon cells for encapsulation on the wing, thin film solar cells is ascertaining suitable to be the best. For the silicon solar cell, because of their brittle nature, two methods were adopted to ensure the silicon solar cell is bend to the airfoil to minimise loss of efficiency. Â