Reduce Water Consumption Research Articles

Miniaturization of Biogas Upgrading Via High Pressure Water Scrubbing to Enhance Economic Competitiveness of Distributed Biomethane

Biogas is an important clean and low carbon energy for rural area, which is confronted with the low heat value, pollutant emission during combustion. The pollutant absorbing technology was employed to develop the small scale portable biogas upgrading equipment to remove CO2, H2S and other impurities in this work. The scheme based on the high pressure water scrubbing technology (HPWS) were proposed including adsorption, flashing, stripping and water recovery. Aspen Plus were used to investigate the effect of adsorption pressure, number of plates, and flash pressure on CH4 purification. The mole fraction of CH4 in final stream increased to 95.6% and levelled off around 97% with the increasing of flash pressure and absorber pressure. The water consumption will decrease with the increase of the number of plates. When the number of plates is above 7, the reduction of water consumption will not be obvious. The principle equipment was developed and tested, indicating the high separation efficiency.

The contribution of aquaculture systems to global aquaculture production

AbstractSince 2000, aquaculture became well‐integrated into the global food system. Aquaculture systems are highly diverse, producing globally equal amounts of fed and extractive species. In Asia and Africa, inland aquaculture provides the bulk of aquaculture production, while in the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, marine aquaculture dominates. The realized growth of annual production since 2000 is due to intensification, the use of more and better feeds, improved production management, and increased attention to biosecurity. Fed and extractive aquaculture, both need to pay more attention to scaling, site selection, and the health of the wider production environment. In terms of land use, aquaculture is more efficient than terrestrial animal production. Still, water use remains a challenge. More attention should be given to water recycling in land‐based systems, reducing water consumption and facilitating nutrient recovery and reuse. Future development should focus on making aquaculture climate neutral and on reducing environmental impacts, both inland and at sea. More attention must be given to making aquaculture an important part of local food systems on all continents, as is the case in Asia today. Integration of aquaculture into local nutrition‐sensitive, circular, and sustainable food systems should become the major driver for future aquaculture system development.

Valorisation through Lactic Fermentation of Industrial Wastewaters from a Bean Blanching Treatment

In recent years, scientific research and industries have been focusing on the application of biological treatments aimed at imparting functional properties to waste products from food industries according to the principles on which the circular economy model is based, namely, the recovery, valorisation, and reuse of wastes. This work aimed at exploring the possibility of valorising waters from the blanching process of dried navy beans through lactic acid fermentation using Lacticaseibacillus paracasei CBA L74 as a starter. Two samples at different solid concentrations (0.75 °Bx and 1.25 °Bx) were fermented, and, in both cases, a bacterial load of 8 Logs and a lactic acid concentration of approximately 1.3 g/L were reached, despite the lack of nutrients. An unusual pH trend, characterised by an initial decrease and unexpected final rise, was observed during the fermentation of both samples: simultaneously, an increase in protein content was observed, suggesting that the proteolytic action of the microorganism could be responsible for the release of pH-increasing substances. In both cases, a slight increase in total polyphenols (approximately 23.3–33.72%) and flavonoids (approximately 42.3–52%) due to fermentation was observed, with a corresponding improvement in antioxidant capacity (approximately 25.32–37.72%). A significant increase in saponin concentration was determined for the most concentrated blanching water (from 2.87 ± 0.28 to 6.68 ± 0.69 mgOAE/mL), leading to an improvement in foaming properties and an enhanced capacity to produce stable emulsions. The obtained results confirmed the possibility of reducing water consumption from blanching operations, as well as finding valorisation opportunities for this side stream through a safe and inexpensive fermentation treatment.

AISG: IOT-DRIVEN IRRIGATION FOR AUGMENTED PLANT GROWTH

Information technology has become so pervasive in today's highly technological culture that it affects every aspect of human existence. The advent of information technology has proven beneficial to many different industries, including horticulture, both on a domestic and commercial. Gardeners frequently face difficulties in maintaining their gardens during vacations or periods of neglect, leading to plant withering, and these challenges arise due to environmental stressors like light, soil moisture, and water. This research introduces AISG that represent Automat-ed Irrigation Smart Gardening. It provides a solution by integrating an IoT system with a responsive web-based application to monitor a plant's development in real time, including access to relevant data and the ability to adjust settings as needed. This approach will assist the gardeners in managing their plants and irrigate appropriately depending on the specific needs of the plants. Besides, it may reduce water consumption and allow plants to be tended. the moisture sensor measures soil dryness at two distinct locations in the field and transmits the data to the Arduino system, which considers information from both devices to deter-mine the required amount of water. The system continues collecting sensor data until it detects sufficient soil moisture, at which point it automatically turn off the pump. Another benefit of this approach is the gardeners can control the irrigation system that watering their plants from their phone. The sensor's collected information is automatically updated on an hourly basis. In conclusion, the expected outcome of this implementation system enables a more organized and systematic approach to tending plants at home, resulting in improved care and maintenance.

Transformation of Water Consumption and Sanitation in the Russian Part of the Transboundary Ural River Basin

Aim. Study of the transformation of water consumption and wastewater disposal in the Russian part of the Ural River basin. Ural in 1995-2020 due to changing socio-economic and technological conditions.Materials and Methods. The data of state statistical reporting (form 2-TP (vodkhoz)) for the period 1995-2020 were used. Materials of the AllRussian Agricultural Census of 2016, collections of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, "Agro-industrial Complex of Russia", on the commissioning of irrigated lands, the regional Department of Land Reclamation and reports on the state and environmental protection for the constituent entities of the Russian Federation were consulted. The study was carried out on the basis of a systematic approach using the following methods: (1) analytical (collection and systematization of primary information); (2) special (tables compiled, charts constructed; (3) statistical data processing and comparative analysis.Results. It was revealed that from 1995 to 2020 water intake in the Russian part of the Ural River basin to meet the needs of the population and the economy was reduced by 2.4 times. The average daily specific water consumption per 1 inhabitant has decreased in all regions. The water cycle coefficient in the basin increased from 73 to 88%. In recent years, an increase in the area of irrigated land has begun.Conclusion. There has been a noticeable reduction in water consumption and wastewater disposal in the Russian part of the Ural River basin. This is mainly due to the decline in industrial and agricultural production, as well as the development of circulating water supply in industry and the introduction of water-saving equipment in housing and communal services.

Foliar Application of Zinc Improves Agronomical and Quality Parameters and Biofortification of Cowpea (Vigna sinensis) under Deficit Irrigation

Due to climate changes, we encounter irregular and low rainfall. It is important to effectively use groundwater and to select crops that can be grown with deficit irrigation in the summer period. Restricted irrigation reduces water consumption but it may cause losses in terms of yield and quality. Different agronomic practices can be used to minimize these losses. One of these practices is the application of foliar zinc fertilizer. In previous studies, zinc application was found to increase the bioavailability of cowpea grain. In this study, the effects of the application of zinc fertilizer on yield, some yield components, physiological traits, and grain quality characteristics of three different cowpea genotypes (Akkız, Karagöz, and a Local variety) were investigated under full (100%) and deficit (50%) irrigation. The field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block split–split plot design with irrigation rates (100% and 50%) and foliar zinc application (0 and 60 kg ha−1) with three replicates used each season (2020 and 2021 growing seasons of cowpea) in the field crops trial fields of the Aydin Adnan Menderes University, at the Faculty of Agriculture, located in the western region of Turkey. Yield and quality characteristics such as grain yield, some yield components, grain protein content, grain mineral matter content, and grain amino acid content were measured. According to the data obtained, a 40% yield reduction was observed under restricted irrigation in the first year of the study. It was determined that zinc application under restricted irrigation increased the yield by approximately 10%. The second-year results found that the amount of essential amino acids such as histidine, phenylalanine, valine, and lysine increased with the zinc application. This study highlights that deficit irrigation conditions caused stress in the plant and caused losses in the yield and quality. Still, the severity of this stress was reduced by foliar zinc application, and it was determined that it positively affected grain yield and bioavailability in cowpea.

Modelling the required membrane selectivity for NO3⁻ recovery from effluent also containing Cl⁻, while saving water

We present a general outline for the selective recovery of NO3⁻ from a (waste) water stream also containing Cl⁻. The key element of the technology introduced and simulated here is a membrane unit demonstrating NO3⁻ over Cl⁻ permeation selectivity. The membrane is hypothesized to be hydrophobic and with that exploiting the difference in dehydration energy between NO3⁻ and Cl⁻. Apart from NO3⁻ recovery, the process also aims to reduce water consumption. Based on a generic outline of the process, the key parameters are defined, being the NO3⁻/Cl⁻ concentration ratio in the (waste) stream, the fraction of NO3⁻ and water recovered, and the selectivity of the membrane. The sensitivity of the separation process to these four parameters is evaluated. In the second part of the paper, the same principles are applied to a real-life process, i.e., NO3⁻ recovery from the effluent (waste) water of a fertilizer production plant. The aim was to calculate the membrane NO3⁻/Cl⁻ permeation selectivity required to recover 90% of NO3⁻, given a threshold value for the Cl⁻ concentration in the permeate stream and recycle 30% of the water, starting from two different NO3⁻/Cl⁻ concentration ratios in the effluent (waste) water. With 51 mM Cl⁻ in the effluent (waste) water and a Cl⁻ threshold of 9.9 mM, a membrane selectivity of 3 suffices. The required selectivity increases to 30 when the Cl⁻ in the effluent (waste) water is 200 mM and the Cl⁻ threshold is 4.2 mM. Reported NO3⁻/Cl⁻ membrane selectivities are still modest, with a maximal selectivity found in literature of 3. Strategies to develop membranes of significant higher selectivity are briefly discussed.

Reduction in water consumption in premise plumbing systems: Impacts on lead concentration under different water qualities

Water conservation measures are increasing in response to regulatory requirements addressing the need for lower environmental footprint and in response to water shortages. In households with lead service lines (LSLs), lowering consumption can adversely impact lead release as it will increase stagnation. Using a lead dissolution model and data from extensive pilot studies on excavated LSLs, the impact of adaptation to different water conservation strategies on dissolved lead contamination at the kitchen tap is assessed under three water qualities and three LSL lengths (3, 14 and 30 m) using hydraulic and water quality modelling. Consumers' behavioural variability is also assessed based on integration of EPANET and results of the stochastic water demand model SIMDEUM. Demand reduction increased the dissolved lead concentrations (Pbdiss) at the end of the LSL with mean values ranging from 28.4 to 63.3 μg/L (without corrosion control) and from 4.6 to 9.9 μg/L with corrosion control (addition of orthophosphate and pH adjustment). Adding orthophosphate (1 mg P/L) to the water reduces the mean Pbdiss values at the kitchen tap from 7.1 μg/L to 1.2 μg/L for a high water demand scenario and from 31.2 to 4.9 μg/L for a low water demand scenario. Finally, the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic (IEUBK) model is used to predict the potential blood lead levels (BLLs) for children aged 0–84 months. Results showed that the orthophosphate addition of only 1 mg P/L can significantly decrease the proportion of children with a BLL >5 μg/dL, from 82 % to 17 %, under the most extreme water conservation scenario studied, using the 90th percentile of Pbdiss concentrations during usage at kitchen tap. Wide variations of Pbdiss concentrations at the kitchen tap were calculated at times of use over a week (up to 155 μg/L in lower demand scenarios, without corrosion control) showing evident limitations of single random daytime sampling.

Smart agriculture and digital twins: Applications and challenges in a vision of sustainability

Smart agriculture – i.e., the increasing use of information technologies, sensors, autonomous vehicles, data analytics, predictive modelling, and other digital technologies related to agricultural activities – has been strongly argued for as a means to significantly contribute to increased food security, reduced water consumption, reduced fertilizer and pesticide input, and increased farm profitability. Despite this, the adoption rate of smart agricultural technologies is still low and varies significantly according to the specific technology and the geographical area considered. The goals of this paper are to: (1) propose a conceptual framework for smart agriculture and digital twins, which takes into account the needs and characteristics of the farms; (2) present the application of the proposed conceptual framework as a case study; and (3) shed light on the challenges of and the future perspectives on smart agriculture. We first propose a framework for the design of farm information systems consisting of four key phases (i.e., data collection, data processing, data analysis and evaluation, and information use) based on the infological approach. We then apply the framework to present and discuss a field application of smart agriculture and digital twins on crop nitrogen (N) fertilization. The case study, along with the cited literature, highlights the need to specify the optimal N fertilizer input as well as defining the spatial variability of the land area, the soil characteristics and crop yield, and the integration of these with temporal variability. Finally, we discuss challenges and future perspectives, with particular focus on geographical areas characterized by small average farm size. We argue that, thanks to digital twins, the wide set of data collected can enable predictive (and stability) analyses that if implemented can benefit the farmer and the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of the agricultural system.

Hydrogels improved parsley (Petroselinium crispum(Mill.) Nyman) growth and development under water deficit stress.

Water scarcity is one of the most pressing problems facing countries in the semi-arid and arid regions of the world. Data predicts that by 2030, global water consumption will increase by 50%, leading to severe water shortages. Today, agricultural production consumes more than 70% of fresh water in many parts of the world, increasing the pressure on water scarcity. For these reasons, agricultural production models and approaches should be developed to reduce water consumption. One developed approach is the use of hydrogel to reduce water consumption and have a positive effect on plant growth. This study investigated the use of hydrogels as chemical components that can be used in water shortage conditions and against the expected water scarcity. Parsley was used as the model organism. The method used was as follows: two different water treatments (50% and 100%) and four different hydrogel concentrations (0%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) were applied, and root width and length, leaf width and length, main stem length, and the number of tillers were measured. According to the results, while no improvement was observed in the plants with 100% hydrogel concentration, the best results were obtained from 50% hydrogel application. The results obtained from 75% hydrogel application were found to be higher than those of 100% hydrogel but lower than 0% hydrogel application. With 50% hydrogel (water-restricted), all plant growth parameters were higher compared to the plants with 100% (full irrigation) water application. It was determined that the average value of the I1 (50%) irrigation was the highest (3.6), and the average value of the I2 (100%) irrigation (2.4) was the lowest. It was determined that the highest average value (6.2) in all measured traits was the average value of the H1 (50%) application, and the lowest average value (0.0) was in the H3 hydrogel applications (100%). In conclusion, this study suggested that hydrogel application is beneficial on a large scale, can optimize water resource management for higher yields in agriculture, and has a positive effect on agricultural yield under water deficit stress.

Applying the “matching law” optimization approach to promote the sustainable use of resources in the water-energy-food nexus

The study of the water-energy-food nexus is crucial to face the challenges in terms of access, production, and proper management of resources. This work presents an optimization model for the water-energy-food nexus considering economic incentives to promote the efficient use of unconventional forms of water, such as desalinated and reclaimed water, as well as the treatment of contaminated water; renewable forms of energy such as solar, biomass and biogas from municipal waste incineration and food production. Likewise, the matching law approach is included, which helps to quantify the choice preference among the available options. The state of Sonora in Mexico was chosen as a case study since it presents uneven biodiversity and distribution of its resources as well as significant economic activities, which in turn threaten resource security. The objective functions are the minimum freshwater, costs and emissions. The results show that there is a reduction in water consumption of 18.51 % in the case when an incentive scheme is considered compared with the scenario where no incentive scheme is involved. Furthermore, the cost of the system improved by 33.07 % and a reduction of 4.94 % in CO2 emissions is achieved. Based on the results, it is observed that by economically incentivizing unconventional forms of resources, their preference is increased and the values of the objective functions are also improved. The proposed framework can be used to analyze the interrelationships that exist between the water-energy-food nexus, the economic incentives and the preferences of those involved, as well as how they affect the entire system. Finally, it is possible to modify the behavior of water-energy-food systems by varying the proposed incentives and penalties.

Environmental evaluation of polyhydroxyalkanoates from animal slaughtering waste using Material Input Per Service Unit

The massive production and extensive use of fossil-based non-biodegradable plastics are leading to their environmental accumulation and ultimately cause health threats to animals, humans, and the biosphere in general. The problem can be overcome by developing eco-friendly ways for producing plastics-like biopolymers from waste residues such as of agricultural origin. This will solve two currently prevailing social issues: waste management and the efficient production of a biopolymer that is environmentally benign, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). The current study assesses the environmental impact of biopolymer (PHA) manufacturing, starting from slaughterhouse waste as raw material. The Material Input Per Service Unit methodology (MIPS) is used to examine the sustainability of the PHA production process. In addition, the impact of shifting from business-as-usual energy provision (i.e., electricity from distribution grid network and heat provision from natural gas) to alternative renewable energy sources is also evaluated. As a major outcome, it is shown that the abiotic material contribution for PHA production process is almost double for using hard coal as an energy source than the petro-plastic low-density-poly(ethene) (LPDE), which PHA shall ultimately replace. Likewise, abiotic material contribution is 43 % and 7 % higher when using the electricity from the European electricity mix (EU-27 mix) and biogas, respectively, than in the case of LDPE production. However, PHA production based on wind power for energy provision has 12 % lower abiotic material input than LDPE. Furthermore, the water input decreases when moving from the EU-27 mix to wind power. The reduction in water consumption for various electricity provision resources amounts to 20 % for the EU-27 mix, 25 % for hard coal, 71 % for wind, and 70 % for biogas. As the main conclusion, it is demonstrated that using wind farm electricity to generate PHA is the most environmentally friendly choice. Biogas is the second-best choice, although it requires additional abiotic material input.

Promoting Water Efficiency in a Municipal Market Building: A Case Study

This study aimed to determine the water demand of a Municipal Market building to propose water use efficiency measures. The flushing cisterns have the highest water consumption (63.15%), followed by washbasins, restaurant and coffee shop taps, and hairdresser’s showerhead (31.64%). Therefore, the implementation of two main categories of solutions: reducing water consumption through the adoption of efficient devices and installing a rainwater harvesting system (RWHS) when drinking water quality is not required, was evaluated. These solutions were organized in four distinct scenarios: (1) Flushing cistern replacement by dual-flush ones; (2) washbasins, restaurant, coffee shop taps, and hairdresser showerhead replacement; (3) scenario 1 combined to a RWHS for recharging the replaced flushing cisterns and (4) combining scenarios 3 and 4. Under scenarios 1, 2, 3, and 4, the expected water consumption reduction was 28.36%, 17.06%, 57.36%, and 74.41%, respectively. As a result, the annual water bill reduction was €3835.81 (scenario 1), €2307.07 (scenario 2), €7757.65 (scenario 3), and €10,064.73 (scenario 4). Furthermore, to ensure the harvested rainwater attains the required standard for recharge flushing cisterns, it is advisable to dispose of the first-flush rainwater collected after a long dry period.

Reducing freshwater consumption in pulp and paper industries using pinch analysis and mathematical optimization

The pulp and paper (P&P) industries are classified among the water-intensitive industries. In this work, implementation of the Water Closed-Loop System (WCLS) in a P&P factory to reduce water consumption and wastewater generation was reported. First, the water and steam network of the mill was synthesized, and water sinks and sources along with their flowrates were identified. The key pollutants, including chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), and total dissolved solids (TDS), were pinpointed and acceptable levels for water sinks were acquired. In the second step, by using water pinch analysis with the direct-reuse approach, each limiting pollutant was investigated, and the maximum reduction in freshwater consumption equal to 36.9 % was obtained by considering TSS as the only pollutant. The minimum potential for reducing water consumption belonged to COD (4.0 %) and TDS (18.9 %). In the regeneration-reuse approach, the incomplete performance of the mill's treatment plant in removing COD and TDS resulted in no improvement in the results of the previous step. In the case of TSS alone, the reduction in freshwater consumption increased to 93.3 %. Mathematical optimization was used to study all limiting contaminants simultaneously. The direct-reuse approach achieved a 4.0 % reduction in water consumption, while the regeneration-reuse did not change water consumption compared to the direct-reuse approach, emphasizing the incomplete operation of the treatment plant. Finally, the output contaminants levels of a hypothetical decentralized and modified existing treatment plant were estimated using literature. In this case, the freshwater consumption of the mill declined by 93 %.

Climate Change Impacts and Environmental and Water use Behaviors, Beliefs and Perceptions

This paper presents research conducted on urban home water use behavior as a response demand mitigation strategy to reduce domestic water consumption in SA. The paper presents results of urban home residents’ attitudes, behavior and perceptions towards their water consumption in a search for ways in which domestic demand for water may be substantially reduced. The analysis reflects the water use behavior and perceptions of urban dwellers in a period where water use rationing and restrictions are in place in parts of SA, therefore water scarcity is an important public crisis issue.
 The research has brought to the fore the complexity of the forces shaping water demand and use in the context of the socio-demographic composition of homes residing in different types of dwellings, as well as the cultural, behavioral and attitudinal aspects of water consumption in city of Durban. The essential questions driving the research was what extent the two key dimensions of urban structure do, i.e. built form and the socio-behavioral characteristics of home water use, influence the pattern of water consumption. Additionally, the study ascertained the extent to which urban water users understood water-saving practices and the need to conserve this precious natural resource whilst also investigating the extent that the public believed were the most effective water-saving habits, interventions and communication methods to support reduced water consumption at a home level. In so doing, the study findings have aimed to inform public policy on ways to reduce consumption and identify alternative and complimentary ways to address the urban water conservation and demand management planning.

A Hyper-Integrated Mobility as a Service (MaaS) to Gamification and Carbon Market Enterprise Architecture Framework for Sustainable Environment

Various human activities emit greenhouse gasses (GHGs) that contribute to global climate change. These include the burning of fossil fuels for energy production, transportation, and industrial uses, and the clearing of forests to create farmland and pasture, all for urban and industrial development. As a result, temperatures around the world are rising, extreme weather events are occurring more frequently, and human health is suffering because of these changes. As a result of massive traffic, agriculture, and urbanization, the natural environment is being destroyed, negatively affecting humans and other living things. Humanity plans to live in smart cities within this ecosystem as the world evolves around these mutations. A smart city uses technology and data to improve the quality of life of its citizens and the efficiency of its urban systems. Smart cities have the potential to be more sustainable because they use technology and data to improve the efficiency of urban systems and reduce the negative impact of human activities on the environment. Smart cities can also use technology to improve green transportation and waste management and reduce water consumption, which can help conserve natural resources and protect the environment. Smart cities can create livable, efficient, and sustainable urban environments using technology and data. This paper presents a new Enterprise Architecture Framework for reducing carbon emissions for environmental sustainability that combines gamification and green behavior with blockchain architecture to ensure a system that is trustworthy, secure, and scalable for shareholders, citizens, service providers, and technology vendors. In order to achieve this, the hyper-integrated framework approach explains a roadmap for how sustainability for reducing carbon emissions from transportation is based on an optimized MaaS approach improved by gamification. As part of this study, a computational model and a formulation are proposed to calculate the activity exchange values in the MaaS ecosystem for swapping, changing, and bartering for assets within the integrated system. This paper aims to propose the framework and a module interoperability approach, so numerical values for computation parameters are not included as they may belong to other research studies. In spite of this, a case study section has been provided as an example of a calculation approach.

Water shortage and optimal pattern of field cropping cultivation: Addressing economic and environmental concerns in Qazvin Plain, Iran

Iran is currently suffering from a severe water shortage. Frequent droughts, along with over-abstraction of surface and groundwater, have pushed the country's water situation to crisis levels. To deal with this issue, changing the cultivation pattern has been suggested. The planners stated that other environmental objectives would be achieved by implementing changes to the cultivation pattern along with reducing water consumption. Concerning this issue, the present study aimed to identify the optimal water-saving cultivation pattern in the field cropping's subsector in Qazvin province. This province is particularly important in the production of field cropping, which has caused the groundwater level to drop. Therefore, 246 farmers were selected using a simple two-stage random sampling method, and the information was collected in 2019. According to the experts' ideas, a 15% increase in gross profit, a 10% decrease in agricultural water consumption, job stability, and a 15% decrease in chemical fertilizers and pesticides were considered the optimal goals. The findings showed that through the optimal allocation of the inputs to Low Water-Demand (LWD) and High Water-Demand (HWD) crops, the farmers could not only save water and different types of fertilizers and pesticides but also achieve their objectives in terms of their desired profit. Therefore, designing a system of allocation and distribution, establishing a standardization system, and monitoring and controlling farmers' behavior concerning the use of inputs can achieve the goal concerning farmers' income and goals for protecting water resources and the environment.

Climate change awareness and mitigation practices in small and medium‐sized enterprises: Evidence from Swiss firms

AbstractThe objective of this paper is to investigate climate change awareness and mitigation effort and their associated motivating and limiting factors to pro‐environmental behavior and firm demographics in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in Switzerland. For this purpose, a questionnaire was developed, conducted, and analyzed on motivating and limiting factors along with firm demographics, using descriptive statistics and ordinary least squares (OLS) and ordered probit regression models. The results show that Swiss SMEs are in general aware of climate change and their resulting consequences. SMEs have taken steps to help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions through recycling, reduction of energy and water consumption, and use of recycled packaging. SMEs could however improve their environmental impact through low‐carbon means of transport and use of public transport, sustainable raw material inputs, sustainable energy sources, and setting environmental goals and audits. There was a positive association between climate change awareness and mitigation. Motivating factors to pro‐environmental behavior included financial advantage and responsibility towards the environment, while firm size and human resources were limiting factors. Lastly, different mitigation measures might be influenced by different motivating and limiting factors including financial advantage and pressure from interest groups, as well as firm size.

Reducing energy costs at the tar deasphalting unit

Propane de-asphalting units are used to "clean" tar from asphalt-resin and polycyclic aromatic components. The energy resources used in this case are quite large. To reduce energy consumption, the possibility of heat recovery of the technological flows of the installation and reduction of steam and water consumption during the regeneration of propane from a deasphaltisate solution is being considered. The research was carried out using the Honeywell UniSim Design software system, in which a model of a propane de-asphalting tar installation was developed. The Peng-Robinson method was used to calculate the thermodynamic properties of the fraction components. The analysis of the energy flows of the technological scheme showed that to increase the temperature of the deasphaltisate solution from 79.9 OC to 120 Oc for a tubular evaporator, it is required to bring an energy flow of 2.709e5 kJ/h. At the same time, the value of the heat flux of the target product (deasphaltisate) is 5,746e6 kJ / h, therefore, there is a possibility of heat recovery between the considered flows. An energy-saving technology for the regeneration of propane from a solution of deasphaltisate is proposed, in which the heat of the flow of the extracted deasphaltisate is used in a tubular evaporator instead of hot steam. The conducted computational experiment showed that the calculated reduction in the consumption of hot steam in the K-2 steam column reduces the energy consumption of the installation while maintaining the clarity of the separation of propane and the target product. The absence of a hydrocarbon fraction in the flow of regenerated propane makes it possible to recycle it to feed the extraction column. It is shown that it is possible to reduce water consumption in the K-5 mixing condenser. By reducing the steam consumption used in the K-2 steam column and lowering the water consumption in the K-5 condenser, the amount of water discharged into the sewer is reduced. The proposed technological scheme for the regeneration of propane from a deasphaltisate solution and the installation model can be used in the processes of one- and two-stage deasphaltization of tar for their calculation and design.

Impact of greening on performance in the hospitality industry: Moderating effect of flexibility and inter-organizational cooperation

Greening constitutes a particular challenge for the hospitality industry. It can be manifested in hotels through waste management, the reduction of purchasing materials that cannot be recycled, the reduction of energy and water consumption, investments in alternative energy equipment (solar or wind energy), and the adoption of an environment-friendly approach in a firm's strategy, among others. This study aims to examine the impact of greening on hotel performance and identify the factors that can strengthen this relationship. Using PLS-SEM and fsQCA, we examine a sample of 101 one- or two-star hotels operating in Poland. Our results show that greening has a significantly positive impact on hotel performance. Moreover, this impact is moderated by flexibility and inter-organizational cooperation; proactiveness and innovativeness do not moderate the examined relationship. This study contributes to the theories of sustainable development and hospitality management. Based on our results, we propose recommendations for managers and entrepreneurs regarding the sustainable development and green transformation of hotels.