Sustained Energy Research Articles

Effects of mixed normative feedback strategies on residents' energy conservation in shared spaces

Normative feedback has been shown to be effective in reducing energy use, but its impact is often temporary rather than sustained. To address this issue, mixed normative feedback strategies have been proposed as a potential solution for achieving more effective and lasting energy savings. However, the effectiveness of these strategies can vary significantly depending on the combinatory choices and social contexts in which they are implemented. Despite the potential benefits of mixed normative feedback strategies, it is currently unclear which mixed normative feedback strategies can effectively and sustainably promote energy conservation among residents in shared spaces. To address this gap, this study designed three mixed normative feedback strategies and conducted a 28-week field-controlled experiment to assess their effectiveness in motivating residents in shared dorms to save electricity. The Difference-in-Difference analysis was employed to evaluate their effectiveness. The results showed that the strategy mixing normative feedback with group-contrast feedback exhibited the greatest energy savings, with an average of 12.93 % after 5 weeks and 8.75 % after 12 weeks. The strategy combining normative feedback and instruction-based information failed to generate significant energy savings in the short term, but the inclusion of self-contrast feedback resulted in a significant 7.73 % reduction in energy consumption. Compared with single normative feedback, the mixed normative feedback strategies exhibited a more sustained energy savings after they were withdrawn. However, the sustained energy-saving effect was also found to decrease over time but at a slower rate than the single normative feedback. Therefore, further investigation is necessary to ensure long-term energy savings. These findings provide valuable insights and recommendations on how to use mixed normative feedback strategies to motivate residents to conserve energy in shared spaces, including the need to consider combinatory choices, intervention duration, and social contexts.

Snack Bars as a Functional Snack Option for Individuals with Diabetes: A Review

Snack bars can be a great example of functional foods, which are foods that provide health benefits beyond basicnutrition. By adding other functional ingredients such as nuts, seeds, fruits, and spices, snack bars can offer evenmore health benefits. For example, nuts and seeds are rich in healthy fats and can help lower cholesterol levels,while fruits and berries are high in antioxidants and can help boost the immune system. Spices like cinnamon andginger have anti-inflammatory properties and can help improve digestion.Moreover, snack bars can be a convenient and portable way to get the nutrition and energy needed throughoutthe day. They can be a great option for busy individuals who need a quick and easy snack on the go or for athleteswho need sustained energy during exercise.The demand of functional food increasing day by day as the threat of non-communicable diseases increasing suchas diabetes, CVD and obesity. From the ancient time the use of medicinal food such as seeds of chia, millets andmultigrain has been seen to get different health benefits. Currently seeds are widely used for numerous healthbenefits. Seeds are well known for there high content of PUFA mainly omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and fiber.These seeds are also rich source of polyphenols which further helps in protecting the body from free radicals.Furthermore, seeds are rich source of the fiber which helps in reducing cholesterol level, regulate bowel movementand reduce inflammation in the body. Demand for practical and convenient food increasing day by day due tobusy lifestyle. Food items that are convenient and can improve health are needed in today’s time. The seedsincorporated snack bar can be a convenient and practical food product with complete nutritional components.There are Some ingredients which can be used as the raw material to prepare an anti-diabetic snack bar. On thebasis of existing research, seed and modified cassava flour (MOCAF) can reduce blood sugar levels and that canreduce the risk of diabetes too.

A Narrative Review on Nutritional Strategies for Ultra-endurance Cyclists: Emphasising Requirements for Brevet de Randonneurs Events in India

Ultra-endurance cycling, particularly in events such as the Brevet de Randonneurs Mondiaux (BRMs), demands exceptional physical exertion and sustained energy management. In India, BRMs events, which span distances of 200 to 1000 kilometres, pose unique challenges for cyclists, necessitating prolonged physical preparation and consistent performance under demanding conditions. Nutrition plays a critical role in optimising energy availability, enhancing recovery and sustaining performance throughout these events. Despite the wealth of information available through social media, there remains a significant gap in scientifically grounded nutritional guidance specifically tailored to ultra-endurance cyclists. The aim of the present narrative review is to highlight the critical nutritional requirements and strategies essential for ultra-endurance cyclists participating in BRMs events. The review emphasises the need for evidence-based dietary practices to support optimal performance and recovery while addressing the current gap in scientific understanding. It also provides practical, research-informed nutritional guidance for athletes involved in these ultraendurance events. Pre-event preparation focuses on carbohydrate loading, hydration and balanced nutrition to maximise glycogen stores and ensure optimal hydration. During the event, continuous carbohydrate intake, electrolyte replenishment and hydration are critical for maintaining energy levels and preventing dehydration. Post-event recovery emphasises protein consumption for muscle repair, glycogen replenishment and rehydration. The findings underscore the importance of tailored nutritional strategies for ultraendurance cyclists to achieve optimal performance and recovery. Despite the abundance of general information available, there is a clear need for more research-based, practical nutritional guidelines specifically for ultra-endurance cycling. Future research should address this gap to provide athletes with evidence-based recommendations that support their unique nutritional needs.

Cell-free expression of RuBisCO for ATP production in the synthetic cells.

Recent advances in bottom-up synthetic biology have made it possible to reconstitute cellular systems from non-living components, yielding artificial cells with potential applications in industry, medicine and basic research. Although a variety of cellular functions and components have been reconstituted in previous studies, sustained biological energy production remains a challenge. ATP synthesis via ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), a central enzyme in biological CO2 fixation, holds potential as an energy production system, but its feasibility in a cell-free expression system has not yet been tested. In this study, we test RuBisCO expression and its activity-mediated ATP synthesis in a reconstituted Escherichia coli-based cell-free translation system. We then construct a system in which ATP is synthesized by RuBisCO activity in giant vesicles and used as energy for translation reactions. These results represent an advance toward independent energy production in artificial cells. Graphical Abstract.

Association between the FAAH C385A variant (rs324420) and obesity-related traits: a systematic review.

Overweight and obesity are the consequence of a sustained positive energy balance. Twin studies show high heritability rates pointing to genetics as one of the principal risk factors. By 2022, genomic studies led to the identification of almost 300 obesity-associated variants that could help to fill the gap of the high heritability rates. The endocannabinoid system is a critical regulator of metabolism for its effects on the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is a key enzyme in the inactivation of one of the two endocannabinoids, anandamide, and of its congeners. The rs324420 variant within the FAAH gene is a nucleotide missense change at position 385 from cytosine to adenine, resulting in a non-synonymous amino acid substitution from proline to threonine in the FAAH enzyme. This change increases sensitivity to proteolytic degradation, leading to reduced FAAH levels and increased levels of anandamide, associated with obesity-related traits. However, association studies of this variant with metabolic parameters have found conflicting results. This work aims to perform a systematic review of the existing literature on the association of the rs324420 variant in the FAAH gene with obesity and its related traits. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. A total of 645 eligible studies were identified for the review. After the identification, duplicate elimination, title and abstract screening, and full-text evaluation, 28 studies were included, involving 28 183 individuals. We show some evidence of associations between the presence of the variant allele and higher body mass index, waist circumference, fat mass, and waist-to-hip ratio levels and alterations in glucose and lipid homeostasis. However, this evidence should be taken with caution, as many included studies did not report a significant difference between genotypes. These discordant results could be explained mainly by the pleiotropy of the endocannabinoid system, the increase of other anandamide-like mediators metabolized by FAAH, and the influence of gene-environment interactions. More research is necessary to study the endocannabinoidomic profiles and their association with metabolic diseases.

Mineral Indicators of Geologically Recent Past Habitability on Mars.

We provide new support for habitable microenvironments in the near-subsurface of Mars, hosted in Fe- and Mg-rich rock units, and present a list of minerals that can serve as indicators of specific water-rock reactions in recent geologic paleohabitats for follow-on study. We modeled, using a thermodynamic basis without selective phase suppression, the reactions of published Martian meteorites and Jezero Crater igneous rock compositions and reasonable planetary waters (saline, alkaline waters) using Geochemist's Workbench Ver. 12.0. Solid-phase inputs were meteorite compositions for ALH 77005, Nakhla, and Chassigny, and two rock units from the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover sites, Máaz and Séítah. Six plausible Martian groundwater types [NaClO4, Mg(ClO4)2, Ca(ClO4)2, Mg-Na2(ClO4)2, Ca-Na2(ClO4)2, Mg-Ca(ClO4)2] and a unique Mars soil-water analog solution (dilute saline solution) named "Rosy Red", related to the Phoenix Lander mission, were the aqueous-phase inputs. Geophysical conditions were tuned to near-subsurface Mars (100 °C or 373.15 K, associated with residual heat from a magmatic system, impact event, or a concentration of radionuclides, and 101.3 kPa, similar to <10 m depth). Mineral products were dominated by phyllosilicates such as serpentine-group minerals in most reaction paths, but differed in some important indicator minerals. Modeled products varied in physicochemical properties (pH, Eh, conductivity), major ion activities, and related gas fugacities, with different ecological implications. The microbial habitability of pore spaces in subsurface groundwater percolation systems was interrogated at equilibrium in a thermodynamic framework, based on Gibbs Free Energy Minimization. Models run with the Chassigny meteorite produced the overall highest H2 fugacity. Models reliant on the Rosy Red soil-water analog produced the highest sustained CH4 fugacity (maximum values observed for reactant ALH 77005). In general, Chassigny meteorite protoliths produced the best yield regarding Gibbs Free Energy, from an astrobiological perspective. Occurrences of serpentine and saponite across models are key: these minerals have been observed using CRISM spectral data, and their formation via serpentinization would be consistent with geologically recent-past H2 and CH4 production and sustained energy sources for microbial life. We list index minerals to be used as diagnostic for paleo water-rock models that could have supported geologically recent-past microbial activity, and suggest their application as criteria for future astrobiology study-site selections.

Interfacial Assembly of 2D Graphene-Derived Ion Channels for Water-Based Green Energy Conversion.

The utilization of sustained and green energy is believed to alleviate increasing menace of global environmental concerns and energy dilemma. Interfacial assembly of 2D graphene-derived ion channels (2D-GDICs) with tunable ion/fluid transport behavior enables efficient harvesting of renewable green energy from ubiquitous water, especially for osmotic energy harvesting. In this review, various interfacial assembly strategies for fabricating diverse 2D-GDICs are summarized and their ion transport properties are discussed. This review analyzes how particular structure and charge density/distribution of 2D-GDIC can be modulated to minimize internal resistance of ion/fluid transport and enhance energy conversion efficiency, and highlights stimuli-responsive functions and stability of 2D-GDIC and further examines the possibility of integrating 2D-GDIC with other energy conversion systems. Notably, the presented preparation and applications of 2D-GDIC also inspire and guide other 2D materials to fabricate sophisticated ion channels for targeted applications. Finally, potential challenges in this field is analyzed and a prospect to future developments toward high-performance or large-scale real-word applications is offered.

A novel design of an array of pendulum-based electromagnetic broadband vibration energy harvester

This work investigates a novel design of an electromagnetic vibration energy harvester array based on pendulum structures under harmonic base excitation. The design includes combined magnetic-solenoid pendulum harvesters with different mechanical coupling configurations. A comparison is made with standalone magnetic and solenoid pendulum based harvester arrays under similar excitation conditions. Additionally, the positions of harvesters are shuffled and analyzed. The effects on harvested power, power density and frequency bandwidth are evaluated by considering dimensionless coupling ratios, damping ratios, mass ratios and length ratios as parameters. Further, the efficiency of the harvester against these parameters has also been reported. In addition, experimental validation of the numerical formulation is also conducted. The study shows that the proposed magnetic-solenoid harvester array can harvest sustained energy in a wider bandwidth compared to standalone magnetic and solenoid pendulum harvester arrays.

Timing of conceptions in Phayre's leaf monkeys: Energy and phytochemical intake.

Raising offspring imposes energetic costs, especially for female mammals. Consequently, seasons favoring high energy intake and sustained positive energy balance often result in a conception peak. Factors that may weaken this coordinated effect include premature offspring loss and adolescent subfertility. Furthermore, seasonal ingestion of phytochemicals may facilitate conception peaks. We examined these factors and potential benefits of a conception peak (infant survival and interbirth interval) in Phayre's leaf monkeys (Trachypithecus phayrei crepusculus). Data were collected at Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand (78 conceptions). We estimated periods of high energy intake based on fruit and young leaf feeding and via monthly energy intake rates. Phytochemical intake was based on fecal progestin. We examined seasonality (circular statistics and cox proportional hazard models) and compared consequences of timing (infant survival and interbirth intervals, t-test, and Fisher exact test). Conceptions occurred in all months but peaked from May to August. This peak coincided with high fecal progestin rather than presumed positive energy balance. Primipara conceived significantly later than multipara. Neither infant survival nor interbirth intervals were related to the timing of conception. Periods of high energy intake may not exist and would not explain the conception peak in this population. However, the presumed high intake of phytochemicals was tightly linked to the conception peak. Timing conceptions to the peak season did not provide benefits, suggesting that the clustering of conceptions may be a mere by-product of phytochemical intake. To confirm this conclusion, seasonal changes in phytochemical intake and hormone levels need to be studied more directly.

Intact polar lipidome and membrane adaptations of microbial communities inhabiting serpentinite-hosted fluids.

The generation of hydrogen and reduced carbon compounds during serpentinization provides sustained energy for microorganisms on Earth, and possibly on other extraterrestrial bodies (e.g., Mars, icy satellites). However, the geochemical conditions that arise from water-rock reaction also challenge the known limits of microbial physiology, such as hyperalkaline pH, limited electron acceptors and inorganic carbon. Because cell membranes act as a primary barrier between a cell and its environment, lipids are a vital component in microbial acclimation to challenging physicochemical conditions. To probe the diversity of cell membrane lipids produced in serpentinizing settings and identify membrane adaptations to this environment, we conducted the first comprehensive intact polar lipid (IPL) biomarker survey of microbial communities inhabiting the subsurface at a terrestrial site of serpentinization. We used an expansive, custom environmental lipid database that expands the application of targeted and untargeted lipodomics in the study of microbial and biogeochemical processes. IPLs extracted from serpentinite-hosted fluid communities were comprised of >90% isoprenoidal and non-isoprenoidal diether glycolipids likely produced by archaeal methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria. Phospholipids only constituted ~1% of the intact polar lipidome. In addition to abundant diether glycolipids, betaine and trimethylated-ornithine aminolipids and glycosphingolipids were also detected, indicating pervasive membrane modifications in response to phosphate limitation. The carbon oxidation state of IPL backbones was positively correlated with the reduction potential of fluids, which may signify an energy conservation strategy for lipid synthesis. Together, these data suggest microorganisms inhabiting serpentinites possess a unique combination of membrane adaptations that allow for their survival in polyextreme environments. The persistence of IPLs in fluids beyond the presence of their source organisms, as indicated by 16S rRNA genes and transcripts, is promising for the detection of extinct life in serpentinizing settings through lipid biomarker signatures. These data contribute new insights into the complexity of lipid structures generated in actively serpentinizing environments and provide valuable context to aid in the reconstruction of past microbial activity from fossil lipid records of terrestrial serpentinites and the search for biosignatures elsewhere in our solar system.

Haunted by Reconciliation?

Abstract Conversations about race in South Africa continue to be shaped by a religious-redemptive narrative of reconciliation that emerged in the democratic transition. However, there is a history of critical Black and liberation theological voices questioning whether the religious/ethical ideal of reconciliation adequately addresses the injustices of systemic racism. These questions gained new resonance in recent years with social movements like #feesmustfall. This article asks whether the seemingly intractable hope that a theological concept of reconciliation will be efficacious in facilitating racial justice is warranted. We begin by reviewing and interrogating how reconciliation is being used in contemporary theological discourses, arguing that given rising discontent, it is striking that reconciliation continues to be a prominent theme and topic within South African Christian theological discourses. We then propose several alternatives that may help address the problem of white racism and benefit from the sustained energy that South African theology has been putting into the language of reconciliation.

Limits to sustained energy intake. XXXIII. Thyroid hormones play important roles in milk production but do not define the heat dissipation limit in Swiss mice.

The limits to sustained energy intake set physiological upper boundaries that affect many aspects of human and animal performance. The mechanisms underlying these limits however remain unclear. We exposed Swiss mice to either supplementary thyroid hormones (THs) or methimazole during lactation at 21 °C or 32.5 °C, and measured food intake, resting metabolic rate (RMR), milk energy output (MEO), serum THs and mammary gland gene expression of females, and litter size and mass of their offspring. Lactating females developed hyperthyroidism following exposure to supplementary THs at 21 °C, but they did not significantly change body temperature, asymptotic food intake, RMR or MEO, and litter and mass were unaffected. Hypothyroidism, induced by either methimazole or 32.5 °C exposure, significantly decreased asymptotic food intake, RMR and MEO, resulting in significantly decreased litter size and litter mass. Furthermore, gene expression of key genes in the mammary gland were significantly decreased by either methimazole or hot exposure, including gene expression of THs and prolactin receptors, and Stat5a and Stat5b. This suggests that endogenous THs are necessary to maintain sustained energy intake and milk energy output. Suppression of the thyroid axis seems to be an essential aspect of the mechanism by which mice at 32.5 °C reduce their lactation performance to avoid overheating. However, THs do not define the upper limit to sustained energy intake and milk energy output at peak lactation at 21 °C. Another, as yet unknown, factor, prevents supplementary thyroxine exerting any stimulatory metabolic impacts on lactating mice at 21 °C.

The early evolution of magnetar rotation – II. Rapidly rotating magnetars: implications for gamma-ray bursts and superluminous supernovae

ABSTRACT Rapidly rotating magnetars have been associated with gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and superluminous supernovae (SLSNe). Using a suite of two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations at fixed neutrino luminosity and a couple of evolutionary models with evolving neutrino luminosity and magnetar spin period, we show that magnetars are viable central engines for powering GRBs and SLSNe. We also present analytical estimates of the energy outflow rate from the proto-neutron star (PNS) as a function of polar magnetic field strength B0, PNS angular velocity Ω⋆, PNS radius R⋆, and mass outflow rate $\dot{M}$. We show that rapidly rotating magnetars with spin periods P⋆ ≲ 4 ms and polar magnetic field strength B0 ≳ 1015 G can release 1050 to 5 × 1051 erg of energy during the first ∼2 s of the cooling phase. Based on this result, it is plausible that sustained energy injection by magnetars through the relativistic wind phase can power GRBs. We also show that magnetars with moderate field strengths of B0 ≲ 5 × 1014 G do not release a large fraction of their rotational kinetic energy during the cooling phase and, hence, are not likely to power GRBs. Although we cannot simulate to times greater than ∼3–5 s after a supernova, we can hypothesize that moderate field strength magnetars can brighten the supernova light curves by releasing their rotational kinetic energy via magnetic dipole radiation on time-scales of days to weeks, since these do not expend most of their rotational kinetic energy during the early cooling phase.

Heat transfer enhancement and pressure loss analysis of hydrogen-fueled microcombustor with slinky projection shape channel for micro-thermophotovoltaic system

Micro thermophotovoltaic (MTPV) system, as a type of micro-combustion power system, possesses several advantages, including higher energy density, sustained and stable energy output, and significantly extended service life. The energy conversion performance of the MTPV system is known to be closely correlated with the thermal performance of the microcombustor. This study proposes a unique microcombustor for the MTPV system with a slinky projection form channel. The influence of the amplitude of the slinky projection, the slinky projection fins number, and the basic oscillating channel radius on the external wall temperature, temperature uniformity, and pressure loss are investigated by adopting the detailed hydrogen/air reaction mechanism with 3-D numerical models. The results show that the increase of the slinky projection amplitude and the slinky projection fins number can improve the external wall temperature. Compared to the traditional microcombustor, the average external wall temperatures of the microcombustor with a slinky projection amplitude of 0.4 mm are 31.6 K lower at an input velocity of 5 m/s. Additionally, when the input mixture velocity is 5 m/s, the average outer wall temperature improves by 29.4 K as the number of slinky projection fins grows from 10 to 42, and the pressure drop increases by 1.4 times. Furthermore, the basic oscillating channel radius is suggested to be 1.5 mm. In summary, this research provides a valuable method for enhancing the energy production of the MTPV system.

Modification of Conductive Carbon with N‐Coordinated Fe−Co Dual‐Metal Sites for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

AbstractEarth‐abundant commercial conductive carbon materials are ideal electrocatalyst supports but cannot be directly utilized for single‐atom catalysts owing to the lack of anchoring sites. Therefore, we employed crosslink polymerization to modify the conductive carbon surface with Fe−Co dual‐site electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). First, metal‐coordinated polyurea (PU) aerogels were prepared using via crosslinked polymerization at ambient temperature. Then, carbon‐supported, atomically dispersed Fe−Co dual‐atom sites (FeCoNC/BP) were formed by high‐temperatures pyrolysis with a nitrogen source. FTIR and 13C NMR measurements showed PU linkages, while 15N NMR revealed metal–nitrogen coordination in the PU gels. Asymmetric, N‐coordinated, and isolated Fe−Co active structures were found after pyrolysis using XAS and STEM. In alkaline media, FeCoNC/BP exhibited excellent ORR activity, with a E1/2 of 0.93 V vs. RHE, higher than that of Pt/C (20 %) (0.90 V), FeNC/BP (0.88 V), and CoNC/BP (0.85 V). An accelerated durability test (ADT) on FeCoNC/BP indicated good durability over 35000 cycles. FeCoNC/BP also showed moderate ORR and ADT performance in acidic media. The macro/mesoporous N‐doped carbon structures enhanced the mass transport properties of the dual Fe−Co active‐sites. Therefore, modifying carbon supports with nonprecious metal catalysts may be a cost‐effective‐strategy for sustained electrochemical energy conversion.

Multivariate data decomposition based deep learning approach to forecast one-day ahead significant wave height for ocean energy generation

Significant wave height is an average of the largest ocean waves, which are important for renewable and sustainable energy resource generation. A large significant wave height can cause beach erosion, and marine navigation problems in a storm. A novel data decomposition based deep learning modelling framework has been proposed where Multivariate Variational Mode Decomposition (MVMD) is integrated with Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) to design the MVMD-GRU model. First, a correlation matrix is established to identify statistically important predictor lags. Next, the MVMD is employed to decompose the predictor lags into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). The GRU model is then applied to the IMFs as inputs to design the MVMD-GRU framework to forecast one-day ahead significant wave height. Several other benchmarking deep learning models were hybridized with MVMD for comparison purposes. The outcomes suggest that the hybrid MVMD-GRU achieved better accuracy using goodness-of-fit metrics for Hay Point, Townsville, and Gold Coast stations in Queensland, Australia. The results show that MVMD significantly improved the forecasting accuracy of the GRU model in terms of WIE = 0.983, 0.918, 0.983, NSE = 0.932, 0.735, 0.934, LME = 0.978, 0.758, 0.752 for Hay Point, Townsville, and Gold Coast stations. This work is valuable to monitor and manage clean energy resources to optimize sustained energy generation.

Knockout of Tmlhe in mice is not associated with autism spectrum disorder phenotypes or motor dysfunction despite low carnitine levels

Deletion of exon 2 of the trimethyllysine hydroxylase epsilon (TMLHE) gene was identified in probands with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). TMLHE encodes the first enzyme in carnitine biosynthesis, N6-trimethyllysine dioxygenase (TMLD). Researchers have suggested that carnitine depletion could be important for the development of ASD and cognitive, locomotor and social dysfunctions, but previous findings have been inconclusive regarding the specific role of endogenous carnitine. We developed a mouse knockout model with constitutive TMLD enzyme inactivation that exhibited a significant decrease in the carnitine by more than 90% compared to wild-type (WT) mice. However, we did not observe any significant social, cognitive, or repetitive-behavior changes associated with ASD in the knockout mice; muscle strength and coordination were also not affected. In addition, the life expectancy of knockout mice was similar to that of WT mice. In conclusion, knockout of Tmlh in mice does not induce an ASD phenotype or motor dysfunction despite extremely low carnitine and gamma-butyrobetaine concentrations. Moreover, inactivation of TMLD does not induce a phenotype similar to previously described primary carnitine deficiency; indeed, our results showed that low levels of carnitine sustained adequate energy production, muscle function and social behavior in mice.

Marine and land economy–energy–environment systems forecasting by novel structural-adaptive fractional time-delay nonlinear systematic grey model

Rapid economic growth and rising energy consumption have inevitably led to environmental problems, which is a cutting-edge issue of sustainable development. To distinguish the internal structure of marine and land economy–energy–environment (3E) systems and the non-linear relationships between the variables, a novel structural-adaptive fractional time-delay nonlinear systematic grey prediction model (FTDNSGM(1,m)) is established. Additionally, the solving process of each layer model of FTDNSGM(1,m) is described in detail, and the derived models of underlying layer FBTDGM(1,1) and upper layer FBTDGM(1,N) are deduced respectively, which constitute the nested grey difference equations. Furthermore, combined with comparative analysis and Monte-Carlo simulation, optimal non-linear parameters are determined by Beluga Whale Optimization (BWO) algorithm with robustness. Empirically, based on five case datasets under the national–regional dimensions, the FTDNSGM(1,m) model is scientifically verified to have superlative validity and stability. The results demonstrate that the average MAPEs of the proposed model in training and test sets are 0.38%, 0.28%, 0.34%, 0.26%, 0.21%, and 0.38%, 0.88%, 0.47%, 1.36%, 0.67%. Ulteriorly, the proposed model is of applicability to assess the impact on 3E systems attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Predictably, from 2022 to 2025, with sustained economic growth, marine and land energy consumption will rise within reasonable limits, while coastal water quality will continue to grow and NOx emissions will keep going down.

Advanced natural gas liquefaction and regasification processes: Liquefied natural gas supply chain with cryogenic carbon capture and storage

Natural gas combined cycle power plants generate substantial amounts of CO2. Also, since natural gas is produced in limited sites, the liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply chain consumes considerable energy in transporting natural gas overwide. Herein, advanced natural gas liquefaction and regasification processes using an LNG supply chain with cryogenic CO2 capture and storage (CCS) are proposed using Aspen Plus® V11. This solves three significant problems associated with conventional LNG supply chains. First, through the utilization of LNG cold energy, the cryogenic CCS process reduces the efficiency penalty of power generation from 14.34 to 4.45%. Second, solid CO2 from cryogenic CCS is used as an additional cold source in the natural gas liquefaction process by conveying it to the liquefaction site via the returning LNG ship. As a result, the power consumption in the refrigerant cycle is reduced by up to 67.17% than single mixed refrigerant (SMR) process. Finally, the LNG supply chain with cryogenic CCS minimizes the sustained energy waste between the natural gas liquefaction and regasification stages owing to the geographical separation. LNG cold energy from the regasification stage is utilized in the form of solid CO2 in the CCS and liquefaction stages. Consequently, the exergy efficiency in the overall LNG supply chain increases from 18.18 to 46.39%. The findings of this study can potentially provide environmentally friendly design guidelines for various LNG processes that use LNG cold energy in CCS and natural gas liquefaction.

NIR reflective lanthanum zirconate (La2Zr2O7) ceramic colorant and its solar heat reflective glaze coatings

Pyrochlore-type rare earth ceramics are ideal for high-temperature coatings due to their exceptionally low thermal conductivity, high-temperature stability, and chemical inertness. To reduce the impact of urban heat island effect, ceramic colorants and coatings made of such materials are now required. The impact of iron oxide chromophore is investigated in this study on pyrochlore type lanthanum zirconate (La2Zr2O7) to make solar heat reflecting ceramic yellow colorant, and the same is then used for creating multifunctional glaze coatings. Using appropriate methods, the impact of iron oxide on the morphological, optical, and solar heat reflection properties of the yellow colorant is examined. The pyrochlore crystal structure and 93% NIR reflectivity of lanthanum zirconate were not impacted by the doping of iron oxide. Additionally, the glaze coating developed from the yellow colorant, surface non-wettability, NIR reflectivity, and tinting behavior were comprehensively examined and presented for the first time. The findings strongly indicated that pyrochlore La2Zr2O7 is a candidate to produce ceramic functional materials and coatings with sustained energy savings. This work opens up fresh possibilities for functional glaze coating applications using the pyrochlore type ceramic materials.