Terms Of CO2 Emissions Research Articles

Sustainability implications of lateral wander modes for autonomous trucks

Autonomous trucks can bring changes in transport infrastructure in terms of sustainability based on the type of lateral wander mode used. In this research, two lateral wander modes, a zero wander and uniform wander mode are analyzed based on their applicability for sustainability by analyzing the CO2 emissions occurred during pavements life cycle. Both lateral wander modes have been analyzed in terms of occurrence of fatigue damage by using finite element analysis in ABAQUS. The fatigue damage predictions have then been used for planning the maintenance interventions for both lateral wander modes. Life cycle analysis has been performed for the analysis period of 30 years for the pavement section of 10 km. Results show that zero wander mode generates more emissions as a result of premature fatigue damage under channelized loading. The uniform wander mode leads to 20% less emissions when compared to zero wander mode. Moreover, the use of full depth reclamation during pavement’s life cycle improves the CO2 emissions by 15% when compared to traditional removal and reconstruction methods. Therefore, the uniform wander mode is favorable for improvement of pavement sustainability in terms of CO2 emissions.

A Study on Compressive Strength and Micro Structural Properties of Magnesium Oxychloride Cement Concrete Under Varying Temperatures of Magnesium Oxide

Abstract: Construction is a huge consumer of natural resources and a considerable contribution in terms of CO2 emissions. Manufacturing cement and construction materials was shown t be source of the most greenhouse gas emissions. This study looks at whether magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) may be used as a concrete alternative to standard Portland cement to lessen the environmental effect of the building sector. The research process involves a thorough review of the literature, an experimental investigation, and an internal structural analysis based on the optimal molar ratio. In this investigation, MOC cement concrete was mixed with magnesium powder at varied temperatures. The use of heated magnesium oxide powder produces the first set of results. Finally, a change was made to increase compressive strength of MOC cement concrete. To stimulate the reaction or gel formation, heat was applied to MgO powder at various temperatures and added to the manufacturing of MOC cement to improve the compressive strength. The molar ratio is chosen from the journal for optimum mixing and simple casting of concrete cubes. SEM and EDAX are utilized to analyze the microstructure of the various raised temperature samples. The MgO, phases 3 and 5, are apparent as double and triple ribbons with shared boundaries with water molecules and chloride anions in the SEM images, showing that the strength has increased due to these phases. EDAX shows the proportion of elemental weight in the sample

LABORATORY AND ON-ROAD CHARACTERIZATION OF EXHAUST EMISSIONS FROM PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLES AT MULTIPLE BATTERY STATES OF CHARGE CONDITIONS

This paper discusses emissions from plug-in hybrid vehicles under various driving scenarios and reports experimental data obtained under laboratory and real-world conditions. Two European plug-in hybrid passenger cars were tested using the two test types in use in the EU (chassis dynamometer and on-road), with some modifications. The best-case and near-worst-case battery states of charge were used for testing. Behavior in terms of CO2 emissions, regulated emissions, and unregulated emissions was characterized and analyzed. Differences were generally much greater for on-road testing, especially for urban driving, during which the potential for purely electrical propulsion of the vehicle is greatest. The long distances covered by current EU legislative test procedures limit the impacts of some effects. Regardless of the traction battery’s state of charge, regulated emissions were well below the applicable EU limits under all driving conditions—for example, combined emissions of reactive nitrogen compounds (nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and nitrous oxide) were consistently < 10 mg/km when tested under laboratory conditions. The two vehicles tested showed that the state of the battery had a large impact on the proportion of electrical propulsion and the resulting CO2 emissions, but differences in regulated pollutants decrease with increasing distance and are generally relatively limited for longer journeys, which include non-urban driving.

Distributed Computing Column 86 The Environmental Cost of Our Conferences

Overview. In this Winter edition of the column, we cover a novel topic for our community, namely the environmental cost of our conferences, specifically in terms of CO2 emissions. The idea of having this column was sparked by the work of the DISC 2023 environmental chairs Laurent Feuilloley and Tijn de Vos, who performed a detailed study for this latest edition of the conference. I suggested the authors to distill their detailed study to a shorter, less technical variant, complete with some higher-level observations and possible recommendations for reducing the environmental cost of our scientific meetings. I would encourage the readership to read at least the introductory section, and consider some of the suggested approaches, and possibly consider other creative alternatives. Unfortunately, it appears clear that we as a community will have to ponder this topic again in the future.

Assessment of the On-Road Performance of Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Urban Road Conditions in the Philippines

This current and pioneering work aimed to assess the on-road performance of selected hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) in local urban road conditions following the World Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) and the chase car protocol. An experimental research design was also implemented to investigate the effects of the different payload conditions on vehicle performance, and corresponding drive cycle patterns for the test vehicles were generated from each on-road test. From the series of these on-road tests, it was revealed that there was high variability in speed profiles, and vehicle speed was generally found to be inversely related to payload weight. The variations in the state of charge, fuel fill-up, and fuel and energy parameters exhibited no significant differences in terms of payload conditions. When compared to both the Canada fuel consumption guide and the US fuel consumption guide, the resulting fuel consumption and energy consumption indicated that the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Mitsubishi iMiEV exceeded energy efficiency standards, unlike the Toyota Prius. Meanwhile, in terms of CO2 emissions, all vehicles demonstrated around 40–70% lower emissions compared to conventional vehicles according to the 2023 estimates of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Being the first of its kind in the Philippines, this study on the on-road performance assessments of HEVs and EVs is essential because it provides empirical data on these vehicles’ actual performance in everyday driving conditions. The data are important for evaluating the potential to address environmental concerns, promote sustainable transportation solutions, influence consumer adoption, and shape government policies. With ongoing improvements in technology and expanding charging infrastructure, HEVs and EVs are poised for significant adoption in the coming years.

Durability of concrete with alkali-activated materials: a short literature review

The alkali-activated materials are being understood as the best chance to replace the Portland cement to become the concrete industry greener in terms of CO2 emissions. However, these alternatives binders face challenges, among others related to durability. The present work regards to a short literature review about the durability in concrete produced with binders that are alkali-activated materials. The mechanisms of degradation are discussed, namely due to acid attack, capillarity, carbonation, permeability , porosity and steel corrosion. Comparison to the concrete that used Portland cement as binder is frequently used.

Sustainability of Green Building Materials: A Scientometric Review of Geopolymers from a Circular Economy Perspective

Ecosystems suffer from CO2 emissions and pollution caused by waste materials, mainly agricultural and industrial, that are dumped in landfill sites. These materials contain aluminosilicates, which are key ingredients for producing geopolymer composite (GPC). While cement, the main component of ordinary Portland cement (OPC), is a highly energy-consuming and polluting material in terms of CO2 emissions, water absorption, and land depletion, GPC is an emerging building material that can contribute to the sustainability of the construction industry. In this research, bibliometric data on GPCs were collected from Dimensions databases, and a scientometric analysis was performed using the innovative VOSviewer software (ver. 1.6.19). The scope was to examine the development of GPC for construction applications in the context of a circular economy and as an emerging green building material. Using specific query metrics and three keywords (geopolymer, circular economy, and green building materials), bibliometric records were analyzed to identify the articles, authors, and journals with the highest impact. This investigation can help scholars and policymakers in deepening their knowledge in this growing research area. From a societal perspective, this study stimulates geopolymer developments through policies aimed at promoting the circular economy, such as the adoption of green subsidies in research and development (R&D) and production.

Analysis of the prospects for hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engines

Hydrogen, as a zero-emission fuel, makes it possible to build a piston combustion engine that can be qualified as a drive for a "Zero Emission Vehicles", in terms of CO2 emissions. Thus, a hydrogen-powered piston combustion engine may be a future transitional technology for powertrains, especially in trucks and off-road vehicles, competitive with both electric drives and fuel cells. The article presents a multi-directional analysis of the prospects for the development and dissemination of hydrogen-powered internal combustion piston engines in motor vehicles. The current interest of the automotive industry in hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines, current state of their development and the challenges that need to be overcome were presented. Various conditions that will determine their future in Europe were also indicated.

A new approach for producing methanol via process integration of vacuum residue gasification and NG reforming aiming at low CO2 emissions, an extensive techno-economic study

This work proposed and analyzed critically two different novel processes to produce highly pure methanol from vacuum residue while reducing carbon discharge into the environment. The initial path (Case I) considered newly proposed heavy vacuum residue (VR) gasification in sequence with dry reforming of methane (DMR). Whereas the second pathway investigated a parallel integration of DMR and the gasification of VR (Case II). The two processes were compared in terms of CO2 emissions, energy consumption, energy efficiency, and environmental and economic impacts. The findings demonstrated that Case II yields a higher process energy efficiency than Case I. The unit cost of methanol product for Case II is 342.2 $/t of methanol which is almost 7 % lower compared to Case I. Based on environmental analysis, Case II exhibits smaller carbon discharge of about 0.74 kg of CO2/kg of methanol.

Optimal design and multicriteria comparison of extractive distillation processes for separating of a quaternary low-boiling solvent mixture

This article mainly explores the eco-efficient separation of a complex quaternary azeotropic mixture of methanol, n-hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol from a pharmaceutical enterprise via extractive distillation. To this end, aniline (AN) and ethylene glycol (EG) are selected as two alternative entrainers based on the relative volatility curve. Two conventional processes with AN and EG (AN-CED and EG-CED) are proposed and optimized with total annual costs (TAC) as a goal by simulated annealing algorithm. To improve energetic and economic performance, two optimal strengthening processes, that is, low-pressure side-stream extractive distillation process with AN (AN-SSED) and dividing-wall extractive distillation process with EG (EG-EDWC) are also developed for the first time. Finally, the four processes are compared in terms of economics, CO2 emissions and inherent safety. The results show that the AN-SSED process is recommended due to the best economic, environmental and inherent safety properties, as reflected by the lowest TAC, CO2 emission and process route index (PRI). It can reduce TAC by 9.38%, CO2 emission by 26.34% and PRI by 38.02% relative to the EG-EDWC process. Remarkably, the EG-EDWC process can reduce TAC by 11.12% than AN-CED process and 6.9% than the EG-CED process, but it is inferior to the two conventional processes in terms of CO2 emissions and inherent safety.

Decarbonization Pathways, Strategies, and Use Cases to Achieve Net-Zero CO2 Emissions in the Steelmaking Industry

The steelmaking industry is responsible for 7% of global CO2 emissions, making decarbonization a significant challenge. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of current steel-production processes, assessing their environmental impact in terms of CO2 emissions at a global level. Limitations of the current pathways are outlined by using objective criteria and a detailed review of the relevant literature. Decarbonization strategies are rigorously evaluated across various scenarios, emphasizing technology feasibility. Focusing on three pivotal areas—scrap utilization, hydrogen integration, and electricity consumption—in-depth assessments are provided, backed by notable contributions from both industrial and scientific fields. The intricate interplay of technical, economic, and regulatory considerations substantially affects CO2 emissions, particularly considering the EU Emissions Trading System. Leading steel producers have established challenging targets for achieving carbon neutrality, requiring a thorough evaluation of industry practices. This paper emphasizes tactics to be employed within short-, medium-, and long-term periods. This article explores two distinct case studies: One involves a hot rolling mill that utilizes advanced energy techniques and uses H2 for the reheating furnace, resulting in a reduction of 229 kt CO2-eq per year. The second case examines DRI production incorporating H2 and achieves over 90% CO2 reduction per ton of DRI.

Verification of Performance Standards for Construction Equipment in Terms of CO2 Emissions

Almost every civil engineering project involves heavy construction equipment to create earthworks. This in turn is connected with carbon dioxide emissions, which are hazardous to the environment, especially in densely populated areas. Strict control and regulation of emissions from construction equipment has already been introduced in Hong Kong. This paper presents the results of several years of field research on the performance of construction equipment (excavators). The comparative analysis concerns the data obtained during a field survey in relation to the outlays proposed in the catalogues of material outlays commonly used in Poland (KNR catalogues.) The presented problem fills in the gaps in research on the performance of construction equipment. The results of the study clearly show the discrepancy between theoretical data from the KNR and the actual use of construction equipment during the construction of underground sanitary networks. Apart from the excessive consumption of diesel fuel, sequentially increased CO2 emissions occur. The presented research results allow for the development of an innovative method for the optimal use of heavy construction equipment, thus reducing CO2 emissions. This study is a continuation of a pilot study conducted by the staff of the Institute of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Science.

Stiffness Warming Potential: An Innovative Parameter for Structural and Environmental Assessment of Timber–Concrete Composite Members

Timber hybridization with concrete is a rising widespread strategy to obtain members with a structural performance comparable to traditional ones—e.g., RC members—but characterized by a greater sustainability potential thanks to the presence of timber-based materials; this solution is of great interest due to its low embodied carbon content, which supports the decarbonization goals set, especially for the building sector. Such systems enhance the concrete and timber favorable properties and ameliorate their detrimental characteristics, both from the structural and environmental perspectives. In general, since these two aspects are generally considered separately, a new parameter is proposed to simultaneously combine a structural performance indicator with a warming potential one. Focusing on composite slabs in bending, the stiffness warming potential (λ) is introduced, which combines the evaluation of effective bending stiffness (according to Eurocode 5 γ-method) with the Global Warming Potential—GWP (on the basis of data from Athena Impact Estimator for Building software and data from an Environmental Product Declaration of a timber panel). The method provides a multi-criteria analysis concerning the slab design accounting for vibration, deflection, and acoustic criteria when optimizing the member span. On the other hand, GWP is assessed according to cradle-to-cradle Life Cycle Assessment analysis, where two scenarios with different sustainability levels are encompassed. Results firstly confirm the viability of the novel methodology, with a different outlook on timber–concrete hybrid members, stressing the importance of maintaining thinness of the concrete layer and clearly bringing out the importance of correct re-use and/or a timber recycling management to guarantee effective reductions in terms of CO2 emissions.

Evaluation of the environmental sustainability of SOFC-based cogeneration systems in commercial buildings

In order to achieve the European Union (EU)’s climate targets, efficient and sustainable solutions must be developed. In this context, the building sector has a key role to play in the transition to a decarbonized society. Cogeneration is considered an efficient solution that enables better use of fuel energy to supply buildings with heat and electricity. In particular, fuel cell-based cogeneration systems have shown promising performance, thus attracting considerable attention in recent years. The main goal of this study is to analyze the environmental impact of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) cogeneration systems, focusing on commercial buildings. The analysis was performed in the framework of the H2020 Comsos project, whose aim is to investigate the techno-economic and environmental feasibility of SOFC-based systems in non-residential buildings. An MILP-based optimization framework was developed to address the optimal design and operation of energy systems with the inclusion of SOFC-based cogeneration solutions. Electrical and thermal efficiency curves, derived from real SOFC operation, were used to improve the accuracy of the SOFC performance simulation. A sensitivity analysis on the carbon intensity of electricity was carried out to explore the role of the SOFC technology under different levels of electrical grid decarbonization. It was found that natural gas-fed SOFC systems become environmentally advantageous (in terms of CO2 emissions) when the carbon intensity of electricity is higher than ∼ 300 gCO2/kWh.

Modern AAC additive—A ready tool helping with decarbonization of AAC production by reduction of water, cement, lime and energy consumption

AbstractEuropean Association of AAC producers (EAACA) has set the goal for the AAC industry to become carbon‐neutral by 2050, so it is now more important than ever to explore ways to achieve it. One of the readily available solutions is a dedicated additive for AAC production, production, the effects of which positively affect the reduction of CO2e emissions. The additive is a tool helping the chemical reaction and offers improvements in two key emission sources for AAC. The first one is cement and lime usage, responsible for 74% of CO2e emissions in AAC production. A few percent cutbacks of binders consumption generate direct results in this area. The second one is the production process itself, being accountable for 13% of CO2e emissions. Lowering water content in the mix directly results in a lower requirement for steam during autoclaving, therefore impacting energy usage. Reductions in these two areas can be calculated in terms of CO2e emissions, as well as economical savings. The financial advantages generated by the additive are always higher than the cost of it. The chemical and process background presented in this paper is supported with examples from AAC plants worldwide, and complemented by GHG methodology calculation where 3,6% of CO2e emissions reductions can be achieved solely by using modern additive for production.

Environmental Impact of PV Power Systems

In response to the problem of increasing climate change and energy security, investment in renewable energy sources has increased significantly both in Europe and globally. Wind and solar power plants are expected to be the largest contributors to global decarbonization, ranking first and second in projected capacity by 2050. As all power plants have a certain impact on the environment, so do PV power plants, and due to their planned large capacities, it is necessary to assess their impact on the environment. Improving the manufacturing technology of PV system components, increasing the efficiency of solar cells, and using materials that are less harmful to the environment will reduce these impacts. Manufacturing PV system components is a highly energy-intensive process that involves greenhouse gas emissions. As new renewable energy capacity is built, the amount of “green” electricity on the grid increases, reducing CO2 emissions per kWh consumed. The objective of this paper is to analyze the current status of the environmental impact of PV power plants under these changing conditions in terms of CO2 emissions, land use, pollutant and noise emissions, and water consumption. The capacity installed to date will reach the end of its lifetime by 2050, which means that the amount of waste associated with it will increase over time. This can have a significant impact on the environment, which is why part of the work is dedicated to this problem. In addition to the available information from the literature, the authors also made their own estimates of land use based on data on newly installed PV power plants and PV modules available on the market. The results of the analysis show that there is enough land both in Europe and worldwide to install the planned capacities of rooftop and ground-mounted PV power plants. CO2 emissions are at the same level as for concentrated solar power, with a decreasing trend. Pollutant emissions, noise, and water consumption are not major problems compared to other types of power plants. Overall, it can be concluded that the expansion of PV capacity has a very positive impact on the environment.

Climate Impact Comparison of Biomass Combustion and Pyrolysis with Different Applications for Biochar Based on LCA

Biochar can be useful to overcome several environmental challenges in different sectors of energy, industry, and agriculture. However, there are currently only a limited number of studies with the employment of biochar for various applications and their environmental impacts. This study develops an LCA framework to evaluate the climate impacts of biochar production and its applications in soil enhancement and as a substitute for coal-based fuels in steel industries and then compares it with conventional biomass usage for energy production for Sweden, Italy, and Poland. Various pyrolysis operating temperatures are also considered to determine the optimal conditions for each location. The results show that biomass pyrolysis with biochar usage in the agricultural sector has the least environmental impact with the most significant potential in Poland followed by Italy. lower temperatures (around 350 °C) are more favorable for Sweden in terms of CO2 emissions, due to the country’s renewable energy-based electrical system. Low to moderate temperatures (350–500 °C) are found to be optimal for pyrolysis temperature in Italy, while higher temperatures (around 650 °C) yield the highest GHG reduction for both biochar applications in Poland.

Sustainable building repair: A K-means approach to addressing fissures in ceramic brick partition walls

The purpose of this work is to determine, catalogue, and quantify failures appearing in ceramic brick partition walls after the delivery of buildings, based on claims filed by users and on the philosophy of 'learning from failures'. To examine the more than 600 cases presented, technical affinity groups were defined for the descriptors used, a series of checks were carried out using cluster analysis, a proprietary procedure was implemented for calculating the risk of demands being filed, and a final risk assessment process was made, divided into five categories. It was found that there is a recurring presence of large cracks due to incorrect bond/connections between brick wall panels. The repair of the most frequent cause of 'Incorrect lock/connection of the panes' was analysed in terms of CO2 emissions. The study of a large number of real cases, such as has been done in this paper, can allow us to advance and define new strategies to significantly minimise future failures, making it difficult for them to reach the usage phase of the building. The access to a type of data source never before used in the world to corroborate the types of damages and causes that occur in partitions (indicating their recurrence and evaluating user dissatisfaction) is unprecedented.

The Impacts of Urban Sprawl on Environmental Pollution, Agriculture, and Energy Consumption: Evidence From Amman City

Purpose: Urban sprawl can cause an increase in economic development, and as a result, it is followed by increased consumption of energy, waste generation, urbanization, and reduced green land. In this sense, the current study aims to investigate the impacts of urban sprawl on environmental pollution, in terms of CO2 emissions, while considering other control variables. Further, this study explores the relationship between population growth and agricultural land and energy consumption, in the period between 2008 to 2020, in Amman city. Method/design/approach: This study employs the STIRPAT model and the panel unit root test, and the panel cointegration test (ADF), in order to investigate the effect of urban sprawl on the emissions of CO2. Theoretical framework: Urban expansion is a low-density, dispersed, and poorly planned form of spatial growth that has a number of detrimental effects on the quality of the environment. Results and conclusion: The results describe that waste generation, economic development, and urbanization had negative impacts on CO2 emissions. Research implications: The findings indicated the influence of urban growth on the consumption of energy and agricultural land in Amman. Originality/value: This work can provide possible solutions to reduce the impacts of urban sprawl on the environment through implementing regulations and policies and re-adjustment of urban land use in an efficient manner.

Assessment of electrified ethylene production via biomass gasification and electrochemical CO reduction

The chemical industry needs new methods for sourcing carbon-containing feedstocks from renewable sources to decrease CO2 emissions and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Ethylene, a crucial base chemical used for making polymers and ethylene oxide, is primarily produced through steam cracking of fossil feedstocks. However, an evolving technology is the electrochemical reduction of CO2 or CO to produce ethylene. The study assesses the environmental, economic and energetic performance of a new biomass-based process that produces ethylene based on the electrochemical reduction of CO. The results are based on mass and energy balances from process simulation. The CO is produced by either gasification of biomass or combustion of biomass with CO2 capture and CO2 electrolysis. Besides ethylene, the process produces acetic acid, ethanol, oxygen and hydrogen as by-products which are purified and sold. The annual output varies between 36 and 68 kt ethylene with a biomass input of 157 kt. The levelized cost of ethylene ranges from 3,920 to 7,163 €/t with the gasification routes being the most cost-effective. The ethylene price is heavily dependent on electricity price, current density, operating voltage, and by-product prices. The carbon efficiency of the gasification-based routes is lower (64%) than the combustion-based routes (85%–86%). However, the energy efficiency is higher for the gasification-based routes (42%) compared to the combustion-based routes (28%). Conversion of ethanol to ethylene increases the ethylene yield with minimal impacts on the ethylene price. In terms of CO2 emissions, the gasification-based routes show lower emissions. Scenarios using wind power show a significant emission reduction potential compared to fossil products.