Zero Emission Research Articles

Distrust and reflexive impotence in the net zero transition: findings from a longitudinal deliberative mini-public

Responding to climate change requires that people engage in different forms of climate citizenship. These span from individual consumption choices, to taking part in forms of collective action to steer the behaviour of governments and in the private sector. Here we analyse data from the Net Zero Diaries project to explore how attitudes to different forms of climate citizenship develop as people become more aware about the scale of societal change required to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Net Zero Diaries project was a deliberative mini-public, composed of 41 citizens broadly representative of the UK adult population, which convened over five months between 2021 and 2022 to debate the UK policies for reaching net zero emissions by 2050. We show that people identify government as the prime actor needed to drive the transition, but doubt that they will act due to a range of constraints vis-à-vis the public and private sector. This tension provides a novel explanation for why some people prioritise forms of individual and consumption focused climate citizenship, whilst also doubting the efficacy of such actions. We conclude by suggesting that efforts to drive more engaged forms of climate citizenship need to attend to underlying feelings about state efficacy, rather than focus on just how the issue of climate change is framed.

Comparative LCA of thermal power plant with CCS and solar PV system: sustainability assessment in Indian context.

The study's objective is to evaluate and compare the sustainability of power production techniques for India's transition to clean power generation. It specifically focuses on coal-based power generation with emission control technologies, flue gas desulfurization (FGD) with carbon capture and storage (CCS), and compares it with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The study conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) to determine the environmental impact of electricity generation in each scenario. Inventory data has been collected for each case through plant visits, emission modelling, and literature searches. The study evaluated midpoint and endpoint impact indicators utilizing the ReCiPe (H) assessment methodology. The economic viability of all the cases was determined by calculating the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). The results showed that retrofitting an existing power plant with flue gas desulfurization (FGD) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) reduced efficiency by 30%, required 1.2 times more auxiliary power, and increased heat rates. The LCA results showed that the global warming potential (GwP) for FGD and CCS together was 0.614 kg CO2 eq. per kWh of power generation. On the other hand, the GwP for the solar PV system was much lower, at 0.043 kg CO2 eq. per kWh. There were trade-offs in both cases, but solar PV plants are more environmentally friendly than thermal power plants equipped with CCS systems in almost all categories. Furthermore, the LCOE results showed Rs 3.87 per kWh for an on-grid solar PV plant and Rs 5.33 for thermal power, with CCS and FGD showing solar as an economically more feasible option. Retrofitting thermal power facilities with emission control technology is necessary to achieve net zero emissions, but transition torenewable energy sources isinevitable.

Burp tax: Regulation and revenue potential in Indonesia

The increasingly urgent phenomenon of climate change requires concrete actions from various sectors, including the livestock sector which is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane. This study explores the potential of implementing Burp Tax in Indonesia as a regulatory mechanism to reduce methane emissions from beef and dairy cattle farms. By referring to New Zealand's experience as a Burp Tax pioneer, this study analyzes the policy scheme that includes tax subjects, tax objects, tariffs, and fair and efficient collection mechanisms. In addition, this study identifies various obstacles that may be faced in the implementation of Burp Tax in Indonesia and provides recommendations to support the national commitment in achieving the Zero Emission target in 2045/2060. The research used qualitative methods with literature study data collection techniques. The research concludes that there is great potential for the imposition of Burp Tax, so that in addition to being a form of effort to reduce methane emissions from beef and dairy cattle farms, Burp Tax can also increase the portion of state revenue from the taxation sector. The specific tariff scheme is IDR30/KgCH4 with tax subjects in the beef and dairy cattle farming sector, including individuals with 30 cows and business entities. However, it is important to note that the imposition of Burp Tax may have an economic impact on livestock business actors and affect the price of meat and milk commodities. Therefore, further studies are needed regarding the potential and impact of Burp Tax implications in Indonesia. The results of this study are expected to make a significant contribution to the development of sustainable taxation policies that are responsive to the challenges of climate change.

STATE REGULATION OF THE EXTRACTION OF CRITICAL MINERALS AS A DOMINANT COMPONENT OF ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHENING THE ECONOMIC SECURITY OF THE STATE

The article states that the climate crisis and measures to mitigate it in recent years have significantly changed the energy landscape of the countries of the world and the configuration of the investment portfolio. Long-term investments in fossil fuels have been replaced by investments in environmentally friendly technologies, renewable sources of electricity, and smart systems for its distribution and storage. It is emphasized that even with full support of investments, plans for the decarburization of the electric power industry may remain unattainable, as the global reserves of «critical minerals», which are absolutely necessary for the transition to ecologically clean electric power, are noticeably decreasing and the demand continues to grow relentlessly. The scenarios developed by the International Energy Agency for the further transformation of the electric power sector to a low-carbon economy model were reviewed and briefly characterized: the scenario of declared policy (STEPS), the scenario of declared obligations (APS), and the scenario of net zero emissions by 2050 (NZE). The main aspects of each of the scenarios are outlined: the volume of demand for «critical minerals» their geographical concentration of extraction, and processing. It is emphasized that the world leader in the extraction and processing of «critical minerals» is the PRC, which dictates the «rules of the game» to the majority of the world's countries. Therefore, the issue of supplies of “critical minerals” is quite painful. It was emphasized that critical minerals market participants hope to reduce total dependence through new mining projects in different geographical regions, facilitating cross-investment opportunities between partner countries, and strengthening cooperation through initiatives such as the Mineral Security Partnership and the implementation of financial instruments. The potential of Ukraine's «critical minerals» and its ability to reduce the dependence of EU countries on the People's Republic of China are characterized. The main challenges of the development of the extractive industry in Ukraine are identified, and the main vectors of the Roadmap of the partnership between Ukraine and the EU regarding critical raw materials for 2023-2024 are outlined. It was emphasized that in order for Ukraine not to become only a supplier of raw materials, it is necessary to develop the processing of raw materials and the production of products with added value. It is emphasized that such localization requires much wider efforts of the government than the list of measures in the field of regulating the extraction of «critical minerals» defined by the latest legislative acts. The author emphasizes the need to develop a comprehensive system of incentives and introduce new opportunities for stabilization and sustainable development of Ukraine's economy in order to ensure sustainability and progress towards sustainable resource management and optimization of supply chains for critical raw materials. Proposals have been developed for climate-smart mining of «critical minerals» in Ukraine in the near future.

Evaluation of potential electric vehicles load-induced damage on flexible pavements

The adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs), driven by policies like the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, is rapidly transforming transportation infrastructure. In 2021, over 1.25-million light-duty EVs were registered in the United States, signaling a shift that extends to heavy vehicle categories. This study evaluates the implications of this transition on road networks, focusing on the increased gross weight of EVs compared to traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles and its impact on flexible pavement structures. The study investigates the deterioration patterns and potential damage to road infrastructures resulting from integrating EVs into the traffic mix, utilizing both the AASHTO 1993 and Mechanistic-Empirical (ME) pavement evaluation methodologies. The analyses reveal a significant acceleration in road degradation, necessitating urgent consideration of EV-induced stresses by transportation authorities. Recommendations for future research and practical strategies for mitigating these impacts are provided to guide policymakers and engineers in adapting to this evolving vehicular landscape.

Critical Success Factors for Building Resilience in Circular Supply Chains of Electric Vehicle Batteries: Evidence from an Emerging Country

Given the global expansion of electric vehicles (EVs), decision makers in developing and emerging countries must address important challenges across EV battery supply chains (EVBSCs) toward circularity. For example, batteries usually make up about 40% of an EVs’ value, and the race to achieve net zero emissions will further underscore the critical need for vital minerals and metals, such as lithium, cobalt, and graphite, necessary to make batteries. Stakeholders routinely question the resilience of circular (C) EVBSCs worldwide, from mining valuable materials to manufacturing the batteries necessary to support the widespread deployment of EVs. Identifying and investigating critical success factors (CSFs) of any system is a necessary step in achieving its targets. Little research, however, has been performed to investigate the CSFs for building resilience in EVBSCs, particularly those focused on building a circular supply chain. The goal of this research is, therefore, to systematically scrutinize the CSFs of resilient C-EVBSCs in Türkiye. To this end, a decision framework applying inter-valued neutrosophic ISM-MICMAC is proposed. Based on expert opinions, an application of the decision framework finds that effective government policies, directives, and incentives and well-established dynamic capabilities, are key driving CSFs to building resilience in a C-EVBSC.

Deutelio approach to fusion energy with the Polomac

Deutelio is a private initiative promoting an alternative path to fusion energy. The Tokamak research line pursued worldwide since 1970 met several difficulties, heavily jeopardising the objective of commercial energy production from fusion before 2050, as a support to the global effort towards Net Zero Emissions. As a result, new plasma magnetic confinement concepts, such as Stellarators or overlooked alternatives like the poloidal confinement are being pursued to achieve more efficiency and better performance. The Polomac is a poloidal magnetic configuration where the outboard magnetic lines are deviated aside together with the plasma, to open some accesses to the dipole coils located inside the plasma. These accesses, called magnetic tunnels, are used to support, feed and cool the dipole coil. They avoid the impact with plasma which led to abandon past poloidal experiments, despite their good stability and confinement efficiency. The poloidal confinement can achieve Deuterium-Tritium reactor conditions with a magnetic field 3 times weaker than the Tokamak, in steady state rather than pulsed. With the same high field as in the Tokamak the poloidal confinement can achieve Deuterium-Deuterium reaction, thus avoiding the development of the breeding blanket to produce the Tritium. This paper presents the Polomac system, explains the development strategy of Deutelio through a small prototype focused to tune and assess the magnetic tunnels, and describes the possibility of deuterium-deuterium reaction.

Prioritising Patients and Planet: Advocating for Change in Respiratory Care

The global burden of respiratory diseases, particularly asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), continues unabated. Suboptimal management places a significant strain on both patients and urgent or emergency care services. With an ageing population in many countries, the demand for these services is set to increase further. At the same time, healthcare systems are striving to reduce their carbon footprint and achieve net zero emissions, as the healthcare sector is a significant contributor to carbon emissions worldwide. Although these two goals may appear contradictory, they need not be in conflict. This article reviews an industry-sponsored symposium held at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress 2024 in Vienna, Austria, in September 2024. The session addressed the urgent need to change the delivery model for respiratory healthcare in response to the increasing prevalence of respiratory diseases and the challenges posed by climate change. Co-chair John Hurst, Professor of Respiratory Medicine at University College London (UCL), UK, underscored the importance of innovative solutions for managing respiratory diseases and highlighted the challenges faced by healthcare decision-makers. This was further elaborated on by Omar Usmani, Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Imperial College London, UK, who emphasised the importance of clinical choice. He stated that inhaled medicines, which form the cornerstone of treatment, should not be considered interchangeable. He also discussed ongoing efforts to maintain access to essential medicines by developing novel next-generation propellants (NGP) for pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) devices, which will reduce their carbon footprint to levels comparable with dry powder inhalers (DPI). Additionally, he described the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) proposal to restrict a broad range of chemicals classed as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This precautionary measure would affect both current propellants in pMDIs and the transition to NGPs, with global implications for inhaled medicines. Erika Penz, Associate Professor of Respirology, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, noted that suboptimal management of respiratory disease is associated with a disproportionately high burden on both patients and the environment. The forthcoming availability of pMDI medicines with NGPs alone will not resolve this larger issue. As every healthcare interaction carries a carbon footprint, which increases with the intensity of treatment, the implementation of guidelines into clinical practice would improve patient outcomes and reduce the demand on healthcare services and the associated carbon emissions. Co-chair Helen Reddel, Clinical Professor and Research Leader at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Australia, concluded by re-emphasising the urgent need to implement guidelines immediately for the benefit of both patients and the environment.

Machine Learning for Optimising Renewable Energy and Grid Efficiency

This research investigates the application of machine learning models to optimise renewable energy systems and contribute to achieving Net Zero emissions targets. The primary objective is to evaluate how machine learning can improve energy forecasting, grid management, and storage optimisation, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of renewable energy sources. The methodology involved the application of various machine learning models, including Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Random Forest, Support Vector Machines (SVMs), and ARIMA, to predict energy generation and demand patterns. These models were evaluated using metrics such as Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE). Key findings include a 15% improvement in grid efficiency after optimisation and a 10–20% increase in battery storage efficiency. Random Forest achieved the lowest MAE, reducing prediction error by approximately 8.5%. The study quantified CO2 emission reductions by energy source, with wind power accounting for a 15,000-ton annual reduction, followed by hydropower and solar reducing emissions by 10,000 and 7500 tons, respectively. The research concludes that machine learning can significantly enhance renewable energy system performance, with measurable reductions in errors and emissions. These improvements could help close the “ambition gap” by 20%, supporting global efforts to meet the 1.5 °C Paris Agreement targets.

Pathways to a net zero building sector in Colombia: Insights from a circular economy perspective

The rapid urbanization and economic growth in Colombia have made the residential sector one of the largest energy and material consumers in the country. Circular economy (CE) strategies are a promising alternative to decouple the sector from resource depletion and climate change. The analysis shown here is based on the RECC model framework, a dynamic material flow analysis (dMFA) model. Our results suggest that by 2050 without CE strategies, residential building stock will reach 2.5 billion m2 and emit between 13 and 25 Mt CO2/yr, depending on whether carbon forest sequestration is included or not. A complete implementation of CE strategies and lower floor space can reduce 2020–2050 cumulative primary material production, waste generation, and GHG emissions by 48, 5, and 49 %, respectively. There is a potential to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 if, in addition to the measures mentioned above, more wood materials and forest sequestration are considered.

Global Horizontal Irradiance in Brazil: A Comparative Study of Reanalysis Datasets with Ground-Based Data

Renewable energy sources are increasing globally, mainly due to efforts to achieve net zero emissions. In Brazil, solar photovoltaic electricity generation has grown substantially in recent years, with the installed capacity rising from 2455 MW in 2018 to 47,033 MW in August 2024. However, the intermittency of solar energy increases the challenges of forecasting solar generation, making it more difficult for decision-makers to plan flexible and efficient distribution systems. In addition, to forecast power generation to support grid expansion, it is essential to have adequate data sources, but measured climate data in Brazil is limited and does not cover the entire country. To address this problem, this study evaluates the global horizontal irradiance (GHI) of four global reanalysis datasets—MERRA-2, ERA5, ERA5-Land, and CFSv2—at 35 locations across Brazil. The GHI time series from reanalysis was compared with ground-based measurements to assess its ability to represent hourly GHI in Brazil. Results indicate that MERRA-2 performed best in 90% of the locations studied, considering the root mean squared error. These findings will help advance solar forecasting by offering an alternative in regions with limited observational time series measurements through the use of reanalysis datasets.

Review of AEM Electrolysis Research from the Perspective of Developing a Reliable Model

This review thoroughly examines recent progress, challenges, and future prospects in the field of alkaline exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysis. This emerging technology holds promise for eco-friendly hydrogen production. It blends the benefits of traditional alkaline and proton-exchange membrane technologies, enhancing affordability and operational efficiencies by utilizing non-precious metal catalysts and operating at reduced temperatures. This study discusses key developments in materials, electrode design, and performance enhancement techniques. It also highlights the strategic role of AEM electrolysis in meeting global energy transition targets, like achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2050. An in-depth exploration of the operational fundamentals of AEM water electrolysis is provided, noting the technology’s early stage development and the ongoing need for research in membrane-electrode assembly assessment, catalyst efficiency, and electrochemical ammonia production. Moreover, this review compiles results on different cell components, electrolyte types, and experimental approaches, providing insights into operational parameters critical to optimizing AEM performance. The conclusion emphasizes the necessity for continuous research and commercialization efforts to exploit AEM electrolysis’s full potential across diverse industries.

Building a sustainable environment in EU countries: the critical role of infrastructure investments and institutional quality

ABSTRACT The literature on the intersection of environment and economic growth is extensive, and emerging research emphasizes additional variables that affect both domains. It is well known that institutional quality enhances environmental quality because institutions affect environmental quality and economic growth through regulatory policies. Moreover, infrastructure investment is a critical driver of growth and environmental improvement, providing the necessary foundation for change. This research contributes to the literature by examining the dynamic interaction between ecological footprint, infrastructure investment, institutional quality, and economic growth using the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis for the 10 European Union countries with the highest levels of infrastructure investment from 1996 to 2020 to highlight how infrastructure and institutional quality affect environmental outcomes differently across countries. It finds long-run relationships among the variables in the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland. The findings confirm the cointegration by confirming the EKC hypothesis for the panel and particularly for Finland, France, Norway, Slovakia, and Sweden. The study observes that increased infrastructure investments reduce the ecological footprint in Germany and Sweden but increase the ecological footprint in the Czech Republic and France. In Sweden, higher institutional quality significantly reduces the ecological footprint, suggesting that improvements in institutional quality are associated with a lower ecological footprint. These results provide a new perspective on the policy revisions required to achieve net zero emissions under the Paris Climate Agreement, emphasizing the need to integrate green finance into privately financed infrastructure projects.

Measuring the extent of trees outside of forests: a nature-based solution for net zero emissions in South Asia

Abstract To reduce emissions of carbon and other greenhouse gases on a pathway that does not overshoot and keeps global average temperature increase to below the 1.5 oC target stipulated by the Paris Agreement, it shall be necessary to rely on nature-based solutions with atmospheric removals. Without activities that create removals from carbon sequestration it will not be possible to balance residual emissions. Policies that focus solely on reducing deforestation will only lower future emissions. On the other hand, activities that include regeneration or regrowth of tree biomass can be used to create net-zero emissions through carbon sequestration and atmospheric removals now. New methods demonstrated here using high resolution remote sensing and deep machine learning enable analyses of carbon stocks of individual trees outside of forests (TOF). Allometric scaling models based on tree crowns at very high spatial resolution (<0.5 m) can map carbon stocks across large landscapes with millions of trees outside of forests. In addition to carbon removals, these landscapes are also important to livelihoods for millions of rural farmers and most TOF activities have the capacity to bring more countries into climate mitigation while also providing adaptation benefits. Here were present a multi-resolution, multi-sensor method that provides a way to measure carbon at the individual tree level in TOF landscapes in India. The results of this analysis show the effectiveness of mapping trees outside of forest across a range of satellite data resolution from 0.5 m to 10 m and for measuring carbon across large landscapes at the individual tree scale.

Urban Transport Policies and Net Zero Emissions in the European Union

This review discusses the role of road transport policies in achieving the European Union's ambitious zero-emission target for the transportation sector by 2050 and provides an overview of the empirical literature that studies the effectiveness of urban transport policies. The analysis is divided into two parts. First, we study policies that are relevant in the transitional phase from internal combustion engine vehicles to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), then we discuss policies that will remain relevant as we switch entirely to BEVs. In the best-case scenario, the transition can be driven by fuel taxes, but in case fuel taxes are not feasible or acceptable, a combination of penalties for buying polluting vehicles and subsidies for scrappage of such vehicles might be the best compromise. In the long run, road space will be increasingly at a premium, and to ensure its efficient use, increasingly sophisticated road-pricing policies will be needed.

Recognizing social forestry's role in bioenergy optimization through geospatial fuzzy-multicriteria analysis

Current bioenergy development has emphasized on degraded land, since the sustainability of bioenergy in the forest sector remains a subject of debate related with emissions and deforestation risk. Thus, this study aims to open new perspectives of how degraded land and social forestry can be potentially combined to significantly impact the energy transition and environmental-societal enhancement. Considering sustainability of Bali as a small island with its unique customary governance structure, a model of biomass energy optimization using geospatial fuzzy-multicriteria analysis was developed to select potential green energy source sites. Firstly, potential degraded land and social forestry were mapped to identify potential feedstock, then normalized using Euclidian Distance and Fuzzy Logic based on identified five sustainability criteria. They are availability of raw material, road, port, transmission, and demand proximities. Meanwhile, using identified three restriction criteria, i.e. protected area, slope and land-use restrictions, a restriction map was developed. The two maps were then integrated using Geospatial-based multicriteria analysis, fuzzy logic and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) weighting method, to further identify potential green energy source map. The integration shown a significant increase of 60 % in land availability for bioenergy development. Results of study recognized potential 36,527 ha of degraded land; 21,671 ha of social forestry; and 40 optimal locations for bioenergy facilities, considering various spatial and temporal criteria. To conclude, the identified 120 social forestry sites in Bali involving 78,385 household provide opportunity to a community based socio-economic coupled with revitalizing environment efforts, which lead to massive net zero emissions community participation. Further, the integration of social forestry and degraded land should be highly recommended to policy maker in bioenergy development.

DESIGN and be SMART: Eleven engineering challenges to achieve sustainable air transportation under safety assurance in the year 2050

The aviation industry faces various challenges in meeting long-term sustainability goals amidst surging demand for air travel and growing environmental concerns of the general public. The year 2050 is set as an ambitious goal for net zero emissions, a substantial reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per passenger kilometer flown, major improvements in aircraft energy efficiency, and a development towards autonomous, intelligent operations. This review explores the pivotal role of advancements in engineering for achieving sustainability in aviation. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and case studies, our work highlights how innovations in all aspects of aircraft engineering coupled with operations-related technologies, offer promising solutions to mitigate environmental impact, enhance efficiency, and ensure long-term sustainability in aviation operations. To discuss the necessary advances, we promote the so-called ‘DESIGN and be SMART’ framework, consisting of eleven complementary engineering challenges towards reaching sustainability. To address the high safety levels reached in air transportation, our DESIGN and be SMART framework also addresses the safety assurance challenge that is overarching each of the eleven engineering challenges. We believe that through an orchestrated integration of hardware advancements with innovative software solutions, and novel safety assurance methods, the aviation industry can realize synergistic benefits that drive sustainable growth of air transportation. Our review contributes to such an orchestration by describing the status quo and research challenges ahead.

Demise of fossil fuels part I: Supply and demand

According to United Nations , the world needs to reduce the emission of CO2 and other global warming gases by 45 % by 2030 and to negligible amount by 2050. According to UN, this is necessary to keep the goal of keeping earth temperature not exceeding 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial level temperatures.To achieve this objective means reducing the fossil fuel consumption. Fossil fuels are largely responsible for emitting CO2; therefore, without significant reduction in fossil fuels consumption by 2050, the net zero emission by 2050 is not possible.One argument advanced in support of reducing fossil fuels consumption is limited supply. Using the principle of “Peak Oil Theory,” proponents state that fossil fuels is a limited resource and the world will simply run out of it. Based on the available data, we demonstrate that supply of fossil fuels is relatively abundant, and we will not run out of fossil fuels in near term. Using shale formations as an example, we demonstrate how the success of drilling horizontal wells with hydraulic fractures have significantly increased the oil and gas resource available for exploitation. To reduce fossil fuels demand, the available solutions include improving energy efficiency, reducing subsidies on fossil fuels, imposing carbon tax and life choice changes. We discuss some of those alternatives. Fossil fuel supply is relatively abundant and only possible solution to reduce the consumption is to reduce the demand. By comparing developed countries' consumption with developing countries’ consumption, we see a pathway where growth in GDP can be achieved without significant increase in fossil fuels consumption. Because of efficiency gains in energy usage, GDP in developed countries continues to grow without increase in fossil fuels consumption. Faster we reach the efficiency stage in developing countries, easier it would be reduce the fossil fuel consumption in the world.

Analysis of the Effect of More Fuel and Air Variations Excess Air on Combustion Process Simulation at a 10 kW Biomass Power Plant Using ASPEN PLUS

Abstract The utilization of biomass as an alternative energy can support the achievement of Net Zero Emissions. Each type of biomass fuel can provide different combustion effects from one another. This is due to the different heating values of each fuel. The calorific value is one of the things that affect the combustion performance of the biomass power plant. The main purpose of this study is to examine how different amounts of excess air used during the combustion process affect the outcomes. Combustion is a chemical reaction involving decomposition and gasification that simultaneously occurs in a space where a large amount of energy is released. The modeling and simulation of the decomposition and gasification processes were carried out using Aspen Plus. In this simulator, the decomposition process takes place in the Yields Reactor, while the gasification process occurs in the Gibbs Reactor. The biomass and ash components are characterized by their ultimate, proximate, and sulfur analysis. Then the excess air is varied to analyze its impact on the flame temperature from the reaction. The simulation findings emphasize crucial considerations for achieving complete combustion and reducing harmful gas emissions. Maintaining excess air close to the stoichiometric level ensures maximum combustion temperature at 1616.15 °C while minimizing excess air reduces NOx gas concentration. Approaching stoichiometric air level decreases CO gas and increases CO2, indicating more thorough combustion. However, excess air leads to lower adiabatic flame temperature due to nitrogen formation.

A step toward the attainment of carbon neutrality and SDG-13: Role of financial depth and green technology innovation

Following the recommendations of COP28 and Sustainable Development Goal -13 (Climate Action), the present study examines the role of financial depth and green technology innovation in carbon neutrality and climate change. This study measures the relationship between green innovation, technological innovation, ICT, financial depth, economic growth, carbon emission, and ecological footprint from 1990-2021 in the USA. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model examines the relationship between the above-mentioned variables and their impacts on each other. Results reveal that green innovation, technological innovation, ICT, and financial depth significantly negatively impact ecological footprint and carbon emissions in both the short and long run. In contrast, economic growth positively impacts carbon emissions and ecological footprint. Green and financial innovation-centric policies are suggested to the USA to attain net zero emission and SDG-13.