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Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development
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Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2023) | Viewed by 40467

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mohammad Hossein Ahmadi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood 3619995161, Iran
Interests: sustainable energy; artificial intelligence method; renewable energy, nexus; integrated modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) introduced by the UN (United Nations) for the 2030 Agenda, one of the 17 identified items is “global access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and clean energy”. This goal is designed to reduce the environmental dimensions by increasing the utilization of renewable sources in the global energy mix, which has not been achieved so far. The global energy system has a direct and indirect effect on most of the present worldwide environmental concerns, namely climate change, air/water pollution, resource scarcity, biodiversity loss, etc. Therefore, a premium should be placed on energy systems to devise a practical action plan to achieve the SDGs. However, researchers have also found that employing renewable resources is also challenging and may face various limitations in minimizing environmental impacts including land use, noise, depletion of rare resources, and biodiversity loss in different kinds of renewable sources, such as bioenergy, wind energy, solar energy, and hydropower.

In this regard, this Special Issue aims to collect novel research projects, case studies, and measures to meet the SDG by reducing the economic and environmental concerns of exploiting clean energy. The scope of this collection includes but is not limited to:

  • Innovative technologies related to clean energy;
  • Circular economy strategies;
  • Environmental issues evaluated using innovative approaches;
  • Methodological advancements on the lifecycle-oriented modeling of energy systems;
  • Environmental sustainability of energy systems;
  • Lifecycle thinking approach and evaluation of clean energy transition policies;
  • Ecodesign of energy systems and solutions.

Dr. Mohammad Hossein Ahmadi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • environmental impact assessment
  • lifecycle assessment
  • renewable energies
  • sustainability
  • environmental solutions
  • distributed energy system
  • uncertainty analysis
  • social
  • economical

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 1530 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Energy Efficiency Class of an Industrial Facility: A Rating System and a Scale of Sustainable Development
by Natalia Verstina, Natalia Solopova, Natalia Taskaeva, Tatiana Meshcheryakova and Natalia Shchepkina
Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 15799; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215799 - 09 Nov 2023
Viewed by 579
Abstract
This article examines the issues in assessment of the energy efficiency of industrial facilities, which have not yet been scientifically resolved, in contrast to the widely used approaches to assessing residential buildings, which are similar in many countries of the world. The sequence [...] Read more.
This article examines the issues in assessment of the energy efficiency of industrial facilities, which have not yet been scientifically resolved, in contrast to the widely used approaches to assessing residential buildings, which are similar in many countries of the world. The sequence of the study was determined in combination with the characteristics of the methods used, the leading of which was the expert survey method. Based on the analysis of the collected statistical information, the significance of energy efficiency indicators was agreed upon and assessed for three groups: first—industrial building, second—technological processes, and third—ensuring the environmental friendliness and energy efficiency of an industrial facility. The weight of each group was also determined based on an expert survey. This made it possible to calculate the specific weights of the indicators and formulate a rating scale. The principle of assigning points for each indicator is determined depending on the deviation of actual values from standard values for quantitative indicators and according to the characteristics of the object of analysis for qualitative indicators. The result of the study was the positioning of classes on the scale of energy efficiency within the established boundaries based on experimental data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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14 pages, 6419 KiB  
Article
A Novel Strategy for Converting Conventional Structures into Net-Zero-Energy Buildings without Destruction
by Hisham Alghamdi and Aníbal Alviz-Meza
Sustainability 2023, 15(14), 11229; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411229 - 19 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 920
Abstract
The majority of energy consumption is attributed to buildings. Buildings designed with environmentally sustainable features have the potential to reduce energy consumption. The demolition of ecologically detrimental structures incurs expenses and damages the natural environment. The act of constructing models for the purpose [...] Read more.
The majority of energy consumption is attributed to buildings. Buildings designed with environmentally sustainable features have the potential to reduce energy consumption. The demolition of ecologically detrimental structures incurs expenses and damages the natural environment. The act of constructing models for the purpose of destruction was deemed superfluous. The replication of the structural model was accompanied by a modification of the design, and a variety of tactics were employed. The proposed upgrades for the building include the installation of new windows, incorporation of greenery on the walls and roof, implementation of insulation, and integration of solar panels in a four-story residential building in Najran, Saudi Arabia. Simultaneously installing insulation prior to changing windows will ensure that the energy consumption of the building, green wall, or green roof will remain unaffected. The installation of solar panels on the walls and top roof of a structure has the potential to generate a monthly electricity output up to two times greater than the structure’s consumption. The spas can be heated on a daily basis by substituting the heating system with solar collectors. The implementation of sustainable building practices has resulted in a significant reduction in energy consumption. Specifically, electricity, gas, heating, and cooling consumption decreased by 11%, 85%, 28%, and 83%, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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20 pages, 1913 KiB  
Article
Biodiversity and Potential Activity of Microorganisms in Underground Gas Storage Horizons
by Tamara N. Nazina, Leyla A. Abukova, Tatiana P. Tourova, Tamara L. Babich, Salimat K. Bidzhieva, Nataliya G. Loiko, Dina S. Filippova and Elisaveta A. Safarova
Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 9945; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15139945 - 22 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1047
Abstract
The share of molecular hydrogen as a source of “green energy” is currently significantly increasing. It is proposed to use existing underground natural gas storage facilities to store large volumes of hydrogen. In Russia, depleted oil and gas fields (DOGFs) and deep aquifers [...] Read more.
The share of molecular hydrogen as a source of “green energy” is currently significantly increasing. It is proposed to use existing underground natural gas storage facilities to store large volumes of hydrogen. In Russia, depleted oil and gas fields (DOGFs) and deep aquifers are used for natural gas storage. The purpose of this work was to determine microbial diversity in DOGF and deep aquifers by cultural and 16S rRNA gene-based approaches and the effect of H2 on the growth of microorganisms from the underground gas storage (UGS) horizons. The composition of the microbial community inhabiting the formation water of the Peschano–Umetskoe depleted oil and gas reservoir was typical for microbial communities of oil reservoirs and included bacteria of the phyla Bacillota (Dethiosulfatibacter, Defluviitalea, Acetobacterium, Syntrophobotulus), Actinobacteriota (Dietzia, Rhodococcus), Spirochaetota (Sphaerochaeta), Pseudomonadota (Shewanella), and Bacteroidota (Petrimonas), together with methanogenic archaea of the phylum Euryarchaeota (Methanobacterium). In some formation water samples, the share of methanogens of the genus Methanobacterium reached 61.6% of the total community; these hydrogen-utilizing organisms may contribute to the formation of methane in the reservoirs used for the storage of molecular hydrogen. Microbial communities of UGSs located in aquifers were less diverse and abundant. Cultivable hydrogenotrophic sulfate-reducing, homoacetogenic, and methanogenic prokaryotes were retrieved from the studied aquifers and from the DOGF used for gas storage. Microorganisms present in the condensation and reservoir waters of the UGS facilities can influence the composition of the water and gas phase, and affect the host rocks and borehole equipment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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15 pages, 2481 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Whole Milk Powder Production by a Cumulative Exergy Consumption Approach
by Esmanur Uçal, Hasan Yildizhan, Arman Ameen and Zafer Erbay
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3475; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043475 - 14 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4215
Abstract
The production of food is a sector that consumes a significant amount of energy and encompasses both agricultural and industrial processes. In this study, the energy consumption of whole milk powder production, which is known to be particularly energy-intensive, was examined. The study [...] Read more.
The production of food is a sector that consumes a significant amount of energy and encompasses both agricultural and industrial processes. In this study, the energy consumption of whole milk powder production, which is known to be particularly energy-intensive, was examined. The study used a cumulative exergy consumption approach to evaluate the overall production process of whole milk powder, including the dairy farm (raw milk production) and dairy factory (powder production) stages. The results showed that raw milk production dominated energy and exergy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. An amount of 68.3% of the total net cumulative exergy consumption in the system was calculated for raw milk production. In the dairy factory process, the highest energy/exergy consumption occurred during spray drying, followed by evaporation and pasteurization. In these three processes, 98.3% of the total energy consumption, 94.6% of the total exergy consumption, and 95.7% of the total carbon dioxide emissions in powder production were realized. To investigate the improvement potentials in the system, replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources and using pasture feeding in animal husbandry were evaluated. While using alternative energy sources highly influenced powder production, pasture feeding had a high impact on consumption in raw milk production. By using renewable energy and pasture feeding, the exergy efficiency, cumulative degree of perfection, renewability index, and exergetic sustainability index values for the overall process increased from 40.5%, 0.282, −0.22, and 0.68 to 68.9%, 0.433, 0.65, and 2.21, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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16 pages, 5522 KiB  
Article
Optimal Design of Hybrid Renewable Systems, Including Grid, PV, Bio Generator, Diesel Generator, and Battery
by Meisheng He, Habib Forootan Fard, Khalid Yahya, Mahmoud Mohamed, Ibrahim Alhamrouni and Lilik Jamilatul Awalin
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3297; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043297 - 10 Feb 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1569
Abstract
Renewable energies are the best solutions to reduce CO2 emissions and supply reliable electricity. This study aims to find the best combination of various components considering economic, environmental, and technical factors together. The most important consideration factors are the limitation of using [...] Read more.
Renewable energies are the best solutions to reduce CO2 emissions and supply reliable electricity. This study aims to find the best combination of various components considering economic, environmental, and technical factors together. The most important consideration factors are the limitation of using PV panels due to the land constraints and applying CO2 penalties where diesel generators and the grid are generating electricity. Findings show that providing electricity by hybrid systems would be useful even in the well-provided electricity regions by the grid with the least blackouts. The best combination of the proposed components, including PV, bio generator, diesel generator, batteries, and grid for the case study region where the load demand is 890 kWh/day and peak load is 167.2 kW, would be an off-grid hybrid system including PV, bio generator, diesel generator, and battery. The optimization results show an NPC (present value of the costs of investment and operation of a system over its lifetime) of $1.02 million and a COE (the average cost per capital of useful electricity produced by the system) of 0.188 $/kWh. Finally, due to the showing of the effect of different conditions on the optimization results and making the study usable for other circumstances of the case study region, some sensitivity analyses have been carried out. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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11 pages, 1449 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Renewable Energy Sources on the Sustainable Development of the Economy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Oriza Candra, Abdeljelil Chammam, José Ricardo Nuñez Alvarez, Iskandar Muda and Hikmet Ş. Aybar
Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2104; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032104 - 22 Jan 2023
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4280
Abstract
Growing population and limited energy resources have impacted energy consumption. Limited fossil fuel resources and increased pollution threaten national and human societies. These elements emphasize energy sources. Renewable energy use affects growth. All new energy sources, including renewables, are crucial for global economic [...] Read more.
Growing population and limited energy resources have impacted energy consumption. Limited fossil fuel resources and increased pollution threaten national and human societies. These elements emphasize energy sources. Renewable energy use affects growth. All new energy sources, including renewables, are crucial for global economic growth. Economic and environmental issues have led to new approaches in international environmental law, including the green economy. This study employs structural vector auto-regression (SVAR) to compare the effects and outcomes of increasing the use of renewable energy in the context of economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions in middle income countries (MICs) and high income countries (HICs). The results show that these indicators demonstrate that the production of energy from renewable sources has positive short-term and long-term economic effects with varying contributions. However, renewable energies have a greater impact on the green economy in selected MICs than in selected HICs. Therefore, the promotion of macroeconomic indicators is viewed as one of the reasons for the development of policies to increase energy production from renewable sources in selected countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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15 pages, 3458 KiB  
Article
How May New Energy Investments Change the Sustainability of the Turkish Industrial Sector?
by Hasan Yildizhan, Cihan Yıldırım, Shiva Gorjian and Arman Ameen
Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1734; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021734 - 16 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1648
Abstract
Utilization of renewable energy in the Turkish industrial sector is becoming more important nowadays. The tendency toward renewable energy can be clearly seen with newly planned energy investments. The energy appearance of the Turkish industrial sector for past two decades and ongoing energy [...] Read more.
Utilization of renewable energy in the Turkish industrial sector is becoming more important nowadays. The tendency toward renewable energy can be clearly seen with newly planned energy investments. The energy appearance of the Turkish industrial sector for past two decades and ongoing energy projects are discussed in this study with the help of sustainability indicators. The sustainability index is based on advanced exergy analysis and shows the environmental impact of production processes and measures the transformation of energy resources in the Turkish industrial sector. This index was approximately 2.03 in 2000 and it improved to 2.25 in 2008, and then remained constant with minor fluctuations until 2019. Depending on the fulfillment of the continuing fossil, nuclear, and recommended renewable energy investment scenarios, the sustainability index may change to between 1.96 and 2.17 by 2023. None of the ongoing investments will make a major improvement in the sustainability of the industrial sector; therefore, a major shift toward the use of more renewable energy is urgently needed. Establishing solar or wind energy microgrids plants may improve the sustainability indicators drastically, therefore, encouragement of their investments is very important. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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14 pages, 3376 KiB  
Article
An Application of Machine Learning to Estimate and Evaluate the Energy Consumption in an Office Room
by Kuang-Sheng Liu, Iskandar Muda, Ming-Hung Lin, Ngakan Ketut Acwin Dwijendra, Gaylord Carrillo Caballero, Aníbal Alviz-Meza and Yulineth Cárdenas-Escrocia
Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1728; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021728 - 16 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1733
Abstract
There are no exact criteria for the architecture of openings and windows in office buildings in order to optimize energy consumption. Due to the physical limitations of this renewable energy source and the lack of conscious control over its capabilities, the amount of [...] Read more.
There are no exact criteria for the architecture of openings and windows in office buildings in order to optimize energy consumption. Due to the physical limitations of this renewable energy source and the lack of conscious control over its capabilities, the amount of light entering offices and the role of daylight as a source of energy are determined by how they are constructed. In this study, the standard room dimensions, which are suitable for three to five employees, are compared to computer simulations. DesignBuilder and EnergyPlus are utilized to simulate the office’s lighting and energy consumption. This study presents a new method for estimating conventional energy consumption based on gene expression programming (GEP). A gravitational search algorithm (GSA) is implemented in order to optimize the model results. Using input and output data collected from a simulation of conventional energy use, the physical law underlying the problem and the relationship between inputs and outputs are identified. This method has the advantages of being quick and accurate, with no simulation required. Based on effective input parameters and sensitivity analysis, four models are evaluated. These models are used to evaluate the performance of the trained network based on statistical indicators. Among all the GEP models tested in this study, the one with the lowest MAE (0.1812) and RMSE (0.09146) and the highest correlation coefficient (0.90825) is found to be the most accurate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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16 pages, 2779 KiB  
Article
Selection of Best Suitable Eco-Friendly Refrigerants for HVAC Sector and Renewable Energy Devices
by Basma Souayeh, Suvanjan Bhattacharyya, Najib Hdhiri and Mir Waqas Alam
Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11663; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811663 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1804
Abstract
This paper investigates the selection of the best suitable eco-friendly organic and in-organic refrigerants for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and renewable energy devices. Inorganic and organic refrigerants are used to cool renewable energy devices, such as solar cells, photovoltaics, and electronic [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the selection of the best suitable eco-friendly organic and in-organic refrigerants for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and renewable energy devices. Inorganic and organic refrigerants are used to cool renewable energy devices, such as solar cells, photovoltaics, and electronic devices. Owing to the renewable energy community’s importance, development in this area has rapidly improved over the past few years. R134a, R404, and R717 have become the most used refrigerants in the HVAC sector and supermarkets across the globe for both cooling and frozen food refrigeration. R134a and R404A have two significant drawbacks: (a) they do not attain optimal energy efficiency in many applications, and (b) they have a large global warming potential (GWP). Hence, optimization experiments were performed to select low global potential refrigerants for replacing R134a and R404A from the HVAC sector and supermarkets using multi-criteria making (MCDN) tools. The techniques used for investigation involved (i) the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), (ii) evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS), and (iii) multi-objective optimization based on ratio analysis (MOORA). The assessment criteria of optimization involved (i) thermo–physical properties of refrigerants, (ii) environmental aspects of refrigerants, and (iii) economic status of refrigerants. Out of 27 refrigerants chosen for the study, R290 (PROPANE) aced the selection by all the three techniques, i.e., TOPSIS, EDAS, and MOORA, with assessment scores of 0.6056, 0.6761, and 0.466, respectively. R41 (FLUOROMETHANE) is the least preferred refrigerant by EDAS (assessment score—0.3967) and MOORA, while R407C is the least preferred by TOPSIS (assessment value—0.5123). The likelihood of making a bad refrigerant decision may be reduced by the effective evaluation of the MCDM analysis. In conclusion, the suggested MCDM technique provides a practical tool and systematic way for reducing the number of options and may be utilized to identify the ideal refrigerant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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14 pages, 2355 KiB  
Article
An Environmentally Friendly Solution for Waste Facial Masks Recycled in Construction Materials
by Madad Ali, Maria Jade Catalan Opulencia, Teddy Chandra, Stefani Chandra, Iskandar Muda, Rui Dias, Paitoon Chetthamrongchai and Abduladheem Turki Jalil
Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8739; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148739 - 17 Jul 2022
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4180
Abstract
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, single-use disposable masks saw a dramatic rise in production. Facial masks that are not properly disposed of will expose the environment to a form of non-biodegradable plastic waste that will take hundreds of years to degrade. Therefore, [...] Read more.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, single-use disposable masks saw a dramatic rise in production. Facial masks that are not properly disposed of will expose the environment to a form of non-biodegradable plastic waste that will take hundreds of years to degrade. Therefore, recycling such waste in an eco-friendly manner is imperative. Fibered or shredded waste masks can be used to make green concrete that is an environmentally friendly solution to dispose the facial masks. This study prepared six classes of concrete samples, three of which contained fibers from masks and three of which contained shredded masks at the ages of seven days and 28 days. The results show that in the seven-day and 28-day samples, mask fiber added to the mixes resulted in increased compressive strength. For seven-day and 28-day samples, the compressive strength increased by 7.2% and 10%, respectively. Despite that, the results of the shredded mask addition to concrete indicate that the increase in shredded mask volume has a minor impact on the compressive strength of the seven-day samples. An increase in shredded mask from 0.75 to 1% increased 28-day compressive strength by 14%. However, the compressive strength of the mask fiber decreased by 8 after 1% volume. According to a thermal analysis of 28-day concrete samples, as the fiber percentage increases, the mass loss percentage increases. The mass loss rate for samples containing fibers is higher than that for samples containing shredded mask pieces. In general, based on the results mentioned above, the use of fiber in concrete in its fiber state enhances its strength properties. As a result, using shredded mask pieces in concrete leads to better curing due to the reduction of residual capillary pore water loss in construction materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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19 pages, 4686 KiB  
Article
A TLBO-Tuned Neural Processor for Predicting Heating Load in Residential Buildings
by Khalid Almutairi, Salem Algarni, Talal Alqahtani, Hossein Moayedi and Amir Mosavi
Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 5924; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14105924 - 13 May 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 1743
Abstract
Recent studies have witnessed remarkable merits of metaheuristic algorithms in optimization problems. Due to the significance of the early analysis of the thermal load in energy-efficient buildings, this work introduces and compares four novel optimizer techniques—the firefly algorithm (FA), optics-inspired optimization (OIO), shuffled [...] Read more.
Recent studies have witnessed remarkable merits of metaheuristic algorithms in optimization problems. Due to the significance of the early analysis of the thermal load in energy-efficient buildings, this work introduces and compares four novel optimizer techniques—the firefly algorithm (FA), optics-inspired optimization (OIO), shuffled complex evolution (SCE), and teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO)—for an accurate prediction of the heating load (HL). The models are applied to a multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network to surmount its computational shortcomings. The models are fed by a literature-based dataset obtained for residential buildings. The results revealed that all models used are capable of properly analyzing and predicting the HL pattern. A comparison between them, however, showed that the TLBO-MLP with the coefficients of determination 0.9610 vs. 0.9438, 0.9373, and 0.9556 (respectively, for FA-MLP, OIO-MLP, and SCE-MLP) and the root mean square error of 2.1103 vs. 2.5456, 2.7099, and 2.2774 presents the most reliable approximation of the HL. It also surpassed several methods used in previous studies. Thus, the developed TLBO-MLP can be a beneficial model for subsequent practical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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21 pages, 5290 KiB  
Article
Land-Use Impact on Water Quality of the Opak Sub-Watershed, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
by Widodo Brontowiyono, Adelia Anju Asmara, Raudatun Jana, Andik Yulianto and Suphia Rahmawati
Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4346; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074346 - 06 Apr 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3248
Abstract
The integrated monitoring system of water quality is eminently reliant on water quality trend data. This study aims to obtain water quality patterns related to land-use change over a periodic observation in the Opak sub-watershed, Indonesia, both from a seasonal and spatial point [...] Read more.
The integrated monitoring system of water quality is eminently reliant on water quality trend data. This study aims to obtain water quality patterns related to land-use change over a periodic observation in the Opak sub-watershed, Indonesia, both from a seasonal and spatial point of view. Landsat image data from 2013 to 2020 and water quality data comprising 25 parameters were compiled and analyzed. This study observed that land use remarkably correlated to water quality, especially the building area representing the dense population and various anthropogenic activities, to pollute the water sources. Three types of pollutant sources were identified using principal component analysis (PCA), including domestic, industrial, and agricultural activities, which all influenced the variance in river water quality. The use of spatiotemporal-based and multivariate analysis was to interpret water quality trend data, which can help the stakeholders to monitor pollution and take control in the Opak sub-watershed. The results investigated 17 out of 25 water quality parameters, which showed an increasing trend from upstream to downstream during the observation time. The concentration of biological oxygen demand over five days (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrite, sulfide, phenol, phosphate, oil and grease, lead, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and total coli, surpassed the water quality standard through spatial analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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23 pages, 5645 KiB  
Article
Energy, Exergy, and Economic Analysis of Cryogenic Distillation and Chemical Scrubbing for Biogas Upgrading and Hydrogen Production
by Esfandiyar Naeiji, Alireza Noorpoor and Hossein Ghanavati
Sustainability 2022, 14(6), 3686; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063686 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3227
Abstract
Biogas is one of the most important sources of renewable energy and hydrogen production, which needs upgrading to be functional. In this study, two methods of biogas upgrading from organic parts of municipal waste were investigated. For biogas upgrading, this article used a [...] Read more.
Biogas is one of the most important sources of renewable energy and hydrogen production, which needs upgrading to be functional. In this study, two methods of biogas upgrading from organic parts of municipal waste were investigated. For biogas upgrading, this article used a 3E analysis and simulated cryogenic separation and chemical scrubbing. The primary goal was to compare thermoeconomic indices and create hydrogen by reforming biomethane. The exergy analysis revealed that the compressor of the refrigerant and recovery column of MEA contributed the most exergy loss in the cryogenic separation and chemical scrubbing. The total exergy efficiency of cryogenic separation and chemical scrubbing was 85% and 84%. The energy analysis revealed a 2.07% lower energy efficiency for chemical scrubbing. The capital, energy, and total annual costs of chemical absorption were 56.51, 26.33, and 54.44 percent lower than those of cryogenic separation, respectively, indicating that this technology is more economically feasible. Moreover, because the thermodynamic efficiencies of the two methods were comparable, the chemical absorption method was adopted for hydrogen production. The biomethane steam reforming was simulated, and the results indicated that this method required an energy consumption of 90.48 MJkgH2. The hydrogen production intensity equaled 1.98 kmoleH2kmolebiogas via a 79.92% methane conversion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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20 pages, 3651 KiB  
Article
Investigation and Optimization of the Performance of Energy Systems in the Textile Industry by Using CHP Systems
by Tatiana Victorovna Morozova, Reza Alayi, John William Grimaldo Guerrero, Mohsen Sharifpur and Yaser Ebazadeh
Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1551; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031551 - 28 Jan 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2014
Abstract
With the general progression of small communities toward greater industrialization, energy consumption in this sector has increased. The continued growth of energy consumption seen in Iran, along with the low efficiency of production, transmission, and the distribution of energy, has led to the [...] Read more.
With the general progression of small communities toward greater industrialization, energy consumption in this sector has increased. The continued growth of energy consumption seen in Iran, along with the low efficiency of production, transmission, and the distribution of energy, has led to the projection of an unfavorable future for this sector. The purpose of this study is to reduce fuel consumption and increase system efficiency by considering the optimal position of the turbine. In this regard, turbine modeling has been performed by considering different positioning scenarios. Afterward, the result from applying each scenario was compared with another scenario in terms of the parameters of electrical energy production, gas consumption, the final energy produced by the system, and the ratio of energy produced to overall gas consumption. After comparing different scenarios, considering all 4 parameters, Scenario 7 was selected as the most suitable positioning for gas turbine placement. Scenario 7 showed the highest gas consumption; of course, high power generation is the most desirable, the most reliable and, ultimately, the most profitable outcome of energy production. According to our results, the amount of electrical energy produced in the selected scenario is 4,991,160.3 kWh; the gas consumption in this case is 0.22972 kg/s. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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15 pages, 3926 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Thermochemical Characteristics and Pyrolysis of Fish Processing Waste for Renewable Energy Feedstock
by Md Sumon Reza, Abul K. Azad, Muhammad S. Abu Bakar, Md Rezaul Karim, Mohsen Sharifpur and Juntakan Taweekun
Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1203; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031203 - 21 Jan 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2876
Abstract
The necessity of energy is continuously increasing, whereas fossil fuel sources are gradually depleting. To mitigate this problem, fish processing waste of the bluespotted stingray (Neotrygon kuhlii), available in the Borneo region, was investigated for an alternative feedstock of bioenergy production. [...] Read more.
The necessity of energy is continuously increasing, whereas fossil fuel sources are gradually depleting. To mitigate this problem, fish processing waste of the bluespotted stingray (Neotrygon kuhlii), available in the Borneo region, was investigated for an alternative feedstock of bioenergy production. The fish wastes are hazardous for the environment, whereas the biodiesel from fish waste is pollution-free and produces less contaminant gas and carbon dioxide than fossil fuel. From the proximate analysis, the moisture content, volatile matter, fixed carbon, and ash content of the fish waste were achieved as 4.88%, 63.80%, 15.03%, and 16.29%, respectively. The proportion of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen was found as 42.06%, 5.99%, 10.77%, 0.91%, and 40.27%, respectively, from the ultimate analysis. The calorific value was 21.53 MJ/kg, which would be highly effective in biofuel production. The morphology analysis results of the biomass are favorable for renewable energy sources. The major bondage between carbon and hydrogen and oxygen was found using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The thermogravimetric analysis and derivative thermogravimetry revealed that the highest weight loss occurred at 352 °C temperature with a decomposition rate of 4.57 wt.%/min in pyrolysis circumstances, and at 606 °C temperature with a decomposition rate of 3.77 wt.%/min in combustion conditions. In the pyrolysis process for 25 °C/min heating rate, the yield of biochar, bio-oil, and bio-syngas was found as 33.96, 29.34, 23.46% at 400 °C, 47.72, 49.32, 33.87% at 500 °C, and 18.32, 21.34, 42.37% at 600 °C, respectively. The characteristics and pyrolysis yields of fish waste are suitable for being an effective renewable energy source. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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30 pages, 3934 KiB  
Article
A Thorough Economic Evaluation by Implementing Solar/Wind Energies for Hydrogen Production: A Case Study
by Mohammad Hossein Ahmadi, Seyyed Shahabaddin Hosseini Dehshiri, Seyyed Jalaladdin Hosseini Dehshiri, Ali Mostafaeipour, Khalid Almutairi, Hoa Xuan Ao, Mohammadhossein Rezaei and Kuaanan Techato
Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1177; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031177 - 20 Jan 2022
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3232
Abstract
A technical–economic assessment was carried out in this study to determine the possibilities for wind and solar power generation in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The results showed that most of the province has a solar irradiance of over 400 W/m2, and also [...] Read more.
A technical–economic assessment was carried out in this study to determine the possibilities for wind and solar power generation in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The results showed that most of the province has a solar irradiance of over 400 W/m2, and also showed that wind and solar power generated in the province can be up to twice as cheap as the official price of renewable power in Afghanistan. The most suitable site for solar and hydrogen production was found to be Laškar Gāh, where solar and hydrogen can be produced at a cost of 0.066 $/kWh and 2.1496 $/kg-H2, respectively. In terms of wind power production and hydrogen production from wind, the most suitable site was Sangīn, where wind power and hydrogen could be produced at costs of 0.057 $/kWh and 1.4527 $/kg-H2, respectively. Despite the high potential of wind and solar energy in the Helmand province, the most suitable place in this region to produce hydrogen from wind/solar energy was evaluated from technical, economic, and environmental perspectives with the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) method. The Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) method was used for weighting criteria and the Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) method was used to prioritize locations. The results show that Sangīn is the most suitable place for the construction of a wind hydrogen power plant and Laškar Gāh is the most suitable place for the construction of a solar hydrogen power plant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Effects Assessment of Clean Energy Technologies and Sustainable Development)
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