Special Issue "Renewable Power and Energy Systems for People, the Planet, and Profit"

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Les Bowtell
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia
Interests: renewable energy systems; industrial sonication
Assoc. Prof. Tony Ahfock
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia
Interests: power systems analysis; mechanical and electrical engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The search for sustainable energy systems is not a new concept, with a great deal of research historically focused on renewable or sustainable elements. With global pressures on resources and the environment from population-related pressures, there is an imminent need to have a coordinated, systematic approach to sustainable systems for utilities and large-scale industrial energy usage. Globally, utilities and large industries represent a significant proportion of the world’s energy consumption and consequently affect many ecosystems. The industrial inertia to be overcome when making sustainable change is often cited as an inhibiting factor in realizing sustainable energy systems. A more holistic approach that shows multiple benefits is more likely to succeed but often relies on multidisciplinary approaches being utilized.

With a systematic approach in mind, the focus of this Special Issue is to highlight the inclusion of novel sustainable elements in systems using large amounts of energy in utilities and industry. Contributors should champion not just the technical merit of individual elements, but also show how they balance planet, people and profit aspects in their respective systems. As an example, the limited seasonal generation of energy from crop waste such as bagasse is admirable, but still requires the energy network to have the same size infrastructure. Conversely, a more beneficial approach would include storage and cogeneration of other products, providing some relief to energy system operators and a more diverse range of sustainable jobs for the community.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions that address the holistic sustainability of energy generation and industrial systems. Special attention will be given to submissions that demonstrate the use of the “triple bottom line” approach to novel large-scale industrial and utility system design and management.

Dr. Les Bowtell
Assoc. Prof. Tony Ahfock
Guest Editors

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 papers will be 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 1900 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

  • triple bottom line for energy systems
  • integration of distributed renewables
  • incorporation of process waste in the energy cycle
  • sustainable systems in low socio-economic societies
  • maintaining sparse energy grid systems

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

Article
Addition of Activated Carbon into a Cattle Diet to Mitigate GHG Emissions and Improve Production
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8254; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158254 - 23 Jul 2021
Viewed by 405
Abstract
Globally, the most problematic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of ruminant livestock is methane (CH4), with a global warming potential 25 times that of carbon dioxide. This work considers the emissions and production effects of powdered activated carbon (PAC) at 0.5% by [...] Read more.
Globally, the most problematic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of ruminant livestock is methane (CH4), with a global warming potential 25 times that of carbon dioxide. This work considers the emissions and production effects of powdered activated carbon (PAC) at 0.5% by dry matter (DM) on methanogenic rumen flora as the major source of dairy cattle enteric methane emissions. In total, 180 dairy cattle located in Brymaroo, Queensland (QLD), Australia, were studied in a three-cycle repeated measures ANOVA format with a 4 week primary interval. Emissions eructated during milking and in faecal deposits were measured, and in addition, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to determine the collective populations of prokaryotic bacteria and archaea as well methanogenic communities for each treatment. Moreover, 0.5% PAC addition reduced CH4 emissions by 30–40% and CO2 emissions by 10%, while improving daily milk production by 3.43%, milk protein by 2.63% and milk fat by 6.32%, on average for the herd (p < 0.001 in all cases). rRNA gene sequencing showed populations of methanogenic flora decreased by 30% on average with a corresponding increase in the nonmethanogenic species. We strongly advocate further on-farm trials with the dietary addition of PAC in ruminant diets to mitigate emissions while maintaining or improving productivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Power and Energy Systems for People, the Planet, and Profit)
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