Search Results (89)

Renewables are key pillars of the European Union’s (EU) strategy for green transition and climate neutrality. In particular, wind energy lies at the core of a sustainable framework regarding the energy policy (i.e., European Green Deal and REPowerEU plan) supporting clean, secure, and affordable electricity for a resilient future. In this study, Global Climate Models (GCMs) simulations were used to investigate the efficiency of GCMs to capture and reproduce the spatial and temporal features of Wind Energy Potential (WEP). The GCMs that have been used in this study are available in the context of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). The analysis focuses on high-interest regions of the Eastern Mediterranean (EMed) during the summer season (JJA). The ERA5 reanalysis dataset was used as a reference data set. Furthermore, projected changes in WEP were calculated under two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (the “moderate”, SSP2-4.5 and the “fossil-fueled development”, SSP5-8.5 scenarios), covering the period from 1970 to 2099. The results indicate that most GCMs underestimate mean WEP, with model performance ranging from “poor” to “good” scores based on the Kling–Gupta Efficiency index (−0.45 < KGE < 0.5). Future WEP projections show no consistent spatial patterns among GCMs. By the late 21st century, WEP is projected to decrease (about 10–15%) over the Southeastern Aegean and increase between Crete and Libya (about 10–15%) relative to the baseline historical period (1970–2000) under both SSP scenarios. Finally, findings provide elements for the WEP evolution over the Eastern Mediterranean, contributing to the EU energy policy. Full article

The development of smart coatings with active protection is a promising approach to prolonging the service life in extreme environments. Herein, the corrosion inhibitors 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (MBI) and CeO₂ were in situ loaded onto the surface of graphene oxide (GO) by dopamine (DA) polymerization, and we ultimately obtained the multifunctional composite MBI@CeO₂@PDA@GO (MCPG). The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results revealed that after 30 days of immersion in the corrosive media, the |Z|_0.01 Hz value of MCPG/WEP coating remained at 3.7 × 10⁹ Ω/cm², which displayed four orders of magnitude higher than that of pure WEP coating (1.4 × 10⁵ Ω/cm²). In a 200 h salt spray test, the MCPG/WEP coating also demonstrated minimal corrosion products and bubbles, affirming the exceptional corrosion-inhibiting effect and excellent self-healing performance. Consequently, the synergistic combination of pH-sensitive properties and outstanding barrier effect imparted dual active/passive anti-corrosion capabilities to the coating, resulting in long-lasting metal protection. Full article

Developing high-quality regional integration requires a good-quality water environment. In this study, the impact of formal and informal environmental regulation (FIER) on water environment governance performance (WEP) is examined using a fixed-effects model and spatial Durbin model with a panel data sample of 281 cities from 2011 to 2022. It is found that (i) there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between FIER and WEP, which is first promoted and then inhibited and remains significant after endogeneity exploration and multiple robustness tests; (ii) the pressure of economic growth has weakened this elationship, while the digital economy has strengthened it; and (iii) further analysis reveals that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the local and spillover effects of FIER on WEP. Therefore, WEP can be improved by dynamically adjusting the intensity of FIER, optimizing the appraisal orientation of local governments, and accelerating the integration of digital economy and environmental governance Full article

Global food security and dietary diversity depend on identifying novel and sustainable food sources. Wild edible plants (WEPs) traditionally used in Mediterranean regions offer considerable potential due to their rich history of use. Here, ethnobotanical knowledge was systematically compiled for the fruits and cones of five taxa (Arbutus unedo, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Pinus spp. and Rosa spp.), documenting alimentary uses, preparation and conservation methods across diverse food categories. Analysis of over 2800 traditional use reports identified 54 distinct alimentary uses from 16 categories, with raw consumption and sweet preserves being the most prevalent. Rosa spp. exhibited the highest diversity of uses (36), whereas the family Pinaceae showed the lowest (19). Statistically significant associations between individual fruits and specific food preparations were also observed, offering guidance for innovative product development. Information on processing methods that preserve nutritional components, along with documentation of potential harmful effects and the methods to mitigate them, was collected, providing essential guidance for developing safe and functional alimentary products. Together, traditional knowledge, regulatory adherence, and sustainable practices create new opportunities to develop innovative, safe, culturally grounded, and sustainable food products that enrich diets and preserve cultural and ecological heritage. Full article

Wild edible plants (WEPs) play a crucial role in sustaining local food systems, cultural heritage, and livelihoods in northeastern Thailand. This study documents the diversity, cultural significance, medicinal use, and economic value of WEPs among the Tai Yoy community in Akat Amnuai District, Sakon Nakhon Province. Field surveys, interviews, and market observations recorded 78 species belonging to 42 families, with 52 species represent new records for the province. Fruits and leaves were the most commonly used parts, while multifunctional species such as Curcuma angustifolia Roxb., Phyllanthus androgynus (L.) Chakrab. & N.P.Balakr., and Spondias pinnata (L.f.) Kurz were highly valued for both dietary and medicinal purposes. Quantitative analyses, including the Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI), fidelity level (FL), and Jaccard’s similarity index (JI), revealed strong cultural consensus on key species and regional patterns shaped by ecological and sociocultural factors. Market surveys identified 25 species contributing to household income, highlighting the economic importance of WEPs and the potential risks of overharvesting. The study emphasizes the need for sustainable management, including cultivation of high-demand species, to reduce pressure on wild populations while supporting food security and traditional knowledge. These findings provide a comprehensive baseline for future ethnobotanical research, conservation planning, and the sustainable use of WEPs in northeastern Thailand. Full article

The AlimurgITA portal is a user-friendly and effective tool for researching Wild Edible Plants (WEPs). It provides valuable information on alimurgic plant species, aiding conservation and potential applications (agricultural, food, etc.). Users can interact with authors to report errors and contribute to the knowledge base regarding local uses. The authors will update the site every six months to include new data. Currently, the online database contains data on 1116 taxa used in 20 Italian regions: updated scientific name and link to the site Acta Plantarum, family, main synonyms, common name in Italian and regional dialect, chorotype, life form, a map showing the regions where it is known to be used, the part used, how it is used, and the bibliography. From the home page, you can search for taxa by scientific name, and there are pages dedicated to summaries of the entries: scientific name, family, chorotype, life form, method of use, and part used. Additionally, within the FuD WE PIC Project, the AlimurgITA entity list is being integrated with Italian vegetation data from the European Vegetation Archive to model WEPs richness, identify diversity hotspots, and explore the relationship between WEPs diversity and habitat types. Full article

Acid soil aluminum (Al) considerably reduces crop productivity. This study examined whether transformation of supramolecular assembly of root cell wall polysaccharides (CWPs) contributes to genotype-specific responses to Al stress in triticale. CWPs were extracted from apical and hairy root segments of two triticale genotypes, differing in Al tolerance. Water-extractable polysaccharides (WEPs) and those extracted with trans-1,2-cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid (CDTA) and sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) were analyzed using the multi-detection high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC-RI-LALS/RALS-DV-UV-Vis). WEPs most clearly reflected differences between genotypes in macromolecular organization and Al-induced modification. Both root segments contained high molar mass (HM) subunits of WEPs with distinct anisotropic light scatterer (AS) domains. AS domains of a tolerant genotype were symmetrically elongated and branched, whereas those of a sensitive one were asymmetrically elongated with a spherical shape. In both genotypes, Al stress induced an association of apical HM subunits to higher molar mass forms, but in a different manner. The tolerant genotype maintained branched AS domain architecture by forming separate HM subunits that prevented Al infiltration. In contrast, the sensitive genotype showed complete merging of all HM subunits into a micro gel structure, leading to AS surface degradation. These findings provide novel insight into the role of root AS domains and supramolecular cell wall organization in plant adaptation to abiotic stress. Full article

Climate change is profoundly reshaping watershed hydrological regimes and threatening the sustainability of regional ecosystems, rendering traditional ecological restoration planning—primarily reliant on static baselines—insufficient to support long-term resilience under future environmental conditions. To enhance the sustainability of metropolitan ecological restoration, this study develops a climate-adaptive restoration framework for the Wuhan Metropolitan Area, structured around “climate scenario—hydrological simulation—zoning delineation—strategy formulation.” The framework aims to elucidate how projected hydrological shifts constrain the spatial configuration of ecological restoration. Under the RCP4.5 (Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5) scenario, the WEP-L (Water and Energy transfer Processes in Large river basins) distributed hydrological model was calibrated and validated using observed hydrological data from 2016–2020 and subsequently applied to simulate the spatiotemporal evolution of precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, and total water resources in 2035. Hydrological trend analyses were further conducted at the secondary watershed scale to assess the differentiated impacts of future hydrological changes across planning units. Based on these simulations, ecological sensitivity and ecosystem service assessments were integrated to identify priority restoration areas, forming a “five-zone × three-tier” sustainable restoration zoning system encompassing farmland restoration, forest ecological restoration, soil and water conservation restoration, river and lake wetland ecological restoration, and urban habitat improvement restoration, classified into general, important, and extremely important levels. A comprehensive “four-water” management scheme—addressing water security, water resources, water environment, and water landscape—was subsequently proposed to strengthen the sustainable supply capacity and overall resilience of metropolitan ecosystems. Results indicate that by 2035, hydrological processes in the Wuhan Metropolitan Area will exhibit pronounced spatial heterogeneity, with uneven changes in precipitation and runoff further intensifying disparities in regional water availability. These findings highlight the necessity of incorporating scenario-based hydrological constraints into sustainable ecological restoration planning. The proposed technical framework provides a transferable pathway for enhancing watershed ecosystem sustainability and resilience under climate change. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected global economies, including the electricity sector. Governments implemented strict containment measures to mitigate the health crisis, including lockdowns, social distancing, and event cancelations. These interventions, while essential for public health, also disrupted energy demand and supply patterns. This study supports regulators by quantifying the short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic on local electricity prices (LEPs) in the Nord Pool market (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) during 2020. The findings highlight a crucial link between crisis response strategies and the transition to sustainable energy systems. In times of uncertainty, governments tend to prioritize renewable energy investments, particularly wind power, which offers a clean and resilient alternative to fossil-fuel-based electricity generation. Using the PMG-ARDL estimator, our analysis reveals a significant long-term negative association between government interventions and LEP, as well as between wind energy production (WEP) and LEP. Specifically, an additional gigawatt of wind energy generation reduces local electricity prices by up to EUR 0.09, confirming the merit-order effect. These findings emphasize the environmental and economic benefits of expanding wind energy capacity as a stabilizing force in electricity markets. Moreover, while health-related news influenced LEP fluctuations in the long run, government restrictions had a limited short-term impact, likely due to the inelastic nature of electricity demand and supply. This study reinforces the argument that integrating more renewable energy sources can enhance market resilience, reduce price volatility, and contribute to long-term sustainable development, making the energy transition an essential pillar of post-pandemic recovery strategies. Full article

The increasing demand for industrial resource optimization has driven the creation of integrated methodologies for the technical assessment of complex operations such as gas oil hydrocracking. This study examines the technical performance of a mass and energy-integrated gas oil hydrocracking process using the Extended Water–Energy–Product (E-WEP) methodology, which enables the quantification of 12 key indicators related to water, energy, and raw material usage. The research addresses the challenge of high demineralized water consumption in conventional hydrocracking processes. The findings show a production yield of 95.77% and a recycled hydrogen reuse rate of 67.99%, expressed as the Index of Reused Unconverted Material (IRUM). In terms of water use, fresh water demand decreased to 26.99 m³/h and wastewater discharge to 21 m³/h, although 77.79% of the total water processed is released as effluent, corresponding to the Wastewater Production Ratio (WPR). From the energy standpoint, total energy consumption increased to 2966.57 MMBTU/h, primarily due to the use of additional electrical equipment for mass integration. The Total Cost of Energy (TCE) reached 3,563,840.10 USD/day, with electricity (1630.82 kWh/t) as the dominant source, negatively influencing the process’s economic efficiency. Despite this energy drawback, the evaluated configuration achieves the most sustainable water use compared to conventional and integrated PVC production schemes, underscoring the importance of adopting holistic evaluations that jointly address technical efficiency, environmental impact, and economic feasibility. Full article

Songhua River Basin, northeast China, has seen significant changes due to climate change and human activities from 1990 to 2000, when forests were largely reclaimed and agricultural land was taken up to change the terrestrial water cycle drastically. This paper investigates hydrological changes in three basins: the main stream basin of the Songhua River, the Second Songhua River Basin, and the Nenjiang River Basin. Machine learning and signal processing techniques have been applied to reconstruct historical river records with high accuracy, achieving determination coefficients exceeding 0.97. The physically based WEP model effectively simulates both natural hydrological patterns and human-induced hydrological processes in the northern Nenjiang region. Climate projections indicate clear temperature increases across all scenarios. The most significant warming is observed under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, where runoff increases by 8.52% to 12.02%t, with precipitation driving 62% to 78% of the changes. Summer runoff shows the most significant increase, while autumn runoff decreases, particularly in the Nenjiang Basin, where permafrost loss alters spring melt patterns. This change elevates flood risk in summer, with the rate of increase strongly dependent on the scenario. Water resources show strong scenario dependence, with the average growth rate of SSP5-8.5 being 4 times that of SSP1-2.6. A critical threshold is reached at a 2.5 °C increase in temperature, triggering system instability. These results emphasize the need for adaptation to spatial differences to address emerging water security challenges in rapidly changing northern regions, including nonlinear hydroclimatic responses, infrastructure resilience to flow changes, and cross-basin coordination. Full article

Water use and water environmental protection exhibit highly complex interactions, and their coupling coordination is essential for long-term urban sustainability. This study analyzes the system structure of water utilization, and constructs a water resources–social economy–water environment (WR-SE-WE) system dynamics model for Tianjin and five policy scenarios (business as usual (BAU), water conservation prioritization (WCP), social–economic advancement (SEA), water environmental protection (WEP), and integrated balanced development (IBD)) are simulated. A coupling coordination degree (CCD) model is employed to evaluate scenario performance. The key results show that Tianjin’s WR-SE-WE CCD keeps increasing but differentiates for different scenarios: IBD consistently outperforms all scenarios, achieving an optimal coupling coordination degree of 0.926 by 2035, while the other scenarios rank SEA (0.920) > WEP (0.902) > BAU (0.880) > WCP (0.874). The indicators’ quantitative results exhibit single-policy scenario trade-offs: WCP maximizes water efficiency and pollution control, but severely constrains social economy, offering a temporary solution. WEP excels in water resources supply but limits GDP growth, serving as an effective interim measure. SEA drives rapid economic expansion but strains resources and delays pollution control, making it suitable for long-term planning. Combining the obstacle degree model, four recommendations are proposed, including implementing cross-sector water governance, accelerating the green industrial transition, prioritizing reclaimed water, and scaling agricultural efficiency. These results provide a scientific basis for promoting high-quality regional development in the future. Full article

The suspension polymerization process of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production involves significant freshwater consumption alongside substantial wastewater emissions. Mass integration strategies have been used to address this problem, but only through direct recycling approaches. Therefore, in this study, a regeneration approach was applied to integrate a PVC suspension process to improve water management. The reuse network was evaluated through a water–energy–product (WEP) technical analysis after being simulated in AspenPlus software v.14. The mass integration allowed for a 61% reduction in freshwater consumption and an 83% reduction in wastewater. However, 258.6 t/day of residual wastewater still remained after regeneration. The WEP analysis found that the process was efficient in handling raw materials and process products due to the high yield and recovery of unreacted materials. Similarly, the integration significantly benefitted the process performance as water usage indicators improved substantially, with freshwater consumption of 83%, a wastewater production rate of 63%, and freshwater water costs of $267,322 per year (from $694,080 before integration). In terms of energy performance, the results were regular. The processes showed high energy consumption (below 50%), with indicators related to the use of natural gas, electricity, and energy costs being affected by the regeneration. However, the limited heat integration provided minor energy savings (11 MJ/h). Finally, this work gives an interesting insight into water conservation and the circular economy, since the study used the latest systems in regeneration of effluents for plastic plants (emerging technologies), showcasing important benefits and trade-offs of these strategies. Full article

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one of the most widely used polymers due to its physical properties and versatility. Water consumption of the suspension method is a critical issue that hinders competitiveness. In that case, this study implements water integration through direct recycling, with the aim of minimizing both freshwater consumption and wastewater generation. The source–sink diagram was used to generate the recycled water network, and the integrated process was simulated using software. From simulation data, the water–energy–product (WEP) analysis method was used to assess the process performance, and sustainability indicators for water, energy, and product were evaluated. Fractional water consumption and wastewater production ratio indicators increased to 51.1% and 55.0%, compared to 41% and 54% in the non-integrated process, showing improved water efficiency and cost reduction. The unreacted material reuse index reached 100%, while the production yield was 99.8%, due to effective recycling of unreacted VCM. The use of natural gas and energy integration led to optimal performance in TCE, NGCI, and EECI indicators. However, the ESI indicator was high (3.59 MJ/t) due to energy demands from thermal control equipment for water recirculation. Full article

The demand for palm oil is expected to increase due to its wide use in the market. Palm oil is extracted from the fruit of the African palm tree, yielding crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel oil (PKO). The production process involves multiple stages, from harvesting to drying; while the problem lies in the scarcity of fresh fruit bunches and the lack of diagnosis of the process. This study proposes to carry out a WEP (Water–Energy–Product) technical assessment to optimize the use of water, energy, and raw materials in the production of CPO, calculating a series of technical parameters and indicators and determining the latter’s efficiency. The results showed that for a processing capacity of 30,000 kg/h of African palm bunches, 5070 kg/h of CPO were obtained, reaching a production yield of 69.63%, a wastewater production ratio (WPR) of 58.64 %, a fractional water consumption (FWC) of 2.38 m³/t of CPO, a total cost of freshwater (TCF) of 347.33 USD/day, a total cost of energy (TCE) of 13,235.95 USD/day, an energy-specific intensity (ESI) of 4905.66 MJ/t of CPO, a natural gas consumption index (NGCI) of 103,421.65 m³/t of CPO, an electric energy consumption index (EECI) of 165.67 kWh/t of CPO, and a net energy ratio (NER) and energy utilization index (ECI) of 165.67 kWh/t of CPO. The EUI is higher than 1. Additionally, five indicators showed an efficiency higher than 80%, highlighting the energy indicators (TCE, NGCI, and EECI), which reached the highest efficiency (95.45%) due to the predominant use of natural gas, and the water indicators (FWC and TCF), which reached 92.90% and 88.12%, respectively. Finally, improvements are required in the WPR (41.36%) and the ESI (78.13%), which merit optimization techniques using mass and energy integration, respectively. Full article