Search Results (78)

This study evaluates the quality and dynamics of the renewable energy transition in Poland’s electricity sector during the years 2010–2023 through an integrated Fuzzy Time Series (FTS) and Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Evaluation (FMCE) methodology. The evaluation is based on five production-related criteria: the production of renewable electricity, the capacity of installed renewable energy sources, investment costs, innovation costs, and total electricity production. Contrary to trend projection and elasticity ratio methods, the new approach determines qualitative transition states (Low, Medium, High) and their transitions over time in the presence of non-linearities and partial progress. The outcome shows a protracted pre-transformational period from 2010 to 2014, with features of perpetual Low → Low transitions and high system inertia. The first qualitatively detectable transition takes place in 2015, where the renewable electricity output regime shifts from Low to Medium, symbolizing the beginning of the moderate transition phase. The Medium regime continues until 2021, with little innovation expenditure, signifying a consolidation rather than acceleration phase. The most significant transition regime shift takes place in 2022, where the system advances from Medium to High, fueled by the cumulative growth of renewable electricity output, capacity, and total electricity production. The High regime is maintained in 2023, indicating a systemic rather than a temporary transition. The results show that the transition of Poland towards renewable energy sources has been following a non-linear and regime-dependent path, with turning points marking observable qualitative state transitions rather than the beginning of trends. The FTS-FMCE approach is a powerful method for separating growth from transformation, and it has been shown to be useful for coal-dependent economies that experience a delayed but accelerating energy transition. Full article

Energy recovery technology is becoming a crucial part of modern approaches that address decarbonization, efficiency, and transitioning into a circular economy. In addition, apart from its advancements in efficiency and environmental benefits, its progress appears to be progressively limited due to its maturity and increasing complexity. In this case, innovation that focuses solely in the firm appears ineffective because more and more important knowledge in terms of innovation in processes and environmental aspects is becoming and remaining outside of organizational boundaries. In this paper, open innovation will be explored in its function as a structural innovation method of advancing energy recovery technology. The paper employs the narrative literature review of peer-reviewed literature indexed in the Scopus database to explore the implications of the outside-in model of open innovation, the inside-out model of open innovation, and the coupled model of open innovation with respect to the primary recovery processes of energy such as combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas recovery. The literature incorporates findings about the implications of knowledge inflows and outflows with respect to the mentioned energy recovery processes. The results show that open innovation efficacy strongly varies according to the degree of technological maturity and performance issues, in that outside-in open innovation tends to be very effective in mature and semi-mature technology sectors, where incremental improvements in efficiency require specialized knowledge outside the industry, while coupled open innovation is crucial for addressing system-wide issues in areas such as emissions, regulatory compatibility, and infrastructure integration, while inside-out innovation is largely a means of facilitating technology dissemination and standardization once a degree of technological maturity had been realized. This study, through the association of selective open innovation practices with corresponding energy recovery technology and challenges, aims to provide a more nuanced perspective on the assistive potential of collaborative innovation in effecting sustainable development in energy recovery technology. Full article

This paper analyses the factors that affect CO₂ emissions in the BF-BOF steelmaking process using a dynamic econometric approach based on annual data from the Polish steel industry. The analysis commences with the estimation of a baseline dynamic model that describes the relationship between CO₂ emissions in the industry and investment allocations, crude steel production, and lagged CO₂ emissions. The baseline analysis illustrates the dominant feature of strong emission level persistence and poor tracking of selected conventional production-related factors. The analysis proceeds by extending the baseline results through additional consideration of technological factors, material composition factors, and resource use factors in the generation of CO₂ emissions. The additional factors include the use of coke, electricity consumption, fixed asset value, and the scrap ratio. The analysis indicates that these additional factors are essential in improving the accuracy of the modeling process and in clarifying the significance of material composition in CO₂ emissions in particular. The analysis further illustrates the critical result that increased use of electricity leads to high CO₂ emissions in the BF-BOF process. Further analysis indicates that increasing the use of steel scrap leads to substantial CO₂ reductions in the BF-BOF route and other steelmaking technologies. The results also show that CO₂ emissions in the BF-BOF process depend not only on production volume, but also on material composition and the technological structure of the process. In the context of the WFESF project, these findings provide evidence-based guidance for metal industry research by identifying priority levers for mitigation, particularly through improvements in process technology and scrap-based material substitution. Full article

Astroviruses are non-enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses known to infect various mammals and birds, including humans, often causing gastrointestinal disorders. In recent years, astroviruses have also been linked to neurological and respiratory diseases across several species, including ruminants, mink, deer, and other mammals. Notably, astrovirus infections in goats have been documented in countries such as Switzerland and China, where novel genotypes have been identified in fecal samples. However, their role in the context of disease remains unclear, and reports focusing solely on goat astrovirus in the United States have not been published. A necropsy case of a Boer goat kid with a history of diarrhea was submitted for investigation following death in January 2025. Fresh tissues were received and used for histopathology and enteric pathogen testing, including parasitic, bacterial, and viral workups. Metagenomic-based next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was also applied for this case. Histological examination revealed severe necrotizing enterocolitis. The small intestine exhibited epithelial ulcerations, villus atrophy, hyperplastic and dilated crypts with necrotic debris, few intraenterocytic coccidian parasites, and increased inflammatory cells in the lamina propria. The large intestine showed similar findings with pleomorphic crypt enterocytes. Standard enteric pathogen tests were negative except for aerobic culture that identified Escherichia.coli and Enterococcus hirae. mNGS and bioinformatic analysis identified a novel astrovirus in the intestinal content that showed the highest nucleotide identity (86%) to the sheep strain Mamastrovirus 13 sheep/HA3 from China based on BLAST analysis. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the newly identified caprine astrovirus IL90175 clustered with astrovirus strains from small ruminants in Asia and Europe. This research reports the discovery, histopathologic features, and genetic characteristics of a gastrointestinal disease-causing astrovirus in a goat kid, which had not been previously described in the United States. Full article

This paper addresses the highly important and timely issue of the energy transition, a topic of particular relevance within the European Union (EU), which has long been a global leader in pursuing climate neutrality. The article proposes a novel framework for monitoring energy transition progress and its temporal dynamics across the EU countries, adopting a decade-long analytical horizon. The research employs the Dynamic Energy Transition Assessment (DETA) method, which is structured around five key pillars of the energy transition: (1) decarbonization and the shift toward clean energy; (2) energy security and system resilience; (3) energy justice, health impacts, and affordability; (4) energy efficiency and energy management; (5) development, innovation, and modernization of energy infrastructure. Applying this method enabled the study to meet its central objective: evaluating the level of development of these pillars, analyzing the balance among them, and examining both the direction and speed of changes over time. This dynamic approach integrates three core components of transformation processes, state, quality (coherence), and pace of change, offering an innovative combination of structural and temporal perspectives. The originality of this framework lies in its ability to capture the multidimensional and evolving nature of the energy transition. The study is based on 19 indicators, with indicator weights determined through Entropy and Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) analytical methods, while pillar weights were assigned using the AHP method in alignment with EU strategic priorities. The findings reveal substantial variation and dynamism in the implementation of energy transition processes across the EU countries. Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France, Portugal, and Spain demonstrate the highest performance in terms of both quality and dynamism, whereas Malta, Cyprus, and Luxembourg perform the weakest. The proposed methodology and the resulting assessment of the level, quality, and dynamics of transformation processes offer broad practical applications. In particular, they can support the monitoring of progress toward EU climate and energy policy goals and inform management and decision-making aimed at achieving a resilient, sustainable, and equitable energy transition. Full article

Background/Objectives: The benefits of physical activity (PA) do not depend on the PA level alone but also on sedentary behavior (SB). The interaction between PA and SB (i.e., PA–SB interplay) is important to determine one’s health status. This study explored the effect of PA–SB interplay on balance and gait in healthy young adults. Methods: Healthy young adults (n = 133, 18–35 yrs) were placed in four PA–SB interplay groups (according to their sitting duration and physical activity duration) using the American College of Sports Medicine PA guidelines (i.e., sedentary active [>6 h/day, >150 min/week], sedentary inactive [>6 h/day, <150 min/week], physically active [<6 h/day, >150 min/week], and physically inactive [<6 h/day, <150 min/week]). In this cross-sectional study, participants’ balance and gait were assessed with inertial measurement units placed on seven bodily sites. In this exploratory study, significance level was set at p < 0.1. Results: Sway acceleration RMS during the eyes closed on stable surface balance test showed a statistically significant difference among the PA–SB interplay groups (p = 0.055) which was found between sedentary active and physically inactive (p = 0.066). Anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) duration during gait showed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.010) which was found between sedentary inactive and physically active (p = 0.019) and between sedentary active and physically active (p = 0.026). Conclusions: PA–SB interplay influences static (sway acceleration RMS) and dynamic (APA duration) balance of healthy young adults. Findings suggest that somatosensory processing during balance and gait initiation are significantly impacted by PA–SB interplay. Full article

This paper addresses the very important and topical issue of the effective and efficient implementation of green and energy transition processes, taking into account social aspects and energy security. Due to climate change and the geopolitical situation, these processes are currently priorities for most countries and regions of the world. The opportunity to achieve success in their implementation lies in the implementation of the Open Innovation concept in a new model developed and presented in this paper. Its essence is an identified group of stakeholders in the processes under study (science, business, state, society, environment) and their specific positions, roles, and relationships. It was also important to analyze the mechanisms of cooperation and interaction between stakeholders, defining key forms and directions, as well as ways of harmonizing them, leading to synergy in innovation processes. A significant stage of the work was also the development of a RACI role and responsibility matrix, which enabled the precise assignment of functions to individual stakeholders in the developed model. Key challenges, barriers (technological, regulatory, organizational, and social), and factors conducive to the coordination of cooperation and interests of the identified stakeholder groups were also identified. To deepen knowledge and better understand the dynamics of this cooperation, a matrix was also developed to assess priorities and their impact on the energy sector within the open innovation model. This tool enables the identification of diverse perspectives in relation to key criteria such as energy security, innovation, social participation, and sustainable development. In addition, a set of indicators (in five key categories of the innovation ecosystem) was developed to enable multidimensional measurement of the effectiveness, efficiency, and scalability of the open innovation model in the energy sector. They also allow for the study of the impact of these factors on the sustainable development, security, and resilience of energy systems. The developed and presented concept of a model of cooperation between stakeholders using the Open Innovation model in the energy industry is universal in nature and can also be used in other sectors. Its application offers broad opportunities to support the management of transformation processes, taking into account the innovative solutions that are necessary for the success of these processes. Full article

In the current geopolitical context, sustainable energy development has become one of the pillars of global economic growth. This issue is well recognized in the European Union, which has undertaken a number of measures to achieve sustainable development goals. For these measures to be effective, it is essential to conduct a reliable, multi-variant diagnosis of the state of energy development in the EU-27 countries. This paper addresses this highly topical and important issue. It presents a new proprietary method—the Entropy–Evolutionary Evaluation of Sustainability (E³)—based on a multidimensional approach to researching and evaluating the state of sustainable energy development in the EU-27 countries between 2014 and 2023. Through the integration of 19 indicators representing the adopted dimensions of the study (energy, economic, environmental, and social), the method enabled both a static assessment and a dynamic analysis of energy transition processes across space and time. To determine the weights of the indicators for each dimension of sustainable energy development, the CRITIC, Entropy, and equal weight methods, along with the Laplace criterion, were applied. The Analytic Hierarchy Process method was used to establish the weights of the dimensions themselves. An important component of the approach was the inclusion of scenario studies, which made it possible to assess sustainable energy development under five variants: baseline, level, equilibrium, transformational, and neutral. These scenarios were based on different weight values assigned to three factors: the level of energy development (L), its stability (S), and the trajectory of change ($\tilde{T}$). The results, expressed in the form of a total index value and dimensional indices, reveal significant diversity among the EU-27 countries in terms of sustainable energy development. Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Latvia, and Austria achieved the best results, while Cyprus, Malta, Ireland, and Luxembourg—countries heavily dependent on energy imports, with limited diversification of their energy mix and high energy costs—performed the worst. The developed method and the results obtained should serve as a valuable source of knowledge to support decision-making and the formulation of strategies concerning the pace and direction of actions related to the energy transition. Full article

Assessing energy security in the context of sustainable development, as well as the current geopolitical climate, is a highly important, timely, and complex challenge. Addressing this issue, this paper introduces a new multi-barrier methodological approach to evaluation based on the Multi-Barrier Energy Security System (MBEES) model. This model incorporates five barriers (dimensions) influencing energy security. The MBEES model, along with the developed methodology, was applied to assess the energy security of the EU-27 countries for the period of 2014–2023, in line with EU policy objectives such as Fit for 55 and the Green Deal. The Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation and Entropy methods, combined with the Laplace criterion, were employed to determine the weights of the model’s sub-indicators. This multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach enabled a synthetic overall evaluation of both the general energy security status of the EU-27 countries and the performance of each barrier examined. The study also identified the weakest elements (barriers) within national energy systems that could potentially threaten their stability and resilience. This identification is essential for effective energy risk management and for enhancing the resilience of energy systems against disruptions. Due to its broad scope—covering availability, self-sufficiency, diversification, energy efficiency, energy costs, as well as environmental and social aspects—the study delivered a comprehensive evaluation of energy security in the EU-27 during the examined period. The findings reveal significant spatial and temporal variations in energy security levels among the EU-27 countries. Scandinavian and Western European nations achieved the highest scores, whereas Central, Eastern, and Southern European countries showed lower MBEES index values, reflecting persistent structural, social, and environmental vulnerabilities. The results hold strong potential for practical application, offering guidance for EU policymakers in aligning national strategies with overarching policy frameworks such as REPowerEU and the European Green Deal. Full article

This research investigates the structural drivers of Poland’s energy transition to decarbonization and wider sustainable development goals. With a focus on the period 2010–2023, we use longitudinal regression analysis and cluster-based segmentation to examine the dynamic interactions between investment expenditure, deployed renewable capacity, and innovation expenditure in driving renewable electricity production. Our findings suggest that although installed capacity continues to be the nearest cause of renewable energy output, innovation expenditure has an extraordinarily large marginal effect, acknowledging the system-transformational role of technology innovation in low-carbon systems. Regression specifications suggested that the establishment of Poland’s transformation process is not only guided by the growth in capital, but also by the systemic embedment of knowledge-driven innovation. Cluster analysis reveals three successive stages of sectoral development—initial growth (2010–2013), consistent expansion (2014–2019), and rapid transformation (2020–2023)—with blended policy actions and structural effects. Despite the long shadow of Poland’s coal-linked past and post-2015 stagnation in innovation, the results signal a major move towards a more low-emitting, resilient power system. The report offers empirical facts and prescriptive evidence to guide policy formulation supporting collective, innovation-driven approaches essential for driving energy change in coal-dominated economies. Full article

Background: Obesity is a well-documented risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases associated with insulin resistance. However, research on its relationship with alcohol intake and stress markers, such as cortisol and α-amylase, remains limited, particularly among young adults in the general population. Objective: This study investigated the relationship between adiposity measures, alcohol intake, and biological stress biomarkers among college students. Methods: Participants (n = 189) completed the NIH Diet History Questionnaire II. Body composition was measured via bioelectrical impedance analysis. Salivary α-amylase (sAA) activity and cortisol (sCort) were assessed using the Salimetrics α-amylase kinetic enzyme assay and enzyme immunoassay kits, respectively. Multivariable linear regression models were used to determine the association between alcohol consumption and adiposity on biological stress biomarkers. Results: Among students who were overweight and obese, higher alcohol consumption increased sAA activity (β = 1.52, p = 0.030), with a greater effect in females (β = 2.24, p = 0.012). Body fat percentage showed similar patterns with sAA activity (β = 2.20, p = 0.015), with no significant effect in males. There was no significant interaction between BMI or body fat and alcohol consumption on sCort levels. However, significant main effects were observed for African Americans (β = 0.22, p = 0.020) and overweight and obese status (β = −0.19, p = 0.025) on male students’ sCort levels. African Americans (β = 0.21, p = 0.026) and young male adults within the underfat category (β = 0.35, p = 0.022) also exhibited increased sCort levels. Conclusion: Sex-specific patterns in physiological responses between males and females revealed stronger associations in females for sAA activity and distinct patterns in sCort levels among African American males. Full article

Guaranteeing food safety in the European Union (EU) is a continuing issue affected by diverse national traditions, regulatory power, and consumer culture. Despite the presence of a harmonized regulatory context, there continues to be variability in performance among the 27 member states. This study gives an extensive comparative evaluation of EU food safety based on three indicators: Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) alerts, pesticide maximum-residue-limit (MRL) violation, and per capita food loss. Fuzzy TOPSIS, K-means clustering, and scenario-based sensitivity tests are used to give an extensive appraisal of the performance of member states. Alarming differences are quoted as findings of significance. The highest number of RASFF notifications (212) and percentage of pesticide MRL non-compliance (1.5%) were reported in 2022 by Bulgaria, whereas the lowest values were reported by Estonia and Lithuania—15–20 RASFF notifications and less than 0.6% MRL violation rates. A statistically significant correlation (r = 0.72, p < 0.001) between pesticide MRL violation and food safety warnings was confirmed in favor of pesticide regulation as the optimal predictor of food safety warnings. On the other hand, food loss did not significantly affect safety measures but indicated very high variation (from 76 kg/capita per year in Croatia to 142 kg/capita per year in Greece). These findings suggest that while food loss remains an environmental problem, pesticide control is more central to the protection of food safety. Targeted policy is what the research necessitates: intervention and stricter enforcement in low-income countries, and diffusion of best practice from successful states. The composite approach adds to EU food safety policy discourse through the combination of performance indicators and targeted regulatory emphasis. Full article

In response to the escalating challenges of climate change and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the energy transition has become a central priority of environmental policy worldwide. The European Union (EU), a global leader in implementing sustainable energy solutions, has pursued numerous initiatives aimed at advancing energy transformation. This paper presents the results of an empirical study assessing the efficiency of the energy transition process in the EU-27 countries over the 2013–2023 period. The assessment is based on the dynamic changes in selected indicators relevant to the energy transition, including decarbonization of the energy sector, improvements in energy efficiency, the share of renewable energy sources, energy import dependency, greenhouse gas emissions, and the extent of energy poverty. A multidimensional analysis was conducted using a specially developed energy transition efficiency index, where indicator weights were determined through the Analytic Hierarchy Process. The study also examined two distinct sub-periods (2013–2018 and 2018–2023), as well as a series of shorter, two-year intervals (2013–2015, 2015–2017, 2017–2019, 2019–2021, and 2021–2023), enabling a more nuanced analysis of the temporal evolution of transition efforts. Additionally, principal component analysis was employed to classify the EU-27 countries based on the similarity of their energy transition profiles. The findings reveal significant disparities in the pace and scope of energy transition across member states. Luxembourg, Malta, and the Netherlands demonstrated the most dynamic progress during the study period, followed by Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Estonia. In contrast, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Croatia, and Romania recorded the lowest performance. These differences underscore the varying starting points, policy approaches, and implementation speeds among EU countries in achieving energy transition objectives. Full article

The development of the building sector to the use of renewable energy, more so in photovoltaic (PV) systems, is a great step toward enhanced environmental sustainability and improved energy efficiency. This study seeks to determine the economic, environmental, and operational effects of integrating a PV system into a Polish production plant for buildings. Case study methodology was followed with the help of actual operating histories and simulation modeling to present the estimates of carbon emission savings, cost savings, and power efficiency. Key findings illustrate that 31.8% of the business’s full-year supply of electricity is through the utilization of solar energy and that it saves as much as 10,366 kg CO₂ of emissions every year. The economic rationale of the system is provided in the form of a 3.6-year payback period against long-term savings of over EUR 128,000 in 26 years. This work also addresses the broader implications of energy storage and management systems on the basis of scalability and reproducibility of intervention at the building construction scale. This study provides evidence towards the requirement of informing decision-making by business managers and policy decisionmakers as a step towards the solution of issues of interest to the utilization of renewable energy at industrial levels towards world agenda harmonization for sustainability and business practice. Full article

One of the foremost challenges in today’s global economy is ensuring energy security for individual countries and regions. In the contemporary context, this security plays a pivotal role in ensuring sovereignty, fostering innovation, and bolstering competitiveness, particularly in knowledge-based economies. The pursuit of energy independence while mitigating adverse environmental impacts stands as a key priority in European Union policy. Efforts towards achieving a zero-carbon economy encompass all member states, including those in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). This paper delves into this pressing issue by evaluating the sustainable energy security and policy efficiency of CEE countries over a 15-year period. This research employed a well-defined methodology, employing a multidimensional approach to address the complexity of the issue. The outcome of this approach was the development of the Sustainable Energy Security Index (SESI) for the countries under study, serving as a benchmark for evaluating energy security and policy effectiveness. Multiple Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods, including COPRAS, EDAS, MAIRCA, and the Hurwicz criterion, were utilized to determine the SESI value. Additionally, CRITIC, equal weights, standard deviation methods, and Laplace’s criterion were employed to ascertain the weights of the indices characterizing various dimensions of sustainable energy security. The findings reveal significant disparities in energy security and policy implementation effectiveness among CEE countries. Slovenia, Croatia, Latvia, Romania, and Hungary demonstrated notably strong performance, while Poland and Bulgaria lagged behind. These results underscore the necessity of integrating findings into the energy and climate strategies of both CEE countries and the EU-27 as a whole. Full article