Search Results (92)

The growing global energy demand and the urgent need to decarbonize the energy sector are driving the search for renewable and low-impact energy sources. Within this context, the conversion of biomass into hydrogen represents a viable pathway to sustainable energy, enabling both carbon mitigation and circular use of agricultural residues. This research focuses on the simulation of an integrated system that converts viticulture residues, vine prunings and grape stalks into biogenic hydrogen through a combination of pretreatment, gasification, and upgrading stages. The analysis of four different supply scenarios shows that the integration of prunings and stalks ensures the highest hydrogen yield (6.61·10⁵ Nm³/year of H₂) and the highest energy self-sufficiency, with 25% of produced syngas used to partially cover internal energy demand. Gasification enables the process to be carbon-negative, saving 1.18 kgCO₂eq for Nm³ of H₂ produced, and economically competitive, with a break-even price of 3.81 €/kg and a return on investment of ten years. The study aligns with the decarbonization goals of the European energy transition, promoting local and circular valorization of agro-industrial waste. Full article

Global agriculture generates more than 5 billion tonnes of post-harvest crop residues each year, most of which remain unused for energy production. Within the broader landscape of advanced biomass and waste conversion technologies (thermochemical and biochemical pathways), producing biomethane from agricultural residues represents a complementary waste-to-energy route that converts decentralized feedstock into a standardized energy carrier. Mobilizing this agro-biomass for biogas/biomethane production via the anaerobic digestion of crop residues offers a promising instrument for decarbonizing agriculture, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and advancing a circular bioeconomy. This study provides a techno-economic, environmental, and market assessment of biomethane production from post-harvest residues—specifically wheat and barley straw and maize stover—in Ukraine. We estimate the feedstock potential of crop residues and substantiate environmentally permissible removal levels accounting for soil organic matter requirements; we also characterize the role of digestate and biochar amendments in improving soil fertility, increasing mineral nitrogen availability, and enhancing crop yields. The results indicate substantial greenhouse gas mitigation potential relative to fossil natural gas. Practical recommendations are proposed to scale biomethane production from crop residues as part of Ukraine’s agricultural sustainability strategy. Under current cost and policy assumptions, many biomethane projects in Ukraine approach commercial viability, particularly in regions where damaged gas infrastructure creates local demand for a decentralized gas supply. The paper evaluates market assessment and investment feasibility of crop-residue biomethane scenarios under cost, regulatory, and infrastructure constraints. Overall, the findings suggest that agricultural residues can serve as a key feedstock for decarbonizing agriculture and biomethane-based energy systems in Ukraine. Full article

In the context of accelerating climate change and increasing pressure on natural resources, agriculture needs to rethink its operating models to ensure both sustainability and long-term stability. The circular economy (CE) is increasingly invoked as a possible solution, but its concrete contribution to the climate resilience of agricultural systems remains insufficiently integrated and often assessed in a fragmented manner. This study aims to analyze the role of circular strategies in strengthening the climate resilience of agriculture, through a systemic approach based on multiple indicators. The methodology is based on a structured and comparative analysis of recent scientific literature, complemented by a bibliometric and co-occurrence analysis of keywords, in order to identify the main research directions and evaluation methods used. The analyzed indicators cover dimensions related to soil, water, crop performance, energy and socio-economic resilience of farms. The results suggest that circular economy strategies may contribute to climate resilience through cumulative, and context-dependent effects, including improvements in soil quality, resource-use efficiency, and reduced dependence on external inputs. However, evidence regarding direct impacts on production stability and adaptive capacity remains heterogeneous and often indirect. The study contributes by proposing an integrated conceptual framework that highlights the systemic nature of climate resilience and its links to decarbonization pathways, providing a basis for future empirical research and policy development. Full article

Masonry bricks and blocks are among the most widely used construction materials worldwide; however, their conventional production relies on energy-intensive firing processes and virgin raw materials, leading to significant environmental impacts. In response to increasing sustainability and decarbonization demands in the construction sector, numerous novel ceramic and refractory materials have been proposed for masonry applications. This systematic review provides a comprehensive assessment of recent advances in ceramic and refractory materials for masonry bricks and blocks, focusing on material classification, processing routes, microstructure–property relationships, and sustainability performance. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, the peer-reviewed literature published between 2018 and 2025 was systematically identified, screened, and analyzed. An analytical framework based on well-established relationships from ceramic science was adopted to support consistent comparison of mechanical, thermal, acoustic, durability, and sustainability-related properties across heterogeneous material systems. Conventional fired ceramics, waste-derived ceramics, lightweight and porous systems, alkali-activated and unfired materials, and advanced engineered ceramics were comparatively evaluated. The results reveal a clear shift from dense traditional fired ceramics toward materials incorporating industrial and agricultural residues, engineered porosity, and low-temperature or unfired processing routes. Waste-derived and geopolymer-based systems demonstrate significant potential for reducing CO₂ emissions and energy consumption while maintaining functional performance suitable for masonry applications. Lightweight and porous ceramics exhibit enhanced thermal and acoustic behavior, often accompanied by reduced mechanical strength, highlighting application-dependent trade-offs. Overall, this review provides an integrated perspective linking composition, processing, microstructure, performance, and environmental impact, identifying key research trends and knowledge gaps relevant to sustainable masonry construction. Full article

The use of solar photovoltaic technology is among the most promising approaches to achieving SDG7—Affordable and Clean Energy—which seeks to provide modern, reliable, sustainable, and efficient energy for everyone globally, especially in developing areas with high irradiation, where both energy access and decarbonization are major challenges. South Khorasan Province, Iran, is one of the most highly irradiated regions in the world. However, despite the abundance of solar resources, most previous research in Iran on solar potential has focused on technical potential, with little emphasis on actual energy consumption patterns and economic viability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demand-driven assessment at the county level and the first national-scale implementation of the MARCOS (Measurement of Alternatives and Ranking according to Compromise Solution) method for selecting solar energy sites in Iran. A spatially explicit integrated framework based on GIS-MARCOS was established for each of the eleven counties of South Khorasan Province, and five benefits were used as criteria (solar irradiance, population, per capita electrical consumption in residential, industrial, and agricultural sectors). Objective weights were calculated using Shannon’s Entropy. The analysis indicates that residential electricity demand emerges as the most influential factor in the prioritization process. Therefore, the counties of Birjand, Qaenat, and Tabas were identified as top priority counties, while counties with high irradiation levels but low demand (for example, Boshruyeh) received the least priority. These results clearly indicate the need to transition from irradiation-based to demand-based planning to minimize transmission losses and maximize the ability to integrate solar-generated electricity into the electric power grid. This proposed methodology provides a transferable decision-support tool for other high-irradiation, demand-heterogeneous regions around the globe. Full article

Livestock manure management contributes substantially to agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, making the adoption of low-carbon approaches urgent in ecologically sensitive regions. This study focuses on the County-wide Livestock Manure Resource Utilization Project in Danjiangkou City, the core water source area of China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Based on field survey data, IPCC Guidelines, and a life cycle assessment framework, this study established a carbon accounting boundary covering excretion, collection, storage, treatment, and utilization stages. A scenario analysis was conducted to compare 2023 baseline emissions with 2026 project emissions and to quantify the carbon reduction potential. The research findings indicate that the overall carbon reduction rate following the project’s implementation reached 40.8%. However, the effectiveness varied considerably across the four management models. The Sedimentation–Crop Model and the Housing–Bedding Integrated Model, which employed integrated systemic interventions, achieved reductions of 61.50% and 60.09%, respectively. In contrast, the “124” Healthy Breeding Model and the Raised-Bedding Composting System, which relied primarily on single-stage upgrades, achieved reductions of only 32.04% and 27.70%. This disparity suggests that in decentralized livestock operations, isolated technological improvements fall short; meaningful decarbonization requires systemic interventions across the entire manure management chain. The findings provide a reference for low-carbon livestock manure management and regional development in ecologically sensitive areas. Full article

Reducing agricultural emissions is vital for climate mitigation, yet evidence on green finance’s potential to facilitate agricultural decarbonization—particularly in China—remains scarce. Leveraging China’s Green Finance Reform and Innovation Pilot Zones as a quasi-natural experiment, this study employs a staggered difference-in-differences design and complementary Callaway-Sant’Anna estimates. Using a balanced panel of 282 prefecture-level and above cities spanning 2012–2022—a window covering five pre-policy years before the initial 2017 pilot rollout and sufficient post-policy years to capture dynamic effects for the 2017, 2019, and 2022 cohorts—this study assesses the policy impact on agricultural carbon emission intensity. The findings reveal that the pilot policy reduces emission intensity by approximately 9.2% on average. This result is robust across event-study analyses, placebo tests, PSM-DID, policy interference checks, and alternative outcome specifications. Channel-consistent evidence suggests that the effect operates through three mechanisms: greener credit allocation, stronger green technological innovation, and lower-carbon adjustment of the agricultural production structure. The effect is larger in eastern China, major grain-producing regions, and cities with higher levels of financial development, and exhibits a strengthening trend over time. By analyzing China’s city-based pilot approach, this study demonstrates how financial policy can support agricultural decarbonization in settings characterized by dispersed emitters, imperfect environmental monitoring, and strong food-security constraints. The findings extend beyond China to inform other developing economies seeking non-price-based pathways to greener agriculture. Full article

As countries accelerate rural digitalization, China’s agricultural sector is undergoing a critical transition toward smarter and lower-carbon development. Yet, whether digital rural development (DRD) is systematically aligned with agricultural decarbonization remains to be empirically clarified. Using provincial panel data for 30 Chinese provinces from 2001 to 2024, this study examines the relationship between DRD and agricultural carbon emission intensity (ACEI) and investigates potential mechanisms and spatial spillovers. We employ two-way fixed-effect models, mechanism tests using one-period-lagged mediators, and a spatial Durbin model (SDM) under alternative spatial weight matrices to assess robustness and spatial dependence. The results indicate that: (1) DRD is statistically significantly and negatively associated with ACEI, and this relationship remains robust across alternative specifications, subsamples, and sensitivity checks, including re-estimation excluding border regions such as Xinjiang and Xizang; (2) mechanism evidence is consistent with three observable channels—supporting agricultural R&D and innovation, optimizing the agricultural energy structure, and strengthening government fiscal support and regulatory engagement—with lagged-mediator tests providing supportive (rather than definitive causal) evidence; (3) ACEI exhibits pronounced spatial dependence, and DRD is associated not only with lower local ACEI but also potentially with cross-regional spillovers, although spillover inference is contingent on the specification of the spatial weight matrix; and (4) K-means clustering based on DRD and ACEI identifies four regional types (high digitization–high emissions, high digitization–low emissions, low digitization–high emissions, and low digitization–low emissions), highlighting heterogeneous constraints and differentiated policy priorities. Full article

Rice husk, which accounts for approximately 22% of global rice production, is often disposed of by open field burning, causing significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollution. Converting rice husk into biochar via pyrolysis offers a sustainable waste management and climate mitigation pathway; however, the environmental performance of biochar production is highly sensitive to the energy source used. Hence, this study presents a gate-to-gate life cycle assessment of biochar production from rice husk via slow pyrolysis at 500 °C under three energy supply scenarios: grid electricity, biomass combustion, and photovoltaic solar energy. Using the ReCiPe 2016 methodology, environmental impacts were evaluated across four categories such as Global Warming Potential (GWP), Human Toxicity Potential (HTP), Acidification Potential (AP), and Abiotic Depletion Potential (ADP), with all process parameters held constant except the energy source. The results demonstrate that energy supply is the dominant determinant of environmental performance and the photovoltaic solar-assisted biochar production route showed superior performance across all categories, with gross production impacts for 1 ton biochar of 24.0 kg CO₂-eq (GWP), 5.6 kg 1,4-DCB-eq (HTP), 0.09 kg SO₂-eq (AP), and 259.9 MJ (ADP), representing 48-165-fold improvements over grid electricity. When accounting for carbon sequestration (2800 kg CO₂-eq per ton biochar), all scenarios achieved net negative GWP, ranging from −2776.0 kg CO₂-eq (solar PV) to −1562.5 kg CO₂-eq (grid electricity), representing 78% variation attributable to energy source. Contribution analysis revealed pyrolysis heating accounts for 95.6% of environmental impacts, with no trade-offs among impact categories. The findings recommend photovoltaic solar energy for new biochar facilities, biomass combustion for co-located agricultural operations, and avoidance of grid electricity unless grids achieve substantial decarbonization. Full article

Addressing climate change necessitates coordinated efforts across multiple sectors, with agriculture representing a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This requires sophisticated mitigation strategies at the farm level. Digital decision support tools (DSTs) tailored for this purpose play a crucial role in accelerating farm-level decarbonization. Ensuring the reliability and accuracy of these DSTs mandates thorough model robustness validation. This study validates a farm-level GHG accounting and decarbonization DST using Sobol and Morris global sensitivity analyses to evaluate output robustness and to identify key input parameters critical for reliable mitigation planning. Both sensitivity analysis methods provide a comprehensive assessment of the tool’s robustness and highlight parameters most influencing farm-level GHG emission outcomes. Results show consistent outcomes across sensitivity approaches, reinforcing confidence in the tool’s application for emission reduction planning. The sensitivity analysis results indicate that the tool delivers reliable outcomes across various sensitivity analysis methods, thereby enhancing confidence in its suitability for decarbonization planning. Furthermore, the findings of this study provide a methodological foundation for future advancements and expanded use within the agriculture sector. This supports the DST’s effectiveness in prioritizing mitigation strategies and planning emission reduction pathways at the farm scale, while providing a transparent template to guide future tool improvements and broader agricultural applications. Full article

The global push for energy decarbonization has increased interest in hydrogen as a clean energy carrier. Biohydrogen from agricultural residues is a promising pathway for countries with strong agro-industrial sectors. This study evaluates the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of hydrogen production from palm oil rachis in two post-conflict regions of Colombia: a large-scale facility in Bolívar and a small-scale plant in Santander. The assessment integrates Aspen Plus^® (version 14) simulations using the NRTL thermodynamic model, an attributional gate-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with ReCiPe Midpoint (H), and a techno-economic analysis. The simulated process includes biomass drying, decomposition, steam gasification, syngas cleaning, and methane reforming. A key technical finding was the non-linear relationship between feedstock composition and process yield. Although Santander’s biomass had a higher hydrogen content (9.42% vs. 6.58%), Bolívar achieved a much higher conversion efficiency (0.198 kg H₂/kg biomass) and produced over seven times more hydrogen while processing only 5.8 times more biomass. Environmental results showed clear advantages for Bolívar, which presented lower impacts across most categories compared to Santander and the fossil-based hydrogen benchmark. Bolívar achieved a Global Warming Potential of 2.47 kg CO₂ eq/kg H₂, far below the 15.03 kg CO₂ eq/kg H₂ of Santander, and showed favorable performance in particulate matter formation, acidification, and fossil resource scarcity. Economically, Bolívar was viable, with a Net Present Value of USD 25.01 million, a Benefit–Cost Ratio of 3.29, and a discounted payback period of 4.54 years. Santander was economically unfeasible under all conditions. Hydrogen production from palm rachis is technically feasible, environmentally beneficial, and economically viable when biomass availability and process integration are adequate, as illustrated by the Bolívar case. Full article

The agri-food sector is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions while facing increasing demand for food production driven by population growth. Transitioning towards sustainable and low-carbon agricultural systems is therefore critical. Green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy sources, holds significant promise as a clean energy carrier and chemical feedstock to decarbonize multiple stages of the agri-food supply chain. This systematic review is based on a structured analysis of peer-reviewed literature retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, covering over 120 academic publications published between 2010 and 2025. This review provides a comprehensive overview of hydrogen’s current and prospective applications across agriculture and the food industry, highlighting opportunities to reduce fossil fuel dependence and greenhouse gas emissions. In agriculture, hydrogen-powered machinery, hydrogen-rich water treatments for crop enhancement, and the use of green hydrogen for sustainable fertilizer production are explored. Innovative waste-to-hydrogen strategies contribute to circular resource utilization within farming systems. In the food industry, hydrogen supports fat hydrogenation and modified atmosphere packaging to extend product shelf life and serves as a sustainable energy source for processing operations. The analysis indicates that near-term opportunities for green hydrogen deployment are concentrated in fertilizer production, food processing, and controlled-environment agriculture, while broader adoption in agricultural machinery remains constrained by cost, storage, and infrastructure limitations. Challenges such as scalability, economic viability, and infrastructure development are also discussed. Future research should prioritize field-scale demonstrations, technology-specific life-cycle and techno-economic assessments, and policy frameworks adapted to decentralized and rural agri-food contexts. The integration of hydrogen technologies offers a promising pathway to achieve carbon-neutral, resilient, and efficient agri-food systems that align with global sustainability goals and climate commitments. Full article

This paper presents a comprehensive characterization of bottom ash generated during biomass combustion in fluidized boilers, with a focus on its potential use in a circular economy. Two biomass bottom ash samples (BBA 1 and BBA 2) from commercial combined heat and power plants were tested. The scope of this study included the determination of chemical composition, phase composition, and leachability testing of selected impurities. The results showed that the bottom ashes tested are calcium silicate materials with varying proportions of calcium phases (anhydrite, portlandite, and calcite) and silica phases (quartz), depending on the type of biomass and combustion technology. Thermal analysis confirmed the presence of characteristic dehydration, decarbonation, and polymorphic transformations of quartz, with a low organic content. Leachability tests showed low mobility of most trace elements and heavy metals, with increased solubility of sulfates, chlorides, and alkali ions, typical for fluidized ash. The concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Hg in the eluates were low or below the limit of quantification, indicating the favorable chemical stability of the tested waste. The results obtained suggest that bottom ashes from biomass combustion in fluidized boilers may be a promising secondary raw material for engineering applications, especially in binding materials and bonded layers, and potentially also in selected agricultural applications, provided that the contents of sulfates, chlorides, and pH are controlled. Full article

Soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, is usually grown on a large scale, with pest control based on chemical insecticides. However, the overuse of chemicals has led to several adverse effects requiring more sustainable approaches to pest control. Results from Integrated Pest Management (IPM) employed on Brazilian soybean farms indicate that adopters of the technology have reduced insecticide use by approximately 50% relative to non-adopters, with yields comparable to or slightly higher than those of non-adopters. This reduction can be explained not only by the widespread use of Bt soybean cultivars across the country but also by the adoption of economic thresholds (ETs) in a whole Soybean-IPM package, which has reduced insecticide use. However, low refuge compliance has led to the first cases of pest resistance to Cry1Ac, thereby leading to the return of overreliance on chemical control and posing additional challenges for IPM practitioners. The recent global agenda for decarbonized agriculture might help to support the adoption of IPM since less chemical insecticides sprayed over the crops reduces CO₂-equivalent emissions from its application. In addition, consumers’ demand for less pesticide use in food production has favored the increased use of bio-inputs in agriculture, helping mitigate overdependence of agriculture on chemical inputs to preserve yields. Despite the challenges of adopting IPM discussed in this review, the best way to protect soybean yield and preserve the environment remains as IPM, integrating plant resistance (including Bt cultivars), ETs, scouting procedures, selective insecticides, biological control, and other sustainable tools, which help sustain environmental quality in an ecological and economical manner. Soon, those tools will include RNAi, CRISPR-based control strategies, among other sustainable alternatives intensively researched around the world. Full article

Traditional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) often provides single-point estimates that lack the statistical rigour required for high-stakes investment decisions in the agri-food sector. To bridge the gap between data uncertainty and actionable management, this study proposes a robust decision-support framework integrating Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis with inferential statistics (ANOVA and Tukey HSD). We applied this methodology to the industrial production of Dictyophora rubrovolvata, a climate-sensitive crop representing the “energy–food nexus.” The study aimed to distinguish genuine environmental performance differences from background data variability. The probabilistic modelling revealed that electricity consumption is the paramount ecological hotspot. Furthermore, the statistical tests confirmed that differences in regional grid composition generate significant variances in impact categories (p < 0.001), validating that the environmental benefits of low-carbon grids are systematic and robust. By transforming complex uncertainty data into clear statistical hierarchies, this framework enables producers and policymakers to identify and prioritise high-impact sustainability levers with confidence, providing a generalisable blueprint for the environmental management of energy-intensive agricultural systems. Full article