Search Results (331)

Copper is a strategic raw material and an important component in electric motors, widely used across industries because of its excellent conductivity and recyclability. It plays an important role in the transformation from fossil fuel-based systems to green, electrified systems. However, substantial material losses continue throughout the lifecycle of electric motors, even with copper’s intrinsic capacity for circularity. Also, copper’s increasing demand, which is driven by the emergence of electric vehicles, industrial electrification, and renewable energy infrastructure, poses questions regarding its sustainable supply. The recovery of secondary copper sources from end-of-life (EoL) products is becoming more and more important in this context. However, it is still difficult to achieve circularity of copper, especially from industrial electric motors. This study investigates the challenges of closing the loop for copper during the lifecycle of motors in industrial applications. Based on an examination of EoL strategies, material flow insights, and practical investigation, the research pinpoints significant inefficiencies in the current processes. The widespread use of scraping as an approach of end-of-life management is one significant issue. Most of the electric motors are not built to separate their components, which makes both mechanical and manual disassembly difficult. The quality of recovered copper is thus compromised by the dominance of mixed metal shredding methods in the recycling step. This study highlights the need for systemic changes in addition to technical solutions to address copper circularity issues. It requires a focus on circularity in designing, giving disassembly and metal recovery a priority. This study focuses on circularity and its technological challenges in a value chain of copper. It not only identifies different processes such as supply chain disconnections and design constraints, but it also suggests workable solutions to close the copper flow loop in the electric motor sector. Copper quality and recovery is ultimately a problem involving design, technology, and cooperation, in addition to resources. This study supports the transition to a more sustainable and circular electric motor industry by offering a basis for directing such changes in industry practices and prospective EU regulations. Full article

Electric buses can help cities address environmental concerns, such as air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to a cleaner city. The transition process from conventional fuel buses to electric buses is a growing concern for stakeholders, as industries and governments struggle to nurture the initial phase maturity of electric buses in the marketplace. This research examines the current state and development of electrification in public transport within a city, as well as the challenges and barriers encountered in adopting electric buses for electrification. Present research connects to the experience of cities that have already electrified their urban bus fleets. It relates to the role of charging technologies in cost and the implementation of battery and grid infrastructure in developing countries. It briefly presents the context of the Bus Rapid Transit System use and the electrification of public transport in Ahmedabad. Furthermore, policy recommendations for electric vehicle purchases are outlined based on service levels for sustainable transportation. Full article

South Africa’s manufacturing sector, a driving force for sustainable development, faces a profound challenge in decarbonizing without deindustrializing. This study provides an optimized, scenario-based assessment of the sector explicitly aligned with its Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) objectives. A novel framework is applied, integrating an extended Kaya–Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (Kaya–LMDI) decomposition with scenario forecasting and Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimization. The decomposition disaggregates a conventional carbon intensity (CI) driver to include Electrification Share (ELE), Renewable Share (REN), and a newly defined Residual Carbon Factor (RCF) that captures direct fossil fuel use for industrial process heat. Historical analysis (2002–2022) shows that emissions growth was primarily driven by the RCF (224.1 MtCO₂, 160%) and Economic Activity (187.5 MtCO₂, 134%), partly offset by gains in Energy Intensity (−141.8 MtCO₂, 101.35%) and REN (−202.2 MtCO₂, −144.53%). Carbon emissions projections to 2040 reveal a critical sustainability trilemma: the Just Transition accelerated scenario (JTAS), despite achieving rapid renewable deployment, increases emissions by 469% as economic growth overwhelms decarbonization efforts. Conversely, the mathematically optimal (GA) pathway achieves a 90.8% reduction but only through structural contraction that implies socially unsustainable deindustrialization. This tension exposes the systemic limits of incremental decarbonization and underscores that a truly sustainable pathway requires transcending this binary choice by directly addressing the fossil fuel substrate of industrial production. Full article

This study investigates cross-cultural differences in public perception of mobility electrification by applying natural language processing (NLP) techniques to social media discourse in Germany and China. Using a large language model (LLM), this study conducted sentiment analysis and zero-shot text classification on over 10,000 posts to explore how citizens in each country engage with the topic of electric mobility. Results reveal that while infrastructure readiness is a dominant concern in both contexts, German discourse places greater emphasis on environmental impact, often reflecting skepticism toward sustainability claims. On the other hand, Chinese discussions highlight technological advancement and infrastructure expansion, with comparatively limited focus on environmental concerns. These findings show the importance of culturally tailored policy and communication strategies in supporting the public acceptance of electric mobility. By demonstrating how artificial intelligence-driven large-scale social media data analysis can be used to analyze public sentiment across linguistic and cultural contexts, this study contributes methodologically to the emerging field of computational social science and offers practical insights for mobility policy in diverse national settings. Full article

This study presents the electrification plan of a school bus (SB) fleet and examines its potential in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications. The data collected includes the efficiency of a 120 kW EV charger, energy consumption of a 40-foot electric school bus (ESB), and a diesel bus operating on the same route. The energy consumption data of the ESB and diesel school bus (DSB) were processed to derive the yearly average distance-specific energy consumption of 0.37 mile/kWh (0.60 km/kWh) grid electricity and 5.55 MPG (2.36 km/L), respectively. The energy consumption ratio of the ESB over the DSB is 14.92 kWh/gallon (3.94 kWh/L) diesel. Based on the CO₂ intensity, 1.956 lb/kWh (0.887 kg/kWh) of electricity produced in WV and that of diesel fuel, the distance-specific CO₂ emissions of the ESB were 5.38 lb/mile (1.52 kg/km), which are higher than the 4.08 lb/mile (1.15 kg/km) from the diesel bus operating on the same route. This study also presents the V2G potential of the proposed electrical school bus fleet. Based on the estimated grid-to-vehicle battery (G2VB) efficiency of 92% and vehicle battery-to-grid (VB2G) efficiency of 92%, the grid–vehicle battery–grid (G2VB2G) efficiency is 84.64%. The application of V2G technology is associated with a loss of electricity. Based on the 20% to 80% battery charge, and the estimated 92% VB2G efficiency, the proposed ESB fleet has the potential to provide 14,929 kWh electricity, 55.2% of the ESB fleet battery capacity. The increased cost associated with the implementation of the proposed V2G is about USD 7.5 million, a 400% increase compared to the charger satisfying the operation of ESBs when V2G is not used. The V2G application also is expected to increase the charging cycles, which raises concerns about battery degradation and its replacement during SB service lifetime. Accordingly, more research work is needed to address the increased cost and grid capacity demand, and battery degradation associated with V2G applications. Full article

Universal electricity access remains elusive in Lesotho, with only a 53% connection rate. This statistic highlights a significant urban–rural gap of 60% to 18%, favouring urban areas mainly served by the main grid. The rugged terrain renders extending the grid to most rural areas impractical. To address this, the energy policy and electrification master plans aim to leverage abundant renewable energy resources and deploy mini-grids in rural regions. However, progress has been slow since the first advanced mini-grid projects began in 2018. The paper reviewed policy and framework documents from 2010 to 2025 that are pertinent to the deployment of mini-grids. It employed a hybrid qualitative-quantitative approach of SWOT-TOWS-AHP, which is rarely applied in energy policy analysis. It used the SWOT analysis tool to identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats faced in implementing sustainable renewable energy mini-grids. This was followed by the TOWS-AHP (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses, and Strengths-Analytical Hierarchy Process) method to develop strategies that utilize strengths and seize opportunities while tackling weaknesses and mitigating threats. These strategies were ranked based on their potential impact on mini-grid deployment. Despite supporting policies for mini-grids, the lack of political will from the government has emerged as a major obstacle. The three top strategies suggested to accelerate the deployment of sustainable mini-grids and advance efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal no. 7 by 2030 are establishing a mini-grid financing fund, reviewing the mini-grid regulatory framework, and reforming rural electrification institutions to improve coordination and collaboration. The top strategies carry weights of 8.5%, 7.8%, and 7.7%, respectively. Full article

CO₂ valorization from real feedstocks through CH₄ tri-reforming (CH₄-TR), combining steam reforming (SR), dry reforming (DR), and partial oxidation (CPO) of methane in a single process, is a desirable strategy for greenhouse gas mitigation and syngas (CO + H₂) production. NiCo/γ−Al₂O₃ catalysts prepared by impregnation at different relative metal contents (Ni₅₀Co₅₀ and Ni₃₀Co₇₀) were investigated for CH₄-TR in a fixed-bed reactor under conventional heating and characterized by XRD, FESEM, and Raman spectroscopy after catalytic runs. This study focused on the role of the Ni/Co ratio and feed composition on selectivity for CO₂ valorization, syngas yield, and deactivation resistance. Both the catalysts showed high activity, with a superior performance of Ni₅₀Co₅₀ confirming Ni metal species as the active sites. While in DR, a slow deactivation occurred due to coke deposition, in CH₄-TR, the addition of small O₂ and/or H₂O amounts stabilized activity and selectivity due to surface carbon removal. Large O₂ and H₂O amounts strongly inhibited CO₂ conversion due to competition with CPO and SR, in the order CPO ≥ DR > SR. Interestingly, the stoichiometric CH₄-to-oxidants ratio favored the DR pathway, giving very high CO₂ conversion. Modulating CH₄ addition into real flue mixtures renders CH₄-TR on NiCo/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts a favorable strategy for effective valorization of CO₂ industrial or biomass-derived streams. Full article

Road transport constitutes a crucial element of the European economy, but it also generates significant external costs. In the process of reducing the impact of road transport on the environment and society, numerous actions are being undertaken to implement the concept of sustainable transport development in the Member States of the European Union. A key measure in this area is the introduction of low- and zero-emission propulsion systems in vehicles intended for passenger and freight transport. This article focuses on electric vehicles powered by battery energy storage systems. An essential component of these efforts is the development of alternative fuels infrastructure, which is expected to enable the operation of such vehicles by providing access to battery charging facilities. The development of infrastructure in the form of electric vehicle charging stations, initially concentrated in urban areas, has been extended to the network of European roads. The driving force behind this expansion is the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, which, on the basis of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), stimulate the development of alternative fuels infrastructure along the TEN-T network. The aim of the article is to present selected challenges related to the electrification of road transport infrastructure in the context of the sustainable transport development concept and the construction of alternative fuels infrastructure along the TEN-T network. The research focuses on forecasting the demand for alternative fuels infrastructure along the A1 and A2 motorways, which form part of the TEN-T network within the territory of Poland. The research process stems from the implementation of the AFIR in the EU Member States. Full article

This review explores the pervasive role of water in generating, storing, and mediating electric charge across natural and artificial systems. Far from being a passive medium, water actively participates in electrostatic and electrochemical processes through its intrinsic ionization, interfacial polarization, and charge separation mechanisms. The Maxwell–Wagner–Sillars (MWS) effect is presented as a unifying framework explaining charge accumulation at air–water, water–ice, and water–solid interfaces, forming dynamic “electric mosaics” across Earth’s environments. The authors integrate diverse phenomena—triboelectricity, hygroelectricity, hydrovoltaic effects, elastoelectricity, and electric-field-driven phase transitions—showing that ambient water continually shapes the planet’s electrical landscape. Electrostatic shielding by humid air and hydrated materials is described, as well as the spontaneous electrification of sliding or dripping water droplets, revealing new pathways for clean energy generation. In addition, the review highlights how electric fields and interfacial charges alter condensation, freezing, and chemical reactivity, underpinning discoveries such as microdroplet chemistry, “on-water” reactions, and spontaneous redox processes producing hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide. Altogether, the paper frames water as a universal electrochemical medium whose interfacial electric imprint influences atmospheric, geological, and biological phenomena while offering novel routes for sustainable technologies based on ambient charge dynamics and water-mediated electrification. Full article

The rapid global shift toward transportation electrification has positioned e-mobility as a key part of low-carbon transition strategies. Saudi Arabia, as a major energy producer undergoing economic diversification under Vision 2030, has recently increased its policy efforts for electric mobility. This study performs a qualitative document analysis of 52 national policies, strategies, and institutional publications issued between 2010 and 2025, creating a longitudinal dataset of 1240 coded references. Using a PRISMA-aligned screening process and NVivo-based thematic coding, the analysis highlights main policy trends, institutional priorities, and implementation challenges influencing the Kingdom’s e-mobility transition. Results show a clear shift from early technology-neutral sustainability rhetoric to a more explicit policy framework focusing on industrial localization, charging infrastructure growth, renewable energy integration, and regulatory development after 2020. Despite these advances, gaps remain in governance coordination, market readiness, charging accessibility, and user adoption incentives. The paper provides a systematically mapped view of Saudi Arabia’s e-mobility policy landscape and places it within global transition trends. The findings offer practical insights for policymakers aiming to strengthen implementation, accelerate adoption, and align transport electrification with national decarbonization goals. Full article

The decarbonisation of energy-intensive separation processes is critical for achieving net-zero goals in the chemical industry. While widely used for separating azeotropic mixtures, pressure swing distillation (PSD) remains highly energy-intensive due to significant thermal demands. This work presents a comprehensive systems-based assessment of electrified distillation designs, with a specific focus on tetrahydrofuran–water separation as a case study. Using Aspen Plus and Aspen Plus Dynamics, key performance indicators, including controllability, thermal and exergy efficiencies, and CO₂ emissions reduction potential, are evaluated. The electrified configurations employed heat pumps as substitutes for conventional steam heating. Disturbance rejection was applied to compare the input–output pairings and select pairings with the best controllability and disturbance rejection indices. Results showed that the conventional PSD (CPSD) exhibited higher Morari Resiliency Index (MRI) and acceptable Condition Number (CN) values, indicating better robustness and disturbance rejection than the heat pump-assisted PSD (HPAPSD). Despite this, HPAPSD achieved a 59% reduction in primary energy demand, a 23% increase in exergy efficiency, and an 82% reduction in CO₂ emissions. This study demonstrates the potential of electrification to transform PSD systems from rigid, energy-intensive operations into flexible and sustainable processes. The findings support a shift towards integrated, systems-driven design strategies in chemical separation, aligning with broader goals in process electrification, circularity, and net-zero manufacturing. Full article

Green hydrogen is a potential enabler of deep decarbonisation for industrial process heat. We assess its role in Aotearoa New Zealand using a bottom-up, least-cost energy-system model based on the integrated MARKAL-EFOM system (TIMES), which includes hydrogen production electrolysis, storage, and delivery of end-use technologies for process heat, as well as alternative low-carbon options. Drawing on detailed data on industrial energy use by sector and temperature band, we simulate pathways to 2050 under varying assumptions for electrolyser and fuel prices, technology efficiencies, electricity decarbonisation and carbon prices. In most scenarios, the least-cost pathway involves widespread electrification of low- and medium-temperature heat, with green hydrogen playing a targeted role where high-temperature requirements and process constraints limit direct electrification. Sensitivity analysis reveals that hydrogen uptake increases under higher carbon prices, lower electrolyser capital expenditure, and when grid connection or peak capacity constraints are binding. These results suggest that policy should prioritise rapid industrial electrification while focusing hydrogen support on hard-to-electrify, high-temperature processes, such as primary metals and mineral products, alongside enabling infrastructure and standards for hydrogen production, transport, and storage. Full article

Anthropogenic night light (ANL) provides a unique observable for the spatially explicit mapping of human-modified landscapes in the form of lighted infrastructure. Since 2013, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day Night Band (DNB) on the Suomi NPP satellite has provided more than a decade of near-daily observations of anthropogenic night light. The objective of this study is to quantify changes in ANL in developed eastern China post-2013 using VIIRS DNB monthly mean brightness composites. Specifically, to constrain sub-annual and interannual changes in night light brightness to distinguish between apparent and actual change of ANL sources, and then conduct a spatiotemporal analysis of observed changes to identify areas of human activity, urban development and rural electrification. This analysis is based on a combination of time-sequential bitemporal brightness distributions and quantification of the spatiotemporal evolution of night light using Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis. Bitemporal brightness distributions show that bright (>~1 nW/cm²/sr) ANL is heteroskedastic, with temporal variability diminishing with increasing brightness. Hence, brighter lights are more temporally stable. In contrast, dimmer (<~1 nW/cm²/sr) ANL is much more variable on monthly time scales. The same patterns of heteroskedasticity and variability of the lower tail of the brightness distribution are observed in year-to-year distributions. However, year-to-year brightness increases vary somewhat among different years. While bivariate distributions quantify aggregate changes on both subannual and interannual time scales, spatiotemporal analysis quantifies spatial variations in the year-to-year temporal evolution of ANL. The spatial distribution of brightening (and, much less commonly, dimming) revealed by the EOF analysis indicates that most of the brightening since 2013 has occurred at the peripheries of large cities and throughout the networks of smaller settlements on the North China Plain, the Yangtze River Valley, and the Sichuan Basin. A particularly unusual pattern of sequential brightening and dimming is observed on the Loess Plateau north of Xi’an, where extensive terrace construction has occurred. All aspects of this analysis highlight the difference between apparent and actual changes in night light sources. This is important because many users of VIIRS night light attribute all observed changes in imaged night light to actual changes in anthropogenic light sources—without consideration of low luminance variability related to the imaging process itself. Full article

Motivated by the policy urgency of China’s dual-carbon goals and the practical obstacle that official input–output (IO) and MRIO tables are sparse and non-consecutive, this study investigates how to generate credible, mechanism-aware provincial–sector forecasts of carbon footprints and embodied transfers for Western China—a region with pronounced structural heterogeneity. We develop a regionalized forecasting pipeline that fuses balance-constrained MRIO completion (RAS–CE) with a Whale-optimized Grey Neural Network (WOA–GNN), bridging the data gap (2007–2017 reconstruction) and delivering 2018–2030 projections at province–sector resolution. The novelty lies in integrating RAS–CE with a meta-heuristic grey learner and layering explainable network analytics—Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) for factor ranking, complex-network measures with QAP regressions for driver identification, and SHAP for post hoc interpretation—so forecasts are not only accurate but also actionable. Empirically, (i) energy mix/intensity and output scale are the dominant amplifiers of footprints, while technology upgrading (process efficiency, electrification) is the most robust mitigator; (ii) a structural sectoral hierarchy persists—S2 (non-metallic minerals) remains clinker/heat-intensive, S3 (general/special equipment) operates as a mid-chain hub, and S6/S7 (electrical machinery/instruments) maintain lower, more controllable intensities as the grid decarbonizes; (iii) by 2030, the embodied carbon network becomes denser and more centralized, with Sichuan–Chongqing–Guizhou–Guangxi forming high-betweenness corridors; and (iv) QAP/SHAP converge on geographic contiguity (D) and economic differentials (E) as the strongest positive drivers (openness Z and technology gaps T secondary; energy-mix differentials F weakly dampening). Policy-wise, the framework points to green-power contracting and trading for hubs, deep retrofits in S2/S3 (low-clinker binders, waste-heat recovery, efficient drives, targeted CCUS), technology diffusion to lagging provinces, and corridor-level governance—demonstrating why the RAS–CE + WOA–GNN coupling is both necessary and impactful for data-constrained regional carbon planning. Full article

Renewable energy sources offer a promising future, backed by mature technologies and a viable pathway toward sustainable energy systems. However, careful planning is necessary to efficiently utilize these resources, especially during site selection. Many rural areas lack access to grid electricity, making off-grid hybrid wind-solar power an attractive solution. In the Tigray region of Ethiopia, no such research has been conducted before. This study aims to identify suitable sites for hybrid wind-solar power for rural electrification using Geographic Information System (GIS), Analytic Hierarchy Process, and Monte Carlo simulation. The criteria fall into three categories: Climate, Topography, and Infrastructure, prioritized through pairwise comparisons by thirteen experts from five organizations engaged in renewable energy research, planning, and operations. Monte Carlo simulation was used for sensitivity analysis to address uncertainties in expert judgments and validate the rankings. The spatial analysis reveals 6470 km² as highly suitable for off-grid solar, 76 km² for off-grid wind with predominant easterly winds, and 177 km² as most favorable for hybrid generation. Areas of good suitability measure 447 km² for wind, 44,128 km² for solar, and 16,695 km² for hybrid systems. Based on this assessment, techno-economic analysis quantified the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) under varying solar–wind shares and battery autonomy days. The analysis shows a minimum LCOE of $0.23/kWh with one-day storage and $0.58/kWh with three-day storage, indicating shorter autonomy is more cost-effective while longer autonomy enhances reliability. Sensitivity analysis shows financial parameters, particularly discount rate and battery capital cost, dominate system economics. Full article