Search Results (4,571)

Green finance can theoretically direct capital toward low-carbon sectors, but systematic city-level empirical evidence is still limited for the Yangtze River Delta region. Using panel data of 41 prefecture-level cities from 2010 to 2024, this paper employs year-fixed-effects, mediation, and moderation models to examine the impact of green finance on carbon emission intensity. The findings are as follows. First, green finance significantly reduces carbon emission intensity. A one-standard-deviation increase in the green finance index lowers carbon intensity by about 23.6% of the sample mean, and this result is robust. Second, green technology innovation contributes about 30% and industrial structure upgrading contributes about 7%, serving as two key mediating pathways. Third, industrial pollution level positively moderates the abatement effect: the more polluted a city, the stronger the marginal emission reduction effect of green finance. Fourth, the emission reduction effect is more pronounced in low-income cities, while the moderating role of urbanization level is not significant. This paper reveals the transmission mechanisms and boundary conditions of the emission reduction effect of green finance, providing empirical evidence for designing regionally adapted green finance policies in the Yangtze River Delta. Full article

The decarbonisation of the building sector represents a key challenge for the European energy transition, particularly in the heating segment, which is still largely dependent on fossil fuels. In this context, data centres (DCs) offer a promising opportunity as local sources of recoverable waste heat. This study investigates the use of data centre waste heat for building heating through a comparative annual energy analysis applied to two building typologies in a Mediterranean climate (Italy): a residential building and a school. Three scenarios are considered: non-integrated scenario S0 (data centre with its own cooling system and buildings with gas-fired boilers), non-integrated scenario S1 (data centre with its own cooling system and buildings with air-to-water heat pumps), and integrated scenario S2 (data centre cooling system coupled with the buildings through waste heat recovery and heat pump technology). A theoretical 300 kW data centre was considered as the waste heat source. The integrated scenario significantly improves system performance. In the residential case, the seasonal COP increases from 2.15 to 4.50, reducing electricity consumption from 289.5 MWh to 128.9 MWh. In the school case, the COP increases from 2.51 to 8.00, with electricity consumption decreasing from 161.3 MWh to 49.1 MWh. These improvements lead to reductions in non-renewable primary energy demand of up to 63% and 79% for the residential and school buildings, respectively, compared to the baseline scenario. The results demonstrate that data centres can act as decentralised thermal sources, supporting the transition towards low-carbon and Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings. Full article

Pipeline valves play a crucial role in oil and gas exploration, production, transportation, and storage, and a systematic understanding of patent technologies in this field can help identify innovation trends and formulate research and development (R&D) strategies. This study collected more than 5000 pipeline-valve-related patents worldwide from 2006 to 2025, including 2292 invention patents, and adopted a progressive patent analytics approach integrating statistical analysis, network analysis, text mining, and high-value invention patent analysis. The results show that innovation activity in this field has remained active over the past two decades, especially since 2016, when the number of patent publications exceeded 300 in almost every year. China, Russia, the United States, South Korea, and Canada are the major sources of patent activity, with Chinese enterprises and universities making important contributions in terms of patent quantity. However, the analysis of high-value invention patents indicates that representative patents from the United States, Canada, and Russia also have a strong influence. Core innovation directions cover multiple pipeline valve applications in oil and gas extraction, transportation, and storage, with valve control systems and mechanical structures constituting the dominant technologies. The ten identified technological themes and their evolution show that technological innovation in this field has gradually expanded from mechanical improvements in traditional valve bodies, sealing components, and pressure relief devices to diversified directions such as wellhead control, intelligentization, and low-carbon development. The analysis of high-value invention patents further confirms this trend, indicating that pipeline valve technology is being reshaped from a relatively mature mechanical technology field into an integrated technological system that combines mechanical reliability, intelligent control, and other dimensions. Full article

Poor indoor air quality, inadequate ventilation, and unnoticed local disturbances can reduce occupant well-being and compromise practical safety in smart-home and small-building environments. Although low-cost Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensing technologies are widely available, many monitoring systems remain focused on single-modality sensing and do not jointly evaluate environmental conditions, vibration activity, communication reliability, and gateway-side interpretation within one framework. This study presents the design, implementation, and proof-of-concept evaluation of a low-cost, privacy-conscious, non-imaging IoT-based indoor environment and safety-awareness monitoring framework built with ESP32/Arduino sensor nodes and a Raspberry Pi gateway. The system integrates carbon dioxide, temperature, humidity, gas-resistance/VOC-trend indication, and vibration sensing with MQTT-based communication and edge-side analytics. Controlled subsystem experiments showed that CO₂ concentration differentiated ventilation conditions, increasing from 395.47 ppm in the valid empty/open-door baseline to 1083.16 ppm in the closed occupied condition. Vibration states were distinguished using root-mean-square acceleration features across calm, surface-disturbance, footstep, play, and jump conditions. MQTT evaluation using 1000-message batches showed no observed message loss or duplicates across the tested QoS/network combinations, although latency and throughput varied by network configuration and QoS level. QoS 1 provided a practical balance between low latency and protocol-level delivery assurance in the tested local/Wi-Fi setting. A final integrated validation run further demonstrated synchronized acquisition from indoor environmental, vibration, and outdoor CO₂ reference publishers through the same Raspberry Pi gateway, with zero missing or duplicate sequence flags across the three streams. Overall, the findings indicate that lightweight open-source IoT hardware can support a reproducible building-level sensing and edge-analytics prototype for indoor environment and safety-awareness monitoring. Broader deployment in standard-sized rooms, multi-room buildings, and smart-city infrastructure remains future work. Full article

To address the global water crisis, desalination technologies contribute about 1% of the global freshwater supply. Membrane-based desalination technologies offer high performance, operational ease, cost-effectiveness and high scalability compared to conventional thermal desalination modes. Among all membrane-based technologies, reverse osmosis is prevailing globally. However, the high energy demand of the reverse osmosis process and fouling in case of hypersaline feed streams motivate the exploration of alternative technologies, i.e., pervaporation. Pervaporation desalination involves dense hydrophilic polymer membranes to deal with high salt streams at low cost, along with less fouling than a few other membrane processes, i.e., reverse osmosis and membrane distillation. Mass transport through pervaporation desalination membranes is well-explained by solution-diffusion theory involving a tri-stage transfer, i.e., sorption, diffusion and evaporation. Since the last few decades, a green approach in all domains has offered chemical products and processes with the least hazards and minimal waste production. Application of biodegradable materials like poly(lactic acid) in combination with suitable green solvents, e.g., ethyl lactate, methyl lactate, cyrene, dimethyl isosorbide and gamma valerolactone for pervaporation desalination would be a good roadmap to meet the sustainability criterion. Some intrinsic features of poly(lactic acid) that make it a ‘material of choice’ for pervaporation desalination include hydrophilicity imparted by the presence of polar ester groups, high salt rejection, biodegradability with simple mineralization products, i.e., H₂O and CO₂, sustainable production, low toxicity, low carbon footprint, ease of processing and versatility. Poly(lactic acid) undergoes four interrelated degradation mechanisms: hydrolytic degradation, biodegradation, thermal degradation and photodegradation. The concern for poly(lactic acid) based pervaporation desalination is increased hydrolytic cleavage of poly(lactic acid) at high temperatures, which requires some modifications, e.g., nanoenhancement, additions of crosslinkers, surface modifications, addition of other polymers to prepare blends and post-treatments. These modifying strategies result in an increased stability and better performance of poly(lactic acid) films. However, optimization of various parameters relevant to such modifications leaves room for further research. This review offers a critical analysis of the need for biodegradable polymers with special focus on poly(lactic acid) rather than their fossil fuel-based alternatives, the environmental and health effects of all these polymers, cost estimation and possible performance-efficient, green and eco-friendly solutions. Full article

As the core driving force behind the new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation, digital–green synergy (DGS) has become a crucial pathway of low-carbon development in the tourism industry. On the basis of panel data from 54 coastal cities in China from 2011 to 2023, this study employs baseline regression models, moderation effect models, threshold effect models, and spatial spillover effect models to empirically examine the impact mechanisms of DGS on tourism carbon emission efficiency (TCEE), and its spatial spillover effects. The results indicate that (1) DGS can effectively enhance TCEE. (2) Environmental regulation (ER) and tourism industry agglomeration (TIA) play positive moderating roles in the relationship between DGS and TCEE. (3) The effect of DGS on TCEE exhibits nonlinearity, with a double-threshold characteristic, which leads to leap-like changes. (4) DGS has spatial spillover effects on TCEE, facilitating coordinated emission reductions across regions. (5) The results of the heterogeneity analysis indicate that the promoting effect of DGS on TCEE is more pronounced in the southern marine economic circles and economically advanced regions. The present study offers theoretical evidence and policy insights for promoting the deep integration of digitalization and greening development and for achieving high-quality development of the tourism industry in Chinese coastal regions. Full article

Given the enormous span of potential strategies to address climate change, it is difficult to build consensus on what to prioritize. In 2021, we conducted 63 semi-structured interviews with climate change experts in the U.S. (N = 33) and India (N = 30). Experts indicated how they would address climate change through mitigation, adaptation, carbon dioxide removal (CDR), and solar geoengineering (SG). Our experts studied climate change from a variety of disciplines and were not necessarily subject matter experts in CDR or SG. Most experts stated that while more research is needed on CDR and SG, there is low appeal to deploying them in responding to climate change. Across our entire sample, we find that 44% of experts supported deploying CDR compared to 3% for SG. We also find that 17% of experts opposed the deployment of CDR, while twice as many (35%) opposed deploying SG. While there is far more support for traditional measures like mitigation and adaptation, most experts were hesitant to support technologies like CDR and SG to limit warming to 1.5 °C or 2 °C to prevent dangerous climate impacts, with statements tending toward a precautionary principle. Deep interdisciplinary engagement by climate change experts on CDR and SG is essential to understanding these technologies’ potential roles in addressing climate change and the perceptions of risk of these technologies held by experts who work on other areas of the climate problem. We highlight the potential for follow-up studies on broader expert opinions of CDR and SG, as well as evaluating whether perceptions and opinions are lagging behind fast-changing developments in the field. Full article

This paper proposes a composite carbon emission factor (CCEF) demand response framework to address the limitations of single-factor carbon accounting and achieve economic–environmental synergy. The CCEF mechanism integrates the dynamic carbon emission factor (DCEF) and marginal carbon emission factor (MCEF) through an adaptive weight allocation based on the real-time generation mix. To ensure practical scheduling, the load shifting process is embedded in a co-optimization model that minimizes system generation costs under demand-side physical constraints and network security limits. This mechanism guides spatiotemporal load shifting from thermal-dominated evening peaks to high-renewable midday periods based on carbon potential gradients. Simulations on a modified IEEE 39-bus system show that the CCEF framework achieves a unit emission reduction efficiency of 0.5024 tCO₂/MW and a total reduction of 462.03 tCO₂. These results outperform individual DCEF and MCEF strategies, demonstrating feasible scheduling and an effective balance between carbon reduction and operational costs. Full article

Port integration reforms constitute an important institutional arrangement for promoting green development in the shipping sector and achieving China’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Assessing their carbon-mitigation effect is crucial for improving the governance framework of port integration and promoting high-quality port development. Using panel data for 55 Chinese port cities from 2011 to 2022, this study exploits the staggered implementation of port integration strategies as a quasi-natural experiment and applies a multi-period Difference-in-Differences (DID) approach to estimate their effects on port carbon emissions. The results indicate that port integration reforms significantly reduce carbon emissions, implying that integration acts as a substantive driver for low-carbon transformation. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the emission-abatement effect is stronger for ports outside the Yangtze River Economic Belt, coastal and southern ports, large-scale and small-scale ports, regions with weaker environmental regulation, cities with more advanced industrial structures, and major national hub ports. In contrast, the policy effect is relatively muted for medium-sized ports, highly regulated regions, cities with less advanced industrial structures, and non-core hub ports, where port integration delivers merely weak marginal emission reduction effects. Further mechanism tests reveal that green technological innovation plays a certain mediating role. This study contributes to the literature by providing dynamic causal evidence on how port governance reforms shape green development outcomes. It also offers policy implications for designing differentiated port integration strategies that align with regional development conditions and national low-carbon transition objectives. Full article

The need for a transition to a low-carbon economy has led to the growing demand for hydrogen as a clean energy source. Hence, ethanol steam reforming (ESR) is one of the promising technological pathways for hydrogen production. Ethanol, which is the major feedstock, can be obtained from abundant biomass. However, one of the major drawbacks is catalyst deactivation due to the high temperature requirement to start the reaction. This study therefore focused on employing a response surface approach to optimize the operating conditions (reaction temperature, steam-to-ethanol ratio and catalyst amount) of ethanol steam reforming over an Iridium-promoted Ni/MCM-41 catalyst. The Iridium-promoted Ni/MCM-41 catalyst was synthesized using the sequential wet impregnation method and characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N₂ physisorption analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A central composite experiment design (CCD) was employed to study the effect of the variables on the hydrogen production from the ESR. The catalytic efficacy was ascertained by evaluating the H₂ yield under varied experimental conditions provided by the CCD. The characterization of the catalyst revealed well-dispersed Ir and Ni nanoparticles on a mesoporous MCM-41 support. Catalytic evaluations indicate that the H₂ yield was most influenced by the reaction temperature (correlation coefficient of 0.68), followed by the catalyst amount (correlation coefficient of 0.34) and steam-to-ethanol ratio (correlation coefficient of 0.28). A maximum H₂ yield of 5.82 mol/mol ethanol was obtained at 798.11 °C, a steam-to-ethanol ratio of 3.40, and 1.25 g of catalyst. These findings underscore the importance of Ir-promoted Ni/MCM-41 catalyst for efficient H₂ production, highlighting the reaction temperature as a critical parameter for process optimization. Full article

The urgent demand for sustainable carbon management and environmental remediation has accelerated research on biochar as a multifunctional material. This review critically evaluated over 250 peer-reviewed studies to elucidate the relationships between feedstock composition, thermochemical conversion processes, and the resulting physicochemical properties of biochar. The analysis revealed that pyrolysis temperature is the dominant parameter governing biochar yield and structure, contributing up to ~50% of the variability, while feedstock composition strongly influences surface functionality and pore architecture. Low-temperature biochar (300–400 °C) exhibits higher cation exchange capacity and functional group density, whereas high-temperature biochar (>600 °C) demonstrates enhanced aromaticity, stability, and carbon sequestration potential. Advanced modification strategies significantly improve the adsorption capacity, catalytic activity, and energy applications. Despite these advances, major challenges remain, including lack of process standardization, limited long-term field validation, and uncertainties in carbon stability. This review identifies key research gaps and proposes future directions focusing on scalable production, life-cycle assessment, and integration into circular economy systems, thereby providing a comprehensive framework for the development of high-performance biochar technologies. Full article

Although critical to modern logistics, heavy-duty commercial vehicles face mounting pressure to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the techno-economic and environmental performance of four vehicle configurations: internal combustion engine (ICE) tractors and battery electric tractors (BETs), each respectively paired with either a conventional or an electrified trailer. To optimize energy utilization while proactively mitigating the longitudinal impact risks that trigger vehicle instability, a coordinated control strategy based on power decoupling and a real-time, efficiency-oriented torque distribution strategy were designed. Simulations under C-WTVC and CHTC-TT cycles revealed that electrified trailers substantially improved the system efficiency. Under fully loaded conditions, BETs paired with electrified trailers reduced the direct energy expenditures by 76.5% compared to conventional ICE vehicles. Notably, compared to pure electric tractors with conventional trailers, the addition of electrified trailers further reduced the energy consumption by 29.1%. Meanwhile, ICE tractors paired with electrified trailers achieved a 35.6% energy cost reduction. Furthermore, a fuel-cycle well-to-wheels (WTW) assessment of the use phase, based on a specified regional grid emission factor, demonstrated that the BETs and hybrid configurations reduced the operational greenhouse gas emissions by 64.9% and 29.3%, respectively, compared to the baseline. These findings indicate that trailer electrification offers consistent economic and environmental benefits under the simulated scenarios, thereby providing a robust theoretical foundation for the low-carbon transition, transportation sustainability, and selection of sustainable technologies in road freight. Full article

Hydrogen production from waste plastics is emerging as a potential low-carbon pathway that integrates waste management with energy production. This study develops an integrated socio-technical framework combining a comparative assessment of thermochemical conversion pathways with market acceptance analysis based on survey data (n = 162). The results show that acceptance is mainly driven by trust (β = 0.47) and environmental perception (β = 0.32), while price sensitivity has a negative effect (β = −0.21). Awareness does not significantly affect acceptance (β = 0.08). The model explains 48% of the variance (R² = 0.48), and a strong correlation is observed between trust and acceptance (r = 0.68). These results show that technological performance alone is insufficient; consumer perception and economic factors play an equally important role, highlighting the need for integrated socio-technical approaches in low-carbon energy systems. Full article

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are in urgent demand in the aerospace, new energy vehicle, and wind power sectors owing to their superior specific strength, specific modulus, and lightweight potential. However, molding defects, such as voids, dry spots, and delamination, arising from their anisotropy and weak interlaminar bonding, severely constrain their service performance. Advanced molding technologies represent the key to overcoming this bottleneck. This paper systematically reviews typical advanced molding technologies in the field of CFRP composites, including resin transfer molding (RTM) and vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) in liquid composite molding, autoclave molding and compression molding (CM) in prepreg molding, and automated fiber placement (AFP) and material extrusion (ME) in automated molding. From an integrated perspective of “technological evolution–process characteristics–defect mechanisms–optimization strategies,” this review summarizes the technical principles, development trajectories, and core advantages of each process, analyzes the formation mechanisms of typical defects, including voids, dry spots, delamination, wrinkles, warpage, and melt instability, and summarizes multidimensional optimization advances in process parameter regulation, numerical simulation, resin modification, equipment upgrading, path planning, and thermal management. Furthermore, the differences and complementarities among these processes in terms of molding precision, efficiency, cost, and applicable scope are compared. Finally, future development directions, including digital twins, green low-carbon manufacturing, ultra-large integrated structures, multi-process integration, standardized defect characterization, and low-cost collaborative design, are discussed. This paper aims to provide systematic theoretical references and technical support for the optimization and upgrading, process integration, and industrial application of advanced CFRP molding technologies. Full article

Against the backdrop of frequent adjustments and iterations in global climate policies, the issue of policy uncertainty surrounding corporate energy structure upgrades has become increasingly prominent. A key concern for achieving global green sustainable development is how to efficiently advance corporate low-carbon transition. In view of this, we construct the energy structure low-carbon transition at the enterprise level, and explore the influence and mechanism of climate policy uncertainty on the energy structure low-carbon transition of enterprises from the perspective of enterprise willingness and ability. The research findings indicate: (1) Corporate energy structure low-carbon transition is substantially impeded by climate policy uncertainty, and this conclusion is upheld by a battery of robustness and endogeneity analyses. (2) Climate policy uncertainty inhibits corporate energy structure low-carbon transition by reducing management’s long-term behavior, lowering green technology innovation levels, and weakening effective investment. (3) According to heterogeneity analysis, non-state-owned businesses, areas with lax environmental regulations, and businesses with poor climate risk awareness are more affected by the inhibiting impact caused by climate policy uncertainty. In addition to offering theoretical underpinnings and helpful advice for governments looking to create stable climate policies and enhance climate governance systems, this paper gives fresh perspectives on the fundamental reasoning behind corporate energy structure decarbonization. Full article