Resources

The emission of greenhouse gases associated with the combustion of hydrocarbons is a key factor in climate change, and in this context, increasing emphasis is being placed on the development of clean energy sources. The novel contribution of the article lies in identifying the energy potential of surface waters within energy systems transitioning away from fossil fuels. In the case of Poland, whose energy system has been based on coal for many decades, there are still many opportunities to expand energy production from renewable sources. One such source is the heat contained in surface waters. The research presented in this article focuses on the thermal structure of nine stratified lakes in Poland, examining changes over time and across different spatial profiles. Considering all temperature profiles, values ranged from 8.3 °C in May to 10.1 °C in September. In general, water warming occurs from May to the July–August transition, reaching a maximum of over 6 °C, while cooling takes place in the later phase of the analyzed season at a lower level, not exceeding 6 °C. It was found that the most thermally stable part of the water body was the layer between 15 m in depth and the bottom of the lakes, for which the heat resources were calculated. Using the basic physical properties of water, the amount of heat for this layer was determined. Assuming that technological processes do not reduce the water temperature below 4 °C (maximum water density), the hypothetical amount of available energy ranges from 630 to 101,000 MWh. The results indicate the high energy potential of lakes, which could be utilized in the future, provided further legal and economic analyses are conducted for specific cases. The study highlights the need to expand the long-term thermal monitoring of lakes, covering their entire vertical structure. Priority for such measurements should be given to lakes located near human settlements, as these have the highest potential for practical use.

This study analyzes forest cover change patterns, agricultural expansion, and economic growth in Mozambique from 2001 to 2024, using remote sensing data from Global Forest Watch and socioeconomic indicators from the World Bank and FAO. Mozambique lost approximately 4.6 million hectares of forest during the analyzed period, with agriculture accounting for 97.4% of total deforestation. GDP per capita increased by 90.5%, while cultivated area expanded by 116.4%. However, agricultural productivity declined by 25.3%, revealing a paradox: production growth relied on extensive land expansion rather than intensification. Statistical analysis of three 8-year sub-periods identified significant differences in GDP per capita, agricultural GDP per capita, population, and agricultural employment (p < 0.001), but agricultural deforestation remained statistically stable (p = 0.065). This pattern suggests premature decoupling between economic growth and deforestation at income levels (USD 604) substantially below historical Environmental Kuznets Curve thresholds (USD 8000–10,000). However, this decoupling is fragile, driven by capital-intensive extractive sectors that generate GDP growth without absorbing rural populations. The persistence of extensive agricultural expansion, combined with weak governance, demographic pressures, and climate variability, indicates that observed stabilization represents an initial, vulnerable phase requiring structural transformation through agricultural intensification, inclusive industrialization, land tenure reform, and climate resilience building.

Many companies in the mining industry include decarbonization of production among their key strategic goals as part of their internal sustainability strategy. This need is driven by a number of factors: stricter regulation in the area of carbon footprint (introduction of carbon taxes, emissions quotas, reporting requirements); sustained growth in demand for electricity and rising market prices; economic feasibility—the need to optimize operating costs and improve energy efficiency. This study provides a comprehensive technical and economic justification for implementing a hybrid power supply system—combining a solar power plant (SPP) and a gas engine power plant (GPP)—at Solidcore Resources’ Varvarinsky hub in Kazakhstan. The methodology includes modeling the energy balance of the real asset (156.9 GWh of annual energy consumption), calculating the output of a 22.6 MW SPP based on local GHI/PR/η parameters, forming and determining the adaptability coefficient Kₐ (proportion of PV in total monthly electricity generation), conducting an economic assessment (NPV, payback period, sensitivity), and inventorying CO₂ emissions under Scope 1–2. The SPP provides approximately 41.3 GWh of electricity generation per year, with an average annual K_a = 0.263; the 40 MW installed capacity of the gas piston power plant covers the residual demand, forming a stable daily and seasonal balance. The project demonstrates a positive NPV (After Tax) = USD 23.65 million with an estimated payback period of 10 years, while the cost of energy in extraction and processing is reduced by almost three times, and the total reduction in CO₂ emissions will be 51%. Thus, hybridization of energy supply systems is a practical compromise between reliability and decarbonization. Determining the adaptability coefficient K_a allows the flexibility of the system to be taken into account, shows how effectively the new energy system uses renewable energy sources, and can be used to optimize the operation of the energy system to achieve the company’s internal sustainable development goals.