Next EnergyPub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100354
Harsh V. Rambhia, Vikram S. Chatake, Aniruddha B. Pandit
{"title":"Investigating pyrolysis kinetics of lignocellulosic agro-waste (coconut shell) and plastics (PP & HDPE) through distributed activation energy model","authors":"Harsh V. Rambhia, Vikram S. Chatake, Aniruddha B. Pandit","doi":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100354","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100354","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study addresses the critical need to manage plastic waste and explore alternative energy sources due to their intertwined impacts on environmental degradation and climate change. By investigating the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass (coconut shells) and thermoplastic polymers (polypropylene [PP] and high-density polyethylene [HDPE]) using Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Distributed Activation Energy Model (DAEM). The research aims to optimize the pyrolysis condition for producing valuable fuels and chemicals. The study evaluates activation energy, possible reaction mechanisms, and process efficiency, offering insights into sustainable energy production from waste materials. The apparent average activation energy obtained for coconut shell pyrolysis ranges between 187.84 and 199.31 kJ/mol, while for plastic it ranges between 169.15 and 360.04 kJ/mol.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100957,"journal":{"name":"Next Energy","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100354"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144571688","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Next EnergyPub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100362
Julio Moreno-Blanco , David E. Jaramillo , Salvador M. Aceves
{"title":"Thermodynamic evaluation of cryogenic hydrogen storage performance for heavy-duty trucks","authors":"Julio Moreno-Blanco , David E. Jaramillo , Salvador M. Aceves","doi":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100362","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100362","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thermodynamic evaluation of 3 configurations of cryogenic hydrogen storage (liquid hydrogen LH<sub>2</sub>, subcooled liquid hydrogen sLH<sub>2</sub>, and cryo-compressed hydrogen CcH<sub>2</sub>) for vessel dimensions (2 frame-mounted vessels, each with 560 L capacity) and utilization patterns (Monday-Friday driving from full capacity to minimum usable density, and no driving during weekends) representative of heavy-duty trucks reveals that LH<sub>2</sub> and sLH<sub>2</sub> vessels have lower empty system weight than CcH<sub>2</sub> vessels (169 kg and 210 kg vs. 422 kg for CcH<sub>2</sub> vessels), and lower electricity consumption for LH<sub>2</sub> pumping (0.05 kWh/kg for sLH<sub>2</sub> vs. 0.2–0.3 kWh/kg for CcH<sub>2</sub> vessels). On the other hand, CcH<sub>2</sub> vessels have advantages on several key performance metrics that makes them a compelling alternative for hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) storage onboard trucks: storage density (73 g/L vs. 60 for sLH<sub>2</sub> and 55.6 for LH<sub>2</sub>), usable storage density (68 g/L vs. 52.5 for sLH<sub>2</sub> and 45.9 for LH<sub>2</sub>), system usable storage density (46.5 g/L vs. 43.2 for sLH<sub>2</sub> and 38.7 for LH<sub>2</sub>), and driving range (858 km vs 662 for sLH<sub>2</sub> and 579 for LH<sub>2</sub>). CcH<sub>2</sub> vessels accomplish these advantages while maintaining zero vent losses, while 5.1% of the total LH<sub>2</sub> fed into the sLH<sub>2</sub> vessel and 9.8% of the total LH<sub>2</sub> fed into the LH<sub>2</sub> vessel are vented. Flexibility for feeding engines or fuel cells at elevated pressure is also a valuable feature of CcH<sub>2</sub> vessels. Lastly, LH<sub>2</sub> pump-based CcH<sub>2</sub> fueling stations can be easily adapted to compressed H<sub>2</sub> refueling, as the same key equipment is leveraged. These unique advantages suggest that CcH<sub>2</sub> vessels are a promising technology to accomplish the important and challenging task of heavy-duty truck decarbonization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100957,"journal":{"name":"Next Energy","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100362"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144704565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Next EnergyPub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100375
D. Punsara Colambage , W.D. Anura S. Wijayapala , Tilak Siyambalapitiya
{"title":"Seasonal and diurnal electricity costing: A case study of Sri Lanka","authors":"D. Punsara Colambage , W.D. Anura S. Wijayapala , Tilak Siyambalapitiya","doi":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100375","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100375","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traditional approaches of electricity generation cost analysis have overlooked the crucial seasonal cum diurnal variations, particularly in relation to hydropower generation. The inherently stochastic nature of climate and weather conditions causes significant fluctuations in electricity generation costs, making it essential to assess the instantaneous variation of water value of existing reservoirs instead of relying on static or constant values. This research paper presents a groundbreaking economic dispatch framework, and it proposes 3 innovative techniques to evaluate water value. These methods are then applied to calculate electricity generation costs, providing a comparative analysis of each approach. Furthermore, the study conducts a quantitative assessment of water value for electricity generation versus agricultural use, while extending the water value analysis to individual reservoirs instead of a uniform national value. The findings offer critical insights for policy formulation, with a focus on the Sri Lankan power system as a case study.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100957,"journal":{"name":"Next Energy","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100375"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144704567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cold storage systems for electricity management: Performance analysis in office and power plant applications","authors":"Ramin Mehdipour , Behnam Feizollah Beigi , Romina Fathiraboki , Hasan Asgari , Zahra Baniamerian","doi":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100363","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100363","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In hot seasons, residential areas consume significant amounts of electricity for refrigeration and air conditioning, leading to peak power consumption. This simultaneous increase in cooling load, combined with reduced performance of gas turbines, places considerable stress on the power grid, particularly during specific periods each year. Cold storage systems offer an effective solution by shifting electricity consumption from peak daytime hours to off-peak nighttime periods. This study evaluates and compares the economic and thermal performance of cold storage systems implemented in both power plants and office buildings for peak demand management. Tailored cold storage systems were designed for each application, with a focus on ensuring reliable performance during peak cooling demand based on load analysis. The study utilized real-world case studies, including modeling for an office building in Arak, Iran, and a nearby power plant, to understand the impact of different climatic conditions on system performance. The results indicate that, during peak hours, the turbine’s net power output improved by 15.98% and 17.97% with partial and full storage methods, respectively, compared to scenarios without cooling. Additionally, the economic analysis revealed substantial cost savings, with partial and full storage systems resulting in reductions of 97.36% and 95.54%, respectively, in power plant units compared to similar office buildings with equivalent power consumption. The analysis also highlights that full storage systems in both office and power plant contexts deliver better peak shaving performance but at a higher cost due to the larger size of tanks and equipment required for operation. These findings underscore the potential of cold storage systems as an effective strategy for enhancing electricity management and reducing operational costs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100957,"journal":{"name":"Next Energy","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100363"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144632756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Next EnergyPub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100338
Hongxiang Li, Ying Su, Tong Guo, Han Zheng, Bo Sun, Chunhua Yu, Jun Cao, Qiaoling Li, Weimeng Si
{"title":"Facile preparation of CoNiS/MXene/polypyrrole electrocatalyst with mischcrystal-amorphous interfaces for hydrogen evolution reaction","authors":"Hongxiang Li, Ying Su, Tong Guo, Han Zheng, Bo Sun, Chunhua Yu, Jun Cao, Qiaoling Li, Weimeng Si","doi":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100338","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100338","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) offers a sustainable pathway for clean hydrogen production, while the developing of non-Pt catalysts with high activity and durability remains challenging. This work presents a CoNiS/MXene/polypyrrole (PPy) composite synthesized via a novel 2-step electrodeposition method, enabling precise control over morphology and interfacial properties. The catalyst achieves a low overpotential of 147 mV at 10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> in alkaline media, rivaling state-of-the-art non-Pt HER catalysts. Remarkably, it retains 99% activity after 2000 CV cycles and 12 h of continuous operation, demonstrating exceptional stability. Where, the mischcrystal-amorphous interfaces of CoNiS provides abundant active sites for HER. And the 3D-continuous structure of MXene/PPy offers a large specific surface area and efficient electron-transfer pathways, promoting high-speed charge transport and mass diffusion. The interfacial coupling between CoNiS and the MXene/PPy matrix was considered facilitating efficient charge transfer across their heterojunction interfaces. This interaction effectively prevents the agglomeration and structural degradation of CoNiS nanosheets during the electrocatalytic process, thereby significantly enhancing the stability of the catalyst. The synergistic effects of CoNiS, PPy, and MXene result in an optimized electronic structure and enhanced catalytic kinetics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100957,"journal":{"name":"Next Energy","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100338"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144548819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Next EnergyPub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100351
Saeed Behzadi, Amir Bagheri
{"title":"A trade-off between line hardening and dynamic line rating by a new convex optimization model for resilient micro-grid-oriented expansion planning of reconfigurable smart distribution networks incorporated with renewable energy sources","authors":"Saeed Behzadi, Amir Bagheri","doi":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100351","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100351","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Because of budget and right-of-way limitations, smart-grid technologies (SGTs) are widely incorporated in today’s distribution systems in order to satisfy the load demand growth and meet the network’s operational and reinforcement planning requirements. The main purpose of this paper is to propose a resilient expansion planning model based on a cost-effective comparison between dynamic line rating (DLR) and reinforcement of line conductors through low probability and high impact (LPHI) outages. Besides lines hardening and installing DLR-measuring devices, the planning options include optimal formation of radial reconfigurable micro-grids (MGs). The presented approach considers the total cost (including construction costs, operational costs, and CO<sub>2</sub> emission costs) and load shedding as the objective functions within a multi-objective optimization, and takes into account all the operational constraints and AC power flow equations. The developed model is constituted as a convex mixed-integer quadratic-constrained programming (MIQCP) which is implemented in GAMS and applied to the IEEE 24-bus system under different experiments. Furthermore, the Pareto optimization scenarios have been considered and the optimal solution is selected by the fuzzy-satisfying method. The simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the conducted model. According to the optimal Pareto algorithm solution, the resiliency index is guaranteed to be more than 92% in the face of LPHI disasters. For practitioners, this work provides a decision-making toolkit to weigh DLR against conventional reinforcement, while policymakers can leverage the emissions-reliability trade-offs to design incentive programs. The proposed MG reconfiguration also offers a blueprint for outage response in disaster-prone regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100957,"journal":{"name":"Next Energy","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100351"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144549028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Next EnergyPub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100366
Karinate Valentine Okiy
{"title":"Thermodynamic analysis of an isothermal redox cycle for vacuum carbothermal ceria reduction and carbon dioxide splitting for solar fuels production","authors":"Karinate Valentine Okiy","doi":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100366","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100366","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The transition to sustainable energy systems necessitates efficient solar-driven fuel production technologies. This study presents a detailed thermodynamic evaluation of a novel isothermal ceria (CeO₂) redox cycle, integrating vacuum-assisted carbothermal reduction with carbon dioxide (CO₂) splitting for syngas generation. Unlike conventional nonisothermal cycles, the proposed configuration operates isothermally under subatmospheric pressures (100 mbar) and moderate temperatures (915–965 K), significantly reducing thermal irreversibilities and system complexity. Using equilibrium chemical thermodynamics and a rigorously developed process model, the reduction and oxidation steps were analyzed to quantify the oxygen nonstoichiometry (δ) and determine the equilibrium composition of reactants and products. Vacuum carbothermal reduction enhanced ceria reducibility and syngas selectivity, while CO₂ splitting during oxidation promoted high CO yields, with favorable thermodynamic shifts supported by the Boudouard and reverse water-gas shift reactions. The predicted solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency reached a peak of 48.5% at 965 K, even in the absence of heat recuperation, demonstrating the dominant role of vacuum operation in optimizing cycle performance. Furthermore, the system exhibited minimal efficiency loss under partial methane conversion (25%), underscoring its robustness under practical conditions. This work is the first to thermodynamically assess an isothermal ceria redox cycle for solar fuel production under vacuum conditions. The findings reveal that vacuum-assisted isothermal operation not only simplifies reactor design but also achieves efficiencies exceeding those of previously reported nonisothermal systems. These insights contribute to the development of next-generation solar thermochemical reactors with improved scalability and performance for renewable fuel synthesis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100957,"journal":{"name":"Next Energy","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100366"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144704562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Next EnergyPub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100361
Chao Kong , Yanxia Han , Lijie Hou , Chao Shuai , Ke Gai , Xiaoli Song
{"title":"H2 binding energy may be an auxiliary criterion of H adsorption free energy to estimate hydrogen evolution catalyst","authors":"Chao Kong , Yanxia Han , Lijie Hou , Chao Shuai , Ke Gai , Xiaoli Song","doi":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100361","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100361","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The H adsorption free energy (ΔG<sub>H</sub>) is commonly used as a descriptor to estimate the activity of hydrogen evolution catalyst and a ΔG<sub>H</sub> close to zero is desired for the hydrogen evolution catalyst. The whole hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) process includes the generation *H and *H<sub>2</sub> and *H<sub>2</sub> desorption. However, the value of ΔG<sub>H</sub> only decides the generation rate of adsorbed H (*H) and H<sub>2</sub> (*H<sub>2</sub>) and is not related with the rate of *H<sub>2</sub> desorption. The H<sub>2</sub> binding energy (<span><math><mrow><mo>∆</mo><msub><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>) may influence the step of *H<sub>2</sub> desorption. Therefore, in this paper, H<sub>2</sub> binding energy (<span><math><mrow><mo>∆</mo><msub><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>) and ΔG<sub>H</sub> on the commonly used HER catalysts were calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) method. The results show that ΔG<sub>H</sub> is irrelevant to <span><math><mrow><mo>∆</mo><msub><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>and the excellent HER catalysts such as Pt and [Fe-Fe] hydrogenase have a desired ΔG<sub>H</sub> and low <span><math><mrow><mo>∆</mo><msub><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>. The value of ΔG<sub>H</sub> decides the generation rate of adsorbed H (*H) and H<sub>2</sub> (*H<sub>2</sub>) and the low <span><math><mrow><mo>∆</mo><msub><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>can promote *H<sub>2</sub> desorption from the surface of catalyst. The activity of HER catalyst is codetermined by ΔG<sub>H</sub> and <span><math><mrow><mo>∆</mo><msub><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>. Based on the calculations, we firstly propose that <span><math><mrow><mo>∆</mo><msub><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> can act as an auxiliary criterion of ΔG<sub>H</sub> to estimate the activity of HER catalyst.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100957,"journal":{"name":"Next Energy","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100361"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144633389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Next EnergyPub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100353
Alfred P. Chernyshev
{"title":"The effect of the characteristic size and morphology of ceria nanoobjects on the operational temperatures of water splitting","authors":"Alfred P. Chernyshev","doi":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100353","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100353","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of hydrogen fuel is a promising eco-friendly technology that avoids carbon dioxide pollution. Today, the cheapest sources of energy are solar energy and industrial waste heat. These energy sources are used to produce hydrogen by splitting water using multi-step or 2-step thermochemical cycles. The main disadvantage of 2-step thermochemical cycles is the high operating temperature (usually more than 1700 K), which is significantly lower in multi-step cycles. This article shows that the use of ceria nanoparticles reduces operating temperatures at the recovery step by 500–700 K. The melting point of ceria nanoparticles also decreases with a decrease in their characteristic size. In turn, the temperature at which sintering begins is proportional to the melting point, so the sintering temperature also decreases. For example, if ceria nanoparticles of about 20 nm in size are used as the redox material, the operating temperature of the recovery stage is in the range of 1000–1300 K, which is significantly lower than the temperature of 1500 K, at which intensive sintering of ceria nanoparticles begins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100957,"journal":{"name":"Next Energy","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100353"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144632767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Next EnergyPub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100360
S.U. Yunusa , E. Mensah , K. Preko , S. Narra , A. Saleh , S. Sanfo , F. Dembele
{"title":"Development and optimization of rice husk composite briquettes as a sustainable cooking energy solution in Nigeria","authors":"S.U. Yunusa , E. Mensah , K. Preko , S. Narra , A. Saleh , S. Sanfo , F. Dembele","doi":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100360","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxener.2025.100360","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The processing of biomass into fuel briquettes is one of the sustainable measures widely advocated for curtailing deforestation and meeting the energy needs of about 3 billion people living in energy poverty. Improving the efficiency and durability of the briquettes is essential for their effectiveness as an energy source. This paper explores the production, evaluation, and optimization of rice husk briquettes using response surface methodology (RSM). The process variables considered are binder type and ratio, particle size, and dwell time, while the responses are relaxed density and compressive strength. The experiment was designed using Box Behnken design (BBD). Briquettes were produced in a low-pressure (4.5 MPa) hydraulic piston press utilizing 2 novel biomass binders (sweet potato peel and locust bean pulp) and cassava starch. In addition to the optimized responses, the briquettes were characterized for quality and thermal performance. The results range from 0.196 g/cm<sup>3</sup> to 0.306 g/cm<sup>3</sup> for relaxed density and from 20 kN/m<sup>2</sup> to 410 kN/m<sup>2</sup> for compressive strength. Under optimal conditions, 15% binder content, 0.5 min dwell time, and 1 mm particle size could yield briquettes with a relaxed density of 0.30 g/cm<sup>3</sup> and a transformed compressive strength of 0.032 m<sup>0.5</sup> s kg<sup>−0.5</sup>, equivalent to 918 kN/m<sup>2</sup>. The model’s predictions were validated through confirmatory experiments, with the differences between the predicted and actual values being statistically insignificant at a 95% confidence interval. These findings suggest that rice husk briquettes with an optimal quality for domestic use can be efficiently produced under low pressure, offering a viable solution for energy sustainability and environmental conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100957,"journal":{"name":"Next Energy","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100360"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144704564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}