{"title":"Structural change and CO2 emissions: Does information and communication technology matter in BRICS countries?","authors":"Radhouane Hasni","doi":"10.1002/ep.14610","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.14610","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study examines the impact of structural change and the diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICT) on carbon emissions, focusing on their interaction in the case of the BRICS countries. By including GDP, renewable and non-renewable energy as explanatory variables, we use the PMG-ARDL (Pooled Mean Group Autoregressive Distributed Lag) approach to analyze the impact of ICT and structural change on CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in BRICS countries between 2000 and 2021. The Granger causality approach is used to discuss the causal links between the variables analyzed. Long-run results from the PMG estimator show that GDP and non-renewable energy significantly increase emissions, while renewable energy significantly reduces CO<sub>2</sub> emissions. Although structural change and ICT diffusion individually increase emissions, their interaction has a significant mitigating effect. Granger causality analysis suggests a unidirectional causality from ICT to structural change in the short run. In summary, these findings highlight the synergy between structural change and ICT. Therefore, policy makers can take advantage of this interaction to promote structural transformation to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in the BRICS countries.</p>","PeriodicalId":11701,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy","volume":"44 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ravi Saravanan, A. Karthikeyan, J. Jayaprabakar, T. Surulivel Rajan, Elumalai Vengadesan
{"title":"Energy, exergy, and enviro-economic analysis of a solar receiver with phase change material for a parabolic dish collector","authors":"Ravi Saravanan, A. Karthikeyan, J. Jayaprabakar, T. Surulivel Rajan, Elumalai Vengadesan","doi":"10.1002/ep.14613","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.14613","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study presents a new solar receiver that incorporates a phase change material (PCM) and a water flow channel to maximize the efficiency of parabolic dish solar collectors. Stagnation and water heating experiments were conducted at 90–150 kg/h flow rates. The stagnation temperature was as high as 388°C, and the total heat loss coefficient was 342 W/m<sup>2</sup> K. The primary and finned PCM channels enhanced energy absorption and decreased receiver temperature. The spiral water coil and rectangular fins efficiently transferred heat to the incoming water. The receiver had a maximum power of 2.81 kW at 150 kg/h, 32% and 16% greater than 90 and 120 kg/h, respectively. Heat loss decreased at higher flow rates, with the heat loss coefficient 17.9% lower at 150 kg/h than at 90 kg/h. The system had maximum and average energy efficiencies of 75.6% and 50.7%, respectively, at 150 kg/h. Exergy efficiency was reduced with a higher flow rate, with peak and mean values of 9.4% and 5% at 90 kg/h. Economically, the system offers low-cost clean energy for $0.11/kW, and the CO₂ emission is reduced by 14.7 tons. Payback time is estimated at 1.1 years. The thermal, economic, and environmental performance of the proposed receiver indicates that it is an efficient choice for industrial and commercial water heating applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":11701,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy","volume":"44 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vasu Gajendiran, Prabu Deivasigamani, Sivamani Selvaraju, K. Nithya, Lakhayar Al-Amri
{"title":"Investigation on boron removal from produced water utilizing cassava stem biochar: Understanding from equilibrium, kinetics, thermodynamics and characterization","authors":"Vasu Gajendiran, Prabu Deivasigamani, Sivamani Selvaraju, K. Nithya, Lakhayar Al-Amri","doi":"10.1002/ep.14607","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.14607","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The present study investigates the potential of an agricultural by product cassava stem biochar, as an effective adsorbent for the removal of boron from produced water. Cassava stem biochar was prepared through controlled pyrolysis, and adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the removal of boron ions from produced water, considering parameters, such as pH (1–8), contact time (0–45 min), initial concentration of boron in produced water (1.3–3.8 mg/L), adsorbent dosage (0.25–1.5 g/L), temperature (20–40 °C), agitation speed (50–250 rpm) and particle size (125–2000 μm). The results revealed that cassava stem biochar exhibited a significant adsorption capacity of 3.42 mg/g for the removal of boron ions, with a notable influence of solution pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, temperature, agitation speed, and particle size of 6, 35 min, 1.25 g/L, 25 °C, 100 rpm, and 250 μm, respectively. Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic models were applied to elucidate the adsorption mechanism. Thermodynamic parameters were also determined to gain insights into the energetics of the adsorption process, and it is exothermic, feasible, and spontaneous. Hence, this study contributes to the development of cost-effective adsorption for the remediation of boron-contaminated water.</p>","PeriodicalId":11701,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy","volume":"44 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amanullah Adeel, Pete Smith, Sylvia H. Vetter, Shreedhar S. Otari, A. S. Jadhav
{"title":"Assessing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption from 15 sugar cane farms in Karvir taluka, India using the cool farm tool","authors":"Amanullah Adeel, Pete Smith, Sylvia H. Vetter, Shreedhar S. Otari, A. S. Jadhav","doi":"10.1002/ep.14612","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.14612","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study aimed to determine the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption of sugarcane farms in Karvir, India, and the potential reductions achieved by switching to diammonium phosphate (DP) fertilizer instead of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizer, and by using hydropower electricity instead of diesel for energy requirements. We employed the Cool Farm Tool to evaluate the aforementioned issues. The research incorporated data from 15 farms, agricultural centers, sugarcane industries, and laboratory analyses. The findings indicated that the existing output of 740,000 metric tons of sugarcane from 8500 hectares y<sup>−1</sup> resulted in total greenhouse gas emissions of 79 kilotons of CO<sub>2</sub> eq annually. Hydropower generation demonstrated a 27% (average) decrease in emissions compared to diesel (<i>p <</i> 0.01). Furthermore, DP exhibited a decline of 12% on average in emissions in comparison to NPK. We categorized GHG emissions from sources such as residue, soil fertilizer, energy consumption, cattle dung, pesticides, and off-farm transportation, with CO<sub>2</sub> being the most significant, followed by CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O. The outputs show the necessity for low-emission and energy-efficient alternatives to crop residue burning, a shift to hydropower instead of diesel, and a transition from NPK to DP when feasible.</p>","PeriodicalId":11701,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy","volume":"44 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuanwang Duan, Shuzhong Wang, Kai Liu, Xinyue Huang, Zhaoxia Mi, Hui Lui, Yanhui Li, Yulong Wang
{"title":"Experimental study on the treatment of printing and dyeing wastewater by supercritical water oxidation based on response surface methodology","authors":"Yuanwang Duan, Shuzhong Wang, Kai Liu, Xinyue Huang, Zhaoxia Mi, Hui Lui, Yanhui Li, Yulong Wang","doi":"10.1002/ep.14617","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.14617","url":null,"abstract":"<p>With the continuous growth of global printing and dyeing production, the volume of wastewater generated by these processes is also increasing. Dyes are classified into categories such as azo, anthraquinone, and aromatic compounds based on their chemical structure. Traditional methods for treating printing and dyeing wastewater primarily involve chemical and physical approaches. However, the effluents produced after these treatments often require secondary processing to meet environmental standards. Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) has emerged as an efficient and environmentally friendly technology for the advanced treatment of organic pollutants. In this study, a batch reactor was employed to conduct supercritical water oxidation experiments. The response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized to evaluate the degradation of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen (NH<sub>3</sub>-N) in printing and dyeing wastewater under various process parameters. Additionally, the interactions between different reaction parameters were examined. The optimal reaction conditions were identified as 520°C, a reaction time of 6.74 min, an oxidation coefficient of 1.84, a raw material concentration of 30 wt.%, and a pH of 12. Under these conditions, the removal efficiencies for COD and NH<sub>3</sub>-N reached 96.89% and 62.42%, respectively. These results demonstrate that supercritical water oxidation is a highly effective method for removing organic matter and ammonia nitrogen from printing and dyeing wastewater.</p>","PeriodicalId":11701,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy","volume":"44 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Melatonin and 24-epibrassinolide promote the growth and selenium uptake of wild peach seedlings under selenium stress","authors":"Zhen Dai, Dilian Zhang, Zhiyu Li, Xinglin Liu, Huaiyu Liu, Keke Yan, Bingyang Liu, Jing Zhang, Lijin Lin","doi":"10.1002/ep.14615","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.14615","url":null,"abstract":"<p>To enhance selenium (Se) uptake in peach plants, a pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of melatonin (150 μmol/L) and 24-epibrassinolide (1.5 mg/L) on the growth and Se accumulation of wild peach (as the rootstock of peach) seedlings under Se stress (0.1 mg/L). The results showed that the application of melatonin, 24-epibrassinolide, and the combination of both increased the biomass and levels of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll <i>a</i>, chlorophyll <i>b</i>, and carotenoids) in wild peach seedlings under Se stress. Furthermore, these treatments increased the activities of peroxidase and catalase while decreasing the activity of superoxide dismutase. Among the treatments, only the combination of melatonin and 24-epibrassinolide resulted in an increase in root Se content and root bioconcentration factor (BCF) in wild peach seedlings. Compared to the Se treatment alone, the treatments with melatonin, 24-epibrassinolide, and the combination increased the shoot Se content by 40.87%, 53.91%, and 53.04%, respectively, as well as the translocation factor, shoot BCF, and whole plant BCF of wild peach seedlings. Correlation and gray relational analyses revealed that the carotenoid content, chlorophyll <i>a</i> content, root biomass, and chlorophyll <i>b</i> content showed the closest relationships with the shoot Se content under Se stress. Thus, the application of melatonin, 24-epibrassinolide, and the combination of both can effectively promote the growth and Se uptake in wild peach seedlings under Se stress, with the best results observed with the combination of melatonin and 24-epibrassinolide.</p>","PeriodicalId":11701,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy","volume":"44 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Md. Mukimujjaman Miem, Eshtiyaq Tauhid Enan, Md. Abul Hashem
{"title":"Lower salt combination of waste mustard oil cake for goatskin in preservation: Salinity reduction in tannery effluent","authors":"Md. Mukimujjaman Miem, Eshtiyaq Tauhid Enan, Md. Abul Hashem","doi":"10.1002/ep.14611","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.14611","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Sodium chloride (NaCl), a globally used preserving agent, creates a large amount of chloride pollution known as salinity during soaking in the tannery. Increased salinity affects not only water quality but also the ecological balance. This study is focused on the minimization of sodium chloride (NaCl) use in goatskin preservation. The preliminary experiment revealed that a combination of 5% grounded mustard oil cake + 5% NaCl could be effective for the preservation of goatskin. Based on a preliminary experiment, the combination of preserving agents was applied on freshly flayed goatskin and assessed for 28 days considering parameters—moistness, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, hydroxyproline, microbial analysis, and hydrothermal stability. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was performed with ethanol extract to identify the antimicrobial activity of mustard oil cake. The physicomechanical properties of produced leather were comparable to the standard requirements. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images represented an intact form of a tanned collagen bundle. Pollution load of chloride content, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were reduced to 40.4%, 40.7%, and 48.4%, respectively, in soaking wastewater. Thus, a combination of mustard oil cake with the lower NaCl could be an eco-friendly preservation technique to reduce pollution in the tannery wastewater.</p>","PeriodicalId":11701,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy","volume":"44 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Analysis of the factors influencing the performance of medium-shallow borehole heat exchangers coupled with a ground source heat pump system","authors":"Naifeng Han, Qiang Zhao, Tishi Huang, Feng Huang, Yabin Wu, Kexun Wang, Shiyu Zhou, Wenke Zhang","doi":"10.1002/ep.14614","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.14614","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Medium-shallow borehole heat exchangers (BHEs) offer high heat exchange efficiency and low initial investment, which is of great significance for achieving carbon emission reduction goals. Therefore, this paper establishes a heat transfer model for medium-shallow BHEs and uses this model to analyze the impact of six factors on the heat transfer capacity of BHEs, including geotechnical properties, backfill material properties, and borehole characteristics. Additionally, the factors influencing the performance of ground source heat pump systems were analyzed. The results indicate that higher soil thermal conductivity, soil specific heat capacity, and backfill material thermal conductivity can enhance the heat exchange capacity of BHEs. Specifically, when the soil thermal conductivity increases from 1.5 to 3.5 W/(m·°C), the heat extraction increases from 17 to 19.68 kW, an improvement of 15.76%, and the heat dissipation increases from 10 to 21.4 kW, an improvement of 114%. When the thermal conductivity of the backfill material increases from 0.5 to 2.5 W/(m·°C), the heat extraction increases from 13.66 to 20.13 kW, an improvement of 47.36%, and the heat dissipation increases from 11.28 to 19.57 kW, an improvement of 73.49%. The heat extraction capacity of the borehole is significantly affected by the borehole depth; when the depth increases from 150 to 550 m, the heat extraction increases from 6.26 to 36.93 kW, an improvement of 489%, and the heat dissipation increases from 8.85 to 19.91 kW, an improvement of 124%.</p>","PeriodicalId":11701,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy","volume":"44 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Optimizing rooftop photovoltaic adoption in urban landscapes: A system dynamics approach for sustainable energy transitions in Chennai, India","authors":"R. Kaaviya","doi":"10.1002/ep.14603","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.14603","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Chennai, a rapidly growing metropolitan city in India, faces increasing energy needs, sustainability challenges, and environmental impacts due to population growth. The surge in electricity demand across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors has heightened greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on non-renewable energy sources, sparking interest in rooftop PV systems. These systems harness solar energy to generate electricity locally, reducing grid strain and carbon emissions, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 7 and 11 by promoting clean energy and sustainable urban environments. Despite their potential, rooftop PV adoption in Chennai's building sector has been slow due to various barriers. Addressing escalating energy demands and environmental concerns, this study develops a data-driven System Dynamics Model to simulate the dynamics of rooftop PV scaling. The model considers socio-economic, regulatory, and technical factors, including market analysis, regulatory assessments, techno-economic feasibility evaluations, and public perception surveys. The System Dynamics Model allows for scenario analysis and predictive modeling, outlining strategic interventions, policy recommendations, and measures to streamline regulations and improve financing accessibility. This approach combines data-driven analysis, scenario testing, adaptability, and transparency, offering a robust method for developing a roadmap for rooftop PV scale-up in Chennai's building sector. The paper highlights the advantages of this method, enhancing the effectiveness and likelihood of successful rooftop PV adoption compared to alternatives. This study aims to serve as a progressive model for cities globally, demonstrating the efficacy of a systematic, data-driven approach to advancing sustainable energy transitions in urban landscapes.</p>","PeriodicalId":11701,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy","volume":"44 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Global cooperation in nuclear sewage management under the condition of unequal rights distribution of benefits","authors":"Xixi Zhang, Tongxin Li, Tongkun Qu","doi":"10.1002/ep.14616","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.14616","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Japanese government has discharged radioactive nuclear sewage from the Fukushima nuclear reactor into the Pacific Ocean, which will cause catastrophic and irreversible pollution of the marine ecology. In this paper, after demonstrating that cooperation has economies of scale, an improved shapley value is devised to rationally distribute the benefits across participating countries. The results of the study show that, firstly, as the alliance expands, the new member states create economies of scale for the alliance countries. Secondly, the traditional shapley value has the effect of calculating invalid coalitions, and the calculation results are unfair to “bridge countries”. Thirdly, whether the specific self-benefits of countries other than the “bridge countries” are lost depends on the different conditions of this paper's calculation. This paper aims to use economic cooperation to promote a positive response to nuclear sewage disposal and to contribute to the progress of the global environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":11701,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy","volume":"44 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}