Cleaner Environmental Systems最新文献

{"title":"Advancing energy efficiency in SMEs: A case study-based framework for non-energy-intensive manufacturing companies","authors":"Atacan Ketenci,&nbsp;Matthias Wolf","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100218","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100218","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The manufacturing industry increasingly needs to shift toward energy-efficient production patterns to address both environmental pollution reduction and higher energy prices. Despite efforts to enhance energy efficiency and to close the energy efficiency gap in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) limited awareness, lack of know-how, and restricted financial and human resources still hinder large-scale adoption. This is partly because current research on energy flow analysis (EFA) often lacks structured and detailed methodologies and neglects a suitable evaluation of potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. In response, we derived a framework from existing literature and applied action research to tailor it to identify energy flows and cost-effective reduction potentials for GHG emissions in SMEs. The framework aims to improve awareness, transparency, and decision-making regarding energy consumption and environmental protection within SMEs by combining GHG accounting with comprehensive EFA to enhance energy efficiency. Furthermore, the framework outlines specific activities to guide SMEs through the implementation process. Two case studies were conducted in partnership with companies operating in the automotive and environmental sectors to develop and validate the framework. Although the case studies focused on non-energy-intensive industries, they revealed untapped potential for reducing energy consumption. Both case studies showed reductions in energy use through the identified measures, achieving reductions of 900,000 kWh and 1,300,000 kWh, respectively. At 2021 energy price levels, these reductions led to a significant drop in energy costs: a 16% drop in case one and 22% in case two. Additionally, insights from the case studies have led to further refinements of the framework, emphasizing the necessity of tailored solutions and resource considerations for SMEs. These findings helped to identify opportunities for future research directions toward optimizing energy management practices in SMEs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100218"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666789424000564/pdfft?md5=14a02a5564be090e7a36342e539d983d&pid=1-s2.0-S2666789424000564-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142006626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Life cycle assessment of plastic and paper carrying bags in the Philippines","authors":"Aristotle T. Ubando ,&nbsp;Jeremias A. Gonzaga ,&nbsp;Ivan Henderson V. Gue ,&nbsp;Jose Bienvenido Manuel Biona","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100217","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100217","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Plastic waste mismanagement is a pertinent environmental concern among developing countries. The Philippines has a significant plastic waste concern as the country is among the top emitters of plastic wastes to the ocean. To manage plastic wastes, the government enacted policies. resulting to paper carrying bags becoming a prominent alternative. Switching from one carrying bag to another, however, requires clear assessment on the environmental implications as environmental trade-offs can occur. To provide the needed clarity, this study assessed the environmental implications of plastic and paper carrying bags through a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. This study developed a model with the novelty of a) supply chain integration, b) augmented Environmental Design of Industrial Products (EDIP) impact assessment, and c) inventory categorization. From the augmented EDIP assessment, paper carrying bags had a single score impact of 0.73 whereas plastic carrying bags had a single score of 0.63. In terms of geographic emissions, this work revealed that paper carrying bags emit 50.28% of its emissions outside the country whereas plastic carrying bag emit 34.72%. Policy recommendations derived from the findings are provided in this paper. Recommendations include carbon capture and storage, green procurement, circular management, and waste management system improvement. Policy makers may infer from the recommendations in managing environmental issues from the use of carrying bags.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100217"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666789424000552/pdfft?md5=dcc10a7ff298770bdaeb7dc605167add&pid=1-s2.0-S2666789424000552-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141979393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A life cycle assessment of vegan dog food","authors":"Lena Jarosch,&nbsp;Vanessa Bach,&nbsp;Matthias Finkbeiner","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100216","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Dog food accounts for 90% of the average dog's impact on climate change. Vegan dog food is one possible alternative. There are few studies evaluating its environmental impacts. The goals of this paper are to i) determine the environmental impacts and hotspots of wet vegan dog food, ii) compare results with average meat-based alternative and estimate global climate change potential of switching from meat-based to vegan dog food diet. A life cycle assessment was performed for a can of vegan dog food for the categories climate change, freshwater eutrophication, terrestrial acidification, smog, and land use. Each can had a carbon footprint of 0.4 kg CO₂-eq., adding up to 443 kg CO₂-eq over a dog's 15-year lifespan. A comparison with meat-based dog food showed reduction potentials in acidification by 50%, climate change by 37%, and smog by 18%, but higher impacts in land use by 97%, and eutrophication by almost 300% applying the assumptions by Pet Food Industry Federation. The results differ from other studies showing reductions in land use and eutrophication. Switching to a vegan diet can reduce GWP emissions by 340 kg CO₂eq per year, while this could increase up to 6000 if high quality meat is fed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100216"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666789424000540/pdfft?md5=c565212fff1b441c369848b8b291fa70&pid=1-s2.0-S2666789424000540-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141962703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Use of process simulation to obtain life cycle inventory data for LCA: A systematic review","authors":"Jannatul Ferdous ,&nbsp;Farid Bensebaa ,&nbsp;Kasun Hewage ,&nbsp;Pankaj Bhowmik ,&nbsp;Nathan Pelletier","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100215","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) analysis is an essential and time-consuming phase of life cycle assessment (LCA). While primary data is among the most reliable and desirable data source types, it is often challenging to collect for industry-specific processes due to confidentiality concerns, in particular with respect to unique proprietary processes. In such cases, computer-based process simulation software can be used to fill gaps in inventory data based on mass and energy balances. While building process simulation models, engagement with industry is essential for verification of process models and validation of simulated data. Although process simulation-based life cycle inventory modelling is not a new research area, there has been no systematic review on this topic with respect to common methodological choices. To fill this gap, this systematic review aims to identify common practices in simulating LCI data using process simulation. Studies that used process simulation for LCI modelling were reviewed to identify the reasons for using process simulation, approaches for simulating LCI, software employed, validation processes, and processes to calculate and report uncertainty. Based on the review findings, a methodological framework was proposed to explain how process simulation-based LCI can be integrated with conventional LCA, specifically for industrial processes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100215"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666789424000539/pdfft?md5=401016f1cc72f855f963bdff99dade6d&pid=1-s2.0-S2666789424000539-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141846772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Looking for the ecological transition of Mediterranean small ruminant sector. Characterization and main drivers of environmental performance of the Sardinian sheep farming systems","authors":"Enrico Vagnoni ,&nbsp;Pasquale Arca ,&nbsp;Mauro Decandia ,&nbsp;Giovanni Molle ,&nbsp;Gabriella Serra ,&nbsp;Paola Sau ,&nbsp;Mondina Francesca Lunesu ,&nbsp;Claudio Porqueddu ,&nbsp;Delia Cossu ,&nbsp;Alberto Stanislao Atzori ,&nbsp;Antonello Franca ,&nbsp;Pierpaolo Duce","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100214","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100214","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study was carried out to assess the environmental profile of the main Sardinian dairy sheep farming systems, with the scope to provide a detailed and robust baseline for the identification of effective mitigation solutions at farm level and to develop environmental strategies at regional scale. Both product- and area-based functional units (FUs) were adopted, considering sixteen impact categories and soil carbon sequestration estimates as well. Water Use, Climate Change, Land Use, Ecotoxicity Freshwater, Marine Eutrophication and Fossils Resource Use resulted the main impact categories, cumulatively contributing over 80% of the total environmental impact (single score). Environmental performances significantly varied according to the geo-pedological traits of the different sheep milk production areas and were driven by the farming systems’ structure and production level. The group of farms located in less fertile areas showed significantly worse environmental performance per kg of normalized milk for the impact categories Climate Change and Land Use, whereas no significant differences were observed for the remaining main impact categories. Considering the area-based FU, this farm group resulted less impacting for all main categories compared to the group of farms located in more plain and productive soils, with a significantly lower impact observed for Marine Eutrophication and Fossils Resource Use. Regardless of the FU used, feed supply management represented a key area of improvement, and soil carbon sequestration impact compensated the high GHG emission intensity of grassland-based farms despite the limited nutritional value of natural pasture. Regional strategies should be based on ecosystem services optimization and eco-innovative solutions tailored according to both the specific geo-pedological conditions and the production level of each farming system.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100214"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666789424000527/pdfft?md5=b4c0e5246629e0b226a975a5d183d5cd&pid=1-s2.0-S2666789424000527-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141848778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantifying energy footprint inequalities across different socio-economic segments in Spain","authors":"Ortzi Akizu-Gardoki ,&nbsp;Estitxu Villamor ,&nbsp;Erlantz Lizundia","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100213","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100213","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>To achieve the ambitious climate targets set for 2050, it is essential to understand the energy footprints resulting from different lifestyles. This research aims to analyse the variation in direct and embedded energy consumption across different Spanish autonomous communities and socio-economic segments. To do so, we combine the Global Multi-Regional Input-Output methodology (GMRIO) with microdata from Household Budget Surveys (HBS). The findings show that income, household size, and nationality significantly affect the energy footprint of individuals. High-income households have an energy footprint of up to 63.3 MWh·cap⁻¹·yr⁻¹, 75.0% higher than national average. Furthermore, individuals living alone show a 41.4% larger consumption than the national average. In contrast, households with foreign nationalities show an energy footprint of 24.7 MWh·cap⁻¹·yr⁻¹, a 31.8% reduction over national average. On the other hand, differences in gender, age, or municipality size do not play a significant role in energy footprint variations. The energy footprint and the Gross Domestic Product are significantly correlated, as wealthier regions have a TPEF of 17.6% above the national average, while poorer regions show a 31.6% decrease in footprint. Altogether, this work suggests ways to reduce energy consumption in lifestyles, providing specific actions in policy-making.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100213"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666789424000515/pdfft?md5=22c5345957a7d154e1214b9c720a40d7&pid=1-s2.0-S2666789424000515-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141842883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a machine learning model to improve estimates of material stock and embodied emissions of roads","authors":"Qiyu Liu ,&nbsp;Johan Rootzén ,&nbsp;Filip Johnsson","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Material flow analysis is an important tool for estimating material flows and embedded emissions of transport infrastructure. Missing attributes tend to be a major barrier to accurate estimates. In this study a machine learning model is developed to estimate the missing data in a statistics dataset of roads, to enable a bottom-up material stock and flow analysis. The proposed approach was applied to the Swedish road network to predict missing data for road width in the statistical dataset. The predicted hybrid dataset was then used to estimate material stocks, flows, and embodied emissions from Year 2020 to Year 2045 using decarbonization scenarios with a supply chain perspective. The study demonstrates that machine learning models can be used to enable national-level material stock and flow analyses of roads. Multiple machine learning algorithms were tested, and the best performing model achieved an R² value of 0.784. In the scenario-based analysis, the embodied emissions of Swedish roads could be reduced by up to 51% using available materials.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100211"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666789424000497/pdfft?md5=c16f5d66693c693dcc8b8a717346c9a0&pid=1-s2.0-S2666789424000497-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141638114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How digital platforms can be leveraged to enable closed material loops – An example of the steel supply chain","authors":"Lukas Budde,&nbsp;Leonardo Laglia,&nbsp;Thomas Friedli","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100212","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100212","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Increasing demands for limited natural resources accelerate rethinking their usage and processing. A focal point of interest lies in the steel industry, given its substantial contribution to emissions and the notable attribute of steel being fully recyclable. Hence, closing material loops to ensure the preservation of material value and supply security is of substantial importance. Yet, until today, supply chains are still characterized by interrupted information streams that prevent circular material flows. Digital platforms are attributed to overcoming these shortcomings due to their ability to moderate ecosystems and render technological connectivity. However, industrial companies lack knowledge of how digital platforms can be used to design closed material loops. Therefore, this paper is built on a longitudinal case study of a joint venture between a recycling and steel melting plant company aiming at creating a digital platform to close the material flow of steel. Six design priorities, structured along the three core building blocks of digital platform ecosystems and the four core dimensions of collective action theory (CAT), have been derived to guide managers in designing digital platforms for the CE-specific context. This study presently contributes to understanding the relationship between digital platforms and CE.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100212"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666789424000503/pdfft?md5=65de93090de2cab28836fc788287f32d&pid=1-s2.0-S2666789424000503-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141696310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Towards sustainable automobile ecosystem in India: Integrated analysis of technical, economic, and ESG dimensions","authors":"Prasanna G. Tillu ,&nbsp;Abhijeet K. Digalwar ,&nbsp;Sudhanshu Ranjan Singh ,&nbsp;Ravi S. Reosekar","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100210","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Global environmental concerns are leading to paradigm shift in the automobile eco-system. This comprehensive study of the automobile ecosystem, incorporates technical, economic, and environmental-social-governance (ESG) dimensions. An “integrated multi-criteria decision-making” (MCDM) methodology using “interpretive structural modelling” (ISM) and “fuzzy analytical hierarchy process” (FAHP) is deployed, The ISM models highlights prominent drivers and critical barriers, establishes their hierarchy, and depicts interrelationships. The FAHP rankings for drivers favours electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel vehicles over others, while barriers promote hybrids and alternate fuels like Biofuel, CNG/LNG. Unlike previous works, this study considers all eco-system factors, both critical drivers and barriers, and demonstrates hierarchy using a unique V-model. This is an innovative extension of V-model from traditional systems engineering to strategic project management domain. This holistic approach, in sync with the natural state of things, will enable government, industry, and academia in formulating a strategic framework towards future automobile sustainability.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100210"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666789424000485/pdfft?md5=20ce14b65363206671d73cdd38f5ba9d&pid=1-s2.0-S2666789424000485-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141595893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clustering olive oil mills through a spatial and economic GIS-based approach","authors":"Giuseppe Modica ,&nbsp;Angelo Pulvirenti ,&nbsp;Daniela Spina ,&nbsp;Salvatore Bracco ,&nbsp;Mario D'Amico ,&nbsp;Giuseppe Di Vita","doi":"10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100207","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Sicily ranks as the third-largest region in Italy for olive growing and olive oil production, holding the second position nationally regarding the number of active olive oil mills. This pioneering study integrates spatial and economic analyses to examine the geographical distribution of olive oil mills in Sicily and their relationship with the localization of olive groves. Using Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA), we conducted an advanced analysis of spatial patterns of olive oil mills, considering travel time on the road network. The adopted methodology addresses issues related to overestimation based on straight-line assumptions and the neglect of travel speed. Unlike traditional Euclidean distance approaches, our methodology provides a detailed understanding of the spatial relationships between olive oil mills and olive groves, revealing distinct patterns linked to elevation and proximity to olive groves. By linking profitability indicators with spatial clusters, we identify different thresholds of economic sustainability. Consequently, these findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the olive oil industry, suggesting more environmentally sustainable practices. Policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders can leverage this knowledge to make informed decisions that foster the long-term sustainability of the olive oil sector.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34616,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Environmental Systems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100207"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266678942400045X/pdfft?md5=936a57465c58a525718d136dca7279ad&pid=1-s2.0-S266678942400045X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141595892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}