The article argues that citizen engagement can reconnect science with society and improve related policymaking. This matters most for the challenges that defy purely technocratic solutions and call for changes in lifestyles and behaviour, the transition to climate neutrality and greater circularity being a prime example. To be effective, citizen engagement has to be inclusive, deliberative and influential;

Conventional biomass sources have been widely exploited for several end uses (mostly food, feed, fuel and chemicals). More unconventional sources are continually being sought for meeting the growing planetary demands for biomass materials. Biofuels are already commercially produced in many countries and are becoming mainstream. The role of biorefineries for production of chemicals is also on the rise

Abstract Currently, electrochemical oxidation is a very efficient method to treat many types of wastewaters. Under the effects of electrical current, toxic or non-biodegradable substances will be oxidized to become biodegradable or completely oxidized to CO2 and H2O. With the strengthening of environmental discharge legislations, tannery wastewater may have a negative effect on the environment because

Abstract The present work aims at investigating the compatibility of antioxidant with biodiesel through the tribological assessment of a compression ignition engine. In this research work, 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, a novel antioxidant, has been blended with clean Karanja oil methyl ester at the rate of 500 ppm. The compression ignition engine has been operated for 256 h of long-term durability tests

Abstract Energy from woody biomass is expected to revitalise industry in Japan and induce job creation in the region. Woody biomass power plants have been rapidly constructed all over the country after the Feed-in Tariff scheme began. However, there are increasing cases of the destruction of natural ecosystems and landscapes to fulfil the growing demand for woody biomass. This study aims to describe

Abstract E-waste is a hazardous concept for human health, environment and businesses, and therefore, risk assessment is essential to eliminate or reduce the negative effects of e-waste in a circular economy. Decision-making plays an important role during the risk assessment in e-waste recycling. This study aims to develop a decision tool under uncertain and risky conditions for achieving sustainability

Abstract The majority of rural communities in developing countries (such as Peru) are not connected to the electrical grid. Hybrid energy production from available renewable resources (e.g., wind and solar) and diesel engines is considered as an economically viable and environmentally friendly alternative for electrification in these areas. Motivated by the lack of a comprehensive investigation dedicated

Abstract Since natural photosynthesis in our biosphere does not have the capacity to cope with the additional atmospheric CO2 due to combustion of fossil fuels, CO2 has to be actively removed. Efficient methods are currently being developed, but the captured gas has to be dumped in safe and permanent storage environments. Alternatively, it has to be purified before it can be recycled catalytically

Abstract Energy has gained great attention and extensive demand as an important element of the development of human society over the globe. As the representative of the traditional energy use, coal and oil have made a significant contribution to the economic take-off. However, their negative effects are becoming increasingly obvious simultaneously. On the one hand, the world is facing severe energy

Abstract This paper studies the competition between the illegal recycling group and the legitimate recycling group in the recycling market of end-of-life vehicles, and we built an evolutionary game model of the competition process between the two groups. By constructing an evolutionary game model between illegal recycling and legitimate recycling strategy for end-of-life (EOL) vehicle recyclers, we

Abstract There is a growing demand for eco-friendly and non-toxic dyes that can be used to impart color to a wide variety of materials. Synthetic dyes are known to cause health hazards due to possible carcinogenic effects associated with azo dyes, high heavy metal content and the possible use of other restricted substances. The present study aims at the cultivation of fungi utilizing agricultural wastes

Abstract This work reports the fabrication of Au nanoparticles (NPs) by laser ablation of a gold metal plate immersed in water in the absence of stabilizing agents and their application in the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) in aqueous media at ambient temperature. UV–Vis, EDS (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), FESEM (field emission

This study investigates the recycling of used lubricating oil (ULO) by solvent extraction using a ternary solvent consisting of 2-propanol, 1-butanol and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) followed by a vacuum distillation unit. In order to select the best combination of solvents for the liquid–liquid extraction process, many parameters were first evaluated on a laboratory scale such as the effect of the solvent

Abstract Fire disasters pose a severe threat to the functionality of the cities and their sustainable development. Lack of analytical approach in research literature hinders the development of a fire-resilient city. A novel analytical framework is proposed in this paper to reduce the overall fire susceptibility of a city through a cost-effective redevelopment of the existing urban built forms (UBF)

Abstract Integrating sustainability into business functions of organisations is a challenge faced by practitioners. They need to understand what aspects must be considered to achieve effective sustainability implementation. Few studies review current sustainable business models and reveal essential aspects that must be possessed by these models. This study aims to discuss the available sustainable

Abstract Existence of microclimatic conditions in tropical island poses a challenge to integrate a greater share of renewable energy, more specifically solar energy into the power grid. Because of the high humidity and sudden cloud coverage, the power output from solar photovoltaic (SPV) plants is severely affected. In this manuscript, the performance results of a study carried out on a 15.2 MW solar

Abstract Complementation with hydropower is an important solution to solve the problems of grid connection and consumption of photovoltaic generation. Considering the randomicity of photovoltaic output and runoff, hydropower station with good regulation capability is often used as a complementary power source of photovoltaic generation. However, there are only a small number of regulatory hydropower

Abstract The increase in industrial activities to meet the growing needs of the population has led many companies to adopt environmental management (EM) policies to offset their impacts on the environment. For this reason, this article proposes a tool to identify the maturity levels of the elements of EM in industrial companies. The principles and practices of these elements were identified in the

Abstract Distillation columns can have high economic impact on small-scale ethanol production because their capital cost and, therefore, a lower investment in this equipment may turn it more feasible. The present work aims to assess the substitution of stainless steel and borosilicate glass by polymeric materials in the manufacturing of distillation columns. A decision tree was proposed, considering

Abstract In hot desert climates, the office buildings with high-performance glazing systems (HPGSs) provide better indoor thermal and visual comfort to the occupants due to the advanced coatings which prevent the undesired heat gain and daylight. However, these systems save energy in the use phase; it could consume more energy in the pre-use and post-use phases. Furthermore, the use of advanced materials

Abstract The study presents a comparative evaluation of waste vegetable oil (WVO) versus transesterified waste vegetable oil (WVBD) in diesel blends for engine performance, emission characteristics, economics, and sustainability as an alternative fuel for a compression ignition engine. The impact of blend fraction and blend type on the fuel properties were determined. Increased WVO or WVBD fraction

Abstract Computational and statistical tools help manage the prevailing challenges of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by providing meticulous understanding of contemporary issues. However, complex challenges are difficult to handle with conventional techniques, resulting to the need for more advanced methods. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are often used as an advanced approach in modelling

Abstract This paper presents a detailed assessment on the yield and quality of bio-oil produced from the fast pyrolysis process of date seeds and date syrup industrial waste. Pyrolysis experiments were conducted at a temperature of 500 °C for 30 min using a laboratory-scale semi-batch reactor equipped with an inline condensing system to separate the oil fraction from the non-condensable pyrolysis gases

Abstract Industrial parks play a significant role in economic development while consuming a great deal of energy and emitting a lot of greenhouse gas (GHG). Meanwhile, under the pressure of limiting the global average temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius as proposed by the Paris agreement, industrial parks have compelling obligation to reduce GHG emissions, driving them on the path to low-carbon development

Abstract To facilitate a better understanding of China’s regional energy consumption, this study develops a coupled framework to analyze the socioeconomic and policy drivers of the evolution of Sichuan province’s energy consumption. The results show that during 2002–2016, GDP per capita was the most significant driver of energy consumption, accounting for 185.16% of the total change, followed by economic

Abstract This work investigates an exhaust heat-driven ejector refrigeration system with the thermo-economic considerations. The system is thermally modelled and is optimized considering the performance coefficient and the total annual cost as two objectives using heat transfer search algorithm. Generator temperature, evaporator temperature and condenser temperature are considered as design variables

Abstract Liquid desiccant air-conditioning is an energy-efficient alternative to conventional vapor compression systems due to its ability to handle sensible and latent heat loads independently. Membrane-based processes are prevalent in desalination research due to their superior abilities to separate fluids. The membrane-assisted separation process is also suitable for use in liquid desiccant air-conditioning

Abstract This paper aims to analyze the thermodynamic performance of a gas turbine–Stirling engine hybrid system with series and parallel configurations. The proposed hybrid systems include two separate cycles. In the first configuration, a gas turbine is combined with two Stirling engines in series formation, and in the second configuration, this combination is implemented in parallel formation. By

Abstract Microalgae are important biological resources which attract the researchers for the production of valuable products like bio-energy and value-added products. In this study, enhanced accumulation of carotenoids and lipids was obtained from Coelastrella sp. M60 which was grown at 40 °C, along with different stress conditions (nitrogen starvation, salinity and TiO2). The results clearly indicate

Abstract There is a general perception that limiting emissions of carbon dioxide will be sufficient to avoid catastrophic climate change. The reality could well be that the many of the world’s wealthy coastal cities which historically developed as ports will be inundated repeatedly to disappear eventually below the sea, with large swathes of the earth being flooded. Other major conurbations may cease