School of Water, Energy and Environment (SWEE)

Permanent URI for this community

https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/8737

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 24

Open Access
Advancements in sorption-enhanced steam reforming for clean hydrogen production: a comprehensive review
(Elsevier, 2025-03-01) Farooqi, Ahmad Salam; Allam, Abdelwahab N.; Shahid, Muhammad Zubair; Aqil, Anas; Fajri, Kevin; Park, Sunhwa; Abdelaziz, Omar Y.; Abdelnaby, Mahmoud M.; Hossain, Mohammad Mozahar; Habib, Mohamed A.; Hasnain, Syed Muhammad Wajahat ul; Nabavi, Ali; Zhu, Mingming; Manovic, Vasilije; Nemitallah, Medhat A.
The sorption-enhanced steam methane reforming (SE-SMR) process, which integrates methane steam reforming with in situ CO2 capture, represents a breakthrough technology for clean hydrogen production. This comprehensive review thoroughly explores the SE-SMR process, highlighting its ability to efficiently combine carbon capture with hydrogen generation. The review evaluates the mechanisms of SE-SMR and evaluates a range of innovative sorbent materials, such as CaO-based, alkali-ceramic, hydrotalcite, and waste-derived sorbents. The role of catalysts in enhancing hydrogen production within SE-SMR processes is also discussed, with a focus on bi-functional materials. In addition to examining reaction kinetics and advanced process configurations, this review touches on the techno-economic aspects of SE-SMR. While the analysis does not provide an in-depth economic evaluation, key factors such as potential capital costs (CAPEX), operational expenses (OPEX), and scalability are considered. The review outlines the potential of SE-SMR to offer more efficient hydrogen production, with the added benefit of in situ carbon capture simplifying the process design. Although a detailed economic comparison with other hydrogen production technologies was not the focus, this review emphasizes SE-SMR's promise as a scalable and flexible solution for clean energy. With its integrated design, SE-SMR offers pathways to industrial-scale hydrogen production. This review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and industry experts committed to advancing sustainable and efficient hydrogen production technologies.
Open Access
Assessing diurnal land surface temperature variations across landcover and local climate zones: implications for urban planning and mitigation strategies on socio-economic factors
(Elsevier, 2024-12-01) Palanisamy, Prathiba A.; Zawadzka, Joanna Ewa; Jain, Kamal; Bonafoni, Stefania; Tiwari, Anuj
Rising temperatures and rapid urbanization globally reinforce the need to understand urban climates. We investigated the influence of land cover and local climate zones (LCZs) on diurnal land surface temperature (LST) in various seasons in greater Delhi region, India, and their implications on socio-economic factors. Day LST was the highest in the summer and night LST in the monsoon, which also had the lowest diurnal differences in LST. Higher height and density of built-up features contributed to greater heat at night. During the day, open built-up and vegetated areas experienced relatively less heat than their compact equivalents. The lowest diurnal difference was in medium height compact urban zones and tall vegetation. Social inequity in access to urban cooling was indicated by large low-income and heat-vulnerable populations inhabiting the hottest LCZs. This research highlighted that even in semi-arid and subtropical climates, spatial planning policy should consider both the seasonality and diurnal differences in temperature as much as appropriate morphologies for design of thermally comfortable and climate resilient urban spaces. These policies should address the evidenced social inequities in heat exposure to reduce the adverse health impacts on vulnerable groups and therefore contribute to wider societal and economic benefits of healthier populations.
Open Access
Climate change adaptation attributes across scales and inter-institutional networks: insights from national and state level water management institutions in India
(Springer, 2024-08-03) Azhoni, Adani; Holman, Ian; Jude, Simon
Effective climate change adaptation requires cohesive inter-institutional networks across different scales, facilitating the sharing of data, information, knowledge, and practices. However, the impact of adaptation attributes across scales is poorly understood due to limited focus on these networks. Based on interviews with 26 institutions operating at the national level (ION) in India and 26 institutions operating within a state (Himachal Pradesh) (IOS), this study analysed adaptation attributes and the inter-institutional networks across the two scales to understand its implications at different scales. IONs have a greater capacity (compared to IOS) to frame guidelines, standards and regulations for practitioners along with better accessibility to resources and information. When coupled with bridging institutions, this can enhance adaptive capacities at other scales. Conversely, learnings from low regret adaptive measures being implemented by IOS are opportunities for informing national policy strategies. While national adaptation strategies and goals can inspire adaptation at lower scales, the currently fragmented inter-institutional network in India reduces the passage and accessibility of data and information, creating a bottleneck for the smooth devolution of adaptation attributes. Recruitment and deployment practices for water officials further entrench silo attitudes, impeding essential data accessibility. Adaptation needs comprehensive networks across vertical, horizontal, and diagonal institutional connections to improve climate risk perception and strategy implementation. Policy measures should consider socio-institutional factors beyond legislative prescriptions.
Open Access
Climate change impacts on shoreline migration and community livelihood resilience: evidence from coastal Bangladesh
(Frontiers, 2024) Islam, Md Tariqul; Hossain, Md Monabbir; Ha-Mim, Nur Mohammad; Hossain, Md Zakir; Sikder, Sujit Kumar
The livelihoods of coastal people are at risk as shoreline migration is accelerated by climate change. To safeguard these communities and maintain their economy, it is imperative to strengthen resilience via adaptive strategies. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the rates and impacts of physical shoreline migration over the past 9,000 years using geospatial analysis and focus on understanding the livelihood resilience of coastal at-risk communities using in-depth interviews with environmental experts. The dynamic system of the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna is highly complex and causes continuous shoreline migration. Historical data and more recent satellite remote sensing imagery analysis identified that the shrinking of the delta system has resulted from the migration of the shorelines at the mouth of the river system. Since 5,000 BP, it has been expanding towards the Bay of Bengal – meaning land gains at the coast. Land gain provides an opportunity for the extension of coastal communities but also increases their vulnerability to natural hazards. Moreover, by 2050, the salinity isoline with a 5-ppt is expected to shift inland by ⁓8 km in the south-east (Bhola-Patuakhali) and ⁓24 km in the southwest (Khulna-Satkhira) region. The in-depth interviews reveal several adaptive practices to effectively deal with the situation, including community knowledge, stakeholder engagement, local-led adaptation, and most importantly, temporal migration. The findings also highlighted the urgent need for an adaptation plan for the sustainability and resilience of coastal communities, considering indigenous knowledge with local cultural orientation and incorporation of scientific standards.
Open Access
Connecting power to people: integrating community renewable energy and multi-level governance towards low-carbon energy transition in Nigeria
(Elsevier, 2025-03-01) Kaze, Kim; Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye; Shrimpton, Elisabeth A.
Despite extensive investments and deregulation efforts, the issue of carbon lock-in persists in the Nigerian context and across much of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Recognising the value of citizen involvement in shaping energy transformation, this research advocates for the adoption of community renewable energy (CRE) in Nigeria. Drawing inspiration from paradigmatic CRE models in Germany and Denmark, the study explores the evolving landscape of low-carbon energy transitions in developing economies through the Nigerian case. Currently, Nigeria's low-carbon transition remains constrained by inadequate policies and top-down energy strategies, motivating the need for a more inclusive and decentralised approach. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a policy framework grounded in multi-level governance (MLG) theory. The conceptual framework delineates the roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local governments, highlighting the scope for introducing renewable energy desk officers at the local level. Crucially, this research contributes to the limited body of CRE literature within Nigeria and similar sub-Saharan African contexts. The output provides concrete recommendations for renewable energy policy development in SSA nations with diverse political landscapes, in addition to supporting the future research agenda on CRE. Accordingly, the proposition of community renewable multi-level governance (CRE-MLG) reflects the rationale that citizen-centric energy practices can strengthen sustainability pathways in challenging contexts such as Nigeria. In contributing towards the burgeoning literature on energy transitions, this study advocates for an integrated governance approach and the bottom-up adoption of CRE practices to help drive sustainable development.
Open Access
Editorial: Scientific advances in river restoration
(Wiley, 2025-01) Prady, Jane; Austin, Sam; Dodd, Jennifer; White, James; Wilkes, Martin; Naura, Marc
In September 2023, the River Restoration Centre (RRC) hosted the inaugural Scientific Advances in River Restoration (SARR) conference in collaboration with the University of Liverpool, UK. As we confront the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, this event underscored the importance of global collaboration among river restoration scientists to help inform evidence‐led solutions. Fluvial systems are particularly vulnerable to global climatic pressures, with droughts and floods exacerbating the impacts of human‐induced river modifications. River restoration is a crucial tool in addressing these pervasive challenges, capable of benefiting both people (e.g., flood mitigation, community engagement) and nature (e.g., ecological recovery, ecosystem functionality). The SARR conference aimed to unite scientists from various disciplines and countries, foster collaborations, and highlight new advancements to enhance global progress in river restoration science. This river restoration special issue features a diverse selection of papers presented at the SARR conference, showcasing the multidisciplinary nature of contemporary river restoration.
Open Access
Effect of platform configurations and environmental conditions on the performance of floating solar photovoltaic structures
(TU Delft OPEN Publishing, 2024-05-20) Jifaturrohman, Mohammad Izzuddin ; Putranto, Teguh ; Utama, I Ketut Aria Pria; Huang, Luofeng
The growth and development of floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) power plants is a prominent topic within renewable energy technology. One reason contributing to this desired technology design concept is the possibility of land acquisition issues, whereas the usage of the ocean provides a greater technical alternative area. The objective of the research is to present an innovative design for a floating structure, focusing on investigating and comparing the seakeeping performance of several hull configurations: catamaran, trimaran, quadrimaran and pentamaran. The final computational simulation results indicate a linear negative trend in the motion response graphs, particularly in specific significant response values for heave (Global Z), roll (Global RX), and pitch (Global RY), as the hull configuration increases.
Open Access
Harnessing long-term gridded rainfall data and microtopographic insights to characterise risk from surface water flooding
(PLOS (Public Library of Science), 2024-09-24) Mukherjee, Kriti; Rivas Casado, Mónica; Ramachandran, Rakhee; Leinster, Paul
Climate projections like UKCP18 predict that the UK will move towards a wetter and warmer climate with a consequent increased risk from surface water flooding (SWF). SWF is typically caused by localized convective rainfall, which is difficult to predict and requires high spatial and temporal resolution observations. The likelihood of SWF is also affected by the microtopographic configuration near buildings and the presence of resilience and resistance measures. To date, most research on SWF has focused on modelling and prediction, but these models have been limited to 2 m resolution for England to avoid excessive computational burdens. The lead time for predicting convective rainfall responsible for SWF can be as little as 30 minutes for a 1 km x 1 km part of the storm. Therefore, it is useful to identify the locations most vulnerable to SWF based on past rainfall data and microtopography to provide better risk management measures for properties. In this study, we present a framework that uses long-term gridded rainfall data to quantify SWF hazard at the 1 km x 1 km pixel level, thereby identifying localized areas vulnerable to SWF. We also use high-resolution photographic (10 cm) and LiDAR (25 cm) DEMs, as well as a property flood resistance and resilience (PFR) database, to quantify SWF exposure at property level. By adopting this methodology, locations and properties vulnerable to SWF can be identified, and appropriate SWF management strategies can be developed, such as installing PFR features for the properties at highest risk from SWF.
Open Access
High-temperature corrosion behaviour of stainless steel welds in molten NaNO3-KNO3-KCl environment for concentrated solar power
(Elsevier, 2025-03-30) Joy, Tony; Mori, Stefano; Sumner, Joy
The use of fossil fuels has caused adverse effects, notably carbon emissions and climatic change. Thermal energy storage (TES) systems can be used to store energy and, when integrated with CSP, can help mitigate the intermittency of renewable sources. Higher TES working temperatures correspond to higher efficiencies which may lower costs. Various substances have been proposed as TES media; molten salts (MS) emerge as one of the most attractive options due to their stability at high temperatures. However, they can accelerate corrosion on materials, and therefore, compatibility between materials and media is crucial. Additionally, the impact of MS on welds (or welded components) has received less attention than for parent material. To address this research gap, this study compares the corrosion behaviour of plain and welded SS316L and SS304L in a mixture of 10NaNO3-78KNO3-12KCl mol% at 600 °C for up to 500 h. The samples were analysed by dimensional metrology (DM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Dimensional metrology shows a higher metal loss and sound metal loss for SS304L than SS316L. SEM micrographs showed the formation of non-adherent corrosion products on alloys surfaces. The EDS shows a selective dissolution of Fe and Cr, along with Na, K and Cl penetration into the alloy. Comparing the results, the welded areas experienced higher metal loss as compared to plain alloy samples. Another key observation was that the SS304L samples displayed lower overall corrosion resistance than SS316L.
Open Access
The impact of weather patterns on inter-annual crop yield variability
(Elsevier, 2024-12-10) Knight, Chris; Khouakhi, Abdou; Waine, Toby W.
Inter-annual variations in crop production have significant implications for global food security, economic stability, and environmental sustainability. Existing crop yield prediction models primarily using meteorological variables may not adequately encapsulate the full breadth of weather influences on crop development processes, such as compound or extreme events. Incorporating weather patterns into crop models could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental conditions affecting growth, enabling more accurate and earlier yield predictions. Our study examines 30 distinct UK Met Office weather patterns (MO30) based on mean sea level pressure. We investigate their association with weather conditions that limit winter wheat yield in the UK (1990-2020). Blocked, negative North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) patterns create the highest risk of temperatures that are below optimal for crop yield. However, the connection between weather patterns and yield is complex, with differing effects at a regional scale and even at which point in the growth cycle they appear. It was found that anticyclonic weather patterns during sowing, emergence, vernalisation, anthesis, and grain filling exhibit a relationship with good crop yields with a Spearman correlation coefficient of up to 0.55 for a single weather pattern (WP3 during vernalisation in South East England), whilst cyclonic patterns can help during the terminal spikelet phenological phase. The strongest positive correlations were during sowing, emergence, and vernalisation, whilst the largest negatives were observed in anthesis and grain filling. The potential of combining weather patterns with existing crop simulation models to produce earlier and more accurate yield predictions is shown. This would enable effective crop management and climate mitigation strategies, critical to strengthening food security. Projected changes in weather pattern occurrences in the late 21st century will likely reduce crop yields. This is due to increased cyclonic weather patterns, which bring warmer, wetter conditions during the wheat's vernalisation stage, followed by warmer, drier conditions during the anthesis and grain-filling phases.
Open Access
Large eddy simulations of methane emission from landfill and mathematical modeling in the far field
(MDPI, 2025-02-06) Boghi, Andrea; Harris, Neil R. P.; Waombo, Kennedy
Greenhouse gases such as methane will be generated from the landfilling of municipal waste. The emissions of noxious gas from landfills and other waste disposal areas can present a significant hazard to the environment and to the health of the population if not properly controlled. In order to have the harmful gas controlled and mitigate the environmental pollution, the extent to which the gas will be transported into the air at some time in the future must be estimated. The emission estimates (inventories) are combined with atmospheric observations and modeling techniques. In this work, large eddy simulation (LES) is used to determine the dispersion of methane in the atmosphere at large distances from the landfill. The methane is modeled as an active scalar, which diffuses from the landfill with a given mass flux. The Boussinesq approximation has been used to embed the effect of the buoyancy in the momentum equation. A logarithmic velocity profile has been used to model the wind velocity. The results in the far field show that the mean concentration and concentration rms of methane, appropriately scaled, are self-similar functions of a certain combination of the coordinates. Furthermore, the LES results are used to fit the parameters of the Gaussian plume model. This result can be used to optimize the placement of the atmospheric receptors and reduce their numbers in the far-field region, to improve emissions estimates and reduce the costs.
Open Access
Motion response and energy harvesting of multi-module floating photovoltaics in seas
(Elsevier, 2024-10-15) Zheng, Zhi; Jin, Peng; Huang, Qiang; Zhou, Binzhen; Xiang, Ruoxuan; Zhou, Zhaomin; Huang, Luofeng
Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) systems are emerging as a new type of ocean renewable energy, offering advantages such as avoiding land use and promoting power generation efficiency. Providing significant cost-effectiveness for manufacturing, transportation, and installation, FPV systems with modular floating platforms exhibit the potential to replace the conventional large steel-frame one. However, the performance of such multi-floating body structures under wave conditions remain underexplored. In this paper, based on potential flow theory, the motion characteristics and power performance of the proposed FPV array connected by the articulated system are evaluated. The results indicate that the FPV arrays with shorter floating structures exhibit greater pitch motion, especially when the wave condition matches the pitch resonance. For multi-float cases, the articulated system, optimized with appropriate parameters, demonstrates efficacy as attenuators. Additionally, the proposed FPV array has great potential to serve as an infrastructure for integrating solar and wave energy. For a selected offshore site, potential wave energy output from motion attenuators between FPV floaters is assessed together with solar energy output. Overall, this study serves as a valuable reference for the design and optimization of the multi-modules FPV and advances the research on combined solar and wave energy utilization on floating structures.
Open Access
Numerical study on the combustion and emissions characteristics of liquid ammonia spray ignited by dimethyl ether spray
(MDPI, 2024-12-31) Leng, Yupeng; Dai, Liming; Wang, Qian; Lu, Jiayu; Yu, Ouqing; Simms, Nigel John
Ammonia has attracted considerable attention as a zero-carbon fuel for decarbonizing energy-intensive industries. However, its low reactivity and narrow flammability limit efficient ignition and efficient combustion. By using CONVERGR software, this study numerically investigates the ignition and combustion characteristics of liquid ammonia spray ignited by dimethyl ether spray in a constant-volume chamber at an ambient temperature of 900 K. Critical parameters, including injection angles (90°–150°), liquid ammonia injection pressures (60–90 MPa), and ambient pressures (2.8–5.8 MPa), were systematically analyzed to evaluate their effects on ignition conditions and emissions. Results indicate that increasing the injection angle improves mixing between liquid ammonia and dimethyl ether sprays, enhancing combustion efficiency and achieving a maximum efficiency of 92.47% at 120°. Excessively large angles cause incomplete combustion or misfire. Higher liquid ammonia injection pressures improve atomization and promote earlier interactions between the sprays but reduce combustion efficiency, decreasing by approximately 2% as injection pressure increases from 60 MPa to 90 MPa. Higher ambient pressures improve combustion stability but decrease ammonia combustion efficiency. Post-combustion NO emissions at 5.8 MPa are reduced by 60.48% compared to 3.8 MPa. The formation of NO is strongly correlated with the combustion efficiency of liquid ammonia. A higher combustion rate of liquid ammonia tends to result in elevated NO. Based on these findings, an injection angle of 120°, an NH3 injection pressure of 75 MPa, and an ambient pressure of 3.8 MPa are recommended to optimize combustion efficiency.
Open Access
Operational and design factors in air staging and their effects on fouling from biomass combustion
(MDPI, 2024-10-03) Elsebaie, Akram; Zhu, Mingming; Al-Abdeli, Yasir M.
The global transition towards a carbon-neutral economy highlights the potential of biomass as a renewable fuel source. However, the sustainability of biomass energy systems is challenged by its complex fouling behaviours during combustion. This study investigates the impact of air staging on mitigating fouling in biomass combustion. By optimising the secondary-to-total air flowrate ratio (Qs/Qt) and the positioning of secondary air, this research investigates the impact of operational and design parameters on fouling deposits in biomass combustion. A fixed-bed combustor was used for the experiments, with hardwood pellets as fuel. This study employed TGA and SEM to analyse the fouling deposit samples’ chemical composition and morphology. First, visible inspection established that the inclination of fouling matter to accumulate on cooled deposition pipes is indeed sensitive to Qs/Qt. The results show that lower Qs/Qt ratios (<0.50) lead to heavier, stickier fouling. Peak temperatures in the fuel bed increase with higher Qs/Qt, enhancing the combustion efficiency and affecting the fouling characteristics. SEM analysis further shows that higher Qs/Qt ratios produce finer, more dispersed fouling particles, whereas lower ratios result in larger, more cohesive particles. These findings provide actionable insights for enhancing the sustainability of biomass energy systems and minimising their environmental impact.
Open Access
The path to net-zero in dairy production: are pronounced decreases in enteric methane achievable?
(Annual Reviews, 2024-11-15) Beauchemin, Karen A.; Kebreab, Ermias; Cain, Michelle; VandeHaar, Michael J.
Achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in dairy production will require >50% reduction in enteric methane (CH4) emissions together with elimination of emissions from feed production, additional carbon sequestration, reduction in manure emissions, anaerobic digestion of manure, and decreased reliance on fossil fuel energy. Over past decades, improved production efficiency has reduced GHG intensity of milk production (i.e., emissions per unit of milk) in the United States, but this trend will continue only if cows are bred for increased efficiency. Genetic selection of low-CH4-producing animals, diet reformulation, use of feed additives, and vaccination show tremendous potential for enteric CH4 mitigation; however, few mitigation strategies are currently available, and added cost without increased revenue is a major barrier to implementation. Complete elimination of CH4 emissions from dairying is likely not possible without negatively affecting milk production; thus, offsets and removals of other GHGs will be needed to achieve net-zero milk production.
Open Access
Preliminary assessment of a hydrogen farm including health and safety and capacity needs
(MDPI, 2024-12-02) Alssalehin, Esmaeil; Holborn, Paul; Pilidis, Pericles
The safety engineering design of hydrogen systems and infrastructure, worker education and training, regulatory compliance, and engagement with other stakeholders are significant to the viability and public acceptance of hydrogen farms. The only way to ensure these are accomplished is for the field of hydrogen safety engineering (HSE) to grow and mature. HSE is described as the application of engineering and scientific principles to protect the environment, property, and human life from the harmful effects of hydrogen-related mishaps and accidents. This paper describes a whole hydrogen farm that produces hydrogen from seawater by alkaline and proton exchange membrane electrolysers, then details how the hydrogen gas will be used: some will be stored for use in a combined-cycle gas turbine, some will be transferred to a liquefaction plant, and the rest will be exported. Moreover, this paper describes the design framework and overview for ensuring hydrogen safety through these processes (production, transport, storage, and utilisation), which include legal requirements for hydrogen safety, safety management systems, and equipment for hydrogen safety. Hydrogen farms are large-scale facilities used to create, store, and distribute hydrogen, which is usually produced by electrolysis using renewable energy sources like wind or solar power. Since hydrogen is a vital energy carrier for industries, transportation, and power generation, these farms are crucial in assisting the global shift to clean energy. A versatile fuel with zero emissions at the point of use, hydrogen is essential for reaching climate objectives and decarbonising industries that are difficult to electrify. Safety is essential in hydrogen farms because hydrogen is extremely flammable, odourless, invisible, and also has a small molecular size, meaning it is prone to leaks, which, if not handled appropriately, might cause fires or explosions. To ensure the safe and dependable functioning of hydrogen production and storage systems, stringent safety procedures are required to safeguard employees, infrastructure, and the surrounding environment from any mishaps.
Open Access
Psychological modeling for community energy systems
(Elsevier, 2025-06-01) Zhao, Alexis Pengfei; Alhazmi, Mohannad; Huo, Da; Li, Wanzi
This paper introduces a novel framework for community energy system (CES) optimization that integrates Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) with Distributionally Robust Optimization (DRO) to address both behavioral and technical challenges. The rapid integration of renewable energy resources and the proliferation of peer-to-peer (P2P) trading platforms necessitate solutions that balance economic efficiency, environmental sustainability, and user engagement under uncertainty. While existing studies focus predominantly on technical optimization, they often neglect the significant influence of behavioral dynamics on community energy systems. This research bridges the gap by explicitly incorporating peer influence, observational learning, and engagement incentives into a robust optimization framework. The proposed methodology models user behavior through SCT, enabling dynamic adjustments to trading patterns and energy-sharing decisions. A DRO model is employed to handle uncertainties in renewable energy generation and demand, ensuring system reliability and resilience. To enhance computational efficiency, a primal–dual algorithm is developed, offering faster convergence compared to traditional DRO methods. The framework is validated through a comprehensive case study on a 50-household microgrid equipped with solar, wind, and storage systems, alongside a P2P trading platform. Results demonstrate the framework's ability to reduce carbon emissions by up to 30%, improve renewable energy utilization to over 90%, and increase trading participation by 25%, compared to baseline scenarios. This study makes four key contributions: (1) introducing SCT-based behavioral modeling to enhance user engagement in CES operations, (2) leveraging DRO to address uncertainties in renewable energy and demand profiles, (3) proposing a primal–dual algorithm for scalable and efficient optimization, and (4) presenting a unified framework that balances economic, environmental, and social objectives. The findings highlight the transformative potential of integrating behavioral and technical approaches for sustainable and resilient community energy management.
Open Access
Recent advances in mechanical analysis and design of dynamic power cables for floating offshore wind turbines
(Elsevier, 2024-11-01) Cerik, Burak Can; Huang, Luofeng
This review paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the mechanical design and analysis of dynamic power cables for marine renewable energy applications, focusing on research from the last two decades. The review covers key aspects such as mechanical properties, failure mechanisms, fatigue analysis, experimental studies, local cable analysis, and global load analysis. The study aims to provide a concise summary of the state-of-the-art, identifying recent advancements and research gaps in the field. The methodology involves a systematic review of relevant literature, including journal articles, conference papers, and industry reports. The findings are synthesised to provide insights into the current understanding of power cable design and analysis, as well as to highlight areas requiring further research and development. The review is intended to serve as a valuable resource for researchers, engineers, and stakeholders in the marine renewable energy sector, contributing to the development of more reliable and cost-effective dynamic power cable solutions.
Open Access
Resilience to climate change by biocontrol yeasts against Ochratoxin A production in Robusta coffee
(MDPI, 2025-03-01) López-Rodríguez, Claudia; Verheecke-Vaessen, Carol; Strub, Caroline; Fontana, Angélique; Guehi, Tagro; Schorr-Galindo, Sabine; Medina, Angel
Aspergillus carbonarius is the main producer of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in coffee. In the last few years, there has been an increasing interest in using yeast isolates as Biocontrol Agents to prevent OTA production in coffee cherries during the primary postharvest processing. Little is known about how climate change abiotic conditions of increased temperature (+2–4 °C), elevated CO2 (existing levels of 400 vs. 1000 ppm), and increased drought stress will impact biocontrol resilience. This study examined the effect of a three-way interaction between temperature (27, 30, and 33 °C) x water activity (aw) (0.90 and 0.95 aw) x CO2 level (400 vs. 1000 ppm) on the growth and OTA production of A. carbonarius and the resilience of three yeast strains’ biocontrol capacity on fresh coffee cherries. High aw (0.95), CO2, and temperature levels increased the production of OTA by A. carbonarius. All the yeast biocontrol strains significantly reduced A. carbonarius growth by at least 20% and OTA production by up to 85%. From the three strains used, the Meyerozyma caribbica strain (Y4) showed the best resilience to climate change, since it reduced both growth (50%) and OTA production (70%) under future scenarios of CO2 and aw at all temperatures tested, and should be the one selected for pilot scale experiments in Ivory Coast.
Open Access
Spatial sensitivity of river flooding to changes in climate and land cover through explainable AI
(American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2024-05-01) Slater, Louise; Coxon, Gemma; Brunner, Manuela; McMillan, Hilary; Yu, Le; Zheng, Yanchen; Khouakhi, Abdou; Moulds, Simon; Berghuijs, Wouter
Explaining the spatially variable impacts of flood‐generating mechanisms is a longstanding challenge in hydrology, with increasing and decreasing temporal flood trends often found in close regional proximity. Here, we develop a machine learning‐informed approach to unravel the drivers of seasonal flood magnitude and explain the spatial variability of their effects in a temperate climate. We employ 11 observed meteorological and land cover (LC) time series variables alongside 8 static catchment attributes to model flood magnitude in 1,268 catchments across Great Britain over four decades. We then perform a sensitivity analysis to assess how a 10% increase in precipitation, a 1°C rise in air temperature, or a 10 percentage point increase in urban or forest LC may affect flood magnitude in catchments with varying characteristics. Our simulations show that increasing precipitation and urbanization both tend to amplify flood magnitude significantly more in catchments with high baseflow contribution and low runoff ratio, which tend to have lower values of specific discharge on average. In contrast, rising air temperature (in the absence of changing precipitation) decreases flood magnitudes, with the largest effects in dry catchments with low baseflow index. Afforestation also tends to decrease floods more in catchments with low groundwater contribution, and in dry catchments in the summer. Our approach may be used to further disentangle the joint effects of multiple flood drivers in individual catchments.