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Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Reducing CO2 in Passivhaus-Adapted Affordable Tropical Homes
On average, houses including those in the tropics are responsible for almost 39% of the global carbon emission caused by non-renewables, first and foremost by fuel. Looking at the worldwide map of residential buildings’ contribution compared with commercial, the worldwide national maximum of 33.5% CO2 of housing is caused by residential buildings in Uzbekistan. In an overwhelming number of most countries, their values are significantly lower, due to comparably lower energy demand than commercial buildings and because affordable homes increasingly use small PV to cater for their own basic needs. However, with the rising temperature and a likewise growing imperative to cool homes from about 30 °C onwards basically by split-unit air conditioners, the residential houses’ portion of CO2-emission might dramatically increase to survive such more common hot periods in the future. In combination with air conditioners needing some airtightness, the first purpose of this entry is to show that by 2050 in tropical regions, there will be no alternative to relatively airtight houses if the temperatures rise at the present speed. This is one alternative to an uncontrollable and life-threatening migration of millions of people to cooler but still livable regions in 2050. To trigger necessary changes toward homes that can better avert the heat, using the method of qualitative comparative content analysis, passive houses (PH) have emerged as adaptations to the tropical climate. Therefore, the second purpose of this in-depth study with the perspective of social science, is to reveal a comparative closer qualitative look at the tropicalized PH-approach. It is probably the most civilized building energy-saving strategy on the planet and can systematically keep the threatening increasing heat outside. However, before utilizing the concept, herein need to investigate why PH-technology as a whole concept with all its modules discussed earlier has been very slow to “go South” into the tropical region (the original PH will be referred to as “PH1”). The reason is that some qualitative differences of the more affordable and more simplistic tropicalized “PH2” make it easier and more realistic to penetrate the market, without letting go meaningful R&D-insights of PH1. As a probably facilitating future solution, the result is the triple-tabled option to utilise more synergies between the usually closed PH1 and the more open and flexibly naturally ventilated PH2. Unlike the PH-platform, ZEMCH is a related concept which tries to cater specifically to the significantly growing market for lower-income homes to go for carbonless energy. The conclusion is that scaling for residential buildings as mass products using passive house technology in combination with ZEMCH could turn out to become an important topic. It comprises the question in how far low or no carbon affordable homes based on the PH-concept in combination with ZEMCH-applications also may come into play as standard and to help mother Earth’s struggle for survival.
  • 3.6K
  • 03 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Environmental Impact of Waste Wood Ash
Waste wood ash (WWA) is used with other waste materials in geopolymer production and is found in pulp and paper, wood-burning industrial facilities, and wood-fired plants. 
  • 3.4K
  • 15 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Energy Crops
Energy crops are dedicated cultures directed for biofuels, electricity, and heat production. Due to their tolerance to contaminated lands, they can alleviate and remediate land pollution by the disposal of toxic elements and polymetallic agents. Moreover, these crops are suitable to be exploited in marginal soils (e.g., saline), and, therefore, the risk of land-use conflicts due to competition for food, feed, and fuel is reduced, contributing positively to economic growth, and bringing additional revenue to landowners.
  • 3.4K
  • 29 Jun 2022
Topic Review
End-of-Life Vehicle Management Systems in Southeast Aisa
End-of-life vehicle (ELV) management is becoming increasingly important as the automotive industry is one of the world’s most critical sectors and is rapidly expanding. ELV management is essential for environmental protection and wellbeing under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, provides more jobs under SDG 8, and promotes a circular economy under SDG 11. All these factors contribute to the importance of ELV management as a research topic. ELV management is well-positioned and an emerging research area particularly on ELV recycling systems in Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China. Immature ELV management systems in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are the reason that no specific ELV laws and regulations exist, as well as why there are no precise ELV statistics. Nevertheless, there have been growing concerns about ELV management, as evidenced by environmental regulations and programs aimed at better management of ELV recycling in these countries.
  • 3.3K
  • 21 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Motorcycle Market
In many cities, urbanization has led to a rapid increase in the demand for mobility. Most of this new demand has been satisfied by the individual private transport industry, within which motorcycles have an important share: around 30% of the vehicles in the world are motorcycles. Thus, the motorcycle market has experienced an upward trend, especially in developing countries. That uncontrolled growth brings along mobility, accidents, and environment-related issues that concern policy-makers. Research trends regarding this matter evidence that greenhouse gas emissions, sustainability, environmental impact, and developing countries are the topics of greater interest for researchers. In addition, taking into account the needs of modern cities, sustainable modes of transport such as electric and shared mobility are compulsory as a priority on governments' agendas. 
  • 3.3K
  • 26 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Green Supply Chain Management
Green or sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) involves integrating environmental and economic objectives into the management of the operation strategy of the supply chain. Such integration helps reduce the carbon footprint while increasing financial return and profitability. A wider concept is SSCM, which aims to maximize profitability and, at the same time, reduce the environmental impact and improve the social well-being of the various involved stakeholders.
  • 3.3K
  • 30 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Closed Ecological Life Support Systems
Closed ecological life support systems (CELSS) requires agricultural production for food, CO2removal, O2generation (human respiratory quotient ofCO2/[O2= 0.84–0.87 depending on the percentage formation of carbohydrate, fat and protein in the food consumed) and water recycling with bioreactors for recycling waste. Plants consume CO2and H2O for photosynthesis under the action of sufficient PAR to produce carbohydrate food, regenerate oxygen and filter water through evapotranspiration. There have been several bioregenerative life support system programmes including Biosphere 2 (US), CELSS (NASA), Bios-3 (Roscosmos) and its predecessors and MELiSSA (ESA).
  • 3.3K
  • 13 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Sunflower Seeds, Oil and Oilcake
Ample amounts of by-products are generated from the oil industry. Among them, sunflower oilcakes have the potential to be used for human consumption, thus achieving the concept of sustainability and circular economy. Sunflower oil contains principally oleic (19.81%) and linoleic (64.35%) acids, which cannot be synthetized by humans and need to be assimilated through a diet. Sunflower seeds are very nutritive (33.85% proteins and 65.42% lipids and 18 mineral elements). Due to the rich content of lipids, they are principally used as a source of vegetable oil. Compared to seeds, sunflower oilcakes are richer in fibers (31.88% and 12.64% for samples in form of pellets and cake, respectively) and proteins (20.15% and 21.60%), with a balanced amino acids profile. The remaining oil (15.77% and 14.16%) is abundant in unsaturated fatty acids (95.59% and 92.12%). The comparison between the three products showed the presence of valuable components that makes them suitable for healthy diets with an adequate intake of nutrients and other bioactive compounds with benefic effects.
  • 3.2K
  • 07 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Seawater Electrolysis
Hydrogen energy, as a clean and renewable energy, has attracted much attention in recent years. Water electrolysis via the hydrogen evolution reaction at the cathode coupled with the oxygen evolution reaction at the anode is a promising method to produce hydrogen. Given the shortage of freshwater resources on the planet, the direct use of seawater as an electrolyte for hydrogen production has become a hot research topic. Direct use of seawater as the electrolyte for water electrolysis can reduce the cost of hydrogen production due to the great abundance and wide availability. Various high-efficiency electrocatalysts have made great progress in seawater splitting and have shown great potential.
  • 3.2K
  • 07 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Microalgae-Based Biorefineries: Challenges and Future Trends
Microalgae-based biorefineries allow the simultaneous production of microalgae biomass enriched in a particular macromolecule and high-added and low-value products if a proper selection of the microalgae species and the cultivation conditions are adequate for the purpose. 
  • 3.2K
  • 30 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Microplastics
The high PET production volume and the waste mismanagement of PET litter make it one of the most polluting plastic material. Its diffusion in marine litter is widely assessed according to public opinion and documented in the literature. The major sources of PET microplastics in the marine environment are bottles and fibers. The role of PET micro/nanoplastics of vector of toxic chemicals, their fate and the negative effects on the environment and human health is still under discussion.
  • 3.2K
  • 27 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Nitrogen Turbine Engine
An ever-increasing demand for electrical power and soaring levels of energy consumption around the world have led to an energy crisis. Thus, this entry focuses on the conventional technologies against those of newer developments in electrical power generation such as using nitrogen generators. The nitrogen generator method is most appealing as it is a seemingly free energy already existing in nature. A nitrogen generator with a 5000 (Nm3/h) capacity has the potential to be used to analyze gas composition and the results are compared with the gas composition of a conventional steam turbine, which is used to pressurize 6000 (kWh) injection steam turbines. The magnetic bearing must be installed in both systems to modify all centrifuged systems which reduces all energy consumption in all systems by more than 50%. Artificial intelligence is used with the machine to analyze and control nitrogen gas flow to provide a more precise evaluation resulting in a more efficient technology. It should further be noted that the nitrogen turbine is superior to the steam turbine because it does not require the burning of fossil fuel to generate power. Hence, it is crucial to modify conventional technologies to improve energy sustainability and begin the long task of tackling environmental issues.
  • 3.2K
  • 12 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Education on Renewable Energy in Secondary Schools
Education is key to advancing a society that can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One SDG is shifting energy consumption from fossil fuels to renewable energy (RE) sources to reduce environmental damage and prevent global warming. Awareness must be instilled among citizens at an early age (as early as secondary school) to motivate students to pursue higher education and careers in RE concepts and technologies.
  • 3.1K
  • 25 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Chelating Agents in Soil Remediation
The Fenton process is an efficient treatment for removing many organics pollutants in aqueous systems at acidic pH (2.8-3.5). However, the in-situ application of this technology for soil remediation (where pHs around neutrality are required) presents important limitations, such as catalyst (iron) availability and oxidant (H2O2) stability. The addition of chelating agents (CAs) makes iron soluble at circumneutral pH by forming complexes with Fe, and thus, enabling Fenton reactions under these conditions. This strategy, called chelate-modified Fenton process (MF), can be employed to overcome the challenges identified in conventional Fenton.
  • 3.0K
  • 09 Aug 2021
Topic Review
ZnO and TiO2 Green Synthesis
Over the last two decades, oxide nanostructures have been continuously evaluated and used in many technological applications. The advancement of the controlled synthesis approach to design desired morphology is a fundamental key to the discipline of material science and nanotechnology. These nanostructures can be prepared via different physical and chemical methods; however, a green synthesis approach is a promising way to produce these nanostructures with desired properties with time and energy savings and/or less use of hazardous chemicals. In this regard, ZnO and TiO2 nanostructures are prominent candidates for various applications given their thermal stability, non-toxicity and cost-effective. 
  • 3.0K
  • 06 May 2021
Topic Review
Green Taxes in Africa
Environmental or green taxation has been increasingly seen as a productive economic instrument to generate incentives to stimulate more environmentally friendly consumption and production choices and trends. Growing attention to environmental challenges such as the lack of optimum, effective, and responsible usage of natural resources, health concerns from the use of some energy resources, environmental degradation, and climate change have driven the implementation of green taxes. These taxes have been used by various countries, regions and continents on variegated areas and driven by an array of motives. The African continent has also put in place environmental taxes as evidenced in various countries.
  • 3.0K
  • 28 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Green and Blue Infrastructure
Green and blue infrastructure (GBI) is defined as a network of landscape components, which include green areas and water bodies. Such an infrastructure, available within an urban space, provides diverse environmental, economic, and social benefits to people and other living organisms.
  • 2.9K
  • 20 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Microalgae Cultivation Techniques and Growth Conditions
Microalgae, constituting a wide range of photosynthetic organisms, span from fundamental blue-green algae (cyanobacteria/prokaryotes) to complex seaweeds, rendering them one of the most diverse groups in the biological kingdom.
  • 2.9K
  • 12 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Rice Industry Value Chain and by-products valorization
The quantity of organic waste generated by agricultural sectors is continually increasing due to population growth and rising food demand. Rice is the primary consumable food in Asia. However, many stakeholders follow a linear economic model such as the “take–make–waste” concept. This linear model leads to a substantial environmental burden and the destruction of valuable resources without gaining their actual value. Because these by-products can be converted into energy generating and storage materials, and into bio-based products by cascading transformation processes within the circular economy concept, waste should be considered a central material.
  • 2.9K
  • 18 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Fintech and Sustainability
Current concerns about environmental issues have led to many new trends in technology and financial management. Within this context of digital transformation and sustainable finance, Fintech has emerged as an alternative to traditional financial institutions. This paper, through a literature review and case study approach, analyzes the relationship between Fintech and sustainability, and the different areas of collaboration between Fintech and sustainable finance, from both a theoretical and descriptive perspective, while giving specific examples of current technological platforms. Additionally, in this paper, two Fintech initiatives (Clarity AI and Pensumo) are described, as well as several proposals to improve the detection of greenwashing and other deceptive behavior by firms. The results lead to the conclusion that sustainable finance and Fintech have many aspects in common, and that Fintech can make financial businesses more sustainable overall by promoting green finance. Furthermore, this paper highlights the importance of European and global regulation, mainly from the perspective of consumer protection. 
  • 2.8K
  • 14 Jul 2021
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