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ABSTRACTThe concept of “blue carbon” is, in this study, critically evaluated with respect to its definitions, measuring approaches, and time scales. Blue carbon deposited in ocean sediments can only counteract anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if stored on a long‐term basis. The focus here is on the coastal blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs), mangrove forests, saltmarshes, and seagrass meadows due to their high primary production and large carbon stocks. Blue carbon sequestration in BCEs is typically estimated using either: 1. sediment carbon inventories combined with accretion rates or 2. carbon mass balance between input to and output from the sediment. The inventory approach is compromised by a lack of accurate accretion estimates over extended time periods. Hence, short‐term sedimentation assays cannot be reliably extrapolated to long timescales. The use of long‐term tracers like 210Pb, on the other hand, is invalid in most BCEs due to sediment mobility by bioturbation and other physical disturbances. While the mass balance approach provides reasonable short‐term (months) estimates, it often fails when extrapolated over longer time periods (> 100 years) due to climatic variations. Furthermore, many published budgets based on mass balance do not include all relevant carbon sources and sinks. Simulations of long‐term decomposition of mangrove, saltmarsh (Spartina sp.), and eelgrass (Zostera sp.) litter using a 3‐G exponential model indicate that current estimates of carbon sequestration based on the inventory and mass balance approaches are 3–18 times too high. Most published estimates of carbon sequestration in BCEs must therefore be considered overestimates. The climate mitigation potential of blue carbon in BCEs is also challenged by excess emissions of the GHG methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from biogenic structures in mangrove forests and saltmarsh sediments. Thus, in many cases, carbon sequestration into BCE sediments cannot keep pace with the simultaneous GHG emissions in CO2 equivalents.

The high expansion rate of renewable generation in the last years was mainly driven by the green transition and the net zero emission targets for 2050. Concerns on the volatility of wind and solar energy, can be mitigated by combining these renewable energy sources with energy storage and operating them coordinately, creating hybrid power plants. Price of batteries has also dropped significantly reaching US$139/kWh in 2023 (battery pack price) and it is expected that by the end of this decade the price will fall below US$100/kWh. Thus, more developers and owners of large renewable plants are looking into their hybridization for both off-grid and grid-connected configurations. The advantages for such a hybrid renewable power plant include complementarity of energy production, better utilization of grid connection while reducing the connection costs, firm capacity of energy production, increase of revenue streams by providing ancillary services, etc. However, the control of a wide range of technologies i.e. wind turbines, solar PV and batteries, from different suppliers poses challenges during their integration into a hybrid power plant.This paper aims to provide an overview of the most common configurations of co-located hybrid power plants including their control architectures. The advantages and challenges for each configuration are discussed in detail from the perspective of OEMs and system integrators.The work presented is part of the ongoing activities in the IEA Wind TCP Task 50 on Hybrid Power Plants that aims to provide a systematic framework and guidelines in this area.

The increase of energy in the climate system caused by anthropogenic climate change is expected to disrupt predictable weather patterns and result in greater temperature extremes.1,2 As a result of these climate shifts, El-Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which drives predictable periods of hot/dry and cool/wet across the Pacific, is expected to increase in variability and magnitude.3 These changes will significantly impact ectotherms, whose performance across a range of behaviors is dependent on local environmental temperatures.4 As such, we must understand the way individuals experience climate conditions and how changes in their body temperature (Tb), whether through climate or modification of their thermoregulatory mechanisms,5 affect their performance. Laboratory studies have shown that estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) diving and swimming performance is reduced above 32°C-33°C,6,7,8 temperatures commonly exceeded across their natural range. By monitoring Tb and diving activity in 203 free-ranging estuarine crocodiles over 15 years, we show that the Tb of crocodiles has increased alongside rising air temperatures since 2008, reflecting the climatic shifts caused by the ENSO cycle. As ambient temperatures rose, crocodiles experienced more days close to critical thermal limits (32°C-33°C), at which temperatures the duration of dives was reduced and the prevalence of active cooling behavior was elevated. This study demonstrates that crocodiles are susceptible to multi-year fluctuations in ambient temperature, which requires them to undertake concomitant changes in behavior. They are already close to their physiological thermal limit, but the impact of future predicted rises in temperature remains unknown.

Abstract This paper investigates the forced convection of alumina-water nanofluids within helical tubes, maintaining a constant wall temperature and assuming thermal equilibrium between the nanoparticles and the base fluid. The nanofluid model incorporates the effects of alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticle volume fraction, diameter, and temperature on thermophysical properties. The governing equations are solved using the Forward-Time Central-Space Finite Volume method in conjunction with the simple algorithm. Numerical results are validated against experimental data, demonstrating high accuracy. The study explores the effects of pitch size, curvature ratio, nanoparticle volume fraction, nanoparticle diameter, and Reynolds number on velocity contours, temperature profiles, secondary flow, thermophysical properties, friction coefficient, and heat transfer rate. Additionally, the figure of merit evaluates the impact of these parameters on the thermal performance of the system. The results indicate that an increase in Reynolds number and nanoparticle diameter negatively affects thermal performance, while higher nanoparticle volume fraction, curvature ratio, and pitch size enhance it. Furthermore, incorporating nanoparticles in straight tubes proves to be more advantageous compared to helical tubes. This study tested volumetric ratios of 1%, 2%, and 4%, which resulted in increases in heat transfer coefficients of 21%, 32%, and 43%, respectively, compared to pure water under similar conditions, such as Reynolds number and coil pitch.

We developed an innovative high-temperature shock (HTS) technique to synthesize uniformly coated materials, resulting in enhanced surface structures, improved cycling stability, and pouch cells retaining over 70% capacity after 700 cycles.

PurposeThis study aims to deepen the understanding of what stakeholders talk about when it comes to sustainable fashion on social media and how. Sustainable fashion is a broad umbrella term, which can distract attention from the differences between the individual subtopics and the sentiments ascribed to them. However, little systematic research exists on how the stakeholder activity and dominant sentiments vary across different sustainable fashion topics.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on a social media analysis of 19,179 tweets authored by 1,819 distinct stakeholders on Twitter (now “X”) from 2007 to 2022. A large language model, a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that focuses on understanding and generating human language, is used to conduct a sentiment analysis of six stakeholder groups and 81 keywords linked to sustainable fashion. Two case examples are used to highlight the differences in stakeholder perceptions of sustainable fashion.FindingsThe social media analysis demonstrates how subcategories of sustainable fashion significantly differ in terms of stakeholder interest, activity and sentiments. For instance, tweets on circular economy and relevant subcategories (closed loop, recycling, upcycling, etc.) are popular, whereas issues linked to environmental, social and governance (ESG) and due diligence receive little attention on social media. While sentiments toward sustainable fashion are in general positive, discussions on topics such as labor rights issues are consistently associated with negative sentiments across most stakeholder groups.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by demonstrating how stakeholders and sentiments vary across different topics linked to sustainable fashion on social media, which has become one of the main channels for communicating sustainability content. The findings thereby shed new light on dominant stakeholder positions regarding a wide variety of sustainable fashion topics.