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Over the past decade, there has been a constant spotlight on introducing sustainability in the supply chain (SC). The materialistic human greed for production and consumption has led to a radically increased level of greenhouse gases. SC has become its principal contributor. We are addressing this socio-economic environmental challenge by developing a multi-stakeholder framework and focusing on a knowledge-based net zero supply chain, as there are no concrete existing studies that have investigated current state-of-the-art operations in this relevant field. Therefore, this research has been conducted to investigate the drivers, barriers and practices through which net zero economy (NZE) can be attained in a knowledge-based SC. In this regard, the paper conducts an exploratory systematic review of selected articles from peer-reviewed journals. The findings indicate that primary stakeholders (i.e. organisations and suppliers) require to take an active role in bringing about sustainable changes in practice. However, external perspectives (i.e. government, society, consumers and community) have also been identified as sources that create challenges as well as have the potential to aid sustainable industrial practices. Additionally, progress can be enhanced through proper policies, regulations and a knowledge-based conceptual framework to pave the way for a sustainable environment. Proper practices for NZE also provide scope for economic growth through cost-effective production. This paper will be beneficial for practitioners as well as policy makers on a global scale who aim to attain NZE for sustainability.

Abstract A major fraction of the rural population of India still burns biomass for domestic cooking and heating. Biomass materials such as wood, dung cakes and crop residues are burnt to produce energy for cooking. These are major sources of aerosol and gaseous pollutants in the atmosphere. Indoor measurements of gaseous species and chemical characteristics of aerosols contributed by burning biomass in traditional cooking stoves (TCS) vs. improved cooking stoves (ICS) are reported in this paper. Samples were collected from a village called Khairatpur, located in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh state. The concentrations of aerosol components and gases in the indoor air during the operation of ICS were found to be lower as compared to TCS. On an average, total concentrations of major ions were lower by 32% during ICS operation. The most significant difference was observed for SO 4 2 − aerosols (lower by 47%). Among SO x , NO x and NH 3 gases, SO x showed maximum reduction (lower by 55%). Estimates of consumption of different types of biomasses showed that 621 t biomass is burnt annually by the villagers during cooking with TCS as compared to 365 t during ICS cooking. A social survey in the form of a questionnaire revealed that most of the women in the village of this study found ICS better than the TCS in terms of handling, reduced emissions, easier cooking and time & fuel efficiency.

Abstract The present study demonstrates the integration between carbon dioxide [CO2 (g)] fixation process with the wastewater treatment and simultaneous production of value added products utilizing Halomonas stevensii (H. stevensii). Laboratory scale experiments were conducted in a bio-reactor (semi-continuous mode) for 6 days to evaluate the potential of H. stevensii towards biofixation of CO2 (g) [10% (v/v)] in deionized water with 100 mM thiosulphate, domestic wastewater with 100 mM thiosulphate and domestic wastewater. H. stevensii grown on domestic wastewater showed maximum biomass yield, maximum specific growth rate and biomass productivity of 5.31 g L−1, 1.19 d−1 and 3.24 g L−1 d−1, respectively which are comparable with the results obtained from two other culture medias. The possibility for the simultaneous removal of various nutrients and pollutant such as NO3–, NH4+, PO43-, COD and SO42– were also carried out. FTIR and GC-MS analysis of leachate confirmed the presence of fatty alcohols and long chain hydrocarbons in all the three culture medias. The GC-MS analysis of cell lysate and supernatant in all the three culture conditions is dominated by the presence of hydrocarbons and fatty alcohols. Techno-economic analysis of the present system was carried out by estimating the total operating cost per batch and per kg of biomass produced. The assessment indicated the feasibility for the use of domestic wastewater as culture media as a replacement of deionized water with thiosulphate ions.

Abstract Based on the periodic solution of the heat conduction equation, an analysis has been developed to study the thermal performance of a simple domestic solar water-heating system consisting of a thermal-trap solar-energy collector, connected to a water tank. To study the effects of typical parameters such as the thickness of the trap material and the presence/absence of the glass cover on the thermal performance, numerical calculations have been performed to correspond to the daily variations of the ambient temperature and solar intensity on a typical cold winter day in New Delhi.

With the increase in the world's population, demand for food and other products is continuously rising. This has put a lot of pressure on the agricultural sector. To fulfill these demands, the utilization of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has also increased. Consequently, to overcome the adverse effects of agrochemicals on our environment and health, there has been a shift towards organic fertilizers or other substitutes, which are ecofriendly and help to maintain a sustainable environment. Microalgae have a very high potential of carbon dioxide (CO2) capturing and thus, help in mitigating the greenhouse effect. It is the most productive biological system for generating biomass. The high growth rate and higher photosynthetic efficiency of the algal species compared to the terrestrial plants make them a wonderful alternative towards a sustainable environment. Moreover, they could be cultivated in photobioreactors or open ponds, which in turn reduce the demand for arable land. Biochar derived from algae is high in nutrients and exhibits the property of ion exchange. Therefore, it can be utilized for sustainable agriculture by partial substituting the chemical fertilizers that degrade the fertility of the soil in the long run. This review provides a detailed insight on the properties of algal biochar as a potential fertilizer for sustainable agriculture. Application of algal biochar in bio-refinery and its economic aspects, challenges faced and future perspective are also discusses in this study.

In the present study, a pilot-scale reactor incorporating polyvinyl alcohol gel beads as biomass carrier and operating in biological activated sludge mode (a combination of moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and activated sludge) was investigated for the treatment of actual municipal wastewater. The results, during a monitoring period of 4 months, showed effective removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and NH3-N at optimum conditions with 91%, ∼92% and ∼90% removal efficiencies, respectively. Sludge volume index (SVI) values of activated sludge varied in the range of 25–72 mL/g, indicating appreciable settling characteristics. Furthermore, soluble COD and BOD in the effluent of the pilot plant were reduced to levels well below discharge limits of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, India. A culture dependent method was used to enrich and isolate abundant heterotrophic bacteria in activated sludge. In addition to this, 16S rRNA genes analysis was performed to identify diverse dominant bacterial species in suspended and attached biomass. Results revealed that Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp. and Nitrosomonas communis played a significant role in biomass carrier, while Acinetobactor sp. were dominant in activated sludge of the pilot plant. Identification of ciliated protozoa populations rendered six species of ciliates in the plant, among which Vorticella was the most dominant.

Energy is essential for industrial production. Because of the past abundance of low-cost energy, historically, the rate of social progress among industrial societies has not been limited by energy availability. Energy cost has not been significant when compared with no energy use. Mechanisation of agriculture, increased use of electrical appliances in the domestic sector and rapid industrialisation to meet the demand of exponentially growing population have resulted in an energy crisis. The raised fossil fuel prices and the environmental factors playing the dominant role in implementation of large scale projects, such as hydro, thermal and nuclear, have aggravated the problem further. In this context, an integrated energy plan for a country seems essential for ecologically sound development of a region. An integrated plan includes strategies to: • improve the efficiencies of end use devices and/or conversion equipment in all sectors; • optimise energy sources (end use matching); • maximise the use of renewable resources; • balance the exploitation of biomass energy resources; and • discourage the use of depletable resources. Conservation through improvement of the efficiencies of end use devices is one of the most effective ways to provide immediate relief for the energy problem. This helps to maintain economic growth and social progress of a region. Environmental problems, resource depletion and growing demand of energy in the state/region make it increasingly imperative that we use energy as efficiently as possible, and planners should take note of this untapped resource. The potential for improved energy efficiency is great, and a substantial part of that potential could be realised in the course of events. The industrial sector constitutes a major consumer of commercial energy. Improvement of energy efficiency in the industrial sector would result in a slower rate of energy growth. A secure energy supply is the major concern of most industrialists. It is, thus, necessary to examine industrial energy use and the economy. The analyses of consumption patterns and the assessment of feasible energy conservation possibilities show that the potential for energy conservation in the industrial sector and in all sectors is substantial. The barriers identified to tap this potential are a lack of information on specific measures and options for achieving energy conservation, lack of capital for schemes involving technology upgrading and efficiency improvements, pricing policies which deviate from rational tariffs and the inadequacy of institutional arrangements for promoting energy conservation in different sectors of the economy. In this regard, research should be sponsored to develop system designs, cost and pricing policies, problems related to system interconnection with public utilities and an assessment of potential energy savings, and research into methods of matching energy resources to work requirements, rather than vice versa, for improved efficiency. It is essential for the planning machinery to foster the integrated approach in energy planning of a region. This paper discusses an attempt made by us to illustrate the industrial energy scene in Karnataka and reveals the possibilities of energy conservation. Analysis of the energy consumption data of Karnataka and India shows that the per capita consumption of energy is low (compared with 56 countries in the world), while for the industrial sector, energy per state domestic product (SDP comparable to GDP) is at least 10–20 times higher than that of industrialised countries. This implies inefficiency in energy utilisation. Detailed investigation of the industrial sector through analysis of the Specific Energy Consumption (SEC)—industry wise and yearly for a seven-year period—reveals that about 27.72% of energy could be saved in the industrial sector. This, when quantified, accounts for savings of 1541 million kWh per year in Karnataka, which is equivalent to the power output of 300 MW (Mega Watts) electric power generating station (hydro/thermal).

Cooperation of large developing countries such as India would be important in achieving a low carbon future, which can help in restricting the global temperature rise to 2 °C. Global modeling studies of such low carbon scenarios point to a prominent role for renewable energy. This paper reports scenarios for a low carbon future in India. An integrated modeling framework is used for assessing the alternate development pathways having equal cumulative CO2 emissions. The modeling period ranges from 2005 to 2050. The first pathway assumes a conventional development pattern together with a carbon price that aligns India’s emissions to an optimal 450 ppmv CO2-eq. stabilization global response. The second emissions pathway assumes an underlying sustainable development pattern. A low carbon future will be good for renewable energy under both the development pathways, though the share of renewable energy will be higher under a sustainable pathway. Renewable energy faces competition from low carbon technologies like nuclear and carbon capture and storage in the electricity sector. Solar, wind, biomass, and biofuels emerge as the four competitive renewable energy choices for India. Renewable development however depends critically on the reduction in the costs and in the ability to integrate the intermittent renewables within the existing systems for which technology transfer and capacity building hold the key.

Abstract This study simulated the effect of time on bioenergy production from dairy manure and associated variation in energy demand and GHG emission in Ohio and Hawaii. Increasing the residence-time (RT) decreases the bioenergy-production in a nonlinear-fashion, for both the states (Ohio and Hawaii). Using the main scenario in Hawaii, the highest bioenergy production for 30 days RT was 11.2 × 104 GJ. Life-cycle-assessment of produced bioenergy showed that energy requirement and GHG emission of the produced-bioenergy (GJ) varied from 0.65 to 0.67 and 28–35 kg CO2/GJ bioenergy respectively. Year-round bioenergy production through main scenario was more advantageous with respect to bioenergy production and GHG emission. Decreasing nitrogen concentration for algal biomass production increased the bioenergy production significantly with a reduced energy demand and marginally increased GHG emission. Hence, the LCA model predicted that running a biorefinery for short residence time, and using diluted waste, could provide bioenergy with reduced energy requirement and GHG-emission.