• Energy Research
• 2021-2025close
• PT close
• Universidade Nova de Lisboa close

Abstract The lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is an attractive, sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil sources to produce biofuel, biomaterials, and biochemicals. However, its recalcitrant and heterogenous structure challenges its biodegradation and valorization. The gut microbiome of soil invertebrate species has emerged as a rich source of LCB-degrading bacteria and enzymes in terrestrial ecosystems. The primary objective of this investigation was to identify the bacterial communities within the Porcellio dilatatus gut (Crustacea: Isopods), to obtain enriched cultures, and to identify bacterial isolates with LCB-degrading activity. A total of 112 enriched cultures were screened, all exhibiting xylanolytic activity. Among them, 94 displayed cellulolytic activity, 30 showed chitinolytic activity, and 21 demonstrated ligninolytic activity. Four enriched cultures were selected, and 128 bacteria with cellulolytic, xylanolytic, chitinolytic, or ligninolytic activity were isolated and taxonomically classified. The obtained results reinforce the potential of bacterial communities within the digestive tract of soil invertebrates as a valuable source of lignocellulose-degrading microorganisms. Thirty-one isolates underwent in-depth enzymatic characterization, and five were selected and functionally evaluated. An artificial bacterial consortium was constructed to assess the potential benefits of using consortia to achieve enhanced LCB degradation. The positive results of this proof-of-concept artificial consortium (PdG-AC) can be used in future applications and is a valuable tool for enzymatic and microbial consortia engineering by, e.g., changing growth conditions for enhanced LCB-degrading abilities. Key points • The gut microbiome of Porcellio dilatatus was characterized. • Porcellio dilatatus gut hosts many lignocellulose-degrading bacteria. • Developed an artificial bacterial consortium for lignocellulose degradation.

The Italian coffee market is a dynamic landscape influenced by consumer preferences and strong cultural traditions. Despite the deep-rooted traditionality, the perceptions and decision-making processes of Italian coffee consumers have evolved significantly over time due to various factors. This marketing research aims to investigate these changes, with a specific focus on how evolving consumer behaviors and social trends, particularly the increasing emphasis on sustainability, shape the preferences and purchasing behavior of Italian consumers across different generations. To achieve this, the study utilized several methodologies, including expert interviews, perceptual mapping, and conjoint analysis. The key findings highlight a growing interest in sustainability and notable differences between age groups.

Aside from the industry-standard Gaussian intensity profile, top hat and non-conventional laser beam shapes, such as doughnut-shaped profile, are ever more required. The top hat laser beam profile is well-known for uniformly irradiating the target material, significantly reducing the heat-affected zones, typical of Gaussian laser irradiation, whereas the doughnut-shaped laser beam has attracted much interest for its use in trapping particles at the nanoscale and improving mechanical performance during laser-based 3D metal printing. Solar-pumped lasers can be a cost-effective and more sustainable alternative to accomplish these useful laser beam distributions. The sunlight was collected and concentrated by six primary Fresnel lenses, six folding mirror collectors, further compressed with six secondary fused silica concentrators, and symmetrically distributed by six twisted light guides around a 5.5 mm diameter, 35 mm length Nd:YAG rod inside a cylindrical cavity. A top hat laser beam profile (Mx2 = 1.25, My2 = 1.00) was computed through both ZEMAX® and LASCAD® analysis, with 9.4 W/m2 TEM00 mode laser power collection and 0.99% solar-to-TEM00 mode power conversion efficiencies. By using a 5.8 mm laser rod diameter, a doughnut-shaped solar laser beam profile (Mx2 = 1.90, My2 = 1.00) was observed. The 9.8 W/m2 TEM00 mode laser power collection and 1.03% solar-to-TEM00 mode power conversion efficiencies were also attained, corresponding to an increase of 2.2 and 1.9 times, respectively, compared to the state-of-the-art experimental records. As far as we know, the first numerical simulation of doughnut-shaped and top hat solar laser beam profiles is reported here, significantly contributing to the understanding of the formation of such beam profiles.

This thesis investigates the adoption of low-carbon strategies by European oil and gas companies, integrating a path dependency perspective. Adopting this view is motivated by the interest of identifying factors that drive and delay transformation processes. Referencing annual reports, academic publications and analyst reports, numerous drivers and barriers could be identified, highlighting decisive internal and external influences on the adoption of decarbonization strategies. The findings reveal persistent lock-in effects hindering the shift from traditional fossil fuel business models. The study concludes with a few strategic recommendations, emphasizing the enormous challenge of steering major GHG emitters toward low-carbon practices.

This project studies Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a strategic instrument for enhancing sustainability practices within top global companies. In a time characterised by rapid technological progress and growing environmental concerns, the convergence of sustainability and innovation has become imperative. Employing a qualitative Gioia methodology of data from 50 top sustainable companies in 2023 according to Corporate Knights, the research traces the implementation of AI across Planet, People and Profit dimensions. This study contributes to the discourse on the dynamic role of leveraging AI to enhance companies’ sustainable efforts. Keywords: Sustainability; Sustainable Innovation; Artificial Intelligence; Qualitative

This work project examines the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the hospitality sector, focusing on enhancing sustainable practices, innovating efficient practices for hosts, and leveraging chatbots to improve guest experiences. Through a comprehensive review of current literature and advanced applications, it explores how AI technologies can optimize operations, personalize services, and promote sustainability. The study highlights the integration of AI with existing business processes to maximize benefits and addresses the ethical implications of automated systems. This research underscores AI's potential to revolutionize the hospitality industry, offering insights for stakeholders and suggesting directions for future innovation.

The aim of this study was to analyze which business sustainability factors are adopted in the strategic process of the agricultural sector using the model named Strategic Planning for Business Sustainability (PEPSE). To achieve the proposed aim, the PEPSE model was applied to the Analytic Hierarchy Process multicriteria decision tool. During the research, the farm adopted sanitary measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which compromised access to managers and, consequently, data collection. Based on the application of a model developed especially for the identification and formulation of sustainable strategies, the study identified how sustainability is considered in the strategic planning of an agricultural unit in Brazil and the strategies adopted to deal with environmental variables. It was possible to understand how the stakeholders influence the planning of the farm and the variables and priority strategies for the environmental positioning of the farm. Thus, the main limitation of the research was the time and the collection of information, therefore, only an analysis of the external scenario of the farm was carried out.

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo investigar e aprender com os mergulhadores de apneia da Reserva Extrativista Marinha do Corumbau-BA, localizada no Banco de Abrolhos, Brasil; sobre as práticas e transformações da caça subaquática, frente aos desafios impostos pelo aquecimento global, às mudanças climáticas e aos desastres ambientais ocorridos no ano de 2019; nomeadamente o branqueamento dos corais (Duarte, et al., 2020), e o derramamento misterioso de petróleo cru no ambiente (Soares, et al., 2020). A componente fílmica deste trabalho, além de ferramenta fundamental na construção da narrativa, pretende comunicar sobre uma realidade pouco visível: o mundo subaquático em suas interações de vida, observado sob a linha d’água. Chamo esta malha social existente entre os elementos humanos e não humanos de “Sistema Coral”. Assim, os recifes de coral e as relações sociais estabelecidas entre as espécies, tornam-se o fio condutor desta abordagem, visando clarificar as interações sociais da malha em seus efetivos laços de apoio, perturbação e sustentabilidade. A partir do método etnográfico, proponho o uso das imagens como ferramenta central e articuladora, de forma a dar espaço ao “cruzamento de perspectivas culturais” (MacDougall 1997), onde a composição das vozes foi criando o conteúdo. A câmara segue as linhas de vida, em busca do encontro dos elementos e dos materiais. Pretendi gerar conteúdo polifônico, por meio da captação de imagem e voz, sobre o conhecimento empírico associado à pesca submarina, e ensinado por meio da prática e da observação cotidiana. Para dar conta da diversidade de detalhes e complexos imbricados de vidas e materiais relacionados a esta etnografia, proponho a utilização do sistema coral, como uma janela de observação, para compreender o impacto das alterações climáticas `a escala local proposta. This research aimed to investigate and learn with underwater divers from the Marine Extractive Reserve of Corumbau, located in the Banco de Abrolhos, (Bahia-Brazil); on the practices and transformations of underwater hunting, given the challenges posed by global warming, climate change and environmental disasters that occurred in 2019; namely coral bleaching (Duarte, et al., 2020), and the mysterious spill of crude oil into the environment (Soares, et al., 2020). The filmic component of this work, in addition to being a fundamental tool in the construction of the narrative, intends to communicate about a barely visible reality: the underwater world in its life interactions, observed under the waterline. I call this social mesh that exists between the human and non-human elements the “Coral System”. Thus, coral reefs and the social relationships established between species, become the guiding principle of this approach, aiming to clarify the social interactions of the mesh in their effective ties of support, disturbance, and sustainability. From the ethnographic method, I propose the use of images as a central and articulating tool, to give space to the “crossing of cultural perspectives” (MacDougall 1997), where the composition of the voices created the content. The camera follows the lines of life, in search of the meeting of elements and materials. With this, I intended to generate polyphonic content, through image and voice capture, about the empirical knowledge associated with underwater fishing, and taught through daily practice and observation. To account for the diversity of details and complex intertwined lives and materials related to this ethnography, I propose the use of the coral system, as an observation window, to understand the impact of climate change on the proposed local scale.