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Large amounts of CO2 from human socioeconomic activities threaten environmental sustainability. Moreover, uncontrolled resource use and lack of relevant technology exacerbate this issue. For this reason, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology has gained worldwide attention. Many scholars have researched CCUS, but few have used CCUS patent bibliometric analysis from a unified perspective. This article aims to provide a conclusive analysis for CCUS researchers and policymakers, as well as summarize the innovation trends, technological distribution, and topic evolution. Based on 11,915 pieces of patent data from the Derwent Innovations Index, we used bibliometric analysis and data mining methods to conduct research on four dimensions: overall trend, geographical distribution, patentees, and patent content. The results of this article are as follows. CCUS has entered a rapid development stage since 2013. Patents are mainly distributed geographically in China, the US, and Japan, especially in heavy industries such as energy and electricity. Large enterprises hold patents with a relatively stable network of cooperators and attach great importance to international patent protection. A total of 12 topics were identified through clustering, and these topics gradually shifted from technicalities to commercialization, and from industrial production to all aspects of people’s daily lives.

Large amounts of CO2 from human socioeconomic activities threaten environmental sustainability. Moreover, uncontrolled resource use and lack of relevant technology exacerbate this issue. For this reason, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology has gained worldwide attention. Many scholars have researched CCUS, but few have used CCUS patent bibliometric analysis from a unified perspective. This article aims to provide a conclusive analysis for CCUS researchers and policymakers, as well as summarize the innovation trends, technological distribution, and topic evolution. Based on 11,915 pieces of patent data from the Derwent Innovations Index, we used bibliometric analysis and data mining methods to conduct research on four dimensions: overall trend, geographical distribution, patentees, and patent content. The results of this article are as follows. CCUS has entered a rapid development stage since 2013. Patents are mainly distributed geographically in China, the US, and Japan, especially in heavy industries such as energy and electricity. Large enterprises hold patents with a relatively stable network of cooperators and attach great importance to international patent protection. A total of 12 topics were identified through clustering, and these topics gradually shifted from technicalities to commercialization, and from industrial production to all aspects of people’s daily lives.

AbstractClimate change poses new and unique challenges that threaten lives and livelihoods. Given the increasing risks and looming uncertainty of climate change, increasing attention has been directed towards adaptation, or the strategies that enable humanity to persist and thrive through climate change the best it can. Though climate change is a global problem often discussed at the national scale, urban areas are increasingly seen as having a distinct role, and distinctive motivation and capacity, for adaptation. The 12 articles in this special issue explore ways of understanding and addressing climate change impacts on urban areas. Together they reveal young but rapidly growing scholarship on how to measure, and then overcome, challenges of climate change. Two key themes emerge in this issue: 1) that we must identify and then overcome current barriers to urban adaptation and 2) frameworks/metrics are necessary to identify and track adaptation progress in urban settings. Both of these themes point to the power of indicators and other quantitative information to inform priorities and illuminate the pathway forward for adaptation. As climate change is an entirely new challenge, careful measurement that enables investment by private and public parties is necessary to provide efficient outcomes that benefit the greatest number of people.

AbstractClimate change poses new and unique challenges that threaten lives and livelihoods. Given the increasing risks and looming uncertainty of climate change, increasing attention has been directed towards adaptation, or the strategies that enable humanity to persist and thrive through climate change the best it can. Though climate change is a global problem often discussed at the national scale, urban areas are increasingly seen as having a distinct role, and distinctive motivation and capacity, for adaptation. The 12 articles in this special issue explore ways of understanding and addressing climate change impacts on urban areas. Together they reveal young but rapidly growing scholarship on how to measure, and then overcome, challenges of climate change. Two key themes emerge in this issue: 1) that we must identify and then overcome current barriers to urban adaptation and 2) frameworks/metrics are necessary to identify and track adaptation progress in urban settings. Both of these themes point to the power of indicators and other quantitative information to inform priorities and illuminate the pathway forward for adaptation. As climate change is an entirely new challenge, careful measurement that enables investment by private and public parties is necessary to provide efficient outcomes that benefit the greatest number of people.

To understand the effects of physicochemical factors on nitrite transformation by microalgae, a lipid-rich Chlorella with high nitrite tolerance was cultured with 8 mmol/l sodium nitrite as sole nitrogen source under different conditions. The results showed that nitrite transformation was mainly dependent on the metabolic activities of algal cells rather than oxidation of nitrite by dissolved oxygen. Light intensity, temperature, pH, NaHCO3 concentrations, and initial cell densities had significant effects on the rate of nitrite transformation. Single-factor experiments revealed that the optimum conditions for nitrite transformation were light intensity: 300 μmol/m(2); temperature: 30°C; pH: 7-8; NaHCO3 concentration: 2.0 g/l; and initial cell density: 0.15 g/l; and the highest nitrite transformation rate of 1.36 mmol/l/d was achieved. There was a positive correlation between nitrite transformation rate and the growth of Chlorella. The relationship between nitrite transformation rate (mg/l/d) and biomass productivity (g/l/d) could be described by the regression equation y = 61.3x (R(2) = 0.9665), meaning that 61.3 mg N element was assimilated by 1.0 g dry biomass on average, which indicated that the nitrite transformation is a process of consuming nitrite as nitrogen source by Chlorella. The results demonstrated that the Chlorella suspension was able to assimilate nitrite efficiently, which implied the feasibility of using flue gas for mass production of Chlorella without preliminary removal of NOX.

To understand the effects of physicochemical factors on nitrite transformation by microalgae, a lipid-rich Chlorella with high nitrite tolerance was cultured with 8 mmol/l sodium nitrite as sole nitrogen source under different conditions. The results showed that nitrite transformation was mainly dependent on the metabolic activities of algal cells rather than oxidation of nitrite by dissolved oxygen. Light intensity, temperature, pH, NaHCO3 concentrations, and initial cell densities had significant effects on the rate of nitrite transformation. Single-factor experiments revealed that the optimum conditions for nitrite transformation were light intensity: 300 μmol/m(2); temperature: 30°C; pH: 7-8; NaHCO3 concentration: 2.0 g/l; and initial cell density: 0.15 g/l; and the highest nitrite transformation rate of 1.36 mmol/l/d was achieved. There was a positive correlation between nitrite transformation rate and the growth of Chlorella. The relationship between nitrite transformation rate (mg/l/d) and biomass productivity (g/l/d) could be described by the regression equation y = 61.3x (R(2) = 0.9665), meaning that 61.3 mg N element was assimilated by 1.0 g dry biomass on average, which indicated that the nitrite transformation is a process of consuming nitrite as nitrogen source by Chlorella. The results demonstrated that the Chlorella suspension was able to assimilate nitrite efficiently, which implied the feasibility of using flue gas for mass production of Chlorella without preliminary removal of NOX.

AbstractBioenergy projects can lead to direct and indirect land use change (LUC), which can substantially affect greenhouse gas balances with both beneficial and adverse outcomes for bioenergy's contribution to climate change mitigation. The causes behind LUC are multiple, complex, interlinked, and change over time. This makes quantification uncertain and sensitive to many factors that can develop in different directions—including land use productivity, trade patterns, prices and elasticities, and use of by‐products associated with biofuels production. Quantifications reported so far vary substantially and do not support the ranking of bioenergy options with regard to LUC and associated emissions. There are however several options for mitigating these emissions, which can be implemented despite the uncertainties. Long‐rotation forest management is associated with carbon emissions and sequestration that are not in temporal balance with each other and this leads to mitigation trade‐offs between biomass extraction for energy use and the alternative to leave the biomass in the forest. Bioenergy's contribution to climate change mitigation needs to reflect a balance between near‐term targets and the long‐term objective to hold the increase in global temperature below 2°C (Copenhagen Accord). Although emissions from LUC can be significant in some circumstances, the reality of such emissions is not sufficient reason to exclude bioenergy from the list of worthwhile technologies for climate change mitigation. Policy measures to minimize the negative impacts of LUC should be based on a holistic perspective recognizing the multiple drivers and effects of LUC.This article is categorized under: Bioenergy > Economics and Policy Bioenergy > Climate and Environment

AbstractBioenergy projects can lead to direct and indirect land use change (LUC), which can substantially affect greenhouse gas balances with both beneficial and adverse outcomes for bioenergy's contribution to climate change mitigation. The causes behind LUC are multiple, complex, interlinked, and change over time. This makes quantification uncertain and sensitive to many factors that can develop in different directions—including land use productivity, trade patterns, prices and elasticities, and use of by‐products associated with biofuels production. Quantifications reported so far vary substantially and do not support the ranking of bioenergy options with regard to LUC and associated emissions. There are however several options for mitigating these emissions, which can be implemented despite the uncertainties. Long‐rotation forest management is associated with carbon emissions and sequestration that are not in temporal balance with each other and this leads to mitigation trade‐offs between biomass extraction for energy use and the alternative to leave the biomass in the forest. Bioenergy's contribution to climate change mitigation needs to reflect a balance between near‐term targets and the long‐term objective to hold the increase in global temperature below 2°C (Copenhagen Accord). Although emissions from LUC can be significant in some circumstances, the reality of such emissions is not sufficient reason to exclude bioenergy from the list of worthwhile technologies for climate change mitigation. Policy measures to minimize the negative impacts of LUC should be based on a holistic perspective recognizing the multiple drivers and effects of LUC.This article is categorized under: Bioenergy > Economics and Policy Bioenergy > Climate and Environment