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AbstractThe development and implementation of effective policies for promoting energy efficiency in the household sector has been an emerging target of the EU. A recent analysis of Latvian households included in a smart metering pilot, shows this type of housing as the most statistically significant variable to impact electricity savings. This study deals with the statistical analysis of residential buildings to find simplified correlations for the assessment of factors affecting changes in electricity consumption, in particular, taking into account selected building characteristics, as well as the personal, socio-economic, socio-demographic characteristics of households. Multiple linear regression analysis is used to present and compare results between two groups – the target group with smart meters and control group without smart meters by differentiating among typical heating types as determined in a field study.

AbstractThe development and implementation of effective policies for promoting energy efficiency in the household sector has been an emerging target of the EU. A recent analysis of Latvian households included in a smart metering pilot, shows this type of housing as the most statistically significant variable to impact electricity savings. This study deals with the statistical analysis of residential buildings to find simplified correlations for the assessment of factors affecting changes in electricity consumption, in particular, taking into account selected building characteristics, as well as the personal, socio-economic, socio-demographic characteristics of households. Multiple linear regression analysis is used to present and compare results between two groups – the target group with smart meters and control group without smart meters by differentiating among typical heating types as determined in a field study.

Beyond the anticipated experience associated with tourism destinations, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has further tasked (especially the destination countries) on the importance of tourism to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From this dimension, this study employed the ecological footprint of the 10 most visited countries (France, Spain, United States, China, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom, Turkey, Germany, and Thailand) over the period 1995-2016. Specifically, the study employed an econometric approach and found that increase in tourism arrivals and globalization is detrimental to the attainment of sustainable environmental quality in a long term. Precisely, a 1% increase in international arrivals and globalization is responsible for a 0.18 and 0.89% increase in ecological footprint in the long-run. These impacts of tourism activities and globalization are detrimental to the environmental quality of the destination countries. Meanwhile, the real income per capita and biocapacity in the destination countries improve the environmental quality of the panel of destination countries in the long-run. In addition, the study found significant evidence of Granger causality from tourism and real income to ecological footprint without feedback, the globalization-ecological footprint Granger causality nexus is with feedback. Moreover, potentially effective policies for government and other stakeholders especially toward attaining Global goals were proffered in the study.

Beyond the anticipated experience associated with tourism destinations, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has further tasked (especially the destination countries) on the importance of tourism to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From this dimension, this study employed the ecological footprint of the 10 most visited countries (France, Spain, United States, China, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom, Turkey, Germany, and Thailand) over the period 1995-2016. Specifically, the study employed an econometric approach and found that increase in tourism arrivals and globalization is detrimental to the attainment of sustainable environmental quality in a long term. Precisely, a 1% increase in international arrivals and globalization is responsible for a 0.18 and 0.89% increase in ecological footprint in the long-run. These impacts of tourism activities and globalization are detrimental to the environmental quality of the destination countries. Meanwhile, the real income per capita and biocapacity in the destination countries improve the environmental quality of the panel of destination countries in the long-run. In addition, the study found significant evidence of Granger causality from tourism and real income to ecological footprint without feedback, the globalization-ecological footprint Granger causality nexus is with feedback. Moreover, potentially effective policies for government and other stakeholders especially toward attaining Global goals were proffered in the study.

The pyrolysis of waste disposable paper cups (WDPCs) was investigated using a thermogravimetric analyser coupled with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The activation energies of the pyrolysis reactions were obtained by the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) methods respectively. The kinetic model was determined by the master plots method. Thermogravimetric results showed that the highest weight loss rate occurred from 345 to 365 °C as the heating rate was increased from 10 to 30 °C min−1, indicating the pyrolysis of cellulosic material in the WDPC. The weight loss between 400 and 500 °C can be attributed to the decomposition of polyethylene. By analysing the FTIR spectra, it was found that the absorbance of all the evolved gaseous products had peaks at 360 °C due to the decomposition of cellulose fibres and the cracking of polyethylene at 485 °C led to the emergence of a second hydrocarbon peak. Ketones were the most abundant condensable organic products and CO2 was the dominating gaseous product, which can also be produced via secondary cracking of the small molecule organics above 400 °C. Kinetic analysis revealed that the average activation energy of the pyrolysis of the WDPC was 153.75 kJ mol−1 from the FWO method and 151.43 kJ mol−1 from the KAS method. The reaction mechanism can be described by the R3 model.

The pyrolysis of waste disposable paper cups (WDPCs) was investigated using a thermogravimetric analyser coupled with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The activation energies of the pyrolysis reactions were obtained by the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) methods respectively. The kinetic model was determined by the master plots method. Thermogravimetric results showed that the highest weight loss rate occurred from 345 to 365 °C as the heating rate was increased from 10 to 30 °C min−1, indicating the pyrolysis of cellulosic material in the WDPC. The weight loss between 400 and 500 °C can be attributed to the decomposition of polyethylene. By analysing the FTIR spectra, it was found that the absorbance of all the evolved gaseous products had peaks at 360 °C due to the decomposition of cellulose fibres and the cracking of polyethylene at 485 °C led to the emergence of a second hydrocarbon peak. Ketones were the most abundant condensable organic products and CO2 was the dominating gaseous product, which can also be produced via secondary cracking of the small molecule organics above 400 °C. Kinetic analysis revealed that the average activation energy of the pyrolysis of the WDPC was 153.75 kJ mol−1 from the FWO method and 151.43 kJ mol−1 from the KAS method. The reaction mechanism can be described by the R3 model.

Global wind resources greatly exceed current electricity demand and the levelized cost of energy from wind turbines has shown precipitous declines. Accordingly, the installed capacity of wind turbines grew at an annualized rate of about 14% during the last two decades and wind turbines now provide ~6–7% of the global electricity supply. This renewable electricity generation source is thus already playing a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector. Here we document trends within the industry, examine projections of future installed capacity increases and compute the associated climate change mitigation potential at the global and regional levels. Key countries (the USA, UK and China) and regions (e.g., EU27) have developed ambitious plans to expand wind energy penetration as core aspects of their net-zero emissions strategies. The projected climate change mitigation from wind energy by 2100 ranges from 0.3–0.8 °C depending on the precise socio-economic pathway and wind energy expansion scenario followed. The rapid expansion of annual increments to wind energy installed capacity by approximately two times current rates can greatly delay the passing of the 2 °C warming threshold relative to pre-industrial levels. To achieve the required expansion of this cost-effective, low-carbon energy source, there is a need for electrification of the energy system and for expansion of manufacturing and installation capacity.

Global wind resources greatly exceed current electricity demand and the levelized cost of energy from wind turbines has shown precipitous declines. Accordingly, the installed capacity of wind turbines grew at an annualized rate of about 14% during the last two decades and wind turbines now provide ~6–7% of the global electricity supply. This renewable electricity generation source is thus already playing a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector. Here we document trends within the industry, examine projections of future installed capacity increases and compute the associated climate change mitigation potential at the global and regional levels. Key countries (the USA, UK and China) and regions (e.g., EU27) have developed ambitious plans to expand wind energy penetration as core aspects of their net-zero emissions strategies. The projected climate change mitigation from wind energy by 2100 ranges from 0.3–0.8 °C depending on the precise socio-economic pathway and wind energy expansion scenario followed. The rapid expansion of annual increments to wind energy installed capacity by approximately two times current rates can greatly delay the passing of the 2 °C warming threshold relative to pre-industrial levels. To achieve the required expansion of this cost-effective, low-carbon energy source, there is a need for electrification of the energy system and for expansion of manufacturing and installation capacity.