Raw material needs for the large-scale deployment of photovoltaics – Effects of innovation-driven roadmaps on material constraints until 2050

2021 ◽  
Vol 137 ◽  
pp. 110589
Author(s):  
Estelle Gervais ◽  
Shivenes Shammugam ◽  
Lorenz Friedrich ◽  
Thomas Schlegl
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Sergej Medved ◽  
Daša Krapež Tomec ◽  
Angela Balzano ◽  
Maks Merela

Since invasive alien species are one of the main causes of biodiversity loss in the region and thus of changes in ecosystem services, it is important to find the best possible solution for their removal from nature and the best practice for their usability. The aim of the study was to investigate their properties as components of wood-plastic composites and to investigate the properties of the wood-plastic composites produced. The overall objective was to test the potential of available alien plant species as raw material for the manufacture of products. This would contribute to sustainability and give them a better chance of ending their life cycle. One of the possible solutions on a large scale is to use alien wood species for the production of wood plastic composites (WPC). Five invasive alien hardwood species have been used in combination with polyethylene powder (PE) and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) to produce various flat pressed WPC boards. Microstructural analyses (confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) and mechanical tests (flexural strength, tensile strength) were performed. Furthermore, measurements of density, thickness swelling, water absorption and dimensional stability during heating and cooling were carried out. Comparisons were made between the properties of six WPC boards (five alien wood species and mixed boards). The results showed that the differences between different invasive alien wood species were less obvious in mechanical properties, while the differences in sorption properties and dimensional stability were more significant. The analyses of the WPC structure showed a good penetration of the polymer into the lumens of the wood cells and a fine internal structure without voids. These are crucial conditions to obtain a good, mechanically strong and water-resistant material.


2021 ◽  
pp. 037957212098250
Author(s):  
Jennifer K. Foley ◽  
Kristina D. Michaux ◽  
Bho Mudyahoto ◽  
Laira Kyazike ◽  
Binu Cherian ◽  
...  

Background: Micronutrient deficiencies affect over one quarter of the world’s population. Biofortification is an evidence-based nutrition strategy that addresses some of the most common and preventable global micronutrient gaps and can help improve the health of millions of people. Since 2013, HarvestPlus and a consortium of collaborators have made impressive progress in the enrichment of staple crops with essential micronutrients through conventional plant breeding. Objective: To review and highlight lessons learned from multiple large-scale delivery strategies used by HarvestPlus to scale up biofortification across different country and crop contexts. Results: India has strong public and private sector pearl millet breeding programs and a robust commercial seed sector. To scale-up pearl millet, HarvestPlus established partnerships with public and private seed companies, which facilitated the rapid commercialization of products and engagement of farmers in delivery activities. In Nigeria, HarvestPlus stimulated the initial acceptance and popularization of vitamin A cassava using a host of creative approaches, including “crowding in” delivery partners, innovative promotional programs, and development of intermediate raw material for industry and novel food products. In Uganda, orange sweet potato (OSP) is a traditional subsistence crop. Due to this, and the lack of formal seed systems and markets, HarvestPlus established a network of partnerships with community-based nongovernmental organizations and vine multipliers to popularize and scale-up delivery of OSP. Conclusions: Impact of biofortification ultimately depends on the development of sustainable markets for biofortified seeds and products. Results illustrate the need for context-specific, innovative solutions to promote widespread adoption.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1251
Author(s):  
Yichi Zhang ◽  
Zhiliang Dong ◽  
Sen Liu ◽  
Peixiang Jiang ◽  
Cuizhi Zhang ◽  
...  

As the raw material of lithium-ion batteries, lithium carbonate plays an important role in the development of new energy field. Due to the extremely uneven distribution of lithium resources in the world, the security of supply in countries with less say would be greatly threatened if trade restrictions or other accidents occurred in large-scale exporting countries. It is of great significance to help these countries find new partners based on the existing trade topology. This study uses the link prediction method, based on the perspective of the topological structure of trade networks in various countries and trade rules, and eliminates the influence of large-scale lithium carbonate exporting countries on the lithium carbonate trade of other countries, to find potential lithium carbonate trade links among importing and small-scale exporting countries, and summarizes three trade rules: (1) in potential relationships involving two net importers, a relationship involving either China or the Netherlands is more likely to occur; (2) for all potential relationships, a relationship that actually occurred for more than two years in the period in 2009–2018 is more likely to occur in the future; and (3) potential relationships pairing a net exporter with a net importer are more likely to occur than other country combinations. The results show that over the next five to six years, Denmark and Italy, Netherlands and South Africa, Turkey and USA are most likely to have a lithium carbonate trading relationship, while Slovenia and USA, and Belgium and Thailand are the least likely to trade lithium carbonate. Through this study, we can strengthen the supply security of lithium carbonate resources in international trade, and provide international trade policy recommendations for the governments of importing countries and small-scale exporting countries.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-62
Author(s):  
Vladimír Sitkey ◽  
Ján Gaduš ◽  
Ľubomír Kliský ◽  
Alexander Dudák

Abstract Energy variety of amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) was grown in large-scale trials in order to verify the capability of its cultivation and use as a renewable energy source in a biogas plant. The possibility of biogas production using anaerobic co-fermentation of manure and amaranth silage was verified in the experimental horizontal fermentor of 5 m3 volume, working at mesophilic conditions of 38-40 °C. The goal of the work was also to identify the optimum conditions for growth, harvesting and preservation of amaranth biomass, to optimize biogas production process, and to test the residual slurry from digestion process as a high quality organic fertilizer. The average yield of green amaranth biomass was 51.66 t.ha-1 with dry matter content of 37%. Based on the reached results it can be concluded that amaranth silage, solely or together with another organic materials of agricultural origin, is a suitable raw material for biogas production.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 83-95
Author(s):  
Vinod M Lakhwani ◽  
Swati Tiwari

Entering into the new field of business is not an easy go. One has to do market research, to identify the gap, to identify the product/service to be offered, and to target the right customer segment. After doing the required research, the next step is to make decisions on plant location, layout and then set up.  Assessment of funds required for capital as well as revenue expenditure, procurement of machinery and other materials also take substantial amount of efforts. Searching for vendors and finalizing the right one are few other issues. After having worked successfully for more than 30 years in Bali in the field of sesame seeds and oil business Harsh was standing on a crossroad in 2011. Rising prices of sesame oil resulted in shift in customers’ taste and preferences towards refined oil. Moreover entry of big players at a large scale of operations and rise in price of raw material (sesame seeds) made survival tough. He had a number of options, one to continue with existing business at different scale of operations. Two, enter another business? Three, what business, Four, which place? The case talks about Harsh’s journey to new business, his choice and then the result.


PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11525
Author(s):  
Hong Li ◽  
Jun Tan ◽  
Yun Mu ◽  
Jianfeng Gao

Chlorella has become an important raw material for biodiesel production in recent years, and Chlorella sp. TLD6B, a species with high lipid concentrations and high salt and drought tolerance, has been cultivated on a large scale. To explore the lipid accumulation of Chlorella sp. TLD6B and its relationship to external NaCl concentrations, we performed physiological measurements and genome-wide gene expression profiling under different levels of salt stress. Chlorella sp. TLD6B was able to tolerate high levels of salt stress (0.8 M NaCl addition). Lipid concentrations initially increased and then decreased as salt stress increased and were highest under the addition of 0.2 M NaCl. Comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed that salt stress enhanced the expression of genes related to sugar metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis (the ACCases BC and BCCP, KAS II, and GPDHs involved in TAG synthesis), thereby promoting lipid accumulation under the addition of 0.2 M NaCl. However, high salinity inhibited cell growth. Expression of three SADs, whose encoded products function in unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, was up-regulated under high salinity (0.8 M NaCl addition). This research clarifies the relationship between salt tolerance and lipid accumulation and promotes the utilization of Chlorella sp. TLD6B.


The following topics are covered in this paper: the European feedstuff business, size, shape and source; the protein and amino acid requirements of the principal target species; the place of single cell protein (s.c.p.); the raw material options and the technical challenge of large scale s.c.p. manufacture; fermentation of s.c.p., its stoichiometry, mass and heat transfer requirements; static and dynamic optimization and control; the pressure cycle fermenter; the principle of sterility and the engineering design constraints; the nutritional performance of I.C.I.’s ‘Pruteen’ and the future for s.c.p.


Author(s):  
János Gyarmati ◽  
Carola Condarco

The local ethnohistoric sources and the archaeological evidence, as well as the radiocarbon dates, indicate that the Inca Empire conquered the mighty polities of Central Bolivia around the mid-fifteenth century, and then created a well-structured imperial infrastructure. The rationale behind the creation of this infrastructure can be sought in the region’s agricultural potential and raw material deposits. In order to fully exploit these resources, the Inca performed a large-scale population resettlement, principally of groups from the altiplano and the mountain regions to the eastern valleys. The goods produced in these agricultural and craft centers ensured the defense of the empire’s eastern frontiers, and contributed to the provisioning of its heartland.


Author(s):  
L.K. Miroshnikova ◽  
A.Yu. Mezentsev ◽  
G.A. Kadyralieva ◽  
M.A. Perepelkin

The Zhdanovskoe copper-nickel sulfide ores deposit is located in the north-west of the Murmansk region and is a mineral raw material source for JSC «Kola MMC». The main mining method used is sublevel caving. In some areas, due to the complex shape of the ore bodies, the open stoping mining method is used which requires determining stable parameters of stopes and pillars. It is necessary to study the stress-strain state of the deposit to ensure safe mining conditions. One of the possible solutions is the modeling of the stress-strain state of rock mass using the finite element method, for example, CAE Fidesys, which is FEMbased software. The use of CAE Fidesys for solving geomechanics tasks allows creating models of individual excavation units to determine the stability of stopes and pillars, and large-scale models that include several ore bodies and areas of the host rock mass. The article considers solutions of both types of geomechanic tasks using CAE Fidesys for conditions of the Zhdanovskoe deposit.


Author(s):  
Asep Bayu Dani Nandiyanto ◽  
Nissa Nur Azizah ◽  
Gabriela Chelvina Santiuly Girsang

Corncob is usually disposed of directly as waste, creating problems in the environment, while it can be converted into valuable materials. This research aimed to evaluate the literature review on briquette production from agricultural waste (using non-binder and cold press with a binder) and the current works on techno-economic analysis, to propose an optimal design for the production of briquette from corncob waste, and to perform a techno-economic analysis based on the selected optimal processing method. The engineering perspective based on stoichiometry and mass balance showed the potential corncob briquette manufacture in both home and large scales due to the possible use of inexpensive and commercially available equipment and raw materials. The economic perspective [based on several economic evaluation factors (i.e., gross profit margin, payback period, break-even point, cumulative net present value, return of investment, internal rate return, and profitability index) under ideal and non-ideal conditions by considering internal (i.e., sales, raw materials, utilities, and variable cost) and external aspects (i.e., tax)] confirmed the prospective development of the project in the large-scale production with a lifetime of more than 18 years. The main issue in the project is the raw material (i.e. tapioca flour), giving the most impact on the project’s feasibility. Even in severe conditions, the project is feasible. The great endurance was also confirmed in the case of a higher tax rate. This study demonstrates the importance of producing corncob-based briquettes for improving the economic value and giving alternatives for problem solvers in the utilization of agricultural waste.


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