The Impact of Technological Innovation, Research and Development, and Energy Intensity on Carbon Emissions: An Experience from BRICS and OECD Countries

The impact of technological innovation, research and development, and energy intensity on carbon dioxide emissions is examined in this study. A panel data econometric analysis of relevant variables extracted from the OECD and World Development Indicators databases for 36 OECD and 5 BRICS countries from 2005 to 2018 reveals that the Kao panel cointegration test revealed all countries, BRICS countries, and OECD countries exhibited cointegrated relationships regarding the selected variables. At this point, the correlation matrix shows that none of the independent variables has a strong correlation coefficient with the dependent variable. We also used two regression methods to evaluate the long-run association between the study's variables; the two-stage least square (2SLS) and panel generalized method of moments (GMM) both provide similar results, indicating that they are robust. According to the findings, technological innovation and R&D have a positive association with CO2 emissions, but energy intensity has a negative relationship with CO2 emissions.

THE USE OF ASH FROM THERMAL POWER PLANT DUMPS IN THE PRODUCTION OF PORTLAND CEMENT

The article considers a technical solution for the introduction of pozzolan additives into the cement after grinding clinker. Such additives are the fly ash of the CHP and ash from the ash dump. The use of ash in the composition of cement reduces its cost and energy intensity of its production

Materials research and development needs to enable efficient and electrified buildings

Because of the complexity of modern buildings—with many interconnected materials, components, and systems—fully electrifying buildings will require targeted R&D and efficient coordination across those material, component, and system levels. Because buildings that consume the smallest amount of energy are easier to electrify, energy efficiency is a crucial step toward fully electrified buildings. Materials advances will play an important role in both reducing the energy intensity of buildings and electrifying their remaining energy use. Materials are currently being explored, discovered, synthesized, evaluated, optimized, and implemented across many building components, including solid-state lighting; dynamic windows and opaque envelopes; cold climate heat pumps; thermal energy storage; heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC); refrigeration; non-vapor compression HVAC; and more. In this article, we review the current state-of-the-art of materials for various buildings end uses and discuss R&D challenges and opportunities for both efficiency and electrification. Graphical abstract

ENERGY-SAVING PREPARATION OF THE SOIL FORPLANTING HOPS

At present, the preparation of the soil for the hop plant with machines of traditional hop production technology is unrealistic, since there are no more hops and no one is producing them. In this regard, a progressive technology for growing hops and promising machines for them, including for energy-saving tillage for hops, have been proposed. As the main cultivation, two-strip soil cultivation was used for rows of hops with a combined subsoiler-drener developed at the Chuvash State Agrarian University. Moreover, loosening is carried out with the simultaneous introduction of liquefied litterless manure with a dose of 100-120 t / ha to the subsurface zone from 0.20 to 0.60 m. In the soil, liquefied litterless manure fills the drainage canal and the soil pores adjacent to the canal, activates the activity of microorganisms and soil biochemical processes. Row loosening with a combined machine allows to reduce the energy consumption of processing by 57% compared to continuous plowing with plantation plows and to exclude the operation of applying bedding manure with subsequent moldboard embedding. As a pre-planting soil preparation, cultivation with combined stubble cultivators of the KST-3,8 type and its analogues with the incorporation of crushed green manure (up to 75%), high-quality leveling and crumbling of the soil is proposed. Stirring and leveling of the field surface is provided by afrontal discs behind the last row of flat-cut tines, crumbling - by a ribbed roller. The maneuverability of such a cultivator in the cramped conditions of the hop is taken into account. Replacement of plowing operations with general purpose plows and subsequent leveling by a cultivator allows an additional 45-50% reduction in the energy intensity of pre-planting soil cultivation. The main energy source in the main tillage is the tractor BTZ-243k

How Do German Manufacturers React to the Increasing Societal Pressure for Decarbonisation?

From the perspective of manufacturing companies, the political, media and economic discourse on decarbonisation in the recent years manifests itself as an increasing social expectation of action. In Germany, in particular, this discourse is also being driven forward by powerful companies, respectively sectors, most notably the automotive industry. Against this background, the present paper examines how German manufacturing companies react to rising societal pressure and emerging policies. It examines which measures the companies have taken or plan to take to reduce their carbon footprint, which aspirations are associated with this and the structural characteristics (company size, energy intensity, and sector) by which these are influenced. A mix methods approach is applied, utilising data gathered from approx. 900 companies in context of the Energy Efficiency Index of German Industry (EEI), along with media research focusing on the announced decarbonisation plans and initiatives. We demonstrate that one-size-serves-all approaches are not suitable to decarbonise industry, as the situation and ambitions differ considerably depending on size, energy intensity and sector. Even though the levels of ambition and urgency are high, micro and energy intensive companies, in particular, are challenged. The present research uncovers a series of questions that call for attention to materialise the ambitions and address the challenges outlined.