Article
|
Open Access
Featured
-
-
Article
| Open AccessThe effect of sustainable mobility transition policies on cumulative urban transport emissions and energy demand
A rapid and large-scale reduction in car use, within a well-designed policy mix, is necessary to achieve short-term emission targets and reduce energy demand. Here, the authors introduce the Urban Transport Policy Model and demonstrate, using London as a case study, that current policies will not meet climate targets.
- Lisa Winkler
- , Drew Pearce
- & Oytun Babacan
-
Article
| Open AccessA low-carbon electricity sector in Europe risks sustaining regional inequalities in benefits and vulnerabilities
The low-carbon electricity sector in Europe can bring overall benefits of new investment, employment, and decreased emissions, but could sustain regional inequalities between Northern and Southern Europe.
- Jan-Philipp Sasse
- & Evelina Trutnevyte
-
Article
| Open AccessTrade-off between critical metal requirement and transportation decarbonization in automotive electrification
This study analyzes the trade-off between the decarbonization potential of the road transportation sector and its critical metal requirements in 48 countries. Our results show that transportation electrification may result in an upsurge in critical metal demand, and decarbonizing fuel production is critical for adequately mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from road transportation.
- Chunbo Zhang
- , Xiang Zhao
- & Fengqi You
-
Article
| Open AccessCarbon reduction technology pathways for existing buildings in eight cities
Here, the authors perform analysis of technology pathways for existing buildings using urban building energy models developed with cities, showing that shallow and deep retrofits along with onsite photovoltaic and grid decarbonization can help achieve carbon reduction targets.
- Yu Qian Ang
- , Zachary Michael Berzolla
- & Christoph F. Reinhart
-
Article
| Open AccessU.S. West Coast droughts and heat waves exacerbate pollution inequality and can evade emission control policies
Heat waves and droughts increase air pollution from power plants in California, which disproportionately damages counties with a majority of people of color. Droughts cause chronic increases in pollution damages. Heat waves are responsible for the days with the highest damages.
- Amir Zeighami
- , Jordan Kern
- & August A. Bruno
-
Article
| Open AccessChina’s electric vehicle and climate ambitions jeopardized by surging critical material prices
Under a high-cost scenario for battery critical materials, the uptake of electric vehicles in China may be greatly reduced, leading to increased cumulative carbon emissions. This may jeopardize both China’s electric vehicle and climate targets.
- Hetong Wang
- , Kuishuang Feng
- & Jiashuo Li
-
Article
| Open AccessUnderstanding variability in petroleum jet fuel life cycle greenhouse gas emissions to inform aviation decarbonization
This study presents a global well-to-wake assessment of jet fuel greenhouse gas emissions with a range of 81.1-94.8 gCO2e MJ−1. Understanding this variability can improve decision-making amid the transition to decarbonizing aviation.
- Liang Jing
- , Hassan M. El-Houjeiri
- & Joule A. Bergerson
-
Article
| Open AccessDecarbonization, population disruption and resource inventories in the global energy transition
As coal is phased out, this will have an effect on mining towns. Here the authors find that in these locations ramping up energy transition metals will be more disruptive to demographic systems than ramping down coal.
- Kamila Svobodova
- , John R. Owen
- & Benjamin K. Sovacool
-
Article
| Open AccessAir pollution disparities and equality assessments of US national decarbonization strategies
Decarbonization is essential to achieving climate goals, but myopic decarbonization policies that ignore co-pollutants may leave Black and high-poverty communities with 26-34% higher PM2.5 exposure over the energy transition.
- Teagan Goforth
- & Destenie Nock
-
Article
| Open AccessEnergy requirements and carbon emissions for a low-carbon energy transition
A low-carbon energy transition consistent with 1.5 °C of warming may result in substantial carbon emissions. Moreover, the initial push to substitute fossil fuels with low-carbon alternatives will reduce the net energy available to society.
- Aljoša Slameršak
- , Giorgos Kallis
- & Daniel W. O’Neill
-
Article
| Open AccessEconomy-wide evaluation of CO2 and air quality impacts of electrification in the United States
Electrification is a decarbonization strategy that has the potential to reduce pollutant emissions and improve air quality. Here the authors evaluate CO2 and air quality co-benefits of electrification scenarios in the United States and find that electrification can substantially lower CO2 and improve ozone and fine particulate matter regionally.
- John E. T. Bistline
- , Geoffrey Blanford
- & Greg Yarwood
-
Article
| Open AccessImpacts of shared mobility on vehicle lifetimes and on the carbon footprint of electric vehicles
Shared cars are driven more, which could shorten their lifetimes. This could influence carbon dioxide emissions in car manufacturing. Sharing nonetheless reduces carbon footprints. Designing cars for durability can further enhance the benefits
- Johannes Morfeldt
- & Daniel J. A. Johansson
-
Article
| Open AccessThe role of renewables for rapid transitioning of the power sector across states in India
A new study assesses the feasibility of a fully renewable based power system by 2050 across India, finding this option to be cost competitive with the status quo and with zero GHG emissions.
- Ashish Gulagi
- , Manish Ram
- & Christian Breyer
-
Article
| Open AccessComparing the levelized cost of electric vehicle charging options in Europe
Charging costs are important for the diffusion of electric vehicles as required to decarbonize transport. Here, the authors show large variance of electrical vehicle charging costs across 30 European countries and charging options, suggesting different policy options to reduce charging costs.
- Lukas Lanz
- , Bessie Noll
- & Bjarne Steffen
-
Article
| Open AccessParallel triplet formation pathways in a singlet fission material
The singlet fission mechanism is still not relatively well understood, except for polyacenes. Here, the authors demonstrate that in diketopyrrolopyrrole supramolecular assemblies, both singlet fission and intersystem crossing can simultaneously happen.
- Nilabja Maity
- , Woojae Kim
- & Satish Patil
-
Article
| Open AccessInequality can double the energy required to secure universal decent living
In exploring the energy required to provide decent living for all, the authors find the costs of inequality to be far greater than that of population growth. Nonetheless, population growth remains important for other reasons.
- Joel Millward-Hopkins
-
Article
| Open AccessIncreased energy use for adaptation significantly impacts mitigation pathways
A new study characterizes adaptation in mitigation pathways, and shows that climate adaptation can lead to higher energy demand, power system costs and carbon prices, with mitigation’s benefits compensating decarbonization costs.
- Francesco Pietro Colelli
- , Johannes Emmerling
- & Enrica De Cian
-
Article
| Open AccessAmericans experience a false social reality by underestimating popular climate policy support by nearly half
A new study finds that Americans underestimate how many are concerned about climate change as well as support for major climate policies by nearly half, with climate policy supporters significantly outnumbering non-supporters.
- Gregg Sparkman
- , Nathan Geiger
- & Elke U. Weber
-
Article
| Open AccessInstitutional decarbonization scenarios evaluated against the Paris Agreement 1.5 °C goal
Here the authors present a framework to assess the temperature outcomes of decarbonization scenarios from institutions such as the IEA, BP and Shell. Scenarios are evaluated for consistency with the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement.
- Robert J. Brecha
- , Gaurav Ganti
- & Matthew J. Gidden
-
Article
| Open AccessThe role of natural gas in reaching net-zero emissions in the electric sector
Natural gas and carbon removal can play roles in reaching net-zero emissions in the U.S. electric sector and can lower decarbonization costs, though wind and solar have higher generation shares for most regions and scenarios.
- John E. T. Bistline
- & David T. Young
-
Article
| Open AccessTracing the origin of lithium in Li-ion batteries using lithium isotopes
Rechargeable Li-ion batteries play a key role in the energy transition towards clean energy. It is challenging for end users to ensure that Li comes from environmentally and responsible sources. Here the authors show that Li isotope ‘fingerprints’ are a useful tool for determining the origin of Li in battery.
- Anne-Marie Desaulty
- , Daniel Monfort Climent
- & Catherine Guerrot
-
Article
| Open AccessShallow subsurface heat recycling is a sustainable global space heating alternative
Using shallow geothermal energy systems to recycle the heat accumulating in the subsurface due to climate change and urbanization is a feasible, sustainable, and opportunistic alternative to conventional space heating in the face of climate change
- Susanne A. Benz
- , Kathrin Menberg
- & Barret L. Kurylyk
-
Article
| Open AccessSharing the effort of the European Green Deal among countries
An ethically-based method for allocating climate change mitigation effort among subsidiaries, applicable worldwide, is proposed. Applied to the EU Green Deal, this results in a wider range of targets than the Commission’s proposal of 2021.
- Karl W. Steininger
- , Keith Williges
- & Keywan Riahi
-
Article
| Open AccessCross-cutting scenarios and strategies for designing decarbonization pathways in the transport sector toward carbon neutrality
New study shows how region-specific policy under the Avoid–Shift–Improve framework may aid in realizing a deep decarbonization in the transport sector and assist in achieving China’s carbon neutrality goals.
- Runsen Zhang
- & Tatsuya Hanaoka
-
Article
| Open AccessCost increase in the electricity supply to achieve carbon neutrality in China
This study indicates that approximately 5.8 TW of wind and solar photovoltaic capacity would be required to achieve carbon neutrality in China’s power system by 2050. The electricity supply costs would increase by 19.9% or 9.6 CNY¢/kWh.
- Zhenyu Zhuo
- , Ershun Du
- & Chongqing Kang
-
Article
| Open AccessPathway to a land-neutral expansion of Brazilian renewable fuel production
Fuel output of Brazilian sugarcane ethanol facilities may be increased by over 40% without using additional land if production is combined with synthetic fuel processes. This amounts to 100TWh of fuel, sparing 27,000 km2 of land.
- Luis Ramirez Camargo
- , Gabriel Castro
- & Johannes Schmidt
-
Article
| Open AccessEliminating the need for anodic gas separation in CO2 electroreduction systems via liquid-to-liquid anodic upgrading
In the electrified conversion of CO2 to multicarbon products, CO2 crossover to the O2-rich anodic stream adds a further, energy-intensive, chemical separation step. Here, the authors demonstrate a strategy that eliminates the separation requirement.
- Ke Xie
- , Adnan Ozden
- & Edward H. Sargent
-
Article
| Open AccessA global comparison of building decarbonization scenarios by 2050 towards 1.5–2 °C targets
Building decarbonization has an important role to play in achieving global emissions reductions targets. Here the authors find that stated policy scenarios are insufficient to achieve building decarbonization goals globally, while ambitious decarbonization scenarios are still not sufficient to achieve goals under the 1.5 °C scenario.
- Clara Camarasa
- , Érika Mata
- & Katarina Yaramenka
-
Article
| Open AccessUnveiling hidden energy poverty using the energy equity gap
In the summer, low-income households in the Arizona, US wait 4 - 7 °F (2.6–4.2 °C) longer than high-income households to turn on their AC units to save money on energy bills. This energy limiting behavior indicates a hidden form of energy poverty.
- Shuchen Cong
- , Destenie Nock
- & Bo Xing
-
Article
| Open AccessReversible Power-to-Gas systems for energy conversion and storage
Reversible Power-to-Gas systems can convert electricity to hydrogen at times of ample and inexpensive power supply and operate in reverse to deliver electricity during times when power is relatively scarce. Here, the authors show that such systems can already be economically viable relative to current hydrogen prices in the context of the German and Texas electricity markets.
- Gunther Glenk
- & Stefan Reichelstein
-
Article
| Open AccessElectrifying passenger road transport in India requires near-term electricity grid decarbonisation
India’s plans to electrify transport is complicated by its reliance on coal-power. Here the authors call for diverse policy and technology solutions, including a focus on cleaner grids, electric 2-wheelers, and hybrid 4-wheelers in the near-term.
- Amir F. N. Abdul-Manan
- , Victor Gordillo Zavaleta
- & Amer A. Amer
-
Article
| Open AccessAnisotropic nanocrystal superlattices overcoming intrinsic light outcoupling efficiency limit in perovskite quantum dot light-emitting diodes
Controlling the transition-dipole-moment orientation in quantum dot solids at device level has not been achieved before. Here, the authors demonstrated intrinsic light out-coupling enhancement approach to boost the external quantum efficiency up to 25% by using the colloidal lead halide perovskite anisotropic nanocrystals.
- Sudhir Kumar
- , Tommaso Marcato
- & Chih-Jen Shih
-
Article
| Open AccessProduction of a monolithic fuel cell stack with high power density
The transportation sector is gradually evolving to become independent of fossil fuels. Here, the authors report a metal-based monolithic solid oxide fuel cell with a power density of 5.6 kW/L suitable for transport applications.
- Stéven Pirou
- , Belma Talic
- & Anke Hagen
-
Article
| Open AccessCOVID-19, Green Deal and recovery plan permanently change emissions and prices in EU ETS Phase IV
This paper finds that the EU’s 2030 reduction target of -55% might correspond to EU ETS allowance prices between 45 and 94 e/ton CO2 today, while the invalidation rule reduces carbon emissions to 14.2 to 18.3 GtCO2 over the EU ETS’ remaining lifetime.
- Kenneth Bruninx
- & Marten Ovaere
-
Article
| Open AccessPlant conversions and abatement technologies cannot prevent stranding of power plant assets in 2 °C scenarios
Many existing and in-the-pipeline fossil-fuel power plants will have to be decommissioned or underused to avoid climate change beyond 2 °C, even under optimistic technology assumptions and after accounting for emission-reducing conversions.
- Yangsiyu Lu
- , Francois Cohen
- & Alexander Pfeiffer
-
Article
| Open AccessA measurement strategy to address disparities across household energy burdens
Net energy metrics reveal disparities in United States household energy burdens. Here the authors find that at least five million households are excluded from current accounting methods, with race, education, and housing tenure accounting for large differences in energy burden.
- Eric Scheier
- & Noah Kittner
-
Article
| Open AccessAssessing the energy transition in China towards carbon neutrality with a probabilistic framework
China’s transition path toward carbon neutrality remains uncertain. Here the authors combine Monte Carlo analysis with an energy-environment-economy model to present a probabilistic view of China’s energy transition across 3,000 cases.
- Shu Zhang
- & Wenying Chen
-
Article
| Open AccessLocation-specific co-benefits of carbon emissions reduction from coal-fired power plants in China
Spatially nuanced policies are necessary for maximising co-benefits of carbon-emissions reduction from coal-fired power plants. Here the authors present an approach integrating costs of CO2 and air pollution emissions to better understand social costs of electricity generation from coal burning in China.
- Pu Wang
- , Cheng-Kuan Lin
- & Tong Wu
-
Article
| Open AccessAir-conditioning and the adaptation cooling deficit in emerging economies
Adaptation to heat stress through the use of air conditioners has received increasing attention. Here the authors show that income and humidity adjusted temperature are common determinants for adopting air conditioning, but their relative contribution varies in relation to household characteristics.
- Filippo Pavanello
- , Enrica De Cian
- & André F. P. Lucena
-
Article
| Open AccessAssessment of plum rain’s impact on power system emissions in Yangtze-Huaihe River basin of China
Plum rain may reduce photovoltaic potential due to lowered surface irradiance (SI). Here the authors note lowered SI in the Yangtze-Huaihe River basin by up to 20% due to rains, which, coupled with a large number of deployed PV systems, can cause incremental CO2 emissions of local power systems.
- Guangsheng Pan
- , Qinran Hu
- & Yuping Lu
-
Article
| Open AccessUltra-selective molecular-sieving gas separation membranes enabled by multi-covalent-crosslinking of microporous polymer blends
Microporous polymers become increasingly attractive as materials for the fabrication of permeable and selective gas separation membranes but separation performance is often limited by broad pore size distribution. Here, the authors design a porous polymer membrane via multi-crosslinking of miscible blends of microporous polymers enabling simultaneous high permeability and selectivity.
- Xiuling Chen
- , Yanfang Fan
- & Nanwen Li
-
Article
| Open AccessEnergy systems in scenarios at net-zero CO2 emissions
Despite global initiatives to reach net-zero CO2 emissions, the tradeoffs of energy systems to reach that goal remain understudied. Here the authors analyze all net-zero scenarios used for the 2018 IPCC report and quantify the role of renewable energy, fuels, and emissions in attaining a zero CO2 world.
- Julianne DeAngelo
- , Inês Azevedo
- & Steven J. Davis
-
Article
| Open AccessHigh resolution global spatiotemporal assessment of rooftop solar photovoltaics potential for renewable electricity generation
Though a global assessment of rooftop solar photovoltaic (RTSPV) technology’s potential and the cost is needed to estimate its impact, existing methods demand extensive data processing. Here, the authors report a machine learning method to realize a high-resolution global assessment of RTSPV potential.
- Siddharth Joshi
- , Shivika Mittal
- & James Glynn
-
Article
| Open AccessHousehold cooking fuel estimates at global and country level for 1990 to 2030
Household air pollution derived from cooking fuels is a major source of health and environmental problems. Here, the authors provide detailed global, regional and country estimates of cooking fuel usage from 1990 to 2030 and project that 31% of people will still be mainly using polluting fuels in 2030.
- Oliver Stoner
- , Jessica Lewis
- & Heather Adair-Rohani
-
Article
| Open AccessLarge uncertainties in trends of energy demand for heating and cooling under climate change
The energy demand for heating and cooling buildings is changing with global warming. Here the authors show that trends in cooling energy demands are increasing, although the magnitude is extremely uncertain, which highlights challenges for future energy demand quantification.
- Adrien Deroubaix
- , Inga Labuhn
- & Guillaume Siour
-
Article
| Open AccessNo COVID-19 climate silver lining in the US power sector
COVID-19 has decreased power sector emissions globally and in the United States. Here the authors assess whether such reductions would have occurred in the United States in the absence of the pandemic, as well as the potential impact of COVID-19 on coal-fired power plant retirements through 2022.
- Max Luke
- , Priyanshi Somani
- & Stephen J. Lee
-
Article
| Open AccessHigher cost of finance exacerbates a climate investment trap in developing economies
Access to low cost finance is vital for developing economies’ transition to green energy. Here the authors show how modelled decarbonization pathways for developing economies are disproportionately impacted by different weighted average cost of capital (WACC) assumptions.
- Nadia Ameli
- , Olivier Dessens
- & Michael Grubb
-
Article
| Open AccessEmission impacts of China’s solid waste import ban and COVID-19 in the copper supply chain
Advanced copper supply chain modeling shows China’s new waste trade policy may increase pollution, while limiting other low-value imports reverses this trend. Here the authors show that recycling is vulnerable to supply chain shocks, requiring investment during recoveries to promote a circular economy.
- John Ryter
- , Xinkai Fu
- & Elsa A. Olivetti
-
Article
| Open AccessImpact of carbon dioxide removal technologies on deep decarbonization of the electric power sector
Carbon dioxide removal technologies such as bioenergy with carbon capture and direct air can influence power sector planning and operations. Here the authors show how carbon removal options lower costs of deep decarbonization and alter electric sector investments.
- John E. T. Bistline
- & Geoffrey J. Blanford