Low carbon energy development is a solid requirement for decarbonization and carbon neutralization of the economy. Hydrogen energy is chosen for achieving a large degree of decarbonization in the fields of industrial, transport, and domestic consumptions. This paper provides an overview on the current state of global hydrogen production and demand, summarizes the momentum of green hydrogen development, and analyzes the possible roles of countries in the global hydrogen trade and cooperation. The status and costs of hydrogen production and transportation in China were systematically examined. While China has become the world’s largest hydrogen producer and consumer, it faces a major structural contradiction that the country’s hydrogen resources are unevenly distributed, abundant in the west but scarce in the east, making long-distance transport costs a key bottleneck for its domestic hydrogen energy development. To address these challenges, three strategic scenarios, including eastward hydrogen transmission, international cooperation, and efficient utilization of wind power for hydrogen production, were proposed to reach the goal that by 2050, the share of coal consumption will drop to 30%, and the share of non-fossil energy will increase to 50%. These scenarios will provide data support and strategic references for the precise positioning of China’s hydrogen market and the construction of a sustainable supply chain.
Household plastic waste and industrial polymer matrix composite material scrap present two scales of problems that can lead to pollution and other environmental issues. Recycling waste and scrap has become increasingly important and has drawn tremendous attention as a promising approach to solving the growing polymer pollution issue. This study aims to create energy-efficient and scalable procedures to manufacture hybrid composite materials using household thermoplastic waste and industrial thermoset matrix composite scrap for the first time to our best knowledge, and evaluate the structural performance of upcycled fiber-reinforced composites. Recycled scrap of pultruded glass fiber vinyl ester composite (rComposite) was mechanically split with an energy-efficient process and subsequently molded with recycled household high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) waste to produce thermoset composite reinforced thermoplastic matrix (rComposite/rHDPE) composites at different rComposite contents, i.e., 20, 27, and 35 wt%. Various characterization methods, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy analyses, were performed to evaluate the constituent materials and the molded composite. Mechanical testing was also conducted to evaluate the mechanical properties of the composites with different rComposite contents. It was found that the tensile and flexural properties of the rComposite/rHDPE composite increased with increasing rComposite content. There was a 256% increase in tensile strength and an 885% increase in tensile modulus for the 35%-rComposite reinforced rHDPE composite over neat rHDPE, respectively. Overall, this study presents a potential approach of recycling household plastic waste and polymer matrix composite material scrap by developing a hybrid composite material with great mechanical properties.
The Koliba-Corubal basin, located between Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, is a key area for water resource management, but it is vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This article aims to analyze historical and future hydrological trends in this basin using the GR4J hydrological model in order to assess the impact of climate change on water availability. The study is based on past climate data (1981–1993) and future projections from CMIP6 climate models, applied to three climate change scenarios: SSP 126, SSP 370, and SSP 585. The results show a significant decrease in river flows in the basin, with reductions of up to 65.6% by the end of the century, especially under the SSP 370 and SSP 585 scenarios. Dry periods are especially affected, with a marked decline in monthly flows, seriously impacting water resource management for agriculture and drinking water supply. Using Mann-Kendall and Pettitt statistical tests, the study also identifies potential breaks in the time series of flows. The results of this analysis highlight the urgency of adopting climate change adaptation strategies and the need for sustainable water resource management in the Koliba-Corubal basin to meet the challenges posed by these changes.
In the context of the global implementation of the dual carbon strategy, enhancing the thermal insulation performance of kiln insulation layers to reduce energy consumption is a highly effective route to achieving energy conservation and emission reduction. In this work, mullite foamed ceramics were fabricated via a direct-foaming method using industrial alumina and white clay as raw materials, and the thermal conductivity was decreased by introducing a secondary phase and increasing the interfacial thermal resistance. The influence of the TiO2 addition on the phase composition, pore characteristics, and properties was systematically investigated by means of XRD, SEM, and EDS. The results indicate that the foamed ceramics are mainly composed of mullite, with minor phases including corundum and aluminum titanate. It has been demonstrated that increasing the TiO2 addition decreased the ceramic’s thermal conductivity, due to the formation of low-thermal-conductivity Al2TiO5 phases and the elevation of the interfacial thermal resistance. The specimen exhibiting the optimal properties is characterized by a porosity of 77.8%, a strength of 1.86 MPa, and a thermal conductivity of 0.216 W/(m·K) (1000 °C), achieved with a TiO2 addition of 6 wt%.
The introduction of proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PSCK9) inhibitors has transformed the approach to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This paper aims to determine the longer-term impact of these interventions on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality. A systematic search of major databases was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials comparing PCSK9 inhibitors with a placebo. Studies were included if they reported cardiovascular events with a follow-up duration greater than 12 months. Frequentist, Bayesian meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis were utilised to assess the efficacy of PCSK9 inhibitors in reducing MACE. Amongst 11 studies encompassing 52,372 patients, statistically significant reductions were observed in rates of myocardial infarction (risk ratio (RR) 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68 to 0.89, p < 0.01, I2 = 20%), coronary revascularisation (RR 0.83; 95% CI 0.75 to 0.91, p < 0.01, I2 = 9.1%) and ischemic stroke (RR 0.76; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.87, p < 0.01, I2 = 0%) amongst patients on PCSK9 inhibitors compared to placebo based on random-effects meta-analysis. Trial sequential analysis and Bayesian analysis supported these results, with posterior probabilities that PCSK9 inhibitors improve outcomes for myocardial infarction, coronary revascularisation, and ischemic stroke of 83.8%, 82.9%, and 69.4%, respectively. No statistically significant effect was observed for the other outcomes. This meta-analysis demonstrates significant reductions in the rate of myocardial infarction, coronary revascularisation, and ischemic stroke. Further benefits may emerge with longer-term follow-up and alternate methods of targeting PCSK9.
