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This paper aims to provide a critical review of water generation from atmospheric air by using desiccant materials. Over the past few years, there has been very high stress on water scarcity, especially in Asian and African countries. Because of this insecurity, many countries are focusing on their research in the field of water technologies. Water generation from atmospheric air by using desiccant materials is one of the techniques among the air-to-water generators (AWGs).

A structured and systematic literature review has been presented to observe and understand the past trend/patterns in the field of water generation from atmospheric air by using desiccant materials. To understand the water generation technologies based on desiccant materials, the research papers from the years 1987 to 2022 have been studied and included.

The properties of the different and most probable desiccant materials in the field of AWGs have been discussed. A detailed review of testing reports of collected water samples has also been presented in tabular form. Finally, the economic analysis has been done and future prospects have been discussed. It is also found that the capacity of solid desiccant materials to adsorb the water is less as compared to liquid desiccant materials. But, the adsorption capacity can be improved by using composite desiccant materials.

The uniqueness of this manuscript lies in the compiling and examination of the existed published research papers, including variables such as author, year and geographical location, experimental/simulative, types of desiccant material, type of setup, desiccant material type and quantity and type of concentrator. This manuscript provides critique to the empirical and conceptual research in AWG technologies and also stimulates researchers to explore the topic very carefully.

An economic assessment was performed of the potential for clean energy options to contribute to the power and desalination needs in the State of Kuwait over the next 20 to 40 years. The paper aims to summarize two analyses that were performed for the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research to develop a strategy promoting renewable energy and evaluating alternative technologies including nuclear energy.

The analyses were performed using a power and water model for Kuwait that was constructed using the International Energy Agency – Energy Technology Systems Analysis Programme (IEA‐ETSAP) TIMES modeling framework. Data provided by the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) and the Kuwait Petroleum Company (KPC) characterizes the projected demand for power and water; the existing and planned power generation and water desalination plants, including the expected retirement of existing plants; and future fossil fuel prices and availability. New power generation options – including renewable energy (RE), nuclear, combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) and reheat steam power plants (RHSPP) – were compared in this least‐cost optimization framework.

The model results indicate that by 2030 the cost‐effective RE share is 11 percent of electricity generation in the reference case and 8 percent in the case with the nuclear option. The RE technologies alone provide a 2030 net‐back value compared to the reference case of US$2.35 billion, while in the nuclear case they increase the 2030 net‐back value by an additional US$1.5 billion. Increasing the RE share, as a government policy, to 10 percent, 15 percent and 20 percent, decreases the 2030 netback benefit by US$1.0, $3.6 and $8.3 billion, respectively.

Sensitivity runs based on scenarios that assume higher RE costs or lower availability, lower demand growth, lower oil and gas prices, higher nuclear plant investment costs, and RE capacity credit were analyzed.

The analysis provides a compelling economic basis for initiating a renewable energy program in the State of Kuwait. However, these forecasted benefits will only materialize to the extent the projected RE investments are achieved if they begin in earnest soon.

The analysis identifies a cost‐effective share of renewable energy use in Kuwait as about 11 percent of electricity generation in 2030. The investment in renewable energy provides the State of Kuwait with a net‐back value of US$2.35 billion, due to the fuel savings that are generated by using renewables.

Evaluates existing systems of collection and disposal of industrial waste water in the Lagos metropolis, Nigeria. Examines the rate of generation of waste water in the paints, foods and beverages, battery, textile, brewery, and pulp and paper industries. These include among others some selected industries in Ikeja Industrial Estate, Lagos. The cases chosen are believed to give a broad outline of organic strength of industrial wastes as well as disposal problems. Results show biochemical oxygen demand, pH and temperature range of 44‐6000mg/l, 4.5‐9.5 and 30‐40°C respectively. Identifies problems facing industrialists in waste water treatment and disposal. Offers suggestions for minimizing environmental pollution by industrial effluents.

This study aims to present the environmental management system implemented at UNISINOS and demonstrate some of the main results obtained in more than 15 years carrying out the environmental management of the campuses in São Leopoldo and Porto Alegre. The focus is on the main environmental impacts: electricity consumption, water consumption and solid waste management.

Sustainable development of universities has gradually become a common practice, as the knowledge shared in the higher education institutions reflects in the behavior of society. In a university, an environmental management system is used to plan, implement and manage processes referring to the environmental, social and economic aspects, so as to improve their performance and comply with legal requirements. For this, national or international standards and/or methodologies can be followed, which serve as a guide for the institution to reach sustainability in a staggered manner, according to the availability of data and resources for environmental management.

After 16 years of certification, based on the monitoring performed, positive performance was observed, reflecting a better and attentive university, with an environmental policy that goes beyond the borders of the campuses and transmits solid concepts of environmental education to the academic community, under the rigid control of the ISO 14001 tool.

In 2004, UNISINOS became the first Latin American university with an ISO 14001 certification. In 2018, the certification was extended to the UNISINOS Campus in Porto Alegre, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. All the support activities conducted and implemented in the campuses (São Leopoldo and Porto Alegre) follow the same rules implemented by the UNISINOS environmental management system. After the experience of implementing the ISO 14001 requirements, UNISINOS included other normative requirements in 2013, adopting an integrated management system.

Sustainable development is the management and conservation of the basic natural resources through which organizational and technological changes are lead to meet present and future needs of humans. In developing and analyzing the solutions based on sustainable development principles, an integrated and holistic approach needs to be pursued. Not only system dynamics has the essential tools for systemic analysis, but also it is an appropriate approach for perceiving problems and offering solutions. The aim of this study is to present an integrated and systemic model to analyze the existent dynamics in sustainable development of Iran’s farming industry.

To achieve the mathematical equations and values of model’s variables, a simulation is carried out using the data gathered from Damavand city, Tehran, Iran. The parameters of the model are selected and calculated considering the specifications of this case study. After modeling the system, Vensim simulation software has been employed, followed by identifying the leverage points of the model; then, a set of scenarios have been generated and tested through simulation to achieve a much improved understanding of the system’s dynamic behavior.

The results show that two factors are among the most important leverage points: “profit gained from agriculture” and “required water”. The authors could also observe that the main issue in Damavand is the lack of water for which saving policies would be a major step toward agriculture’s sustainable development in this area.

The paper shows how System Dynamics simulation approach can provide deep insights into the field of sustainable development and present efficient policies for agriculture sustainability.

This study aims to provide an alternative adoption to overcome the energy crisis and environmental effluence by comparative theoretical and trial testing analysis of an innovative combined condenser unit over traditional individual condenser unit water heating systems.

The presented innovative new unit of the combined condenser heat pipe works efficiently through its improved idea and unique design, providing uniform heating to improve the heat transfer and, finally, the temperature of water increases without enhancing the cost. In this design, all these five evaporator units were connected with a single combined condenser unit in such a manner that after the condensation of heat transfer fluid vapour, it goes equally into the evaporator pipe.

The maximum temperature of hot water obtained from the combined condenser heating system was 60.6, 55.5 and 50.3°C at a water flow rate of 0.001, 0.002 and 0.003 kg/s, respectively. The first and second law thermodynamic efficiency of the combined condenser heating system were 55.4%, 60.5% and 89.0% and 2.6%, 3.7% and 4.1% at 0.001, 0.002 and 0.003 kg/s of water flow rates, respectively. The combined condenser heat pipe solar evacuated tube heating system promoting progressive performance is considered efficient and environment-friendly compared to the traditional condenser unit water heating system.

Innovative combined condenser heat pipe evacuated tube collector assembly was designed and developed for the study. A comparative theoretical and experimental energy-exergy performance analysis was performed of innovated collective condenser and traditional individual condenser heat pipe water heating system at various mass flow rate.

Singapore is a small, densely populated city-state, which has become a prosperous global trading, investment and communications hub. In light of this, particular challenges have arisen in the development of its infrastructure to meet its needs. These challenges are met by harnessing private capital in the design, building, management and funding of the infrastructure. The purpose of this paper is to examine various arrangements in using private capital within key infrastructure sectors: mass rapid transit, roads, water supply, electricity generation and transmission, maritime ports and airport, ITC services, and industrial infrastructure, and to consider how full privatization, limited privatization (government-linked companies), direct government provision through statutory authorities (relying partly on private borrowing), and a mix of the above arrangements require infrastructure providers, even statutory authorities, to follow business practices.

This paper adopts an empirical, discursive and critical approach.

The Singapore government has continued to see its role as steering the economy into niche sectors where Singapore can acquire a competitive edge, and to overall facilitate economic development through active intervention. This includes, amongst other things, state-sponsored training and education, capital grants to start-ups, trade promotion, various fiscal incentives to businesses, guarantees for bank credit, etc. (Ghesquiere, 2007). This twin-pronged approach has been reflected in the development and management of the infrastructure. In line with the creation of a strong free enterprise economy, privatization and private capital has been a central feature of infrastructure investment and management.

The paper shows how private capital can be used through privatization and borrowing from the private sector to manage the infrastructure. This may be considered an appropriate means to meet the needs of a densely populated small state which is also a global hub for trade, research, investment and communications. It also shows how the harnessing of private capital can be combined with continued government control to ensure that the infrastructure development reflects public policy and adheres to required standards.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel resource availability assessment for supply chain (SC) configuration. This approach involves understanding both local resource availability and the demand-side implications of supplying global/regional markets as part of a more holistic SC design activity that incorporates local environmental factors.

The proposed framework was derived from literature analysis, bridging relevant literature domains – natural capital theory, industrial ecology and SC configuration – in order to develop design rules for future resource-constrained industrial systems. In order to test the proposed framework, an exploratory case study, based on secondary data, was conducted.

Research findings suggest that this approach might better identify relationships and vulnerabilities between natural resource availability and the viability of regional/global SCs. The research suggests that natural resource availability depends upon three elements – local resource consumption, global resource demand and external environmental factors.

The framework has two main limitations. The current work is focussed on a single industry case study used to exemplify the approach. Second, the framework does not consider other possible industries, which might enter or leave the specific location during the company’s operation. Furthermore, no assessment was made of the migration of populations within the area.

For practitioners, such as those in the agri-food sector, the resource availability assessment framework informs SC configuration design. For policymakers, the research aims to provide policy guidelines, which can help to improve water-saving strategies for a particular region. At a broader societal level, the research raises awareness of resource scarcity amongst industrial players and the wider public.

A resource availability assessment framework has been proposed, suggesting that the dynamics of both global and local resource demand, in conjunction with changing local environmental factors, can over time significantly deteriorate a firm’s natural resource impact on the local environment. Thus, the framework seeks to deliver mechanisms to evaluate potential vulnerabilities and solutions available to firms using a more proactive SC design method and to apply reconfiguration processes that account for natural resources, based primarily on network and resource attributes.

Dams are constructed for many purposes such as for power generation, irrigation, water supply and flood control. However, dams can also impose risks to the public, and the situation could be disastrous if dam failure occurred. The study area, Bertam Valley, is located downstream of hydroelectric dam known as Sultan Abu Bakar Dam, Cameron Highlands. The key objectives of the study are to determine the potential risk area at downstream and to assess the flooding impact on damage to buildings and infrastructures due to dam break event. ArcGIS application and output from two-dimensional flood modelling have been used as an integrated approach to analyse the impact due to dam break flood, by creating flood severity grid analysis. The result obtained shows that the estimated inundated area is about 0.28 km², and almost 197 buildings are potentially affected. Results from this study show that in the event of dam break, the huge volume of impounding water will pound to the downstream areas, threatening the populations, and environment along its path. The finding is useful to assist the local authorities and emergency responders in formulating an emergency procedure to save the people during an emergency.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the changing trend of China's power project investment value.

The authors research the profitability of different power projects in recent years and summarize the reason why investment value varies between different power projects. To achieve this, the empirical study developed a fixed effect model in panel data analysis to investigate the impacts that different power projects made to company value. The data were collected from annual financial reports of 30 Chinese power listed companies from 2007 to 2011.

This paper indicates three changes in investment value of China's electricity industry: the electricity industry in China is of investment prospects; the investment value of fuel power projects in China is less and less; and projects around electric power load center are more preferable than those built in other areas. It suggests that it is the resource factors, environment factors, investment policies and conditions, not the power unit itself, that determine the investment value of different power projects in China.

This paper analyzes the formation reason of current power investment situation combining China's actual conditions. This study fulfils an identified need to research the changing trend of China's power project investment value and generalize the influencing factors of investment value.