UEXdo/OpenDataHub huggingface dataset:
Modelling of supply and demand-side determinants of liquefied petroleum gas consumption in peri-urban Cameroon, Ghana and Kenya
Authors: Shupler, M.; Mangeni, J.; Tawiah, T.; Sang, E.; Baame, M.
Journal: Nature Energy (2021)

Abstract
                  
                    Household transitions to cleaner cooking fuels (for example, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)) have historically been studied from a demand perspective, with clean energy usage expected to increase with improvements in household socio-economic status. Although recent studies demonstrate the importance of supply-side determinants in increasing clean cooking, few large-scale studies have assessed their importance quantitatively, relative to demand-relat
Economic, environmental and grid-resilience benefits of converting diesel trains to battery-electric
Authors: Popovich, N.; Rajagopal, D.; Tasar, E.; Phadke, A.
Journal: Nature Energy (2021)

Abstract
                  
                    Nearly all US locomotives are propelled by diesel-electric drives, which emit 35 million tonnes of CO
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                    and produce air pollution causing about 1,000 premature deaths annually, accounting for approximately US$6.5 billion in annual health damage costs. Improved battery technology plus access to cheap renewable electricity open the possibility of battery-electric rail. Here we show that a 241-km range can be ac
Growing environmental footprint of plastics driven by coal combustion
Authors: Cabernard, L.; Pfister, S.; Oberschelp, C.; Hellweg, S.
Journal: Nature Sustainability (2021)

AbstractResearch on the environmental impacts from the global value chain of plastics has typically focused on the disposal phase, considered most harmful to the environment and human health. However, the production of plastics is also responsible for substantial environmental, health and socioeconomic impacts. We show that the carbon and particulate-matter-related health footprint of plastics has doubled since 1995, due mainly to growth in plastics production in coal-based economies. Coal-based
Energy harvesting optical modulators with sub-attojoule per bit electrical energy consumption
Authors: de Cea, M.; Atabaki, A.; Ram, R.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractThe light input to a semiconductor optical modulator can constitute an electrical energy supply through the photovoltaic effect, which is unexploited in conventional modulators. In this work, we leverage this effect to demonstrate a silicon modulator with sub-aJ/bit electrical energy consumption at sub-GHz speeds, relevant for massively parallel input/output systems such as neural interfaces. We use the parasitic photovoltaic current to self-charge the modulator and a single transistor t
Novel symmetrical bifacial flexible CZTSSe thin film solar cells for indoor photovoltaic applications
Authors: Deng, H.; Sun, Q.; Yang, Z.; Li, W.; Yan, Q.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractEnvironment-friendly flexible Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells show great potentials for indoor photovoltaic market. Indoor lighting is weak and multi-directional, thus the researches of photovoltaic device structures, techniques and performances face new challenges. Here, we design symmetrical bifacial CZTSSe solar cells on flexible Mo-foil substrate to efficiently harvest the indoor energy. Such devices are fabricated by double-sided deposition techniques to ensure bifacial consiste
Pure spin photocurrent in non-centrosymmetric crystals: bulk spin photovoltaic effect
Authors: Xu, H.; Wang, H.; Zhou, J.; Li, J.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractSpin current generators are critical components for spintronics-based information processing. In this work, we theoretically and computationally investigate the bulk spin photovoltaic (BSPV) effect for creating DC spin current under light illumination. The only requirement for BSPV is inversion symmetry breaking, thus it applies to a broad range of materials and can be readily integrated with existing semiconductor technologies. The BSPV effect is a cousin of the bulk photovoltaic (BPV)
Enhanced bulk photovoltaic effect in two-dimensional ferroelectric CuInP2S6
Authors: Li, Y.; Fu, J.; Mao, X.; Chen, C.; Liu, H.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

Abstract
                  
                    The photocurrent generation in photovoltaics relies essentially on the interface of p-n junction or Schottky barrier with the photoelectric efficiency constrained by the Shockley-Queisser limit. The recent progress has shown a promising route to surpass this limit via the bulk photovoltaic effect for crystals without inversion symmetry. Here we report the bulk photovoltaic effect in two-dimensional ferroelectric CuInP
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Direct observation of trap-assisted recombination in organic photovoltaic devices
Authors: Zeiske, S.; Sandberg, O.; Zarrabi, N.; Li, W.; Meredith, P.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractTrap-assisted recombination caused by localised sub-gap states is one of the most important first-order loss mechanism limiting the power-conversion efficiency of all solar cells. The presence and relevance of trap-assisted recombination in organic photovoltaic devices is still a matter of some considerable ambiguity and debate, hindering the field as it seeks to deliver ever higher efficiencies and ultimately a viable new solar photovoltaic technology. In this work, we show that trap-as
Anomalous circular bulk photovoltaic effect in BiFeO3 thin films with stripe-domain pattern
Authors: Knoche, D.; Steimecke, M.; Yun, Y.; Mühlenbein, L.; Bhatnagar, A.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractMultiferroic bismuth ferrite, BiFeO3, offers a vast landscape to study the interplay between different ferrroic orders. Another aspect which is equally exciting, and yet underutilized, is the possibility of large-scale ordering of domains. Along with symmetry-driven bulk photovoltaic effect, BiFeO3 presents opportunities to conceptualize novel light-based devices. In this work, we investigate the evolution of the bulk photovoltaic effect in BiFeO3 thin films with stripe-domain pattern as
Limited application of reflective surfaces can mitigate urban heat pollution
Authors: Sen, S.; Khazanovich, L.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractElevated air temperatures in urban neighborhoods due to the Urban Heat Island effect is a form of heat pollution that causes thermal discomfort, higher energy consumption, and deteriorating public health. Mitigation measures can be expensive, with the need to maximize benefits from limited resources. Here we show that significant mitigation can be achieved through a limited application of reflective surfaces. We use a Computational Fluid Dynamics model to resolve the air temperature with
Pricing indirect emissions accelerates low—carbon transition of US light vehicle sector
Authors: Wolfram, P.; Weber, S.; Gillingham, K.; Hertwich, E.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

Abstract
                  
                    Large–scale electric vehicle adoption can greatly reduce emissions from vehicle tailpipes. However, analysts have cautioned that it can come with increased indirect emissions from electricity and battery production that are not commonly regulated by transport policies. We combine integrated energy modeling and life cycle assessment to compare optimal policy scenarios that price emissions at the tailpipe only, versus both tailpipe and indirect emiss
Altered growth conditions more than reforestation counteracted forest biomass carbon emissions 1990–2020
Authors: Le Noë, J.; Erb, K.; Matej, S.; Magerl, A.; Bhan, M.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

Abstract
                  Understanding the carbon (C) balance in global forest is key for climate-change mitigation. However, land use and environmental drivers affecting global forest C fluxes remain poorly quantified. Here we show, following a counterfactual modelling approach based on global Forest Resource Assessments, that in 1990–2020 deforestation is the main driver of forest C emissions, partly counteracted by increased forest growth rates under altered conditions: In the hypothetical
Location-specific co-benefits of carbon emissions reduction from coal-fired power plants in China
Authors: Wang, P.; Lin, C.; Wang, Y.; Liu, D.; Song, D.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractClimate policies that achieve air quality co-benefits can better align developing countries’ national interests with global climate mitigation. Since the effects of air pollutants are highly dependent on source locations, spatially nuanced policies are crucial to maximizing the achievement of co-benefits. Using the coal power industry as a case study, this study presents an interdisciplinary approach to assessing facility level co-benefits at every specific source location in China. We f
Prospective contributions of biomass pyrolysis to China’s 2050 carbon reduction and renewable energy goals
Authors: Yang, Q.; Zhou, H.; Bartocci, P.; Fantozzi, F.; Mašek, O.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractRecognizing that bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) may still take years to mature, this study focuses on another photosynthesis-based, negative-carbon technology that is readier to implement in China: biomass intermediate pyrolysis poly-generation (BIPP). Here we find that a BIPP system can be profitable without subsidies, while its national deployment could contribute to a 61% reduction of carbon emissions per unit of gross domestic product in 2030 compared to 2005 and r
High resolution global spatiotemporal assessment of rooftop solar photovoltaics potential for renewable electricity generation
Authors: Joshi, S.; Mittal, S.; Holloway, P.; Shukla, P.; Ó Gallachóir, B.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractRooftop solar photovoltaics currently account for 40% of the global solar photovoltaics installed capacity and one-fourth of the total renewable capacity additions in 2018. Yet, only limited information is available on its global potential and associated costs at a high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we present a high-resolution global assessment of rooftop solar photovoltaics potential using big data, machine learning and geospatial analysis. We analyse 130 million km2of global land s
A flexible electromagnetic wave-electricity harvester
Authors: Lv, H.; Yang, Z.; Liu, B.; Wu, G.; Lou, Z.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractDeveloping an ultimate electromagnetic (EM)-absorbing material that can not only dissipate EM energy but also convert the generated heat into electricity is highly desired but remains a significant challenge. Here, we report a hybrid Sn@C composite with a biological cell-like splitting ability to address this challenge. The composite consisting of Sn nanoparticles embedded within porous carbon would split under a cycled annealing treatment, leading to more dispersed nanoparticles with an
Impacts of long-term temperature change and variability on electricity investments
Authors: Khan, Z.; Iyer, G.; Patel, P.; Kim, S.; Hejazi, M.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractLong-term temperature change and variability are expected to have significant impacts on future electric capacity and investments. This study improves upon past studies by accounting for hourly and monthly dynamics of electricity use, long-term socioeconomic drivers, and interactions of the electric sector with rest of the economy for a comprehensive analysis of temperature change impacts on cooling and heating services and their corresponding impact on electric capacity and investments.
Large uncertainties in trends of energy demand for heating and cooling under climate change
Authors: Deroubaix, A.; Labuhn, I.; Camredon, M.; Gaubert, B.; Monerie, P.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractThe energy demand for heating and cooling buildings is changing with global warming. Using proxies of climate-driven energy demand based on the heating and cooling Degree-Days methodology applied to thirty global climate model simulations, we show that, over all continental areas, the climate-driven energy demand trends for heating and cooling were weak, changing by less than 10% from 1950 to 1990, but become stronger from 1990 to 2030, changing by more than 10%. With the multi-model mea
A small climate-amplifying effect of climate-carbon cycle feedback
Authors: Zhang, X.; Wang, Y.; Rayner, P.; Ciais, P.; Huang, K.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractThe climate-carbon cycle feedback is one of the most important climate-amplifying feedbacks of the Earth system, and is quantified as a function of carbon-concentration feedback parameter (β) and carbon-climate feedback parameter (γ). However, the global climate-amplifying effect from this feedback loop (determined by the gain factor, g) has not been quantified from observations. Here we apply a Fourier analysis-based carbon cycle feedback framework to the reconstructed records from 1850
Linear reinforcement learning in planning, grid fields, and cognitive control
Authors: Piray, P.; Daw, N.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

Abstract
                  It is thought that the brain’s judicious reuse of previous computation underlies our ability to plan flexibly, but also that inappropriate reuse gives rise to inflexibilities like habits and compulsion. Yet we lack a complete, realistic account of either. Building on control engineering, here we introduce a model for decision making in the brain that reuses a temporally abstracted map of future events to enable biologically-realistic, flexible choice at the expense of
Perineuronal nets stabilize the grid cell network
Authors: Christensen, A.; Lensjø, K.; Lepperød, M.; Dragly, S.; Sutterud, H.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

Abstract
                  Grid cells are part of a widespread network which supports navigation and spatial memory. Stable grid patterns appear late in development, in concert with extracellular matrix aggregates termed perineuronal nets (PNNs) that condense around inhibitory neurons. It has been suggested that PNNs stabilize synaptic connections and long-term memories, but their role in the grid cell network remains elusive. We show that removal of PNNs leads to lower inhibitory spiking activi
Global coastal attenuation of wind-waves observed with radar altimetry
Authors: Passaro, M.; Hemer, M.; Quartly, G.; Schwatke, C.; Dettmering, D.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractCoastal studies of wave climate and evaluations of wave energy resources are mainly regional and based on the use of computationally very expensive models or a network of in-situ data. Considering the significant wave height, satellite radar altimetry provides an established global and relatively long-term source, whose coastal data are nevertheless typically flagged as unreliable within 30 km of the coast. This study exploits the reprocessing of the radar altimetry signals with a dedica
Interstitial boron-doped mesoporous semiconductor oxides for ultratransparent energy storage
Authors: Zhi, J.; Zhou, M.; Zhang, Z.; Reiser, O.; Huang, F.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractRealizing transparent and energy-dense supercapacitor is highly challenging, as there is a trade-off between energy storing capability and transparency in the active material film. We report here that interstitial boron-doped mesoporous semiconductor oxide shows exceptional electrochemical capacitance which rivals other pseudocapacitive materials, while maintaining its transparent characteristic. This improvement is credited to the robust redox reactions at interstitial boron-associated
Alternative carbon price trajectories can avoid excessive carbon removal
Authors: Strefler, J.; Kriegler, E.; Bauer, N.; Luderer, G.; Pietzcker, R.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractThe large majority of climate change mitigation scenarios that hold warming below 2 °C show high deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR), resulting in a peak-and-decline behavior in global temperature. This is driven by the assumption of an exponentially increasing carbon price trajectory which is perceived to be economically optimal for meeting a carbon budget. However, this optimality relies on the assumption that a finite carbon budget associated with a temperature target is filled
A frequency-amplitude coordinator and its optimal energy consumption for biological oscillators
Authors: Qin, B.; Zhao, L.; Lin, W.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractBiorhythm including neuron firing and protein-mRNA interaction are fundamental activities with diffusive effect. Their well-balanced spatiotemporal dynamics are beneficial for healthy sustainability. Therefore, calibrating both anomalous frequency and amplitude of biorhythm prevents physiological dysfunctions or diseases. However, many works were devoted to modulate frequency exclusively whereas amplitude is usually ignored, although both quantities are equally significant for coordinati
Past and future trends of Egypt’s water consumption and its sources
Authors: Nikiel, C.; Eltahir, E.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

AbstractFor millennia the Nile supplied Egypt with more water than needed. As the population grew and the economy expanded, demand on water increased accordingly. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis to reconstruct how total demand on water outstripped supply of the Nile water in the late 1970s, starting from a surplus of about 20 km3 per year in the 1960s leading to a deficit of about 40 km3 per year by the late 2010s. The gap is satisfied by import of virtual water. The role of economic g
On-demand synthesis of phosphoramidites
Authors: Sandahl, A.; Nguyen, T.; Hansen, R.; Johansen, M.; Skrydstrup, T.
Journal: Nature Communications (2021)

Abstract
                  Automated chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides is of fundamental importance for the production of primers for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for oligonucleotide-based drugs, and for numerous other medical and biotechnological applications. The highly optimised automised chemical oligonucleotide synthesis relies upon phosphoramidites as the phosphate precursors and one of the drawbacks of this technology is the poor bench stability of phosphoramidites. Here, we
Application of large-scale grid-connected solar photovoltaic system for voltage stability improvement of weak national grids
Authors: Adetokun, B.; Ojo, J.; Muriithi, C.
Journal: Scientific Reports (2021)

AbstractThis paper investigates the application of large-scale solar photovoltaic (SPV) system for voltage stability improvement of weak national grids. Large-scale SPV integration has been investigated on the Nigerian power system to enhance voltage stability and as a viable alternative to the aged shunt reactors currently being used in the Nigerian national grid to mitigate overvoltage issues in Northern Nigeria. Two scenarios of increasing SPV penetration level (PL) are investigated in this w
Water, energy and climate benefits of urban greening throughout Europe under different climatic scenarios
Authors: Quaranta, E.; Dorati, C.; Pistocchi, A.
Journal: Scientific Reports (2021)

AbstractUrban greening is an effective mitigation option for climate change in urban areas. In this contribution, a European Union (EU)-wide assessment is presented to quantify the benefits of urban greening in terms of availability of green water, reduction of cooling costs and CO2 sequestration from the atmosphere, for different climatic scenarios. Results show that greening of 35% of the EU’s urban surface (i.e. more than 26,000 km2) would avoid up to 55.8 Mtons year−1 CO2 equivalent of green
Influence of wind energy utilization potential in urban suburbs: a case study of Hohhot
Authors: Wenxin, W.; Kexin, C.; Yang, B.; Yun, X.; Jianwen, W.
Journal: Scientific Reports (2021)

AbstractGiven the increasing trend of using wind energy in cities, the utilization of distributed wind energy in cities has been widely concerned by researchers. The related research on the micro-site selection of wind turbines, a sub-project of the Task27 project of the International energy agency, was continued in this paper. The wind speed data of an observation station near Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, with a range of 10–19 m were collected. The evaluation included wind direction, Weibull paramet
Estimation of carbon dioxide emissions from the megafires of Australia in 2019–2020
Authors: Shiraishi, T.; Hirata, R.
Journal: Scientific Reports (2021)

AbstractCatastrophic fires occurred in Australia between 2019 and 2020. These fires burned vast areas and caused extensive damage to the environment and wildlife. In this study, we estimated the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from these fires using a bottom-up method involving the improved burnt area approach and up-to-date remote sensing datasets to create monthly time series distribution maps for Australia from January 2019 to February 2020. The highest monthly CO2 emissions in Australia since
Analyzing climate change impacts on health, energy, water resources, and biodiversity sectors for effective climate change policy in South Korea
Authors: Moon, T.; Chae, Y.; Lee, D.; Kim, D.; Kim, H.
Journal: Scientific Reports (2021)

AbstractThis study analyzes how climate change affects the economy, society, and environment in South Korea. Then, the study explores the ways to strengthen capabilities that can alleviate climate change impacts. To find them, the study employs a system dynamics simulation method and builds a model with several sectors including the urban, rural, population, and social-environmental sectors. The study compares the size of climate change damages in rural and urban areas. The results with represen
Accelerating deployment of offshore wind energy alter wind climate and reduce future power generation potentials
Authors: Akhtar, N.; Geyer, B.; Rockel, B.; Sommer, P.; Schrum, C.
Journal: Scientific Reports (2021)

AbstractThe European Union has set ambitious CO2 reduction targets, stimulating renewable energy production and accelerating deployment of offshore wind energy in northern European waters, mainly the North Sea. With increasing size and clustering, offshore wind farms (OWFs) wake effects, which alter wind conditions and decrease the power generation efficiency of wind farms downwind become more important. We use a high-resolution regional climate model with implemented wind farm parameterizations
A robust multiple-objective decision-making paradigm based on the water–energy–food security nexus under changing climate uncertainties
Authors: Enayati, M.; Bozorg-Haddad, O.; Fallah-Mehdipour, E.; Zolghadr-Asli, B.; Chu, X.
Journal: Scientific Reports (2021)

AbstractFrom the perspective of the water–energy–food (WEF) security nexus, sustainable water-related infrastructure may hinge on multi-dimensional decision-making, which is subject to some level of uncertainties imposed by internal or external sources such as climate change. It is important to note that the impact of this phenomenon is not solely limited to the changing behavior patterns of hydro-climatic variables since it can also affect the other pillars of the WEF nexus both directly and in
Wind energy potential assessment based on wind speed, its direction and power data
Authors: Wang, Z.; Liu, W.
Journal: Scientific Reports (2021)

Abstract
                  
                    Based on wind speed, direction and power data, an assessment method of wind energy potential using finite mixture statistical distributions is proposed. Considering the correlation existing and the effect between wind speed and direction, the angular-linear modeling approach is adopted to construct the joint probability density function of wind speed and direction. For modeling the distribution of wind power density and estimating model parameters