UEXdo/OpenDataHub huggingface dataset:
Global energy use and carbon emissions from irrigated agriculture
Authors: Qin, J.; Duan, W.; Zou, S.; Chen, Y.; Huang, W.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractIrrigation is a land management practice with major environmental impacts. However, global energy consumption and carbon emissions resulting from irrigation remain unknown. We assess the worldwide energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with irrigation, while also measuring the potential energy and carbon reductions achievable through the adoption of efficient and low-carbon irrigation practices. Currently, irrigation contributes 216 million metric tons of CO2 emissions and co
Substantial terrestrial carbon emissions from global expansion of impervious surface area
Authors: Qiu, L.; He, J.; Yue, C.; Ciais, P.; Zheng, C.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractGlobal impervious surface area (ISA) has more than doubled over the last three decades, but the associated carbon emissions resulting from the depletion of pre-existing land carbon stores remain unknown. Here, we report that the carbon losses from biomass and top soil (0–30 cm) due to global ISA expansion reached 46–75 Tg C per year over 1993–2018, accounting for 3.7–6.0% of the concurrent human land-use change emissions. For the Annex I countries of UNFCCC, our estimated emissions are c
Switchable unidirectional emissions from hydrogel gratings with integrated carbon quantum dots
Authors: Dai, C.; Wan, S.; Li, Z.; Shi, Y.; Zhang, S.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractDirectional emission of photoluminescence despite its incoherence is an attractive technique for light-emitting fields and nanophotonics. Optical metasurfaces provide a promising route for wavefront engineering at the subwavelength scale, enabling the feasibility of unidirectional emission. However, current directional emission strategies are mostly based on static metasurfaces, and it remains a challenge to achieve unidirectional emissions tuning with high performance. Here, we demonstr
Potential of artificial intelligence in reducing energy and carbon emissions of commercial buildings at scale
Authors: Ding, C.; Ke, J.; Levine, M.; Granderson, J.; Zhou, N.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
          Artificial intelligence has emerged as a technology to enhance productivity and improve life quality. However, its role in building energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction has not been systematically studied. This study evaluated artificial intelligence’s potential in the building sector, focusing on medium office buildings in the United States. A methodology was developed to assess and quantify potential emissions reductions. Key areas identified were equipment, occup
Estimating countries’ additional carbon accountability for closing the mitigation gap based on past and future emissions
Authors: Hahn, T.; Morfeldt, J.; Höglund, R.; Karlsson, M.; Fetzer, I.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  
                    Quantifying fair national shares of the remaining global carbon budget has proven challenging. Here, we propose an indicator—additional carbon accountability—that quantifies countries’ responsibility for mitigation and CO
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                    removal in addition to achieving their own targets. Considering carbon debts since 1990 and future claims based on countries’ emission pathways, the indicator uses an equal cumulative per
Mutual reinforcement of land-based carbon dioxide removal and international emissions trading in deep decarbonization scenarios
Authors: Morris, J.; Gurgel, A.; Mignone, B.; Kheshgi, H.; Paltsev, S.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractCarbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies and international emissions trading are both widely represented in climate change mitigation scenarios, but the interplay among them has not been closely examined. By systematically varying key policy and technology assumptions in a global energy-economic model, we find that CDR and international emissions trading are mutually reinforcing in deep decarbonization scenarios. This occurs because CDR potential is not evenly distributed geographically
High carbon dioxide emissions from Australian estuaries driven by geomorphology and climate
Authors: Yeo, J.; Rosentreter, J.; Oakes, J.; Schulz, K.; Eyre, B.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractEstuaries play an important role in connecting the global carbon cycle across the land-to-ocean continuum, but little is known about Australia’s contribution to global CO2 emissions. Here we present an Australia-wide assessment, based on CO2 concentrations for 47 estuaries upscaled to 971 assessed Australian estuaries. We estimate total mean (±SE) estuary CO2 emissions of 8.67 ± 0.54 Tg CO2-C yr−1, with tidal systems, lagoons, and small deltas contributing 94.4%, 3.1%, and 2.5%, respecti
Quantifying benefits of renewable investments for German residential Prosumers in times of volatile energy markets
Authors: van Ouwerkerk, J.; Celi Cortés, M.; Nsir, N.; Gong, J.; Figgener, J.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  
                    The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have led to unseen disruptions in the global energy markets since the end of 2021. Residential renewable investments like photovoltaic systems, battery home storage systems, and heat pumps are therefore gaining traction. However, the benefits of those technologies during the energy crisis and beyond have not been fully quantified yet. Therefore, in this study, we benchmark renewable investme
Household alternating current electricity plug-and-play quantum-dot light-emitting diodes
Authors: Wang, J.; Yuan, C.; Chen, S.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractAs an intrinsically direct current device, quantum-dot LED cannot be directly driven by household alternating current electricity. Thus, a driver circuit is required, which increases the complexity and cost. Here, by using a transparent and conductive indium-zinc-oxide as an intermediate electrode, we develop a tandem quantum-dot LED that can be operated at both negative and positive alternating current cycles with an external quantum efficiency of 20.09% and 21.15%, respectively. Furthe
A multi-demand operating system underlying diverse cognitive tasks
Authors: Cai, W.; Taghia, J.; Menon, V.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractThe existence of a multiple-demand cortical system with an adaptive, domain-general, role in cognition has been proposed, but the underlying dynamic mechanisms and their links to cognitive control abilities are poorly understood. Here we use a probabilistic generative Bayesian model of brain circuit dynamics to determine dynamic brain states across multiple cognitive domains, independent datasets, and participant groups, including task fMRI data from Human Connectome Project, Dual Mechan
An electricity-driven mobility circular economy with lifecycle carbon footprints for climate-adaptive carbon neutrality transformation
Authors: Song, A.; Dan, Z.; Zheng, S.; Zhou, Y.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractUnder the carbon neutrality targets and sustainable development goals, emergingly increasing needs for batteries are in buildings and electric vehicles. However, embodied carbon emissions impose dialectical viewpoints on whether the electrochemical battery is environmentally friendly or not. In this research, a community with energy paradigm shifting towards decentralization, renewable and sustainability is studied, with multi-directional Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) and lifecycle battery
Future hydrogen economies imply environmental trade-offs and a supply-demand mismatch
Authors: Terlouw, T.; Rosa, L.; Bauer, C.; McKenna, R.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractHydrogen will play a key role in decarbonizing economies. Here, we quantify the costs and environmental impacts of possible large-scale hydrogen economies, using four prospective hydrogen demand scenarios for 2050 ranging from 111–614 megatonne H2 year−1. Our findings confirm that renewable (solar photovoltaic and wind) electrolytic hydrogen production generates at least 50–90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than fossil-fuel-based counterparts without carbon capture and storage. However,
Unlocking the potential of biogas systems for energy production and climate solutions in rural communities
Authors: Luo, T.; Shen, B.; Mei, Z.; Hove, A.; Ju, K.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  On-site conversion of organic waste into biogas to satisfy consumer energy demand has the potential to realize energy equality and mitigate climate change reliably. However, existing methods ignore either real-time full supply or methane escape when supply and demand are mismatched. Here, we show an improved design of community biogas production and distribution system to overcome these and achieve full co-benefits in developing economies. We take five existing systems
Speed of environmental change frames relative ecological risk in climate change and climate intervention scenarios
Authors: Hueholt, D.; Barnes, E.; Hurrell, J.; Morrison, A.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  Stratospheric aerosol injection is a potential method of climate intervention to reduce climate risk as decarbonization efforts continue. However, possible ecosystem impacts from the strategic design of hypothetical intervention scenarios are poorly understood. Two recent Earth system model simulations depict policy-relevant stratospheric aerosol injection scenarios with similar global temperature targets, but a 10-year delay in intervention deployment. Here we show th
Altered grid-like coding in early blind people
Authors: Sigismondi, F.; Xu, Y.; Silvestri, M.; Bottini, R.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  Cognitive maps in the hippocampal-entorhinal system are central for the representation of both spatial and non-spatial relationships. Although this system, especially in humans, heavily relies on vision, the role of visual experience in shaping the development of cognitive maps remains largely unknown. Here, we test sighted and early blind individuals in both imagined navigation in fMRI and real-world navigation. During imagined navigation, the Human Navigation Network
How grid reinforcement costs differ by the income of electric vehicle users
Authors: Steinbach, S.; Blaschke, M.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractThe simultaneous charging of many electric vehicles in future mobility scenarios may lead to peaks and overloads threatening grid stability. The necessary infrastructure investments vary by the number and model type of vehicles driven and the residents’ charging preferences. These attributes significantly depend on socio-economic factors such as income. Using power flow simulations based on real-life driving profiles, we predict massive cost asymmetries with an investment demand up to 33
Uncovering 2-D toroidal representations in grid cell ensemble activity during 1-D behavior
Authors: Hermansen, E.; Klindt, D.; Dunn, B.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  Minimal experiments, such as head-fixed wheel-running and sleep, offer experimental advantages but restrict the amount of observable behavior, making it difficult to classify functional cell types. Arguably, the grid cell, and its striking periodicity, would not have been discovered without the perspective provided by free behavior in an open environment. Here, we show that by shifting the focus from single neurons to populations, we change the minimal experimental com
On the potential of vehicle-to-grid and second-life batteries to provide energy and material security
Authors: Aguilar Lopez, F.; Lauinger, D.; Vuille, F.; Müller, D.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractThe global energy transition relies increasingly on lithium-ion batteries for electric transportation and renewable energy integration. Given the highly concentrated supply chain of battery materials, importing regions have a strategic imperative to reduce their reliance on battery material imports through, e.g., battery recycling or reuse. We investigate the potential of vehicle-to-grid and second-life batteries to reduce resource use by displacing new stationary batteries dedicated to
Grid-like entorhinal representation of an abstract value space during prospective decision making
Authors: Nitsch, A.; Garvert, M.; Bellmund, J.; Schuck, N.; Doeller, C.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  How valuable a choice option is often changes over time, making the prediction of value changes an important challenge for decision making. Prior studies identified a cognitive map in the hippocampal-entorhinal system that encodes relationships between states and enables prediction of future states, but does not inherently convey value during prospective decision making. In this fMRI study, participants predicted changing values of choice options in a sequence, forming
The value of long-duration energy storage under various grid conditions in a zero-emissions future
Authors: Staadecker, M.; Szinai, J.; Sánchez-Pérez, P.; Kurtz, S.; Hidalgo-Gonzalez, P.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  
                    Long-duration energy storage (LDES) is a key resource in enabling zero-emissions electricity grids but its role within different types of grids is not well understood. Using the Switch capacity expansion model, we model a zero-emissions Western Interconnect with high geographical resolution to understand the value of LDES under 39 scenarios with different generation mixes, transmission expansion, storage costs, and storage mandates. We find that a)
Income and racial disparity in household publicly available electric vehicle infrastructure accessibility
Authors: Lou, J.; Shen, X.; Niemeier, D.; Hultman, N.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractPublicly available electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure is pivotal for the United States EV transition by 2030. Existing infrastructure lacks equitably distribution to low-income and underrepresented communities, impeding mass adoption. Our study, utilizing 2021 micro-level data from 121 million United States households, comprehensively examines income and racial disparities in EV infrastructure accessibility. Our analysis of national averages indicates that lower-income groups face less
Electric vehicle battery chemistry affects supply chain disruption vulnerabilities
Authors: Cheng, A.; Fuchs, E.; Karplus, V.; Michalek, J.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
          We examine the relationship between electric vehicle battery chemistry and supply chain disruption vulnerability for four critical minerals: lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese. We compare the nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode chemistries by (1) mapping the supply chains for these four materials, (2) calculating a vulnerability index for each cathode chemistry for various focal countries and (3) using network flow optimization to bound u
Comparing costs and climate impacts of various electric vehicle charging systems across the United States
Authors: Horesh, N.; Trinko, D.; Quinn, J.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractThe seamless adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States necessitates the development of extensive and effective charging infrastructure. Various charging systems have been proposed, including Direct Current Fast Charging, Battery Swapping, and Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer. While many studies have evaluated the charging costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of EVs, a comprehensive analysis comparing these systems and their implications across vehicle categories remains
Effects of electric vehicle charging stations on the economic vitality of local businesses
Authors: Zheng, Y.; Keith, D.; Wang, S.; Diao, M.; Zhao, J.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractElectric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) are essential for promoting cleaner transportation by facilitating electric vehicle recharging. This study explores their broader economic impact on nearby businesses, analyzing data from over 4000 EVCS and 140,000 business establishments in California. Results show that installing one EVCS boosts annual spending at a nearby establishment by 1.4% ($1,478) in 2019 and 0.8% ($404) from January 2021 to June 2023. The effect is more pronounced when a
Power supply disruptions deter electric vehicle adoption in cities in China
Authors: Qiu, Y.; Deng, N.; Wang, B.; Shen, X.; Wang, Z.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractElectrification plays a crucial role in deep decarbonization. However, electrification and power infrastructure can cause mutual challenges. We use nationwide power outage and electric vehicle adoption data in China to provide empirical evidence on how power infrastructure failures can deter electrification. We find that when the number of power outages per district increases by 1 in a given month, the number of new electric vehicles adopted per month decreases by 0.99%. A doubling of po
Offshore wind and wave energy can reduce total installed capacity required in zero-emissions grids
Authors: Gonzalez, N.; Serna-Torre, P.; Sánchez-Pérez, P.; Davidson, R.; Murray, B.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  As the world races to decarbonize power systems to mitigate climate change, the body of research analyzing paths to zero emissions electricity grids has substantially grown. Although studies typically include commercially available technologies, few of them consider offshore wind and wave energy as contenders in future zero-emissions grids. Here, we model with high geographic resolution both offshore wind and wave energy as independent technologies with the possibility
Optimal blade pitch control for enhanced vertical-axis wind turbine performance
Authors: Le Fouest, S.; Mulleners, K.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  Vertical-axis wind turbines are great candidates to enable wind power extraction in urban and off-shore applications. Currently, concerns around turbine efficiency and structural integrity limit their industrial deployment. Flow control can mitigate these concerns. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the potential of individual blade pitching as a control strategy and explain the flow physics that yields the performance enhancement. We perform automated experiments usi
Micromachined structures decoupling Joule heating and electron wind force
Authors: Gu, S.; Kimura, Y.; Yan, X.; Liu, C.; Cui, Y.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractMicrostructural changes in conductive materials induced by electric current treatments, such as electromigration and electroplasticity, are critical in semiconductor and metal processing. However, owing to the inevitable thermal effect (Joule heating), the athermal effect on microstructural modifications remains obscure. This paper presents an approach of utilizing pre-micromachined structures, which obstruct current flow but maintain a thermal history similar to that of the matrix, effe
Competing effects of wind and buoyancy forcing on ocean oxygen trends in recent decades
Authors: Hollitzer, H.; Patara, L.; Terhaar, J.; Oschlies, A.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  Ocean deoxygenation is becoming a major stressor for marine ecosystems due to anthropogenic climate change. Two major pathways through which climate change affects ocean oxygen are changes in wind fields and changes in air-sea heat and freshwater fluxes. Here, we use a global ocean biogeochemistry model run under historical atmospheric forcing to show that wind stress is the dominant driver of year-to-year oxygen variability in most ocean regions. Only in areas of wate
Historical changes in wind-driven ocean circulation drive pattern of Pacific warming
Authors: Fu, S.; Hu, S.; Zheng, X.; McMonigal, K.; Larson, S.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  The tropical Pacific warming pattern since the 1950s exhibits two warming centers in the western Pacific (WP) and eastern Pacific (EP), encompassing an equatorial central Pacific (CP) cooling and a hemispheric asymmetry in the subtropical EP. The underlying mechanisms of this warming pattern remain debated. Here, we conduct ocean heat decompositions of two coupled model large ensembles to unfold the role of wind-driven ocean circulation. When wind changes are suppresse
Future sea ice weakening amplifies wind-driven trends in surface stress and Arctic Ocean spin-up
Authors: Muilwijk, M.; Hattermann, T.; Martin, T.; Granskog, M.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractArctic sea ice mediates atmosphere-ocean momentum transfer, which drives upper ocean circulation. How Arctic Ocean surface stress and velocity respond to sea ice decline and changing winds under global warming is unclear. Here we show that state-of-the-art climate models consistently predict an increase in future (2015–2100) ocean surface stress in response to increased surface wind speed, declining sea ice area, and a weaker ice pack. While wind speeds increase most during fall (+2.2% p
Supercooled erythritol for high-performance seasonal thermal energy storage
Authors: Yang, S.; Shi, H.; Liu, J.; Lai, Y.; Bayer, Ö.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractSeasonal storage of solar thermal energy through supercooled phase change materials (PCM) offers a promising solution for decarbonizing space and water heating in winter. Despite the high energy density and adaptability, natural PCMs often lack the necessary supercooling for stable, long-term storage. Leveraging erythritol, a sustainable mid-temperature PCM with high latent heat, we introduce a straightforward method to stabilize its supercooling by incorporating carrageenan (CG), a bio-
High-entropy relaxor ferroelectric ceramics for ultrahigh energy storage
Authors: Peng, H.; Wu, T.; Liu, Z.; Fu, Z.; Wang, D.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

AbstractDielectric ceramic capacitors with ultrahigh power densities are fundamental to modern electrical devices. Nonetheless, the poor energy density confined to the low breakdown strength is a long-standing bottleneck in developing desirable dielectric materials for practical applications. In this instance, we present a high-entropy tungsten bronze-type relaxor ferroelectric achieved through an equimolar-ratio element design, which realizes a giant recoverable energy density of 11.0 J·cm−3 an
Carbon footprint distributions of lithium-ion batteries and their materials
Authors: Peiseler, L.; Schenker, V.; Schatzmann, K.; Pfister, S.; Wood, V.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  
                    Lithium-ion batteries are pivotal in climate change mitigation. While their own carbon footprint raises concerns, existing studies are scattered, hard to compare and largely overlook the relevance of battery materials. Here, we go beyond traditional carbon footprint analysis and develop a cost-based approach, estimating emission curves for battery materials lithium, nickel and cobalt, based on mining cost data. Combining the emission curves with re
Effect of adaptive cruise control on fuel consumption in real-world driving conditions
Authors: Moawad, A.; Zebiak, M.; Han, J.; Karbowski, D.; Zhang, Y.
Journal: Nature Communications (2024)

Abstract
                  This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the impact of adaptive cruise control on energy consumption in real-world driving conditions based on a natural experiment: a large-scale observational dataset of driving data from a diverse fleet of vehicles and drivers. The analysis is conducted at two different fidelity levels: (1) a macroscopic trip-level benefit estimate that compares trips with and without cruise control in a counterfactual way using statistical met