Room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have attracted attention in engineering electrolytes for electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices. Within the present study, five different RTILs were prepared and subsequently investigated as additives to alkaline aqueous solutions for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Studied RTILs were based on dicyanamide ion as a green anion, suitable for electrochemical applications, and included 1-butyl-3-ethylimidazolium dicyanamide, 1,3-dibutylimidazolium dicyanamide, 1-butyl-3-hexylimidazolium dicyanamide, 1-butyl-3-octylimidazolium dicyanamide, and 1,3-diethylimidazolium dicyanamide. The OER studies were performed in 8 M KOH with RTILs (1 vol.%) using linear scan voltammetry, and the current densities were compared to those recorded in 8 M KOH with no RTILs added. Reaction parameters, such as the Tafel slope, were determined, enabling further evaluation and comparison of RTIL-containing electrolyte systems. Moreover, the influence of temperature on the OER efficiency of the system with mixed RTIL-KOH electrolytes was studied. Voltammetric studies were complemented by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, which revealed a decrease in solution resistance with increasing temperature, as well as by chronoamperometry analysis.

Access to freshwater is a pressing global challenge. Despite being irreplaceable freshwater is an increasingly scarce resource, especially in regions as Southern Europe, due to high human pressure and climate change. Solar desalination presents a low impact solution to produce freshwater from seawater, particularly in sun-rich regions. The main goal of this study was to develop a modular solar desalination system based on a non-intrusive approach, with simple assemblage, installation, and maintenance, to produce freshwater for non-potable purposes. The modular design was chosen to allow scalability and adaptability, enabling effective response to variable water demands in small island communities. The case study is a small island from Algarve, Portugal (Southwest Europe). The study evaluates the performance enhancements accomplished by transitioning from an initial prototype solar desalination unit, smaller and with a simple design, to an enhanced pilot-scale system designed to improve efficiency and water output. The research showed that both systems exhibit a high conductivity removal (higher than 99 %), demonstrating the potential of this technology to produce freshwater from seawater, delivering high-quality desalinated water, across different seasons. Prototype 1 demonstrated limited productivity, around 0.45 L/day.m2, while pilot-scale unit presented a productivity of approximately 6 L/day.m2 in summertime. This substantial improvement reflects the design modifications implemented in the pilot-scale unit, positioning it as a valuable option for water desalination in regions with abundant solar resources. These findings confirm the strong potential of solar desalination as a non-intrusive and effective solution and lays the groundwork for future advancements, focusing on maximising efficiency by exploring innovative materials to enhance solar energy absorption and optimizing operational conditions.

As nanophysics constitutes the scientific core of nanotechnology, it has a decisive potential for advancing clean renewable energy applications. Starting with a brief foray into the realms of nanophysics’ potential, this review manuscript is expected to contribute to understanding why and how this science’s eruption is leading to nanotechnological innovations impacting the clean renewable energy economy. Many environmentally friendly energy sources are considered clean since they produce minimal pollution and greenhouse gas emissions; however, not all are renewable. This manuscript focuses on experimental achievements where nanophysics helps reduce the operating costs of clean renewable energy by improving efficiency indicators, thereby ensuring energy sustainability. Improving material properties at the nanoscale, increasing the active surface areas of reactants, achieving precise control of the physical properties of nano-objects, and using advanced nanoscale characterization techniques are the subject of this in-depth analysis. This will allow the reader to understand how nanomaterials can be engineered with specific applications in clean energy technologies. A special emphasis is placed on the role of such signs of progress in hydrogen production and clean storage methods, as green hydrogen technologies are unavoidable in the current panorama of energy sustainability.

Culatra is a small island located in the Ria Formosa Natural Park in the Algarve region at the south of Portugal, with a Mediterranean climate and facing an increasing water scarcity. The Culatra2030 Project is being developed in the island creating local actions to enhance circularity and improve the sustainability in the natural resources use. Drinking water consumed in Culatra is provided by the mainland, where it is extracted from aquatic ecosystems, treated, and transported to the island. The effluents produced on the island are drained and transported to the mainland where they are treated in a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The transport of drinking water and effluents represents high energy consumption and therefore carbon emissions. The first stage of the Culatra2030 was to develop a Sustainable Energy Community, and since the last year we are studying measures to improve water circularity and eco-efficiency, avoiding the drinking water waste, and creating alternative water sources for non-potable uses. Two reference buildings have been chosen for community involvement, the Social Centre and the Primary School, where several educational actions were carried out e.g., the Water Footprint was calculated with teachers and young people, and some devices were installed to flow reducing on taps, showers and toilet flushers. The nexus drinking water /energy /carbon emissions was calculated before and after the installation of the flow reducers. The engagement of the local community on the sustainable water management was assessed through a survey prepared and distributed to families in collaboration with the island residents’ association.

One of the most popular solutions for electrochemical energy storage is metal−air batteries, which could be employed in electric vehicles or grid energy storage. Metal–air batteries have a higher theoretical energy density than lithium-ion batteries. The crucial components for the best performance of batteries are the air cathode electrocatalysts and corresponding electrolytes. Herein, we present several of the latest studies on electrocatalysts for air cathodes and bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for aqueous zinc–air and aluminium–air batteries.

Islands must reach sustainable lifestyles by improving resources management and by getting accustomed to renewable energy sources. Culatra, a small Portuguese island, is actively increasing renewable energy penetration into local processes in order to be the first 100% sustainable Portuguese territory by 2030. Based on the electric consumption of Culatra, the objective of the present study is to project a photovoltaic unit composed of several sub-fields, each with a distinct orientation, in order to increase the self-consumption ratio while at the same time reducing the surplus of energy production, assessed by the self-sufficiency ratio criteria, resulting in a lower levelised cost of energy of the power system. To achieve this, MATLAB’s implementation of a genetic algorithm was used to find the optimised set of orientations for a given load profile. The results indicate that it is possible to optimise the photovoltaic plant to reach a more continuous electricity generation through daytime, reducing the storage needs and increasing the value of photovoltaic systems. The method can be extended to other locations or demand curves, assisting on comparing different energy management strategies, and their respective advantages and disadvantages.

An alternative solution for achieving a high stability floating foundation for supporting large horizontal axis wind turbines is compared against current floating offshore wind solutions. The testing of a 1:36th scale model of the solution, called Starfloat, in the wind/wave basin of the Cantabria Coastal and Ocean Basin, Santander and the design of this physical model, including scaling issues, is discussed. A method for calculating the added mass of entrained water in heave and surge and the added mass moment of inertia in pitch for semi-submerged cylindrical columns is presented and the computed natural periods of motion are compared against physical trial measurements obtained from motion decay tests. The wave forces exciting the simple harmonic motion are calculated and the resultant approximate solution for the uncoupled floating platform motions in heave, pitch and surge are compared against response amplitude operator curves obtained from the physical model trials, showing reasonable correlation. The importance of depth correction for wave particle velocities and accelerations is very evident and emphasises the need for physical models to be exposed to the correct orbital particle motions over the water column if measured pitch and surge motions are to be a realistic representation of full scale performance.

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in both men and women and cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is recommended as part of secondary prevention for these patients. Despite this, there are still important asymmetries when it comes to enrolment of women in CR programs. Purpose To determine differences between referral and outcomes of cardiac rehabilitation programs among women. Methods Prospective cohort study which included consecutive pts who were participating in a centre-based CR program lasting 8 weeks from 2019 to 2021. We analyzed prevalence of risk factors, lab echocardiographic and CPET data in women who were enrolled in the program. Statistical analysis was performed with Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests Results: From a total of 349 patients, 60 women completed a CR program – 17,8% of pts – representing a far smaller percentage when accounting to acute coronary syndrome events in our center in those 2 years (31% women). Mean age of female participants was 60 ± 11,8 years; 74% had hypertension, 64% dyslipidemia, 19% diabetes and only 40% had never smoked. There were no significant differences when compared to male, except for thyroid disease which was more frequent among women (p<0.01). Regarding lab data we noticed an improvement of LDL-c, total cholesterol, HDL-c, although only NTproBNP showed a statistically significant reduction (p=0.001). There was also an improvement of LVEF, once again without statistical significance (in contrast to the male population). After completion of the program, there was an improvement regarding CPET duration and workload (p<0.001 and p=0.019). Interestingly there was no difference in terms of peak VO2/kg, a data that goes in line with some reports of less impact of exercise based CR in this parameter in women. Moreover, there were no differences between genders in terms of outcome, namely admissions or cardiovascular death. Conclusion Women still have a lower rate of enrolment in CR programs, despite results showing a similar benefit to men. CR effectiveness by CPET should include other parameters besides VO2 peak. Strategies should be developed to improve women participation in CR.

Islands have the potential to be precursors in the transition to clean energy, by adopting new technologies and applying innovative solutions that can serve as showcases at an international level. This paper is a contribution towards understating the importance of community engagement on energy transition processes. It covers multiple aspects of a green transition process, including technical, environmental, social, and economic issues. Starting by a participatory diagnosis process, the community of a small island located in Portugal (Culatra Island, Algarve), was challenged to lead the transition process and define different pillars of energy transition. The process brought together local authorities, academia, citizens and companies. Using practical examples, it is shown how the community is succeeding in tailoring new technological solutions for a green transition, according with the specific needs of the island, as expressed by the islanders themselves, including batteries, electric vehicles, retrofitting of homes, or heat pumps, which, when combined, could lay the foundations for the creation of a Renewable Energy Community and leverage socioeconomic benefits.

Nanoscale science and technology dealing with materials synthesis, nanofabrication, nanoprobes, nanostructures, nanoelectronics, nano-optics, nanomechanics, nanodevices, nanobiotechnology, and nanomedicine is an exciting field of research and development in Europe, the United States, and other countries around the world [...]

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a reactive oxygen species, is an excellent alternative to oxygen as an oxidant for direct liquid fuel cells (DLFCs). To overcome problems related to scarcity and high cost of commonly used noble metal electrodes, nickel (Ni) and nickel-rare earth (RE = Ce, Sm, Dy) alloys are synthesised and evaluated as electrode materials for H2O2 reduction reaction (HPRR) in alkaline media. These Ni-RE alloys (containing 5 and 10 at.% RE metal) are produced by arc melting and analysed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Voltammetric and chronoamperometric measurements are employed to assess the performance of the Ni-RE alloys for HPRR in 2 M NaOH solution. The Ni0.95Ce0.05 alloy exhibits impressively high catalytic activity for HPRR, with a number of exchanged electrons of 1.7 and activation energy of 38 kJ mol(-1), suggesting its application as cathode material in DLFCs.

The characteristics of the large number of austenitic stainless steels that are currently available, some of which are applicable for the desalination processes, are outlined. This series of alloy steels still carries the name of British metallurgist Sir William RobertsAusten (1843-1902) who discovered that a nonmagnetic solid solution of ferric carbide, or iron can be used in making corrosion resistant steel. The addition of different alloying elements to improve corrosion resistance followed, and is discussed here in the context of desalinaton plants.

Chemical sensors are measurement devices that convert a chemical or physical property of a specific analyte into a measurable signal, whose magnitude is normally proportional to the concentration of the analyte [...]

The synthesis of palladium-based trimetallic catalysts via a facile and scalable synthesis procedure was shown to yield highly promising materials for borohydride-based fuel cells, which are attractive for use in compact environments. This, thereby, provides a route to more environmentally friendly energy storage and generation systems. Carbon-supported trimetallic catalysts were herein prepared by three different routes: using a NaBH4-ethylene glycol complex (PdAuNi/CSBEG), a NaBH4-2-propanol complex (PdAuNi/CSBIPA), and a three-step route (PdAuNi/C3-step). Notably, PdAuNi/CSBIPA yielded highly dispersed trimetallic alloy particles, as determined by XRD, EDX, ICP-OES, XPS, and TEM. The activity of the catalysts for borohydride oxidation reaction was assessed by cyclic voltammetry and RDE-based procedures, with results referenced to a Pd/C catalyst. A number of exchanged electrons close to eight was obtained for PdAuNi/C3-step and PdAuNi/CSBIPA (7.4 and 7.1, respectively), while the others, PdAuNi/CSBEG and Pd/CSBIPA, presented lower values, 2.8 and 1.2, respectively. A direct borohydride-peroxide fuel cell employing PdAuNi/CSBIPA catalyst in the anode attained a power density of 47.5 mW cm−2 at room temperature, while the elevation of temperature to 75 °C led to an approximately four-fold increase in power density to 175 mW cm−2. Trimetallic catalysts prepared via this synthesis route have significant potential for future development.

César AC Sequeira* Author Affiliations CeFEMA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal Received: December 10, 2021 | Published: December 17, 2021 Corresponding author: CeFEMA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2021.40.006481