Sustainable EV charging infrastructure is fragmented by proprietary applications, vendor lock-in, and weakly time-differentiated pricing, blunting its contribution to urban-mobility decarbonisation. This paper asks whether an open-protocol, super-app-mediated photovoltaicâstorage charging architecture can jointly resolve these three fragmentations under deployed field conditions and what its sustainability profile then looks like. We report a campus photovoltaicâstorage microgrid integrating heterogeneous EV chargers under an open, vendor-neutral charging-control protocol with super-app authentication and payment replacing dedicated charging applications and a time-differentiated tariff aligned at the meter-interval level with the underlying utility wholesale rate; the deployment is exercised through a researcher-scheduled commissioning campaign of 13 sessions designed to establish functional correctness across the operating envelope rather than to measure user behaviour. Three results emerge across cross-vendor compatibility, onboarding friction, and grid alignment. First, basic message-level OCPP compatibility is sustained across two charger vendors under a single cloud management systemâin sequential single-vendor sessionsâincluding the full charging profile up to near-rated DC peak power. Second, the super-app-mediated workflow, which requires no charging-specific application installation and no new charger-operator account, structurally eliminates the dedicated application installation and the email/SMS/credit-card verification round-trips of conventional onboarding, compressing measured first-use end-to-end interaction to 31 s; relative to reconstructed commercial-operator baselines, this is, to the best of the authorsâ knowledge, an order-of-magnitude reduction rather than a controlled benchmark. Third, mid-day energy delivery aligns incidentally with the utility off-peak window, not user-driven demand shifting, while PV-displacement and BESS-discharge contributions to charging are bracketed by scenario rather than being separately metered. The paperâs contribution is therefore a replicable, policy-embedded sustainable charging architecture validated at field scale within the New Taipei Net-Zero Carbon Demonstration Site Programme, with no claim of global novelty; the same architecture is structurally positioned to convert the observed incidental grid-friendliness into a deliberate, user-facing benefit via a hardware-free mid-day-discount redesign.
P. A. Adeoye, Joseph Babatola Ayodele, Fomonyuy Shinyuy, Clement Dossou-Yovo ¡ 6 authors
Nigeria faces one of Sub-Saharan Africaâs most severe energy poverty crises, with over 85 million people lacking electricity access, a challenge that disproportionately affects more than 2.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in conflict-affected North-East Nigeria. Despite national electrification efforts, humanitarian settlements remain largely excluded from reliable power infrastructure. This study evaluates the technical feasibility, spatial energy gaps, and policy barriers associated with deploying decentralized solar and hybrid solarâwind systems in IDP settlements across six North-Eastern states. A mixed-method geospatial framework was applied, integrating Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) nighttime light data, Geo-Referenced Infrastructure and Demographic Data for Development (GRID<sup>3</sup>) infrastructure datasets, and Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) demand data using Python and Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS). Nighttime light intensity was classified into no-access (â¤100 nW/cm²/sr), limited-access (101â1000 nW/cm²/sr), and full-access (>1000 nW/cm²/sr) categories. Results identified 670 IDP camps across 112 Local Government Areas (LGAs), with high concentrations in Bauchi (264 camps), Borno (194), and Gombe (140), predominantly located within limited-access zones. Solar resource assessment shows strong regional potential (4.2â4.6 kWh/m²/day Global Horizontal Irradiation (GHI)), while average wind speeds of 2â4 m/s support small-scale hybrid applications. A representative camp load analysis (3.72 kWh/day) demonstrates that a 0.99 kWp solar array combined with a 3.2 kWh battery and a 300 W vertical-axis wind turbine can reliably meet basic household energy needs, reducing approximately 25.88 kgCO<sub>2</sub>e per household annually. Key barriers include high upfront costs, limited financing mechanisms, weak humanitarian energy policy integration, and security-related operational risks. The study provides empirical evidence for integrating decentralized renewable energy into national electrification strategies through risk-informed planning and tailored financing models to enhance resilience, sustainability, and dignity in displacement settings.
Or Yatzkan, Reuven Cohen, Eyal Yaniv, Orit Rotem-Mindali
Urban energy efficiency and sustainability are critical challenges, as cities worldwide attempt to balance economic growth, environmental sustainability, and energy consumption. This systematic review examines the dynamics of urban energy management, focusing on how local authorities navigate energy transitions through efficiency measures, renewable energy adoption, and policy interventions. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following research question: how do local authorities implement energy-efficient practices and adopt renewable energy technologies to reduce emissions, optimize cost-effectiveness, and influence urban policy-making? The goal of this study is to assess the effectiveness of these approaches in different urban contexts. By reviewing 47 articles, this study identifies the unique characteristics of urban energy management and highlights the need for tailored, context-specific solutions, such as integrating decentralized renewable energy systems, optimizing building energy performance, and developing policy incentives that consider local socio-economic conditions. The findings reveal varying degrees of success among cities, with particular challenges in lower-income municipalities, where financial and institutional barriers hinder the implementation of sustainable energy projects. This study concludes that localized approaches and long-term strategies are essential for achieving sustainable urban energy transitions, offering a comprehensive perspective on the complexities of urban energy systems and their evolving policy landscape. Future research should focus on assessing the long-term impact of municipal energy policies, exploring innovative financing mechanisms for renewable energy integration, and examining the role of digital technologies in optimizing urban energy management.
Ahmed Kamel Abdelghany Hassan, Mohamed S. Saraya, Amr M. T. Ali-Eldin, Mohamed M. Abdelsalam
Air pollution is a growing concern due to severe threats to public health and the environment. The need for reliable air quality monitoring solutions has never been more critical. This research paper introduces an innovative approach to addressing this challenge by deploying a low-cost Internet of Things (IoT) air monitoring station and providing a blockchain technology solution to enhance environmental data transparency, reliability, and accessibility. Our paper adopts a concept of merging IoT and blockchain technologies and collecting some parameters that help to assess air quality by using three sensors, DHT11, MQ7, and MQ135, to collect temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide parameters, respectively, to measure the gases and thus indicate the air quality within the surrounding area. Collecting and sharing these types of valuable data will be very important for various stakeholders, such as governmental bodies, researchers, and the public. This approach is consistent with the principles of sustainable development, facilitating informed decision-making and promoting eco-friendly policies. This research explores the technical architecture of the IoT air monitoring stations, offering a promising solution for addressing air pollution concerns while promoting sustainable development goals. The proposed system is a model for leveraging emerging technologies to advance environmental monitoring and create smarter, livable cities. This approach aligns with the principles of sustainable development and eco-friendly initiatives. This research offers a promising model for enhancing environmental monitoring efforts and advancing the creation of smarter, more sustainable urban environments. The proposed IoT, cloud platform and blockchain-based system not only addresses pressing air pollution challenges but also sets a benchmark for leveraging emerging technologies in environmental science.
Intelligent lighting systems achieve high energy efficiency through precise control and serve as vital tools for reducing carbon emissions, providing essential data for carbon trading. However, data exchange between the lighting system and the carbon trading system presents several challenges. For instance, data may be maliciously tampered with, and frequent unauthorized access threatens the normal operation of carbon trading. Therefore, this paper proposes a security framework for intelligent lighting systems based on blockchain technology. The framework utilizes a dual-chain structure of Hyperledger Fabric and Ethereum to address the issues of blockchain storage expansion and transaction efficiency, employing smart contracts to ensure the effective processing of lighting data. The security requirements for intelligent lighting data are thoroughly studied and analyzed. Additionally, this paper presents a key distribution scheme based on the RSA encryption algorithm to ensure trusted access control within the system. Through detailed analysis and practical verification of the scheme's security and performance, the framework not only effectively prevents data tampering but also ensures data authenticity and the smooth operation of the system during carbon trading, providing robust support for the security and privacy protection of intelligent lighting systems.
K. Sundaramoorthy, Ajeet Singh, G. Sumathy, Ankita Maheshwari ¡ 6 authors
Urban problems like traffic jams and a lack of parking spaces can be solved in an innovative way with the help of smart parking models powered by AI and blockchain technology. These models enhance user experience, optimise space allocation, and shorten search times. Predictive analytics and real-time data from IoT sensors direct drivers to available parking spaces, minimising traffic and environmental impact. By protecting user privacy, controlling access, and securing transactions, blockchain technology improves AI. Users are empowered by blockchain-based decentralised digital identities, which also guarantee data privacy and transparent business dealings. With less traffic, more user happiness, and significant cost savings, this combination produces user-centric, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective smart parking solutions. The cost-benefit analysis for AI and blockchain-powered smart parking demonstrates a favourable return on investment, paving the way for smarter, greener cities and more interconnected urban settings.
Due to its highly energy-intensive process, Bitcoin has attracted the global attention of climate research and media. At the time of this submission, behind-the-meter Bitcoin mining has gained significant traction; however, not a single environmental impact assessment has been conducted on this type of operation. This study seeks to fill the gap, applying the established Life Cycle Assessment methodology to estimate the environmental footprint of a single case study. A life cycle assessment methodology of a natural gas power plant mining Bitcoin behind-the-meter in the state of New York following the ISO 14040 guidelines was applied. The functional unit (FU) is defined as the attributed generation capacity of 14 MW over the course of a regular full-calendar year in the attributional model. The FU is scaled to 22 MW and 104 MW in the predictive models to represent planned expansion. The TRACI 2.1 method was applied to characterize the environmental impact. The environmental impact categories considered in this study included global warming, acidification, smog formation, and particulate emissions. Located in New York State, Greenidge LLC, a natural gas power plant produces an estimated 88,440 metric tons of CO 2 -eq per year to mine Bitcoin behind-the-meter. Annual emissions would total 656,983 metric tons of CO 2 -eq if the plant devotes 100% of its generation to Bitcoin mining. The primary driver of greenhouse gas emissions is the generation of electricity itself, accounting for ~ 79% of the total emissions. At full capacity, annual emissions are comparable to the annual emissions of 140,000 passenger vehicles or the emissions resulting from the burning of 600 million lb of coal. Further, additional planned cases could produce an estimated 1.9 million tons tCO 2 -eq per annum. Behind-the-meter Bitcoin mining makes the power plant a significant contributor to global warming at a time when New York State is attempting to radically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050 and to have 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. The environmental impact of this business model is not limited to individual sites but is spread out over upstream impacts as well. In combination, we see that behind-the-meter Bitcoin mining not only goes against local climate initiatives but also poses a significant danger to national initiatives due to feasible scalability, caused by an availability of existing infrastructure and favorable financials.
Outdoor play is vital for positive socialisation and development of children including cognitive, psychological, and physiological benefits. Playing outdoors increases attention, creative thought processes and problem-solving skills as well as combating obesity, mental health problems and improving social skills of children. Encouraging and supporting outdoor play is particularly important today, where the daily time interval children are engaging in physical activity is contracting. However, the lack of shade and hot playground equipment make it unsafe for children to enjoy playgrounds in summer. This situation is particularly problematic in times where summer heat is increasing as result of climate chance, which already limits the time for safe outdoor play. Now more than ever is it necessary to start building climate-smart playgrounds. This report has two parts. Part 1 establishes the facts around heat in playgrounds. We document surface, air and feels like temperatures in public playgrounds across the Cumberland Local Government Area. All playgrounds were visited repeatedly during warm and hot conditions in the summer of 2019/20 and 2020/21. Part 1 also provides systematic analyses of surface temperatures of SBR, EPDM, TPO, synthetic turf and real grass. In Part 2 we describe the process, outputs and outcomes of a playground transformation at Memorial Park in Merrylands. The playground is in the Local Government Area of Cumberland City Council in the geographic centre of Sydney. With support from the NSW Government, Cumberland City Council, industry partners and inputs from a range of stakeholders, we created Australiaâs first dedicated UV-smart Cool Playground. Since October 2020, the playground is enjoyed by the local community. Research data showing the avoided heat, improved thermal comfort and reduced exposure to UV-A and UV-B are provided and demonstrate the functionality of the playground.
Global warming caused by air pollution and ecosystem changes are very important. Pollutants such as harmful gases and fine dust generated in industrial sites are the main causes of air pollution. Strict control of emissions of air pollutants from industrial sites is required. In this paper, we propose a real-time air pollution index measurement platform using 5G wireless network and blockchain. The proposed platform breaks the existing passive method and collects data in real time through IoT sensor based on 5G wireless network. In order to prevent forgery and tampering of collected data, we use blockchain technology to encrypt and transmit to cloud and provide real-time air pollution index measurement platform. You can extract technology-intensive data through edge computing and cloud computing. This paper describes the architecture of the proposed platform and introduces use cases.