The world is turning to renewable energy sources to combat environmental degradation. This is part of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-7, which envisions affordable and clean energy. However, achieving the SDG-7 targets and spreading clean energy requires extracting and utilizing various minerals. Russia is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of cobalt, graphite, and rare elements used for renewable energy production. Russia must increase the production of minerals for renewable energy production to achieve SDG-7. In this context, the study aims to investigate the impact of energy policy uncertainty (ENPU), environmental policy stringency (EPS), environmental patents (ETEC), and information and communication technologies (ICT) on renewable energy minerals in Russia. To this end, the study uses novel multivariate quantile-on-quantile regression (M-QQR) and cross-quantilogram (CQ) approaches for the period from 2002m9-2020m12. The M-QQR results show that EPS, ICT, and ETEC increase the extraction of renewable energy minerals, while ENPU inhibits the extraction of cobalt, graphite, and rare elements. The main results indicate that technological progress supports the extraction of renewable energy minerals in Russia and that a strict environmental fiscal policy contributes to the achievement of SDG-7. Based on the findings, Russia needs to support technological progress in the ecological field, implement strict environmental policies, and reduce uncertainties related to energy policies to extract renewable energy minerals and advance the achievement of SDG-7.

• Klíčová slova
• Energy policy uncertainty, Energy transition, Environmental policy stringency, Environmental technologies, ICT,
• MeSH
• environmentální politika MeSH
• minerály * MeSH
• obnovitelná energie * MeSH
• trvale udržitelný rozvoj MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Rusko MeSH
• Názvy látek
• minerály * MeSH

Humans generate remarkable quantities of energy while performing daily activities, but this energy usually dissipates into the environment. Here, we address recent progress in the development of nanogenerators (NGs): devices that are able to harvest such body-produced biomechanical and thermal energies by exploiting piezoelectric, triboelectric, and thermoelectric physical effects. In designing NGs, the end-user's comfort is a primary concern. Therefore, we focus on recently developed materials giving flexibility and stretchability to NGs. In addition, we summarize common fabrics for NG design. Finally, the mid-2020s market forecasts for these promising technologies highlight the potential for the commercialization of NGs because they may help contribute to the route of innovation for developing self-powered systems.

• Klíčová slova
• functional materials, human energy harvesting, piezoelectricity, thermoelectricity, triboelectricity,
• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• obnovitelná energie * MeSH
• textilie * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

• Klíčová slova
• ENERGY METABOLISM *, HEART *, MYOCARDIUM *,
• MeSH
• energetický metabolismus * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• myokard * MeSH
• srdce * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

We explore the global interactions between oil and renewable energy returns during the Covid-19 pandemic between July 2019 and June 2020. Moreover, we reflect on market stress and global economic activity. In order to deal with challenges generated by exogenous shocks coming from financial, economic or pandemic areas, a battery of advanced time-frequency domain methods is applied, ranging from wavelet transformation and wavelet coherency to wavelet cohesion. The main finding shows that pandemic disease is veritable glue for the oil energy-renewable energy nexus, validating their coupling effect. Additionally, the emerging connection between renewable and financial developments is evidenced during the pandemic crisis, although the connection between oil and financial developments is still stronger. Finally, both renewable energy and oil markets have comparably strong relationships with the general global economic activity. The policy implications should follow direct adjustments in the renewable energy area, and subsidiary to cover the behaviour of agents on the capital markets.

• Klíčová slova
• Oil energy, Pandemic crisis, Renewable energy, Wavelet analysis,
• MeSH
• COVID-19 * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• obnovitelná energie MeSH
• pandemie MeSH
• postup MeSH
• zdroje elektrické energie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Due to current water stress, there is a problem with hygiene and sanitation in many parts of the world. According to predictions from the United Nations, more than 2.7 billion people will be challenged by water scarcity by the middle of the century. The water industry is increasingly interested in desalination of the sea, ocean, and brackish water. Desalination processes are widely classified as thermal or membrane technologies. In the Middle East, thermal desalination remains the primary technology of choice, but membrane processes, for example reverse osmosis (RO), have evolved rapidly and in many other parts of the world are currently even surpassing thermal processes. The purpose of this paper is to review the renewable energy source, the technology, desalination systems, and their possible integration with renewable energy resources and their cost. This article suggests that the most practical renewable desalination techniques to be used are the solar photovoltaic integrated RO desalination process, the hybrid solar photovoltaic-wind integrated RO desalination process, the hybrid solar photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) integrated RO desalination process, and the hybrid solar photovoltaic-thermal effect distillation (PVT-MED) desalination process. However, intensive research is still required to minimize the cost, reduce the heat loss, enhance the performance, and increase the productivity.

• Klíčová slova
• Desalination, Freshwater, Renewable energy,
• MeSH
• čištění vody * metody   MeSH
• destilace MeSH
• filtrace MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• membrány umělé MeSH
• obnovitelná energie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• membrány umělé MeSH

This review covers the recent advancements in selected emerging energy sectors, emphasising carbon emission neutrality and energy sustainability in the post-COVID-19 era. It benefited from the latest development reported in the Virtual Special Issue of ENERGY dedicated to the 6th International Conference on Low Carbon Asia and Beyond (ICLCA'20) and the 4th Sustainable Process Integration Laboratory Scientific Conference (SPIL'20). As nations bind together to tackle global climate change, one of the urgent needs is the energy sector's transition from fossil-fuel reliant to a more sustainable carbon-free solution. Recent progress shows that advancement in energy efficiency modelling of components and energy systems has greatly facilitated the development of more complex and efficient energy systems. The scope of energy system modelling can be based on temporal, spatial and technical resolutions. The emergence of novel materials such as MXene, metal-organic framework and flexible phase change materials have shown promising energy conversion efficiency. The integration of the internet of things (IoT) with an energy storage system and renewable energy supplies has led to the development of a smart energy system that effectively connects the power producer and end-users, thereby allowing more efficient management of energy flow and consumption. The future smart energy system has been redefined to include all energy sectors via a cross-sectoral integration approach, paving the way for the greater utilization of renewable energy. This review highlights that energy system efficiency and sustainability can be improved via innovations in smart energy systems, novel energy materials and low carbon technologies. Their impacts on the environment, resource availability and social well-being need to be holistically considered and supported by diverse solutions, in alignment with the sustainable development goal of Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7) and other related SDGs (1, 8, 9, 11,13,15 and 17), as put forth by the United Nations.

• Klíčová slova
• Emission neutrality, Energy efficiency, Energy sustainability, Novel material, Smart energy,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Various mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, and hybrid actuators can alter motion per the requirements of particular applications. However, except for electrical ones, all actuators are restricted due to their size, complex auxiliary equipment, frequent need for maintenance, and sluggish environment in renewable applications. This brief review paper highlights some unique and significant research works on applying electrical actuators to renewable applications. Four renewable energy resources, i.e., solar, wind, bio-energy, and geothermal energy, are considered to review electric actuators applicable to renewable energy systems. This review analyses the types of actuators associated with the mentioned renewable application, their functioning, their motion type, present use, advantages, disadvantages, and operational problems. The information gathered in this paper may open up new ways of optimization opportunities and control challenges in electrical actuators, thereby making more efficient systems. Furthermore, some energy-efficient and cost-effective replacements of convectional actuators with new innovative ones are suggested. This work aims to benefit scientists and new entrants working on actuators in renewable energy systems.

• Klíčová slova
• electric actuators, linear actuators, power consumption, renewable system, rotary actuators, spherical actuators,
• MeSH
• elektřina * MeSH
• obnovitelná energie * MeSH
• vítr MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

The risks of depletion of energy reserves and encountering lethally low temperatures are considered as two important mortality factors that may limit winter survival of mosquito, Culex pipiens f. pipiens populations. Here we show that the autumn females carry lipid reserves, which are safely sufficient for at least two overwintering periods, provided the females diapausing at temperatures typical for underground spaces (0 °C - 8 °C) would continuously rest at a standard metabolic rate (SMR). The overwintering females, however, switch from SMR to much higher metabolic rate during flight, either seeking for optimal microhabitat within the shelter or in response to disturbances by air current or predator attack. These behaviors result in fast oxidation of lipid reserves and, therefore, the autumn load of energy reserves may actually limit winter survival under specific circumstances. Next, we show that the level of females' cold hardiness is physiologically set relatively weak for overwintering in open field, above-ground habitats, but is ecologically entirely sufficient for overwintering in most underground spaces. The characteristics of suitable overwintering shelters are: no or limited risk of contact with ice crystals, no or limited air movements, winter temperatures relatively stable between +2 and + 6 °C, winter minimum does not drop below -4 °C for longer than one week, or below -8 °C for longer than 1 day.

• Klíčová slova
• Cold tolerance, Culex pipiens, Energy reserves, Insects, Overwintering,
• MeSH
• Culex metabolismus   fyziologie   MeSH
• diapauza MeSH
• energetický metabolismus * MeSH
• metabolismus lipidů MeSH
• nízká teplota * MeSH
• roční období * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

• Klíčová slova
• Pulmonary disease, coefficient of energy balance, immunocompetent cells, local inflammatory response, pleural cavity, pleural effusion,
• MeSH
• cytologické techniky * MeSH
• energetický metabolismus * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pleurální výpotek metabolismus   patologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Objective.There is an increasing interest in calculating and measuring linear energy transfer (LET) spectra in particle therapy in order to assess their impact in biological terms. As such, the accuracy of the particle fluence energy spectra becomes paramount. This study focuses on quantifying energy depositions of distinct proton, helium, carbon, and oxygen ion beams using a silicon pixel detector developed at CERN to determine LET spectra in silicon.Approach.While detection systems have been investigated in this pursuit, the scarcity of detectors capable of providing per-ion data with high spatial and temporal resolution remains an issue. This gap is where silicon pixel detector technology steps in, enabling online tracking of single-ion energy deposition. The used detector consisted of a 300µm thick silicon sensor operated in partial depletion.Main results.During post-processing, artifacts in the acquired signals were identified and methods for their corrections were developed. Subsequently, a correlation between measured and Monte Carlo-based simulated energy deposition distributions was performed, relying on a two-step recalibration approach based on linear and saturating exponential models. Despite the observed saturation effects, deviations were confined below 7% across the entire investigated range of track-averaged LET values in silicon from 0.77 keVµm-1to 93.16 keVµm-1.Significance.Simulated and measured mean energy depositions were found to be aligned within 7%, after applying artifact corrections. This extends the range of accessible LET spectra in silicon to clinically relevant values and validates the accuracy and reliability of the measurements. These findings pave the way towards LET-based dosimetry through an approach to translate these measurements to LET spectra in water. This will be addressed in a future study, extending functionality of treatment planning systems into clinical routine, with the potential of providing ion-beam therapy of utmost precision to cancer patients.

• Klíčová slova
• Monte Carlo simulations, energy deposition measurements, ion beam radiotherapy, linear energy transfer, particle tracking, radiation quality, silicon pixel Timepix3 detectors,
• MeSH
• křemík MeSH
• lineární přenos energie * MeSH
• metoda Monte Carlo MeSH
• radiometrie přístrojové vybavení   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• křemík MeSH