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The transition towards renewable energy sources and “green” technologies for energy generation and storage is expected to mitigate the climate emergency in the coming years. However, in many cases, this progress has been hampered by our dependency on critical materials or other resources that are often processed at high environmental burdens. Yet, many studies have shown that environmental and energy issues are strictly interconnected and require a comprehensive understanding of resource management strategies and their implications. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is among the most inclusive analytical techniques to analyze sustainability benefits and trade-offs within complex systems and, in this Special Issue, it is applied to assess the mutual influences of environmental and energy dimensions. The selection of original articles, reviews, and case studies addressed covers some of the main driving applications for energy requirements and greenhouse gas emissions, including power generation, bioenergy, biorefinery, building, and transportation. An insightful perspective on the current topics and technologies, and emerging research needs, is provided. Alone or in combination with integrative methodologies, LCA can be of pivotal importance and constitute the scientific foundation on which a full system understanding can be reached.

Research & information: general --- life cycle assessment --- harmonization --- photovoltaic --- perovskite solar cell --- manufacturing process --- environmental impact --- greenhouse gas --- gasification --- swine manure management --- ground-source heat pumps --- space conditioning --- environmental sustainability --- life cycle assessment (LCA) --- phase-change material (PCM) --- CED --- Eco-indicator 99 --- IPCC --- LCA --- photovoltaics panels --- recycling --- landfill --- embodied energy --- embodied carbon --- life-cycle embodied performance --- metropolitan area --- in-city --- transport energy intensity --- well to wheel --- material structure --- photovoltaics --- waste management --- EROI --- net energy --- energy scenario --- energy transition --- electricity --- grid mix --- storage --- decarbonization --- biofuel policy --- GHG mitigation --- energy security --- indirect land use change --- carbon dioxide capture --- activated carbon --- environmental impacts --- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) --- Material Flow Analysis (MFA) --- Criticality --- traction batteries --- forecast --- supply --- exergy --- sustainability --- review --- bioenergy --- geographic information system (GIS) --- harvesting residues --- energy metrics --- PHAs --- bio-based polymers --- biodegradable plastics --- pyrolysis --- volatile fatty acids --- phase change materials --- PCM --- thermal energy storage --- Storage LCA Tool --- Speicher LCA --- n/a

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The transition towards renewable energy sources and “green” technologies for energy generation and storage is expected to mitigate the climate emergency in the coming years. However, in many cases, this progress has been hampered by our dependency on critical materials or other resources that are often processed at high environmental burdens. Yet, many studies have shown that environmental and energy issues are strictly interconnected and require a comprehensive understanding of resource management strategies and their implications. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is among the most inclusive analytical techniques to analyze sustainability benefits and trade-offs within complex systems and, in this Special Issue, it is applied to assess the mutual influences of environmental and energy dimensions. The selection of original articles, reviews, and case studies addressed covers some of the main driving applications for energy requirements and greenhouse gas emissions, including power generation, bioenergy, biorefinery, building, and transportation. An insightful perspective on the current topics and technologies, and emerging research needs, is provided. Alone or in combination with integrative methodologies, LCA can be of pivotal importance and constitute the scientific foundation on which a full system understanding can be reached.

Research & information: general --- life cycle assessment --- harmonization --- photovoltaic --- perovskite solar cell --- manufacturing process --- environmental impact --- greenhouse gas --- gasification --- swine manure management --- ground-source heat pumps --- space conditioning --- environmental sustainability --- life cycle assessment (LCA) --- phase-change material (PCM) --- CED --- Eco-indicator 99 --- IPCC --- LCA --- photovoltaics panels --- recycling --- landfill --- embodied energy --- embodied carbon --- life-cycle embodied performance --- metropolitan area --- in-city --- transport energy intensity --- well to wheel --- material structure --- photovoltaics --- waste management --- EROI --- net energy --- energy scenario --- energy transition --- electricity --- grid mix --- storage --- decarbonization --- biofuel policy --- GHG mitigation --- energy security --- indirect land use change --- carbon dioxide capture --- activated carbon --- environmental impacts --- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) --- Material Flow Analysis (MFA) --- Criticality --- traction batteries --- forecast --- supply --- exergy --- sustainability --- review --- bioenergy --- geographic information system (GIS) --- harvesting residues --- energy metrics --- PHAs --- bio-based polymers --- biodegradable plastics --- pyrolysis --- volatile fatty acids --- phase change materials --- PCM --- thermal energy storage --- Storage LCA Tool --- Speicher LCA

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This Special Issue focused on innovative solutions for the biological treatment of organic waste from wastewater. In particular, research articles included in this SI are related to: Process mechanisms and operation, optimization, monitoring, modeling, and applications; Removal of pathogens and emerging pollutants; Reuse and circular economy; Resource recovery (e.g., nutrients recovery, high-value compounds) and energy valorization (e.g., biogas); Life cycle assessment and carbon footprint; Technoeconomic assessment and social perception of waste-to-resource processes; Low-cost technologies; Policy. Overall, this SI provides new ways to valorize organic waste from wastewater and describe novel processes as well as the environmental and social benefits in the frame of the Sustainable Development Goals.

synthetic microbial community --- ammonium --- heterotrophic nitrification --- aerobic denitrification --- livestock wastewater --- anaerobic co-digestion --- food wastes --- waste-activated sludge --- nano magnetite --- iron oxide nano particles --- nano zero valent iron --- sewage sludge --- nano particles --- organic wastes --- anaerobic digestion (AD) --- biogas --- life cycle assessment (LCA) --- methane --- waste activated sludge (WAS) --- wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) --- anaerobic digestion acceptance --- structural equation model --- energy policy --- sustainable energy technology --- rural development --- mesophilic --- thermophilic --- temperature-phased anaerobic digestion (TPAD) --- dewaterability --- sludge quality --- sludge valorisation --- n/a

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The circular economy, as a new business model that is different from the economy, can achieve the reuse and recycling of waste for waste minimization, improve the efficiency of resource utilization, and mitigate carbon emissions. It is no doubt that promoting the development of the circular economy can facilitate the transition to low-carbon processes and carbon-neutral development. However, there are still several questions that need to be answered: (1) How can the circular economy contribute to a low-carbon transition? (2) How do we address the fact that the circular economy model may also cause some new environmental problems, and how should we identify what the most environmentally friendly solution is among multiple alternatives for the circular economy? (3) Governmental regulation, policies and incentives play a significant role in promoting the development of the circular economy, so what are the policy instruments that can contribute to its development? (4) How can technological progress and solutions contribute to the circular economy? (5) How can environmental impact assessments contribute to the circular economy? (6) How can we achieve a circular economy or low-carbon transition through changes in consumption behaviors? In order to answer the above-mentioned questions, we launched a Special Issue in Energies. There are a total of six papers published in this Special Issue. This e-book collects these papers to build a platform for sharing advanced concepts, tools and methods for the users to take actions to achieve a circular economy.

Technology: general issues --- History of engineering & technology --- Industry & industrial studies --- carbon label --- bibliometric analysis --- CiteSpace --- carbon labeling scheme --- purchase intention --- willingness to pay --- eco-efficiency --- environmental impact --- GHG emissions --- energy consumption --- food chain --- short food supply chains (SFSCs) --- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) --- rice husk --- gasification --- CHP --- Aspen Plus --- simulation --- economic assessment --- circular economy --- low-carbon energy --- waste-based bioenergy --- resource efficiency --- product policy --- energy efficiency --- digitalization --- life cycle assessment --- easy-to-repair design --- built environment --- gas boilers --- heat pumps

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This book addresses a key innovative technology for decarbonization of the energy system: hydrothermal processing. It basically consists of treating biomass and wastes in a wet form, under pressure and temperature condition. This approach is becoming more and more attractive, as new feedstock and applications are appearing on the scene of bioeconomy and bioenergy. The hydrothermal processing of various type of biomass, waste, and residues, thus, raised the interest of many researchers and companies around the world, together with downstream upgrading processes and technologies: solid products as biochar, for instance, or liquid ones as crude bioliquids, are finding new market opportunities in circular economy schemes. The Special Issue collects recent innovative research works in the field, from basic to applied research, as well as pilot industrial applications/demo. It is a valuable set of references for those investing time and effort in research in the field.

biorefinery --- life cycle assessment (LCA) --- drop-in biofuels --- lipids --- sensitivity analysis --- brewer’s spent grains (BSG) --- lignin --- nutrient recovery --- fuel properties --- Scenedesmus rubescens --- hydroprocessing --- combustion indices --- hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) --- fiber rejects --- upgrading --- aqueous co-product --- hydrotreating --- biofuel --- hydrothermal disintegration --- cell wall disruption --- two-steps carbonization --- hydrothermal processes --- fuzzy Delphi method --- process economics --- agricultural yield --- hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) --- acid addition --- microalgae extraction --- coal --- hydrochar --- fuzzy logic cognitive map --- Germany --- microalgal oils --- deinked sludge --- nitrogen distribution --- hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) --- sewage sludge --- fresh harvested --- hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) --- biomass --- struvite --- primary sludge --- EROI --- biocrude --- hydrothermal liquefaction --- electricity and heat production --- fractional distillation --- Spirulina --- cost of electricity --- secondary sludge --- depolymerization --- freeze-dried