The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have both large fossil fuel resources and vast renewable energy potentials. Here, we investigate in a literature meta-analysis and a survey, whether there is a need for renewables in the GCC, what barriers and risks presently deter investments, and what possible policy-solutions could be. We find that there is a long-term need for renewables, ...

In order to advance the scientific understanding of carbon exchange with the land surface, build an effective carbon monitoring system, and contribute to quantitatively based U.S. climate change policy interests, fine spatial and temporal quantification of fossil fuel CO(2) emissions, the primary greenhouse gas, is essential. Called the "Hestia Project", this research effort is the first to use...

As a result of declining oil reserves in the world, the rise in fossil fuel prices and growing interest in the environment, there is considerable demand for alternative fuels. Biodiesel is recognized like the "green fuel" and has several advantages compared to diesel. It is safe, renewable, nontoxic, and biodegradable (98% biodegradable in a few weeks). Contains less sulfur compounds, and has a...

The interaction between the Earth’s carbon cycle and climate change remains a top element of uncertainty within climate change projections. In order to better understand this relationship, carbon cycle scientists use a variety of modeling and observational tools to disassemble the many fluxes and reservoirs that constitute the global carbon cycle. In addition to advancing the scientific underst...

Domestic sea transport is critical to all aspects of life in the Pacific, providing access to markets and health and education services, as well as enabling cultural and social connectivity. Current sea transport services are entirely dependent upon use of increasingly expensive fossil fuels. Whilst there has been increasing research on international shipping, very little focus has been given t...

Life-cycle studies of the currently dominant transport biofuels (bioethanol made from starch or sugar and biodiesel made from vegetable oil) show that solar energy conversion efficiency is relatively poor if compared with solar cells and that such biofuels tend to do worse than conventional fossil transport fuels as to the emission of eutrophying and acidifying substances. Lifecycle studies of ...

[1] Historical changes of black carbon (BC) and particulate organic matter (POM) emissions from biomass burning (BB) and fossil fuel (FF) burning are estimated from 1870 to 2000. A bottom-up inventory for open vegetation (OV) burning is scaled by a top-down estimate for the year 2000. Monthly and interannual variations are derived over the time period from 1979 to 2000 based on the TOMS satelli...

Conversion of fossil fuels to electrical power is the most popular method of electrical power generation. Due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the increase in air pollution, the necessity of using high efficiency power generation systems is increasing. High temperature fuel cells, such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC), have high efficiency. According t...