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In a world where corporate sustainability commitments are increasing, and governments are starting to phase out of renewable energy subsidy schemes, renewable power purchase agreements (PPAs) can act as a substitute to the governmental support. The combination of renewable energy projects placed in multiple locations (multi-location) and based on different technologies (multi-technology) has the potential to offset the volatility of single renewable energy projects and the risk associated with them. This paper presents a stochastic optimization framework to maximize the expected financial performance of multi-location and multi-technology PPAs while minimizing the financial risk associated with them, which is defined as the likelihood of having low financial performance, from the corporate off-taker perspective. This is achieved through the assessment and optimization of multi-location and multi-technology PPA portfolios. Conditional value at risk is applied to reduce the risk of low financial performance while preserving high expected financial gains. The developed framework enables the identification of the optimal trade-offs between expected financial performance and financial risk, and of the corresponding optimal configurations of PPA portfolios. The benefits of multi-technology and multi-location on portfolio risk reduction are demonstrated via the application to two PPAs portfolios, namely, one compounding projects with different technologies located in the same country, and one compounding different technologies across different countries. Results show that higher expected financial gains are obtained by investing in the single, most-convenient PPA project, whereas combining projects reduces the overall financial risk and allows to meet the off-taker energy demand profile with higher expected financial performance. ; ISSN:0140-9883 ; ISSN:1873-6181

First-generation biofuel biorefineries may be a starting point for the development of new value chains, as their by-products and side streams retain nutrients and valuable molecules that may be recovered and valorized for high-value applications. This study provides a chemical characterization of post-fermentation corn oil and thin stillage, side streams of dry-grind corn bioethanol production, in view of their valorization. An overall long-term study was conducted on the two co-products collected over 1 year from a bioethanol plant. Water content, acid value, sedimentation, mineral composition, and fatty acid profiles were analyzed on post-fermentation corn oil. ; This study was carried out in the frame of the EXCornsEED project. This project has received funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 792054. The JU receives support from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the Bio Based Industries Consortium.

The envisioned role of hydrogen in the energy transition - or the concept of a hydrogen economy - has varied through the years. In the past hydrogen was mainly considered a clean fuel for cars and/or electricity production; but the current renewed interest stems from the versatility of hydrogen in aiding the transition to CO2 neutrality, where the capability to tackle emissions from distributed applications and complex industrial processes is of paramount importance. However, the hydrogen economy will not materialise without strong political support and robust infrastructure design. Hydrogen deployment needs to address multiple barriers at once, including technology development for hydrogen production and conversion, infrastructure co-creation, policy, market design and business model development. In light of these challenges, we have brought together a group of hydrogen researchers who study the multiple interconnected disciplines to offer a perspective on what is needed to deploy the hydrogen economy as part of the drive towards net-zero-CO2 societies. We do this by analysing (i) hydrogen end-use technologies and applications, (ii) hydrogen production methods, (iii) hydrogen transport and storage networks, (iv) legal and regulatory aspects, and (v) business models. For each of these, we provide key take home messages ranging from the current status to the outlook and needs for further research. Overall, we provide the reader with a thorough understanding of the elements in the hydrogen economy, state of play and gaps to be filled.

The envisioned role of hydrogen in the energy transition - or the concept of a hydrogen economy - has varied through the years. In the past hydrogen was mainly considered a clean fuel for cars and/or electricity production; but the current renewed interest stems from the versatility of hydrogen in aiding the transition to CO2 neutrality, where the capability to tackle emissions from distributed applications and complex industrial processes is of paramount importance. However, the hydrogen economy will not materialise without strong political support and robust infrastructure design. Hydrogen deployment needs to address multiple barriers at once, including technology development for hydrogen production and conversion, infrastructure co-creation, policy, market design and business model development. In light of these challenges, we have brought together a group of hydrogen researchers who study the multiple interconnected disciplines to offer a perspective on what is needed to deploy the hydrogen economy as part of the drive towards net-zero-CO2 societies. We do this by analysing (i) hydrogen end-use technologies and applications, (ii) hydrogen production methods, (iii) hydrogen transport and storage networks, (iv) legal and regulatory aspects, and (v) business models. For each of these, we provide key take home messages ranging from the current status to the outlook and needs for further research. Overall, we provide the reader with a thorough understanding of the elements in the hydrogen economy, state of play and gaps to be filled.

The envisioned role of hydrogen in the energy transition - or the concept of a hydrogen economy - has varied through the years. In the past hydrogen was mainly considered a clean fuel for cars and/or electricity production; but the current renewed interest stems from the versatility of hydrogen in aiding the transition to CO2 neutrality, where the capability to tackle emissions from distributed applications and complex industrial processes is of paramount importance. However, the hydrogen economy will not materialise without strong political support and robust infrastructure design. Hydrogen deployment needs to address multiple barriers at once, including technology development for hydrogen production and conversion, infrastructure co-creation, policy, market design and business model development. In light of these challenges, we have brought together a group of hydrogen researchers who study the multiple interconnected disciplines to offer a perspective on what is needed to deploy the hydrogen economy as part of the drive towards net-zero-CO2 societies. We do this by analysing (i) hydrogen end-use technologies and applications, (ii) hydrogen production methods, (iii) hydrogen transport and storage networks, (iv) legal and regulatory aspects, and (v) business models. For each of these, we provide key take home messages ranging from the current status to the outlook and needs for further research. Overall, we provide the reader with a thorough understanding of the elements in the hydrogen economy, state of play and gaps to be filled. ; ISSN:1754-5692 ; ISSN:1754-5706

Rapeseed meal (RSM), a by-product of oilseed extraction connected to the agri-food and biofuel sectors, is currently used as animal feed and for other low-value purposes. With a biorefinery approach, RSM could be valorized as a source of bio-based molecules for high-value applications. This study provides a chemical characterization of RSM in the perspective of its valorization. A qualitative study of main functional groups by fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was integrated with a chemical characterization of macronutrients, minerals by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), phenolic acids and lipid components by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), HPLC-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/flame ionization detector (GC-MS/FID). The study, conducted on different lots of RSM collected over a one-year period from an oil pressing factory serving a biofuel biorefinery, highlighted a constant quality over time of RSM, characterized by high protein (31–34%), fiber (33–40%) and mineral (5.5–6.8%) contents. Polyphenol extracts showed a significant antioxidant activity and a prevalence of sinapic acid, accounting for more than 85% of total phenolic acids (395–437 mg kg􀀀1 RSM). Results highlight the potentialities of RSM for further valorization strategies that may lead to the creation of new cross-sector interconnections and bio-based value chains with improvement of the economics and sustainability of the bioeconomy sectors involved. ; This study has been carried out in the frame of the EXCornsEED project. This project has received funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 792054. The JU receives support from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the Bio Based Industries Consortium.