Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Analysis Of Circular Design Principles For The Sustainable End-Of-Life Management Of Renewable Energy Assets: Investigation Of Illinois And Germany Renewable Energy Policies And Programs., Samuel N. Nimaful

2024 Student Research and Creativity Conference

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of circular design principles applied to the sustainable end-of-life management of renewable energy assets, focusing on the comparative study of renewable energy policies in Illinois, USA, and Germany. As the deployment of renewable energy technologies like solar panels and wind turbines expands globally, the question of their sustainable disposal becomes increasingly critical. This research delves into how circular economy approaches can be integrated into policy frameworks to ensure that these technologies are sustainable not only in their operation but also at the end of their lifecycle.

The study methodically reviews existing policies and programs …

Analysis Of Circular Design Principles For The Sustainable End-Of-Life Management Of Renewable Energy Assets: Investigation Of Illinois And Germany Renewable Energy Policies And Programs., Samuel N. Nimaful

2024 Student Research and Creativity Conference

This poster presents an analysis into the integration of circular design principles within renewable energy policies, comparing the approaches of Illinois, USA, and Germany. With the global shift towards renewable energy to combat climate change, the sustainable management of end-of-life (EoL) renewable assets has become crucial. The study utilizes a thematic analysis to explore seven key policies from Illinois and five from Germany, employing NVivo software to dissect aspects such as design strategies, support for innovation, and enforcement mechanisms.

Graduate, 3rd Place: A Comparative Analysis Of Sustainability Report Communication In The Consumer Goods Industry, Nancy Ladeinde

2023 Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Activity - Documents

Sustainability reports are communicated in areas visible to stakeholders. One of such areas is corporate social responsibility. Sustainability reports have the function of image enhancement and trust building for organizations, particularly for those in the consumer goods industry. Advancing the research on corporate social responsibility, this study examines how consumer goods organizations communicate their sustainability/impact activities by comparing three large global organizations. The paper is premised on legitimacy and stakeholder theories and reviews the six ESG reports through content analysis. The comparative analysis of a two-year report of these organizations shows differences in patterns and language used in the ESG …

Graduate, 2nd Place: Assessing The Knowledge, Attitude, And Everyday Life Practices Adopted Among Eastern Illinois University Students Towards Sustainability, Joel Holison

2023 Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Activity - Documents

The concept of sustainable development gained attention and came into focus with the publication of the Brundtland Report (Brundtland, 1987). later the Education for Sustainability (EfS) initiative was presented in 1997 through the “Thessaloniki Declaration” as a carrier of the common and single message (Knapp, 2000). Sustainable development is the way a country pursues its economic development that does not jeopardize the opportunity for future generations to achieve their development (Brundtland, 1987). Deforestation, land destruction, soil degradation, air and water pollution, and other types of environmental deterioration are paid in the name of economic progress. This detriment may outweigh the …

Assessing The Knowledge On Sustainability And Barriers To Daily Sustainable Practices Among Faculty And Students In Higher Education: The Case Of Eastern Illinois University, Joel Edem Holison

Masters Theses

The concept of sustainable development gained prominence with the publication of the Brundtland Report, which emphasized economic progress without jeopardizing future generations' well-being. Following that, the Education for Sustainability (EfS) program was created by the United Nations to raise sustainability awareness. However, the transition to sustainable living is fraught with difficulties, including a lack of knowledge, financial constraints, infrastructure gaps, and political ideologies. This study focuses on sustainable practices among Eastern Illinois University (EIU) students and faculty, as well as the barriers to daily sustainable behaviors. As independent variables influencing sustainable practices, the study evaluates sustainability knowledge/awareness, personal financial situation, …

Co-Product Potential Of Algae Biocake, Elizabeth J. Nixon

Masters Theses

Society needs to find replacements for fossil fuels, which are finite resources that may be fully depleted within a few generations. While solar and wind have great potential as alternative energy sources, they are unlikely to completely replace all of the current fuel sources, particularly liquid fuels. Plant biomass has great potential for this market, and is already used in many forms for heat energy (e.g. direct combustion). However, the bulk density of important bioenergy crops, particularly grasses, is often low, which necessitates the use of binders in densification strategies. In the present study, waste algae biocake from a proprietary …

Understanding The Management Of Sustainability On One Public Midwestern College Campus, Eric Swinehart

Masters Theses

Environmental sustainability is a substantial issue within our world today that is on the forefront of policy makers' minds. Implementation of sustainability initiatives on a college campus comes in many forms and different scales, which falls upon the question of who manages all the moving pieces to make these initiatives successful. This study was designed to gain an understanding of how administrators are defining and implementing environmental sustainability initiatives on their campus, to understand their role in managing these tasks. Using a qualitative approach, the researcher interviewed a purposeful sample of four higher education administrators from one public Midwestern university. …

Algal Biomass As A Binding Agent For The Densification Of Miscanthus, Sunil Thapa, Daniel B. Johnson, Peter Ping Liu, Thomas Canam

Thomas Canam

Purpose: Lignocellulosic biomass has been regarded as an important future energy source due to its excessive availability; however, the wide application of this material for many applications is restricted by the high costs associated with densification, transportation, thermo-chemical pretreatment and conversion. In order to increase the density of lignocellulosic biomass, it is typically compressed into pellets or briquettes. This frequently requires the addition of additives, which may negatively impact the economics of the process. Environmentally-friendly binding agents that can be obtained inexpensively are therefore desirable. This study examines the change in physicochemical properties of densified Miscanthus straw where algae were …

Algal Biomass As A Binding Agent For The Densification Of Miscanthus, Sunil Thapa, Daniel Johnson, Peter Liu, Thomas Canam

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Purpose: Lignocellulosic biomass has been regarded as an important future energy source due to its excessive availability; however, the wide application of this material for many applications is restricted by the high costs associated with densification, transportation, thermo-chemical pretreatment and conversion. In order to increase the density of lignocellulosic biomass, it is typically compressed into pellets or briquettes. This frequently requires the addition of additives, which may negatively impact the economics of the process. Environmentally-friendly binding agents that can be obtained inexpensively are therefore desirable. This study examines the change in physicochemical properties of densified Miscanthus straw where algae were …

Algal Biomass As A Binding Agent For The Densification Of Miscanthus, Sunil Thapa, Daniel B. Johnson, Peter Ping Liu, Thomas Canam

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Purpose: Lignocellulosic biomass has been regarded as an important future energy source due to its excessive availability; however, the wide application of this material for many applications is restricted by the high costs associated with densification, transportation, thermo-chemical pretreatment and conversion. In order to increase the density of lignocellulosic biomass, it is typically compressed into pellets or briquettes. This frequently requires the addition of additives, which may negatively impact the economics of the process. Environmentally-friendly binding agents that can be obtained inexpensively are therefore desirable. This study examines the change in physicochemical properties of densified Miscanthus straw where algae were …