2021, Schmidt, Michael, Kettlitz, Manfred, Kolb, Juergen F.

The combination of non-thermal plasma (NTP), operated at room temperature and at atmospheric pressure in air and in combination with activated carbon filters offers a more efficient removal of VOCs from gas streams than each individual method alone. Efficiencies, synergies and mechanisms of this combination were investigated by means of comprehensive quantitative Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Therefore, dry and wet synthetic air containing about 90 ppm of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) were treated with non-thermal plasma (NTP) and an intentionally undersized activated carbon (AC) filter, separately and in combination. As a result, removal of about 50 % was achieved for NTP or AC alone but a removal close to 95 % was found for the combination. Ozone, generated by the NTP, was reduced by 55 % with the AC-filter. For the operation of the NTP with humid air, a decomposition of the pollutant on AC was observed even after the plasma was switched off.

2022, Amo-Aidoo, A., Kumi, E.N., Hensel, O., Korese, J.K., Sturm, B.

Current global climate change mitigation programs have been unable to meet the Paris Agreement's targets, and Ghana's situation is no exception. There is, therefore, an increased need for intensification of renewable energy deployment programs with an emphasis on solar energy as it constitutes about 90% of Ghana's installed renewable energy generation capacity. The study demonstrates how appropriate renewable energy policy can drive solar energy development in Ghana. Electricity demand scenarios were developed using historical data from 2000 to 2018, after which projections were made up to 2030 based on the average year-on-year electricity growth rate. Of the three electricity demand categories, residential demand experienced a steeper growth rate in comparison with the special load tariff, non-residential, and street lighting sectors. On the supply side, low, moderate, and visionary supply scenarios had increased solar penetration of 5 %, 10 %, and 15 % of the installed generation capacity respectively. While appreciable gains were made in the low and moderate supply scenarios, the visionary supply scenario could meet the renewable energy target with solar energy by 2030; leading to universal access to electricity while offsetting over 13 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide in the process.