- Development of an AI-based real-time analysis model for the microstructure of carbon fiber paper, a key component of fuel cells. - Successfully diagnosed fuel cell malfunctions at a speed 100 times faster than conventional analysis techniques. - Published online in October in Applied Energy, a globally renowned journal in the energy sector. Dr. Chi-Young Jung's research team from the Hydrogen Research & Demonstration Center at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) has successfully developed a method to analyze the microstructure of carbon fiber paper, a key material in hydrogen fuel cells, at a speed 100 times faster than existing methods. This was achieved by utilizing digital twin technology and artificial intelligence (AI) learning. Carbon fiber paper is a key material in hydrogen fuel cell stacks, playing a crucial role in facilitating water discharge and fuel supply. It is composed of materials such as carbon fibers, binders (adhesives), and coatings. Over time, the arrangement, structure, and coating condition of these materials change, leading to a decline in the performance of the fuel cell. For this reason, analyzing the microstructure of carbon fiber paper has become an essential step in diagnosing the condition of fuel cells. However, real-time analysis of the high-resolution microstructure of carbon fiber paper has been impossible until now. This is because obtaining accurate analysis results requires a process in which the carbon fiber paper sample is damaged and then subjected to detailed examination using an electron microscope. To address the limitations of existing analysis methods, the research team developed a technology that analyzes the microstructure of carbon fiber paper using X-ray diagnostics and an AI-based image learning model. Notably, this technology enables precise analysis using only X-ray tomography, eliminating the need for an electron microscope. As a result, it allows for near real-time condition diagnosis. The research team extracted 5,000 images from over 200 samples of carbon fiber paper and trained a machine learning algorithm with this data. As a result, the trained model was able to predict the 3D distribution and arrangement of the key components of carbon fiber paper — including carbon fibers, binders, and coatings — with an accuracy of over 98%. This capability enables the comparison of the initial state of the carbon fiber paper with its current state, allowing for the immediate identification of performance degradation causes. In addition, the research team utilized data from the developed model to systematically identify how design factors such as the thickness of the carbon fiber paper and the binder content affect fuel cell performance. They also extracted optimal design parameters and proposed an ideal design plan aimed at improving the efficiency of fuel cells. Dr. Chi-Young Jung, the lead researcher, stated, "This study is significant in that it enhances analysis technology by combining AI with virtual space utilization, and clearly identifies the relationship between the structure and properties of energy materials, thereby demonstrating its practical applicability." He added, "We expect it to play a significant role in related fields such as secondary batteries and water electrolysis in the future.“

▷ 2025년부터 1월 1일부터 1년간 활동, 아시아 국가 중에서 유일하게 포함 환경부 소속 국립환경과학원(원장 금한승)은 경제협력개발기구(OECD) 화학물질 평가 신생과학(ESCA)* 자문기구의 의장단**으로 2025년 1월 1일부터 1년 간 활동한다고 밝혔다. * Emerging Science in Chemical Assessment : 대체시험법, 인공지능 등 첨단 과학기법을 환경정책에 효율적으로 활용할 수 있도록 화학물질 유해성평가, 시험지침 작업반 사업 검토 및 신규 사업 발굴 등의 역할을 하는 자문기구 ** 제2차 OECD 화학물질 평가 신생과학(ESCA) 자문기구회의(‘24.6월)에서 회원국 만장일치로 선출됨 경제협력개발기구는 화학물질평가 분야에서 인체 모사 조직, 인공지능, 체학(體學, 오믹스)* 등 첨단 과학적 성과를 정책에 활용하기 위해 2023년에 화학물질평가 신생과학(ESCA) 자문기구를 구성했다. 이 자문기구는 경제협력개발기구 국가시험지침사업조정자 및 유해성평가 작업반과 연계하여 대체시험법, 인공지능 등 첨단 과학 분야 사업계획서, 추진현황, 결과를 검토하고 전문가 자문을 제공한다. * 체학(오믹스) : 세포, 조직, 몸에 존재하는 유전체(게놈, 유전 정보의 집합체), 대사체(메타볼롬, 대사 물질의 집합체), 단백체(프로테옴, 단백질의 집합체) 등을 체(體, ome)라고 하고 두 개 이상의 체(體) 정보를 이용하여, 환경오염물질의 영향 등 세포, 개체, 생물체 집단에서 일어나는 변화를 연구하는 학문 분야 이 자문기구의 의장단은 이탈리아의 국립건강연구소(의장), 유럽연합 연합연구소, 미국 환경보호청, 독일 연방위해성평가연구소, 캐나다 오타와대 등으로 구성되어 있으며, 우리나라 국립환경과학원이 이번에 아시아 국가 중에서 유일하게 포함됐다. 한편, 환경부는 화학물질 분야 주무부처로서 경제협력개발기구 화학생명공학위원회와 그 위원회에 속한 다양한 작업반*에서 적극적으로 활동하고 있다. 또한, 환경부 소속기관인 국립환경과학원은 의장단으로서 화학물질 평가 신생과학(ESCA) 자문기구 회의와 관련하여 경제협력개발기구 회원국의 입장을 반영한 의제 선정, 일정 조정, 운영 등 회의 제반사항을 결정하는데 참여할 예정이다. * 국가시험지침사업 조정자, 유해성평가, 우수실험실규정, 노출평가, 제조나노물질 등 금한승 국립환경과학원장은 “대체시험법, 인공지능 등 첨단과학 기법의 한계점을 선제적으로 파악하고 이를 보완할 수 있는 연구를 지속적으로 추진하여 환경오염물질로부터 환경과 국민을 보호할 수 있는 기반을 강화하겠다”라고 밝혔다. 붙임 1. 경제협력개발기구 화학물질평가 신생과학 자문기구 및 의장단 개요. 2. 전문용어 설명. 끝.

▷ 12월 31일 국무회의에서 ‘제4차 배출권거래제 기본계획(2026~2035)’ 확정 ▷ 발전부문 유상할당 비율 대폭 상향 등 배출권 할당체계 개편 ▷ 유상할당 수입금은 기업의 감축활동 지원으로 선순환 모색 환경부(장관 김완섭)와 기획재정부(부총리 겸 장관 최상목)는 12월 31일에 열린 국무회의에서 ‘제4차 배출권거래제 기본계획(2026~2035)’이 심의·확정됐다고 밝혔다. 이번 제4차 기본계획은 배출권거래제의 향후 10년간 목표와 정책 방향을 제시하는 법정계획으로, ‘온실가스 배출권의 할당 및 거래에 관한 법률’ 제4조에 따라 환경부와 기재부가 공동으로 수립했다. 배출권거래제는 온실가스 다(多) 배출기업을 대상으로 배출허용량을 정하고 여유·부족 기업 간의 배출권 거래를 허용하는 제도로, 2015년에 도입되어 국가 전체 온실가스 배출량의 약 74%를 관리하는 온실가스 감축의 핵심 수단이다. 제4차 기본계획의 대상기간(2026~2035)에는 우리나라가 국제사회에 약속한 ‘2030 국가 온실가스 감축목표(NDC)’ 시기를 포함하고 있어 배출권거래제의 역할이 여느 때보다 중요하다. 또한, 유럽연합의 탄소국경조정제도 등 세계 경제에 직·간접 영향을 미치는 국제 탄소규제가 본격화됨에 따라 배출권거래제가 우리 기업의 탄소경쟁력을 확보하는 수단이 되도록 역할을 정비할 필요가 있다. 이에 환경부와 기재부는 산업계, 전문가, 중앙·지방행정기관 등 다양한 이해관계자의 의견수렴을 거쳐 △배출권거래제의 감축기능을 강화하고, △나아가 기업의 감축노력이 탄소경쟁력 강화로 이어지도록 지원하는 중장기 제도 개선방향을 담아 이번 4차 기본계획을 마련했다. 제4차 기본계획의 주요 내용은 다음과 같다. 먼저, 배출권거래제가 상향된 ‘국가 온실가스 감축목표(NDC)’ 달성에 기여하도록 배출허용총량 설정을 강화하고 유상할당을 확대한다. 4차 할당계획 기간(2026~2030)에는 그간 배출허용총량 외로 편성하던 ‘시장안정화 예비분’을 배출허용총량 내로 포함하여 배출허용총량 설정을 강화하고, 5차 할당계획 기간(2031~2035)부터는 배출권거래제 감축목표를 ‘국가 온실가스 감축목표(NDC)’보다 강화하는 방안을 검토한다. 유상할당 비율은 부문·업종별 여건을 고려해 차등적으로 확대한다. 4차 할당계획 기간에 발전 부문의 유상할당 비율을 대폭 상향하고, 발전 외 부문은 업계 경쟁력, 감축기술 상용화시기 등을 고려하여 유상할당 상향수준을 조정한다. 5차 할당계획 기간에는 탄소누출업종*도 산업보호조치를 도입하면서 유상할당 대상으로 전환하는 방안을 검토한다. * 온실가스 다배출업종으로서, 국내 온실가스 규제가 강화될 경우 규제가 약한 다른 국가로 사업장을 이전할 우려가 있는 업종 다음으로, 온실가스 감축노력에 확실한 특전(인센티브)을 제공하기 위해 할당체계를 개편하고 기업의 감축지원을 강화한다. 4차 할당계획 기간 동안 온실가스 배출효율이 우수한 기업에 유리한 배출권 할당방식인 ‘배출효율기준(BM) 할당’을 참여대상의 75% 이상으로 확대하고, 기준 수치도 지속적으로 강화하여 온실가스 배출효율 개선되도록 유도한다. 배출권 유상할당 확대로 증가가 예상되는 수입금은 기업의 감축활동에 재투자하고, 탄소차액계약제도*, 탄소중립 핵심기술 개발·실증지원 등을 통해 혁신적인 감축기술이 조속히 도입되도록 한다. * 기업이 감축 신기술을 도입할 경우 정부가 일정기간 고정된 탄소가격을 보장하여 기업의 감축투자를 유도하는 지원제도 또한, 배출권거래제의 합리성과 형평성을 높이기 위해 각종 분류체계를 개선한다. 먼저 배출권거래제의 형평성을 높이기 위해 4차 할당계획 기간부터 배출허용총량의 부문을 6개 부문(전환·산업·건물·수송·폐기물·공공기타)에서 2개 부문(발전·발전 외)으로 단순화하고, 유상할당 판단기준은 업체 특성을 더 잘 반영하면서 배출권 가격 변동 등에 따른 불확실성을 줄이는 방향으로 개선한다. 아울러, 적정 배출권가격을 형성하고 이를 통해 기업의 감축투자를 촉진하도록 ‘시장’ 기능을 강화한다. 4차 할당계획 기간부터는 이전 계획기간 대비 배출권 이월을 더욱 자유롭게 할 수 있도록 하고, 제3자의 시장 참여를 확대하여 배출권시장의 활력을 제고한다. 또한 배출권 위탁거래, 선물거래 등 다양한 거래 형태를 안착시켜 배출권시장의 ‘금융시장화’를 도모한다. 5차 할당계획 기간에는 더욱 자유로운 시장을 만들어 나가기 위해 지표배출권제도와 배출권 이월제한제도 등의 폐지를 검토한다. 한편, 안정적이고 예측가능한 배출권 시장 운영을 위해 사전에 공표된 기준에 따라 자동으로 배출권 수급균형을 조정하도록 하는 ‘한국형 시장안정화제도*’를 4차 할당계획 기간부터 시행한다. * 정부가 총량 내 일정량의 예비분을 확보하고 일정 기준에 따라 물량을 공급(경매)하거나 흡수하여 시장 내 공급되는 배출권의 물량을 조정하는 제도 환경부는 이번 4차 기본계획을 토대로 배출허용총량, 유상할당 비율 등 구체적인 수치와 기준을 제시하는 ‘4차 할당계획’을 마련할 예정이다. 김완섭 환경부 장관은 “기업의 감축노력이 기업의 ‘부담’이 아닌 ‘기회’로 이어지도록 배출권거래제도를 개편하여, 국가 온실가스 감축목표 달성에 기여하겠다”며 “지금 이 순간에도 진행되고 있는 기후변화를 멈추기 위한 우리의 변화를 이끌어 내겠다”라고 밝혔다. 붙임 1. 배출권거래제 개요 2. 제4차 배출권거래제 기본계획 기본방향 및 주요내용 3. 전문용어 설명. 끝. ※ 별첨: 제4차 배출권거래제 기본계획

India: Kaushalya Logistics has secured permissions for three upcoming depots, at Akbarpur, Fatehpur and Shahganj, Uttar Pradesh. Capital Market News has reported that JK Cement will use the depots in its operations. Last modified on 23 December 2024

Germany: Iberdrola Germany and Schwenk Zement have entered a long-term electricity supply agreement. Schwenk will receive 1500GWh from the Windanker offshore wind farm, currently under construction in the Baltic Sea. This supply will account for about 20% of Schwenk's electricity needs. The wind farm will have 21 turbines, each with a capacity of 15MW, and will cover an area of approximately 17.9 km², located 38km northeast of Rügen. The farm will be connected to the grid in 2026. Last modified on 23 December 2024

The Government has laid out its plans for keeping the lights on and strengthening national energy infrastructure in response to a critical Commons report about UK energy resilience. Read the Full Report (HTML) Read the Full Report (PDF) Read all publications related to this inquiry, including oral and written evidence Inquiry: Enabling Sustainable Electrification of the UK Economy Environmental Audit Committee In May, the predecessor Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) warned that the lack of long-term energy storage in the UK was driving the importation of gas so as to balance the nation’s energy needs. Market, policy and regulatory barriers were all holding back the development of long-term energy storage. In its response to EAC’s report, published today, the Government has set out the steps it is taking to remove market barriers so as to support the rollout of energy storage projects at scale, in order to keep the lights on when renewable energy generation is low. Ministers confirmed that the system of energy storage is being reviewed with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to help make it fit for the future. The EAC raised concerns that efforts to tackle the length of the queue for renewable energy projects to connect to the grid were not yet delivering: at the time the EAC report was published in May, the queue was actually getting longer. The Government has now given a commitment that it will align grid connections with strategic plans so as to accelerate connections for projects that are ready to generate electricity: the status of the queue will now be published, to allow for greater transparency. The Committee had concluded that energy infrastructure supply chains were often fragile and affected by global competition, undermining the UK’s electrification goals. It therefore called on the Government to enhance market certainty and to work with businesses to develop an electrification supply chain roadmap. Chair quote Environmental Audit Committee Chair, Toby Perkins MP, said: “We are pleased to see the Government’s positive response to our predecessor Committee’s report, and look forward to seeing the concrete plans which will secure our energy security. “Addressing the grid constraints which could block the path to net zero is crucial, if the Government is to achieve its ambitions and clean up our energy supply. They explain that significant market barriers to long-term energy storage are to be identified, long-term energy storage will be rolled out and skills shortages in the sector are to be addressed: it is clear that the EAC’s advice has been taken seriously by the new Government. “A root and branch approach is needed to transform the grid for clean energy and net zero: while there is significant work to be done, the policy progress by Government in response to Committee recommendations is promising. We look forward to discussing these issues with Ministers in more detail in the New Year.” Further information About Parliament: Select committees Visiting Parliament: Watch committees Image: Pixabay

The Science Coastal regions face increasing threats from sea-level rise, which current Earth system models (ESMs) often overlook. This study develops a land–ocean coupling scheme within the state-of-the-science Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), revealing that seawater infiltration, driven by sea-level rise, will raise groundwater levels and increase flooding risks in low-lying coastal areas by mid-century. While sea-level rise triggers these changes, topography and rising temperatures have an even greater influence on groundwater dynamics. This work highlights the need for improved coastal modeling in Earth system simulations to better predict future flooding, water, and energy cycle shifts, and soil salinization risks. The Impact This study fills a critical gap in ESMs by introducing the first land–ocean coupling scheme that captures seawater infiltration and groundwater exchanges due to sea-level rise. The findings are key for improving coastal flooding predictions and long-term soil salinization in vulnerable areas. The study’s innovation lies in integrating these hydrologic processes within a fully coupled ESM, enabling more accurate projections of sea-level rise impacts. This work sets the stage for future studies to incorporate factors like salinity and refined coastal inundation schemes, enhancing the ability to predict and manage climate-driven coastal hazards. Summary As ocean levels rise, seawater threatens to intrude into coastal freshwater aquifers that millions of people depend on for drinking water and irrigation. While regional studies have examined the impacts of sea-level rise on coastal groundwater systems, current ESMs overlook the exchange of water between the ocean and groundwater. A team of researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory addresses this gap by developing a water exchange process between the ocean and land components in E3SM. This coupling scheme includes lateral exchanges between seawater and groundwater, as well as vertical seawater infiltration resulting from oceanic inundation. The team used this new coupled model to assess sea-level rise impacts on the global coastal groundwater table under a higher CO2 emission scenario. Results from the coupled model indicate that sea-level rise will raise groundwater levels and intensify the hydrological cycle by mid-century mainly because of increased seawater infiltration. Further, while sea-level rise triggers this increased seawater infiltration, the topography and warming temperature play more significant roles in determining its magnitude. PNNL Contact Zeli Tan, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, zeli.tan@pnnl.gov Funding This work was supported by the Earth System Model Development program area of the Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research program as part of the multiprogram, collaborative Integrated Coastal Modeling (ICoM) project. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated by Battelle for the Department of Energy.

The Science Many of the complex processes that make up Earth’s climate system, such as the formation and persistence of Arctic and Antarctic sea-ice, may be poised to undergo sudden irreversible changes or ‘tipping’ as critical warming thresholds are reached. These are known as tipping elements. This study sought to address the question of controllability and stabilization of polar sea-ice near its critical threshold using a simplified, process-specific (i.e. idealized) climate model. The results reveal that polar sea-ice loss can be reversed in the vicinity of its tipping threshold, with the most important takeaway being that preemptive control measures to prevent tipping are far less intrusive and costly compared to the restoration of sea-ice after the tipping threshold has been crossed. The Impact This work developed an optimal control strategy for stabilizing, and even reversing, a sea-ice tipping point in an idealized climate model. It emphasizes that preventive measures are less costly and less intrusive than post-tipping corrective interventions. Overshoots past the tipping threshold allow for a finite intervention window where the cost of requisite control scales linearly with delay, but past which there is a steep rise in costs. Despite being highly idealized, the proposed strategy can be adapted to more realistic models and applied to other tipping elements, like Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Summary Several Earth system components are at a high risk of undergoing rapid, irreversible qualitative changes or ‘tipping’ with increasing climate warming. It is necessary to investigate the feasibility of arresting, or even reversing, any crossing of these tipping thresholds. This study investigated feedback control of an idealized energy balance model for Earth’s climate. It exhibited a small icecap instability responsible for a rapid transition to an ice-free climate under increasing greenhouse gas forcing. Researchers developed an optimal control strategy for the energy balance model under different forcing scenarios to reverse sea-ice loss while minimizing costs. Control is achievable for this system, but the cost nearly quadruples once the system tips. While thermal inertia may delay tipping, leading to an overshoot of the critical forcing threshold, this leeway comes with a steep rise in requisite control once tipping occurs. Additionally, the optimal controls are localized in the polar regions. PNNL Contacts Parvathi Kooloth, parvathi.kooloth@pnnl.gov, corresponding author Jian Lu, jian.lu@pnnl.gov, coauthor PNNL Hailong Wang, hailong.wang@pnnl.gov, principal investigator Funding This study was supported by the Regional and Global Model Analysis component of the Earth and Environmental System Modeling program of the Department of Energy's Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research program, as a contribution to the High-Latitude Application and Testing of Earth System Models project. This research used resources of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, a Department of Energy Office of Science user facility located at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Related Links Delay and Pay: Tipping Point Costs Quadruple After Waiting – PNNL News Release High-Latitude Application and Testing of Earth System Models Project Webpage

The Science The Coastal Observations, Mechanisms, and Predictions Across Systems and Scales: Field, Measurements, and Experiments (COMPASS-FME) project aims to understand and predict ecosystem function and state changes in response to sea level rise, lake-level change, and extreme events. To study these phenomena, researchers need to be able to study and sample belowground systems, such as soil. The project focuses specifically on how flood frequency and duration impact terrestrial-aquatic interface landscapes, and how these impacts propagate through water, sediments, soils, microbes, and plants. This project sought to assure that research activities centered around different sampling and monitoring efforts in northwest Ohio, particularly soil science research, would not disturb any historical cultural resources like residues of human settlements or activities. After digging a series of test pits at each site, archaeologists found no evidence of human tools or activities and determined that COMPASS-FME research within the boundaries tested, including self-directed soil sampling, could proceed responsibly. The Impact Previous soil science studies at these sites used very limited and infrequent sampling paired with passive monitoring of belowground processes, such as CO2 emissions, redox states, and water levels. Clearing these natural sites for belowground research allows scientists to design experiments and sampling activities in ways that optimize the information provided to models that aim to predict Earth system processes, while respecting cultural histories in the region. This self-guided sampling will facilitate a more rapid understanding of the impacts of extreme events and climate change to coastal terrestrial-aquatic ecosystems. Summary The COMPASS-FME project is focused on understanding how flood frequency and duration impact terrestrial-aquatic interface landscapes, and how these impacts propagate through water, sediments, soils, microbes, and plants. To make sure that the sites being studied are suitable for belowground research and that researchers would not impact a culturally sensitive historical site, a highly conservative (i.e., minimally invasive) yet methodologically thorough strategy was pursued for the testing of the Portage River and Crane Creek Field Sites in Ohio. Based on this fieldwork, researchers are confident that there are no archaeological materials at either field site—certainly no prehistoric villages, cemeteries, or sites of any substantial size or density. PNNL Contact Vanessa L. Bailey, COMPASS-FME principal investigator, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, vanessa.bailey@pnnl.gov Funding Archaeological testing and research were supported by COMPASS-FME, a multi-institutional project supported by the Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research as part of the Environmental System Science Program. Related Links COMPASS-FME Project Website