Climate change could potentially interrupt progress toward a world without hunger. A robust and coherent global pattern is discernible of the impacts of climate change on crop productivity that could have consequences for food availability. The stability of whole food systems may be at risk under climate change because of short-term variability in supply. However, the potential impact is less clear at regional scales, but it is likely that climate variability and change will exacerbate food insecurity in areas currently vulnerable to hunger and undernutrition. Likewise, it can be anticipated that food access and utilization will be affected indirectly via collateral effects on household and individual incomes, and food utilization could be impaired by loss of access to drinking water and damage to health. The evidence supports the need for considerable investment in adaptation and mitigation actions toward a “climate-smart food system” that is more resilient to climate change influences on food security.

Climate change impacts on global food security

Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are enjoying a renaissance due to their ability to store large amounts of electrical energy relatively cheaply and efficiently. In this review, we examine the components of RFBs with a focus on understanding the underlying physical processes. The various transport and kinetic phenomena are discussed along with the most common redox couples.

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Redox flow batteries: a review

Effects of torrefaction process parameters on biomass feedstock upgrading

Keeping up with growing electricity demand and ensuring reliable grid operation, as renewable sources reach a large proportion of generation, require end-use facilities—commercial, residential, and industrial—to be sensitive and responsive to grid connections in new ways. Automated demand response (ADR) is widely acknowledged as a key approach. The technology has progressed substantially since early implementations, with worldwide projects and a new standard. Recent applications with grid-integrated buildings and microgrids are extending the functionality, with increasing sophistication of how demand-side load profiles are managed and with integration of distributed storage and generation. This paper reviews the motivation for demand response (DR) and outlines the architectural models, technology infrastructure, and communication and control protocols that are currently in use. Four projects for commercial buildings and microgrids, in the United States, United Kingdom, and China, are described. We also point out limitations of the state of the practice that represent opportunities for research and development. Several research topics are noted, focusing on needs for modeling, optimization, and control, and some preliminary related work is discussed.

Automated Demand Response for Smart Buildings and Microgrids: The State of the Practice and Research Challenges

Human reliance on insect pollination services continues to increase even as pollinator populations exhibit global declines. Increased commodity crop prices and federal subsidies for biofuel crops, such as corn and soybeans, have contributed to rapid land-use change in the US Northern Great Plains (NGP), changes that may jeopardize habitat for honey bees in a part of the country that supports >40% of the US colony stock. We investigated changes in biofuel crop production and grassland land covers surrounding ∼18,000 registered commercial apiaries in North and South Dakota from 2006 to 2014. We then developed habitat selection models to identify remotely sensed land-cover and land-use features that influence apiary site selection by Dakota beekeepers. Our study demonstrates a continual increase in biofuel crops, totaling 1.2 Mha, around registered apiary locations in North and South Dakota. Such crops were avoided by commercial beekeepers when selecting apiary sites in this region. Furthermore, our analysis reveals how grasslands that beekeepers target when selecting commercial apiary locations are becoming less common in eastern North and South Dakota, changes that may have lasting impact on pollinator conservation efforts. Our study highlights how land-use change in the NGP is altering the landscape in ways that are seemingly less conducive to beekeeping. Our models can be used to guide future conservation efforts highlighted in the US national pollinator health strategy by identifying areas that support high densities of commercial apiaries and that have exhibited significant land-use changes.

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Justin J Furst

Papers

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 Lighting Mandate Analysis