Journal of Environmental Engineering and Studies

Green Hydrogen and Advanced Energy Storage: Enabling the Net-Zero Transition

2026-10-28T09:42:39+00:00

The energy transition is one of the most pressing and daunting tasks of the 21st century. The challenge of decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries, such as heavy industry, long-distance transportation, and grid-scale energy storage, calls for disruptive innovation beyond the realm of traditional renewable energy. Green hydrogen and advanced energy storage, especially solid-state batteries, are two of the most promising technologies that can help make the transition to a net-zero world a reality. Green hydrogen, generated by renewable electrolysis, is a zero-carbon energy carrier that can substitute fossil fuels in sectors where direct electrification is not feasible. However, large-scale deployment of green hydrogen is contingent upon major breakthroughs in electrolyzer efficiency, longevity, and cost competitiveness. R&D in catalyst materials, membrane technologies, and system integration is imperative to enhance overall conversion efficiencies and facilitate commercialization at scale. Simultaneously, the development of safe, high-density hydrogen storage materials such as metal hydrides, liquid organic hydrogen carriers, and advanced compression technologies is vital to overcome the hurdles of transportation, storage losses, and infrastructure compatibility. In addition to hydrogen technologies, solid-state batteries are a revolutionary leap in next-generation energy storage solutions. Solid-state batteries overcome the safety risks associated with the use of flammable liquid electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries by substituting them with solid materials. This results in improved safety, increased energy density, and increased cycle life. The main research focus areas are the enhancement of ionic conductivity in solid electrolytes, suppression of dendrite growth, and improvement of interfacial stability. In addition to the development of individual technologies, integrated models of renewable energy are essential for achieving maximum system efficiency. Hybrid systems that integrate solar, wind, hydrogen production, and battery energy storage can stabilize the power grid, minimize losses due to curtailment, and enable dispatchable renewable energy. Next-generation modeling, digital optimization, and AI-based energy management systems are increasingly playing a pivotal role in the development of robust, decentralized energy infrastructure that can address dynamic demand patterns. The critical role of green hydrogen and advanced energy storage is evidenced by the significant investments being made globally. Governments and global collaborations are focusing on hydrogen roadmaps, the expansion of gigafactories, and large-scale demonstration projects. The goal is to drive cost reductions, encourage innovation in industry, and promote global clean energy trade. Consequently, the integration of scientific advancements, industrialization, and policy frameworks is driving unprecedented momentum in the sector.

Agricultural Wastewater: A Comprehensive Review of Management Strategies, Treatment Technologies, and Pollution Control

2026-08-25T04:45:00+00:00

Agriculture is one of the largest consumers of global freshwater resources and a major contributor to water pollution through runoff containing fertilizers, pesticides, organic matter, pathogens, and heavy metals. The discharge of agricultural wastewater poses significant risks to human health and aquatic ecosystems by promoting eutrophication, groundwater contamination, and biodiversity loss. Effective management of agricultural wastewater requires an integrated approach that combines pollution prevention, sustainable management practices, and efficient treatment technologies. Management strategies such as source reduction, hydraulic segregation, containment systems, vegetative buffer strips, and wastewater reuse help minimize pollutant generation and improve water-use efficiency. In addition, treatment technologies including coagulation-flocculation, membrane filtration, adsorption, electrochemical processes, and microalgae-based systems play a vital role in removing contaminants and enabling the safe reuse of wastewater for agricultural purposes. A combination of sustainable management practices, advanced treatment technologies, and effective regulatory measures is essential for reducing environmental pollution, conserving water resources, and supporting long-term agricultural productivity and food security.

Greywater – The Hidden Water Reserve: A Community-Based Approach to Greywater Treatment and Reuse

2026-10-31T06:16:45+00:00

Growing demand for freshwater, driven by population growth, rapid urbanization, and rising domestic consumption, underscores the need for sustainable water conservation and reuse practices. Greywater, generated from bathing, washing, laundry, and other household activities, is a significant component of domestic wastewater and can be reused for non-potable purposes after appropriate treatment. This study assesses, treats, and reuses greywater using a simple, low-cost, filtration-based prototype developed as part of a community service internship in Kurnool. This study conducted a community survey to understand household water consumption, greywater sources, and awareness of greywater reuse. The study developed a treatment prototype consisting of a mesh screen, sand, gravel, and activated charcoal. The study evaluated water quality before and after treatment using pH, turbidity, total solids, inorganic solids, organic solids, color, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), and settleable solids. The treatment significantly reduced turbidity, color, organic solids, total solids, and settleable solids. Turbidity decreased from 166 NTU to 9.4 NTU, while color decreased from 50 Hazen to 10 Hazen. The study demonstrates the potential of simple filtration media for community-level greywater treatment. It promotes reusing treated greywater for selected non-potable applications such as gardening, toilet flushing, and cleaning.

Terrain-Specific Environmental Loading and Stress-Range Histories for Fatigue Assessment of Gulf of Guinea Steel Jacket Platforms

2026-10-13T12:01:03+00:00

Accurate characterization of site-specific environmental loading is essential for realistic fatigue assessment of fixed steel jackets. This paper presents a terrain-specific methodology for transforming long-term Gulf of Guinea (GoG) metocean data into directional stress-range histories suitable for tubular-joint fatigue analysis. Ten-year wave, current, and wind records from the Okpokonam field were discretized into eight sea states (Hs = 1.0–7.5 m). This study applied a modified Morison equation incorporating a terrain influence factor, mild-slope wave transformation, and marine-growth amplification to a three-dimensional space-frame model. Rainflow counting of the resulting member stress time histories produced long-term stress-range spectra for six critical joints. Results show that moderate sea states (Hs 2.0–4.5 m) contribute 49%–56% of total fatigue damage, while severe and extreme states contribute 35%–46%. The lower-bay wave-facing K-joint (J5) experiences the highest hot-spot stress range of 68 MPa under the design sea state. The derived stress histories provide the necessary input for subsequent S–N and fracture-mechanics assessments and for system-reliability calculations. The derived occurrence-weighted stress-range histograms constitute a reusable data product that supplies the necessary loading input for the companion fatigue-criticality assessment of the same platform and for subsequent integrity-management studies of Gulf of Guinea jackets.