This study evaluated the technical and economic viability of a household scale composite briquette project. The objectives were to assess the quality of briquettes, estimate the cost of production, and determine the feasibility of the project. Briquettes were made from a blend of corncobs and the bark of oil palm trunk using a manual press. Production cost was estimated from the market price of commodities and specific economic indicators were used for feasibility analysis. Sensitivity analysis was performed on some essential input parameters that may affect the profitability of the project. Economic analysis revealed that the unit production cost of the briquettes was USD 0.16 per kg. The net present value was USD 6755.91 from the sale of briquettes at USD 0.26 per kg. An accounting profit is possible once briquette sales are above the break-even point of 7329.8 kg. Households could save about 25% from their per-capita expenditure on fuelwood when briquettes are utilized. Overall, the household briquette project is technically and economically viable in Nigeria. The significance of this study lies in the provision of a piece of baseline information to encourage local bio-energy development and serve as a guide for stakeholders in Nigeria with a potential interest in investing in briquette technology.

This article highlights the implementation of the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) in the agricultural industry and its potential for future improvement. A systematic literature review was employed, whereby a total of 186 articles on the LCSA across all sectors were analysed. Of these, 22 (12%) were related to the agricultural sector and studied further to ascertain the methodology used, including the techniques used to define sustainability. In addition, the integration of current LCSA approaches and various methods of measuring sustainability were explored to provide a more comprehensive technique to define sustainability. Within each specific context, environmental issues like climate change, air quality deterioration, and eutrophication were among the indicators of interest, together with high production costs (economic) and issues related to workers and local communities (social). For the benefit of future researchers, the authors also discussed the challenges and prospects of adopting new technologies such as the use of artificial intelligence for effective implementation of sustainability assessment in the agricultural sector.

The transition toward sustainable energy systems remains challenging as conventional energy still dominates despite environmental and security concerns. Integrated Energy Services (IES) provide a promising mechanism by optimising energy planning, operation, and delivery through integrated solutions. While previous studies have emphasized technological or policy aspects of IES, little is known about how consumers’ cognition and perceptions shape their acceptance of IES. This study investigates how awareness of conventional energy drawbacks and recognition of IES advantages influence acceptance by surveying 450 households in Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai. Descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, and mediation analysis were employed to identify key behavioral pathways. Results reveal that planning and design influence service performance through operation and maintenance, and service efficiency affects price acceptance through perceived service quality. City-level analysis shows that Beijing residents emphasize reliable planning and operations, Tianjin respondents focus on efficiency and responsiveness, while Shanghai consumers place the greatest importance on service quality and fairness. These findings provide new insights into the consumer-level mechanisms of IES acceptance and offer practical guidance for tailoring city-specific strategies to enhance IES implementation and support China’s low-carbon transition.

Traditional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) often provides single-point estimates that lack the statistical rigour required for high-stakes investment decisions in the agri-food sector. To bridge the gap between data uncertainty and actionable management, this study proposes a robust decision-support framework integrating Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis with inferential statistics (ANOVA and Tukey HSD). We applied this methodology to the industrial production of Dictyophora rubrovolvata, a climate-sensitive crop representing the “energy–food nexus.” The study aimed to distinguish genuine environmental performance differences from background data variability. The probabilistic modelling revealed that electricity consumption is the paramount ecological hotspot. Furthermore, the statistical tests confirmed that differences in regional grid composition generate significant variances in impact categories (p < 0.001), validating that the environmental benefits of low-carbon grids are systematic and robust. By transforming complex uncertainty data into clear statistical hierarchies, this framework enables producers and policymakers to identify and prioritise high-impact sustainability levers with confidence, providing a generalisable blueprint for the environmental management of energy-intensive agricultural systems.

Financial restriction and excessive demand for solid waste disposal is a press-ing issue in developing countries. Neglecting this problem can worsen environmental damage and endanger public health. To address this challenge, this study investigated the influence of social factors on the willingness to pay for a sanitary landfill in Malaysia using choice modelling. Focusing on neighbouring districts, Kota Bharu and Bachok, where households share a crude-dumping landfill, the study collected data from 624 respondents. The findings revealed a common preference among respondents for a sanitary landfill attribute related to controlled disease vectors, with willingness to pay ranging from RM10.66 to RM13.33 per month. Interestingly, despite experiencing adverse effects from the crude-dumping landfill, respondents from Bachok still showed a preference for it. This preference could be influenced by lower mean incomes among Bachok residents who live closer to the landfill site compared to respondents in Kota Bharu. To address these dynamics, implementing cross-subsidies by charging higher prices to households in Kota Bharu and lower prices to households in Bachok could facilitate the successful implementation of the sanitary landfill. These results can inform other developing countries by highlighting the importance of considering the local social context when designing sustainable solid waste policies.

Coastal severe erosion has been detected on the beaches of Cherating, causing disruption to the coastal ecosystem and diminishing the aesthetic appeal that attracts visitors. To prevent further harm to the coast, it is necessary to enhance sustainable coastal management practices. However, the implementation of such measures can be expensive. To ensure the success of improved sustainable coastal management, it is important to secure public funding, possibly through one-time donations, to cover the capital costs of the improvement project. Therefore, obtaining the acceptance of visitors regarding the enhanced sustainable coastal management in Cherating Beach is crucial. This study aimed to assess visitor acceptance based on three objectives: (i) determining the visitors’ level of awareness regarding the issue of coastal erosion at Cherating Beach, (ii) estimating the extent of visitors’ willingness-to-pay towards the improvement of sustainable coastal management in Cherating Beach, and (iii) identifying the key factors influencing visitors’ willingness-to-pay towards the improvement of sustainable coastal management in Cherating Beach. A sample of 385 visitors in Cherating was surveyed using an open-ended contingent valuation method questionnaire using convenience sampling. The analysis included descriptive analysis, estimation of visitors’ willingness-to-pay and binary logistic regression. The main findings revealed that the majority of visitors had a high level of awareness regarding coastal erosion in Cherating Beach. In terms of willingness-to-pay, visitors indicated a willingness-to-pay RM 13.15 per person as a one-time donation for implementing sustainable coastal management. The findings also demonstrated that visitors with higher education levels were more likely to donate towards improving sustainable coastal management. Overall, the visitors’ feedback was positive, suggesting that providing this acceptance information to the Kuantan City Council and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Pahang, could be beneficial in implementing strategies for sustainable coastal management in Cherating Beach.