In order to effectively combat the effects of global warming, all sectors must actively reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a sustainable and substantial manner. Sector coupling has emerged as a critical technology that can integrate energy systems and address the temporal imbalances created by intermittent renewable energy sources. Despite its potential, current sector coupling capabilities remain underutilized, and energy modeling approaches face challenges in understanding the intricacies of sector coupling and in selecting appropriate modeling tools. This paper presents a comprehensive review of sector coupling technologies and their role in the energy transition, with a specific focus on the integration of electricity, heat/cooling, and transportation, as well as the importance of hydrogen in sector coupling. Additionally, we conducted an analysis of 27 sector coupling models based on renewable energy sources, with the goal of aiding deciders in identifying the most appropriate model for their specific modeling needs. Finally, the paper highlights the importance of sector coupling in achieving climate protection goals, while emphasizing the need for technological openness and market-driven conditions to ensure economically efficient implementation.

In order to explore the relationship between the filling surface angle and the dynamic characteristics of the filling body under impact load, this paper uses the Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) test system to study the influence of different filling surface angles, different cement–sand ratios and different strain rates on the dynamic peak strength, dynamic strength growth factor and failure mode of the filling body. The results show that with the increase in the average strain rate, the dynamic peak strength and dynamic strength growth factor of the layered filling body increase gradually. With the increase in the filling surface angle, the static and dynamic peak strength of the layered filling body decreases gradually, but there is no obvious change law linking the dynamic strength growth factor and filling surface angle. According to the failure mode analysis and the LS-DYNA numerical simulation results for the layered filling body, with the increase in the filling surface angle, the failure mode of the layered filling body changes from splitting failure under tension to shear failure. The research results in this paper can provide theoretical support for the stability of underground layered filling bodies.

To eliminate the massive accumulation of tailings and promote the recycling of mine solid waste to develop green mining, a two-layered cemented paste backfill (CPB) with layering angles of 5°, 10°, 15°, 20° and 25° and complete CPB were prepared to conduct direct shear experiments; thus, the effect of the layering angle on their shear mechanical properties can be investigated. Meanwhile, the particle flow analysis program PFC 2D was used to simulate the micro-crack propagation law and reveal the damage mechanism. The results showed that the layered structure weakens the integrity of CPB and significantly reduces its shear strength, cohesion and internal friction angle. When the layered angle increased from 20° to 25°, the shear strength under normal stress of 100 kPa was decreased by 35.13% and cohesion by 43.43%. As the layered angle increased from 5° to 25°, the internal friction angle decreased first and then increased and reached the minimum when the layered angle was 15°. With the increase in the layered angle, the layered CPB gradually generated tension cracks along the layered surface, and the number of cracks gradually increased. The failure mode of each specimen is mainly a shear crack through the shear surface failure, crack expansion in the middle of shear surface on the upper and lower sides of the spindle-shaped failure and an inverted Z-shaped conjugate shear failure. This research can provide a substantial reference in the design and application of layered CPB in underground mines.

In a global context where sustainable growth is imperative, understanding carbon emissions in significant regions is essential. Henan Province, being a vital region in China for population, agriculture, industry, and energy consumption, plays a crucial role in this understanding. This study, rooted in the need to identify strategies that not only meet China’s broader carbon neutrality objectives but also offer insights regarding global sustainability models, utilizes the STIRPAT model combined with scenario analysis. The aim was to forecast carbon emission trajectories from 2020 to 2060 across the key industries—electricity, steel, cement, transportation, coal, and chemical—that are responsible for over 80% of the total emissions in Henan. The findings suggest a varied carbon peak timeline: the steel and cement industries might achieve their peak before 2025, and the transportation, coal, and chemical sectors might achieve theirs around 2030, whereas that of the power industry could be delayed until 2033. Significantly, by 2060—a landmark year for Chinese carbon neutrality ambitions—only the electricity sector in Henan shows potential for zero emissions under an extreme scenario. This study’s results underscore the importance of region-specific strategies for achieving global carbon neutrality and offer a blueprint for other populous, industrialized regions worldwide.