Plastic waste poses a significant challenge in Africa and around the world, with its volume continuing to increase at an alarming rate. In Africa, an estimated 25–33% of daily waste is made up of plastic, posing a threat to the environment, marine life, and human health. One potential solution to this problem is waste-to-energy recycling, such as pyrolysis, which involves the conversion of waste materials into oil, char, and non-condensable gasses through a thermochemical process in the absence of oxygen. Given the abundance of waste in Africa and the continent’s energy challenges, pyrolysis offers a sustainable solution. This review delves into the concept of pyrolysis, its products, thermodynamics, and endothermic kinetics, presenting it as a promising way to address the plastic waste problem in Africa. Despite the African Union’s goal to recycle plastic waste, the continent faces significant barriers in achieving this target, including infrastructural, economic, and social difficulties. It is crucial to implement sustainable strategies for managing plastic waste in Africa to mitigate environmental degradation and promote a cleaner and healthier living environment. Pyrolysis technology is highlighted as a viable solution for plastic waste management, as it can convert plastic waste into valuable byproducts such as oil, char, and syngas. Case studies from countries like South Africa and Nigeria demonstrate the potential for scaling up pyrolysis to address waste management issues while generating energy and job opportunities. This review underscores the need for investment, regulatory support, and public awareness to overcome the challenges and unlock the full potential of pyrolysis in Africa. Embracing pyrolysis as a method for managing plastic waste could lead to significant environmental and economic benefits for the continent.

Automation and robotics are revolutionizing hydroponic and aquaponic farming techniques and also enhancing their efficiency, sustainability, and scalability within the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). This review explores the integration of key technologies, such as automated nutrient and pH management systems, advanced lighting solutions, and IoT-enabled smart farming practices. These innovations significantly boost productivity, optimize resource utilization, and reduce labor dependency, although with challenges like high initial capital investment, technical complexity, and energy demands. The paper examines case studies showcasing improvements in yield and resource efficiency while addressing scalability and energy limitations. Emerging technologies, including AI-driven analytics and off-grid power solutions, are identified as promising avenues to overcome these hurdles. By presenting actionable insights and emphasizing the importance of energy-efficient equipment and sustainable practices, this review underscores the potential of automation and robotics to transform hydroponic and aquaponic systems. Ultimately, this work supports global food security, environmental conservation, and the advancement of circular economy principles. Clinical Trial This research does not involve clinical trials.

In this paper, Hafnium Carbide (HfC) reinforced ZE41 Magnesium Matrix Composites (MMCs) were prepared by using stir casting method. Using three different reinforcement percentages of HfC such as 5%, 10% and 15% by wt., ZE41-HfC MMCs were prepared. The mechanical characteristics of ZE41-HfC MMCs were evaluated by subjecting them to tensile and surface micro-hardness studies. Using X-Ray diffraction (XRD) studies, chemical compounds formed in the interfacial layer between HfC & ZE41 Mg was observed. Using optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the surface modifications in the composites due to HfC addition was studied. Using electron backscatter diffraction analysis (EBSD), the changes in particle grain sizes and orientation of ZE41-HfC MMCs were studied. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis was used to identify the variations in elemental composition of the prepared ZE41-HfC MMCs. ZE41-HfC MMCs were subjected to drilling studies for identifying the variations in cutting forces. Using electrochemical studies, the corrosion resistance of ZE41-HfC MMCs was observed. SEM images of corroded ZE41-HfC MMCs revealed micro cracks and dense pits near HfC agglomerated region.

This research develops a coordinated control, estimation, and dispatch framework for a solar-photovoltaic-integrated electric-vehicle charging station (EVCS) with battery storage and grid backup, and reports four contributions. First, a fuzzy-adaptive-step perturb-and-observe (P&O) maximum-power-point-tracking (MPPT) algorithm varies its perturbation step with the local power–voltage sensitivity and reaches 98.1% ± 0.1% tracking efficiency over 15 randomised irradiance scenarios with a single fixed parameter set, compared with 95.0% ± 0.6% for fixed-step P&O and 97.8% ± 0.2% for a linear-adaptive law re-tuned for each scenario (Welch’s t-test, t = 5.2, p < 0.0001, fuzzy-adaptive vs. re-tuned). Second, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) fuses Coulomb counting with a second-order Thevenin battery model to estimate state of charge (SOC), the pair is shown observable by a Popov–Belevitch–Hautus (PBH) test and, across 20 Monte Carlo trials, reduces mean SOC estimation RMSE from 2.45% to 0.118%. Third, a model-predictive-control (MPC) energy-management system (EMS) replaces static rule-based dispatch with receding-horizon optimisation, lowering operating cost by 6.8% under a perfect-forecast assumption while revealing an explicit trade-off against grid independence. Fourth, a switched-system stability analysis constructs mode-dependent Lyapunov functions and derives an average-dwell-time bound (τ_a* = 2.31 ms) that certifies exponential stability of the linearised converter dynamics for any mode-switching sequence respecting this bound. The complete simulation delivers 93.6% system efficiency, DC-bus regulation within ± 5%, and grid dependency of 14.2%. Of the four contributions, only the fuzzy-adaptive MPPT and EKF-SOC layers were implemented on an ESP8266 hardware prototype, on that subset, hardware-measured system efficiency (91.2%) agrees with simulation (93.6%) to within 2.4 percentage points. The MPC-EMS dispatch result and the Lyapunov stability proof remain simulation-level findings, and hardware validation of both is set out as a priority for future work.