Obtaining an optimal motor design is not always a simple task, considering that it involves designing a model with many interrelated parameters, where each modification significantly affects the motor’s performance characteristics. This paper analyses numerous synchronous motor models with embedded magnets of spoke-type, obtained by varying several parameters (magnets and motor length, magnets width, and number of conductors per slot) within defined limits in a software module optimetric analysis. Each combination of these varied parameters results in a different motor model with corresponding performance characteristics. From the obtained models, the best solutions are identified, i.e., combinations of parameters that result in high efficiency while simultaneously minimizing the consumption of magnetic material and reducing cogging torque. The conducted analysis revealed that there is more than one model that can be considered as optimal, especially when considering multiple objectives, such as high efficiency, low magnetic material consumption, reduced dimensions, and low cogging torque. The application of optimetric analysis also enables the execution of a sensitivity analysis, examining the impact of each varied parameter on the corresponding objective function. The presented methodology offers the designer a range of solutions that can be identified as optimal, providing greater flexibility in the construction of appropriate prototypes.

Energy and materials are increasingly important in industrialized countries, and they impact the economy, sustainability, and people’s future. The purpose of this work was to study the relationship between energy and the circular economy using methods such as Pearson’s correlation and a principal component analysis. Thus, 12 strong correlations were found, with 5 of them between the following relevant variables from two different subjects: the correlations of the raw material consumption, the domestic material consumption, and the material import dependency with the final energy consumption in transport (0.81, 0.92, and 0.81); the correlation of the circular material use rate with the final energy consumption in households (0.70); and the correlation of the material import dependency with the final energy consumption in industry (0.89). The time series forecast was only conclusive for the waste generated, showing that it will increase in the next 10 years.

Achieving climate neutrality by 2050 requires strategic shifts in national energy portfolios tailored to specific geographical and socio-political conditions. This study examines the divergent low-carbon trajectories of Portugal, characterized by variable renewable integration, and Slovakia, defined by a robust nuclear baseload, through the perspectives of STEM students who will lead the energy transition. The rationale for comparing these two countries lies in their contrasting low-carbon strategies, which provide a natural setting for examining how divergent national energy systems shape the attitudes of a technically educated cohort largely overlooked in previous research yet responsible for implementing the transition. Data were collected through an online survey (n = 133) at technical universities in Bratislava and Porto. Results indicate regional disparities in household energy mixes, notably higher wood burning in Slovakia (12%) than Portugal (<1%). Slovak respondents reported higher residential solar adoption (63.6% of solar users), possibly associated with higher homeownership (93%) and energy-crisis pressures, despite Portugal’s superior solar irradiance. Although limited by sample size, this pilot assessment shows that future engineers navigate trade-offs between sustainability and economic viability and view transition costs largely as a governmental responsibility. These findings inform the alignment of urban energy policies with the next generation’s readiness.

The paper deals with the types of hydrogen production, methods for its storage and transport, and possibilities of the end use of hydrogen. The basics of the hydrogen economy are described briefly, and then the SWOT analysis is performed of the hydrogen economy. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the hydrogen economy are summarized in the SWOT analysis. The biggest problems and threats, with the possibilities of solving those problems, are summarized based on that analysis. The SWOT analysis considers aspects of the hydrogen economy e.g. energy demands, financial difficulty, safety, and awareness about hydrogen. The Conclusions involve suggestions on how to avoid the above-mentioned awareness, and how to increase hydrogen utilization.