A geochemical model of an urban environment is presented in which multielemental tracers are used to characterise the circulation of trace elements in particulate matter_atmospheric aerosol, street dust and urban soil, within a city

The total energy demand in the transport sector represented 48.80% of the total consumption in Ecuador throughout 2016, where 89.87% corresponded to the road transport sector. Therefore, it is crucial to analyze the future behavior of this sector and assess the economic and environmental measures towards sustainable development. Consequently, this study analyzed: (1) the total energy demand for each vehicle class and fuel type; (2) the GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and air pollutants NO_x and PM₁₀; and (3) the cost attributed to the fuel demand, between 2016 and 2035. For this, four alternative demand scenarios were designed: BAU: Business As Usual; EOM: Energy Optimization and Mitigation; AF: Alternative Fuels; and SM: Sustainable Mobility using Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning system. After analysis, the EOM, AF, and SM scenarios have advantages relative to BAU, where SM particularly stands out. The results show that SM compared to BAU, contributes with a 12.14% (141,226 kBOE) decrease of the total energy demand, and the economic savings for this fuel demand is of 14.22% (26,720 MUSD). Moreover, global NO_x and PM₁₀ emissions decreased by 14.91% and 13.78%, respectively. Additionally, accumulated GHG emissions decreased by 13.49% due to the improvement of the fuel quality for the vehicles that mainly consume liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, and electricity.

The Poza de la Sal diapir is a closed circular depression with Cretaceous Mesozoic materials, formed by gypsum, Keuper clays, and a large extension of salt in the center with intercalations of ophite. The low seismic activity of the area, the reduced permeability and porosity of the salt caverns, and the proximity to the Páramo de Poza wind park, make it a suitable place for the construction of a facility for underground storage of green hydrogen obtained from surplus wind power. The design of a cavern for hydrogen storage at a depth of 1000 m takes into account the differences in stresses, temperatures, and confining pressures involved in the salt deformation process. During the 8 months of the injection phase, 23.0 GWh can be stored in the form of hydrogen obtained from the wind energy surplus, to be used later in the extraction phase. The injection and extraction ratio must be developed under the conditions of geomechanical safety of the cavity, so as to minimize the risks to the environment and people, by conditioning the gas pressure inside the cavity to remain within a given range.

This research assesses the Ecuadorian power generation system, estimating the electricity supply and demand forecast until 2040. For this purpose, three potential alternative scenarios were analyzed using the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) System; S1: Business As Usual; S2: Power Generation Master Plan; and S3: Sustainable Power Generation System. The main goal of this study is to analyze the possible alternatives for electricity supply and demand, fuel consumption, and the future structure of the Ecuadorian power generation system to transform the current system based on petroleum fuels into a sustainable system that consumes natural gas, and progressively introduces renewable power generation plants such as solar, wind, biomass, and hydroelectric until 2040. According to the estimated results through the inclusion of sustainable energy policies, S3 scenario relative to S1 scenario could reduce the average CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) emissions by 11.72%, the average production costs by 9.78%, and the average petroleum fuel consumption by 15.95%. Consequently, a correct energy transition contributes to the protection of the environment and public health and has a direct effect on economic savings for the state, which benefits to improve the citizen’s quality of life.