A multidisciplinary approach for an effective and rational energy transition in Crete Island, Greece.

This article proposes a mixture of actions for the development of an effective and rational energy transition plan for all sectors and for all types of onshore final energy use in Crete. Energy transition is initiated with an appropriate capacity building campaign. The plan is based on the introduction of energy saving measures and the exploitation of all the locally available energy resources (wind, solar, geothermal potential, biomass), integrated in a cluster of centralized and decentralized power plants and smart grids to produce electricity and heat and for the transition to e-mobility. The core of the energy transition in Crete will be a set of 14 wind parks and Pumped Hydro Storage systems (PHS) for electricity generation and 12 Combined Heat and Power plants, properly designed and dispersed in the insular territory. Economic analysis is executed for the proposed essential power plants on the island. Biomass, solar and geothermal potential can cover the heating demand in Crete several times. Heat can be produced with a specific cost of 0.05 EUR/kWhth from cogeneration plants fired with solid biomass and biogas. The wind parks-PHS systems exhibit payback periods of approximately 10 years with a final electricity selling price at 0.12 EUR/kWhel. The article shows that 100% energy transition in Crete constitutes a feasible target

Implementing European Union Provisions and Enabling Frameworks for Renewable Energy Communities in Nine Countries: Progress, Delays, and Gaps

With the Clean Energy for all Europeans legislative package, the European Union (EU) aimed to put consumers “at the heart” of EU energy policy. The recast of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) acknowledged the importance of energy communities for the energy transition and introduced new provisions for renewable energy communities (RECs), empowering them to participate in the energy market. This article analyses the progress of transposing and implementing key provisions of the RED II that apply to RECs in nine European countries and focuses on timeliness and completeness of transposition. It comprises both a qualitative and quantitative assessment covering (1) the definition, rights, and market activities of RECs; (2) key elements of enabling frameworks; and (3) consideration of REC specificities in support schemes for renewable energy. The analysis shows considerable variation in transposition performance between the analysed countries. The authors investigate the reasons for this variation and relate them to findings of European implementation and compliance research. Key factors identified include actor-related and capacity-related factors, institutional fit, and characteristics of the RED II itself. Future research in this field needs multi-faceted avenues and should pay particular attention to the influence of national governments and incumbents, not only in the transposition process, but already in upstream policy formulation at the European level

Recommendations for customer engagement strategies

Customers are expected to play a fundamental role in the transition to a decarbonised and digitalised energy system. However, experience so far suggests that customer engagement in energy markets cannot be given for granted. This report investigates those barriers hindering customer engagement in flexibility markets and discusses strategies for their mitigation, aiming to unlock the untapped potential of the resources located at the customer’s premises and foster a more consumer-centric power system. Drawing from an extensive and multi-disciplinary literature review and benefiting from interactions with OneNet cluster demonstrators, this research identifies economic, behavioural, legal, and technical barriers to customer engagement in flexibility markets. Tailored recommendations are provided to surmount each of these barriers, advocating, among other things, for value stacking support, targeted awareness campaigns, regulatory adaptations, and robust infrastructure enhancements

Regioselective Ene-Type Allylic Chlorination of Electron-Rich Alkenes by Activated DMSO

A simple protocol involving the activation of DMSO by chlorotrimethysilane is described for the chemoselective chlorination of polyprenoids. The proposed protocol provides a versatile and scalable alternative to existing routes for accessing useful synthetic synthons for the synthesis of complex terpenoids

Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Properties of Cornus mas L. Fruit Juice

Cornus mas L. (Cornelian cherry) is a flowering plant indigenous to Europe and parts of Asia, mostly studied for the antimicrobial activity of its juice. In this report, we investigated the composition and the in vitro antioxidant capacity of Cornus mas L. fruit juice from Greece, as well as its antiproliferative properties in vitro and in vivo. The fruits showed a high content of citric, malic, and succinic acid, in contrast to their juice, which had a low concentration of organic acids. The juice demonstrated significant antioxidant activity against the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and modest antiproliferative potential against four human cancer cells lines and one murine: mammary adenocarcinoma MCF-7, hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and colon adenocarcinomas Caco2, HT-29, as well as murine colon carcinoma CT26. Cell viability was reduced by 40–50% following incubation of the cells with the highest concentration of the juice. Although Cornelian cherry juice exhibited in vitro growth inhibitory effects against colon carcinoma cells, no tumor growth inhibition was observed in an in vivo experimental colon carcinoma model in mice following prophylactic oral administration of a daily dose of 100 μL juice for a period of 10 days. Thus, our findings raise interesting questions for further research on Cornus mas L. fruit juice, and in parallel, the strong antioxidant potential implies that the plant could be further explored and exploited for its protective effect against oxidative damage

Increased serum levels of MIP-1alpha correlate with bone disease and angiogenic cytokines in patients with multiple myeloma

Many cytokines possess variable roles in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma. Macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) is an osteoclast-activating factor with a major role in myeloma bone disease. The aim of the study was to examine its participation in the angiogenic process of the disease. We measured, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, its serum levels in 56 newly diagnosed myeloma patients, in several skeletal grades and stages of the disease and in 25 healthy controls. Concurrently, we measured serum levels of the angiogenic cytokines basic-fibroblast growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor and interleukin-18. All the above cytokines were higher in myeloma patients (p < 0.001 for all cases) and were increasing in parallel with disease stage (p < 0.001 for all cases) and skeletal grade (p < 0.04 for MIP-1alpha and p < 0.001 for the other cases). Moreover, positive correlations between MIP-1alpha and all the angiogenic cytokines were noted (p < 0.001 for all cases). MIP-1alpha seems to be a predominant factor responsible for the enhancement of bone resorption and increased angiogenesis. The positive correlation between MIP-1alpha and the angiogenic chemoattractants supports the involvement of these factors in the biology of myeloma cell growth. Moreover, they could be used as possible therapeutic targets as well as markers of disease activity