Phenol is an organic compound that is considered a “platform molecule.” These molecules come from sustainable organic matter and can be used as a building block for other chemical compounds. Because phenol has high oxygen content and is too stable, it hasn’t been used to develop fuel. By adding hydrogen through a process called hydrogenation, phenol can be converted to cyclohexanone or cyclohexanol.

Developed by Renmin University of China, the comprehensive Climate-gOvernance Modeling & Policy ASsessment System (COMPASS) integrates multiple complementary modeling tools to deliver multi-scale, cross-dimensional simulations for energy transition and climate governance. Combining a top-down computable general equilibrium model (CE3-CGE), a bottom-up energy technology model (PECE), an integrated assessment model (GCAM-CHN), and data-driven econometric and machine learning approaches, COMPASS effectively bridges macroeconomic trends and micro-level technological changes, providing robust scientific support for China’s carbon neutrality strategy and global climate policy research.

As China’s power system shifts from coal-dominated generation toward higher shares of variable renewable energy, maintaining reliable electricity supply is becoming more complex. A new study published in Energy and Climate Management uses causal loop diagrams to examine interactions among renewable energy deployment, storage utilization, capacity remuneration, and coal retirement decisions. By comparing China’s coal-focused capacity payments with the United Kingdom’s capacity market experience, the paper identifies potential risks including overinvestment, coal lock-in, and limited incentives for emerging flexible resources. The study suggests that capacity market pilots, broader revenue channels for energy storage, long-duration storage support, carbon pricing improvements, and strategic reserves could help manage supply security during the transition.

Protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) offer clean and efficient energy conversion at intermediate temperatures, yet their commercialization is constrained by sluggish cathode reaction kinetics and limited operational durability. A research team from Anhui University and collaborators has developed a self-assembled triple-conducting cathode via synergistic Zn/Yb B-site co-doping combined with temperature-induced nanoparticle exsolution. The optimized cathode delivers a peak power density of 0.99 W cm^-2 at 600 ℃ and stable operation for over 100 h with a degradation rate of only 0.091% h^-1, offering a promising pathway for high-performance intermediate-temperature PCFCs.

Siqi Chen and Fei Guo at Shandong University developed the MESSAGEix-China-Building-R31 model, an integrated assessment model for China’s provincial building sectors. The model consists of five core modules: building stock turnover, energy demand, material demand, carbon emissions, and low-carbon transition. The model can simulate the coupled evolution of "stock-energy-material-carbon" interactions across China’s 31 provincial-level administrative regions from 2025 to 2100. Model validation results demonstrate that the model reliably reproduces the historical evolution patterns of building vintage distributions and end-use energy intensities. As a comprehensive quantitative analytical tool, the model systematically links key regionally heterogeneous factors including floor area demand, building lifetime distribution, demolition and retrofitting requirements, building energy technologies and occupant behavioral characteristics, and demand for major building materials. Through scenario analysis, this model enables quantitative evaluation of low-carbon transition pathways for provincial building sectors in China.