Energy is the fundamental requirement of all physical, chemical, and biological processes which are utilized for better living standards. The toll that the process of development takes on the environment and economic activity is evident from the arising concerns about sustaining the industrialization that has happened in the last centuries. The increase in carbon footprint and the large-scale pollution caused by industrialization has led researchers to think of new ways to sustain the developmental activities, whilst simultaneously minimizing the harming effects on the enviroment. Therefore, decarbonization strategies have become an important factor in industrial expansion, along with the invention of new catalytic methods for carrying out non-thermal reactions, energy storage methods and environmental remediation through the removal or breakdown of harmful chemicals released during manufacturing processes. The present article discusses the structural features and photocatalytic applications of a variety of metal oxide-based materials. Moreover, the practical applicability of these materials is also discussed, as well as the transition of production to an industrial scale. Consequently, this study deals with a concise framework to link metal oxide application options within energy, environmental and economic sustainability, exploring the footprint analysis as well.

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Technological processes of catering products manufacture need energy optimization.This article proposes the improvement of mathematical modeling apparatus at the stage of technological processes design and reconstruction. The authors used data from large restaurant-type catering enterprises typical for million-plus cities, some of which prepare fast-food dishes. The possibilities of calorie generation during photosynthesis and the generation of electricity by photocells were examined to understand the energy benefits for catering enterprises. Emphasis is placed on minimizing energy consumption for heating and cooling in food production cycles using cogeneration, regeneration, and generation from local renewable energy sources. Cooking and storage chambers can be differentiated by thermal potentials. The modeling algorithm is deepened by the introduction of links between power consumption and generation equipment. A set of organizational measures of reconstruction is proposed in the design of production systems, which allows one to save up to 33-80% of the total energy costs of a real network of catering outlets. Practical ApplicationsThe use of modern energy technologies in the production processes of public catering enterprises will reduce total costs by up to 80% and improve the overall environmental friendliness of the food industry. While planning reconstruction of basic energy equipment, buildings, and mechanisms, the following must be taken into account. These include concepts of a healthy diet, local renewable energy resources, cultivating local natural food ingredients, and utilizing heat and calorie emissions. Up to 50% of the existing equipment requires such a reconstruction in public catering in developing countries. The principles recommended by the authors for the reconstruction of the production processes of public catering enterprises require the use of advanced algorithms for the mathematical optimization of energy flows and balances.

The BRICS Group unites the most rapidly developing large countries, the trade and economic interaction between which can make a significant contribution to both the region’s and world’s development. The purpose of this article is to analyze the development of trade and economic interaction and logistics infrastructure in the BRICS countries, as well as to develop an analytical concept of the BRICS Digital Logistics Platform (DLP) as a tool for the BRICS development. The research methodology includes methods for statistical data analysis, a case study of the DLP development in the BRICS countries, an analysis of the existing definitions and methods for developing DLP, and methods of systemic analysis. The research results present the trade and logistics interaction between the BRICS countries. The level of logistics development in these countries is analyzed based on the World Bank Logistics Performance Index. The article highlights the existing restrictions for the expansion of the economic interaction between countries, one of which is the uneven development of the logistics infrastructure. The article states that the BRICS DLP can be a tool for overcoming the limitation of uneven logistics infrastructure and intensifying trade interaction between the BRICS countries. The experience of creating national DLPs in each of the BRICS countries is analyzed. It is shown that the BRICS countries cannot join one of the existing national DLPs because of the risks for the national sovereignty of the participants. Therefore, an original analytical description for the international BRICS DLP is proposed. It will focus on the simplicity and transparency of the interaction between all of the participants of trade and economic interactions at various levels, as well as on the reduction of economic and logistics risks.