This report investigates in what ways Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) could incorporate environmental objectives in chapters and articles related to subsidies for energy and environmental goods. It highlights the current state of play in incorporating provisions related to environmentally related subsidies in RTAs.

This new publication looks at how renewable energy can bring the greatest benefits to host regions.

Two new OECD reports provide wide-ranging evidence of how reforming subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuels can help countries boost finances and meet green objectives.

In his speech to OECD Ambassadors, the President of Iceland discussed how Iceland could offer lessons on the nature of a clean energy economy; and presented some insights from Iceland's recent challenges in dealing with the financial crisis.

We can’t use terms like “inclusive” and “green” as window dressing for the pursuit of economic growth as an end in itself. A real and profound change in how we think about growth is needed–one that doesn’t let special interests get in the way of creating a just, fair and sustainable economy with clean energy for all.

This report develops an analytical framework that assesses the macroeconomic, environmental and distributional consequences of energy subsidy reforms. The framework is applied to the case of Indonesia to study the consequences in this country of a gradual phase out of all energy consumption subsidies between 2012 and 2020.

A new OECD publication highlights notable economic and environmental benefits of phasing out fossil-fuel subsidies in Indonesia. Interestingly, the study is based on the context that pertained until mid-2014, when international oil prices where high and before the recent phase-out of subsidies by the government.

Despite its importance, regular measurement of the value of natural resources at national level is still in its infancy and often disconnected from valuation approaches for other assets.

Governments are under-utilising taxation as a tool to curb the environmental consequences of energy use, foregoing revenue and weakening their attack on the principal source of greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change and air pollution, according to new OECD analysis.

The Paris Agreement is an unprecedented achievement in the fight against climate change. A record number of countries came together, first in the French capital for the COP21 conference in November-December 2015 and then formally to sign the agreement at the UN on 22 April 2016, to ensure that future generations enjoy a stable, healthy and habitable world.

Despite a challenging global environment, the growth prospects of Emerging Asia (Southeast Asia, China and India) remain robust over the medium term, according to the latest edition of the OECD Development Centre’s Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India.

This report uses household level data covering 20 OECD countries to analyse energy affordability at current energy prices and explores how these indicators change in response to a simulated energy tax reform. The report finds that higher energy prices, needed to cut harmful carbon emissions and air pollution, can also help achieve social policy objectives.

This country note explains how Israel taxes energy use. The note shows the distribution of effective energy tax rates across all domestic energy use. It also details the country-specific assumptions made when calculating effective energy tax rates and matching tax rates to the corresponding energy base.

This country note explains how Ireland taxes energy use. The note shows the distribution of effective energy tax rates across all domestic energy use. It also details the country-specific assumptions made when calculating effective energy tax rates and matching tax rates to the corresponding energy base.

This country note explains how Germany taxes energy use. The note shows the distribution of effective energy tax rates across all domestic energy use. It also details the country-specific assumptions made when calculating effective energy tax rates and matching tax rates to the corresponding energy base.

OSINERGMIN, the Supervisory Agency for Investment in Energy and Mining of Peru, advances in transparency and accountability to improve its regulation.

This new publication looks at how renewable energy can bring the greatest benefits to host regions.

Householders are being warned that the surge in energy usage will come at a price - with bills set to increase by an average of £32 a month.

Default offer laws in Victoria - which mean providers must tell customers if they can get cheaper energy - have seen power bills plummet.

Householders are being warned that the surge in energy usage will come at a price - with bills set to increase by an average of £32 a month.

If the Royals were still being paid by the long-established Civil List, they would not benefit from the energy auction. But in 2012 this changed and the Queen now gets 25 per cent of the estate's profit.

Glycolysis protein expression becomes altered in skeletal muscle proteome when humans are exposed to cold or overfed.

To investigate the effect of high-energy X-rays on site-specific radiation-damage, low-dose diffraction data were collected from radiation-sensitive crystals of the metal enzyme cytochrome c oxidase. Data were collected at the Structural Biology I beamline (BL41XU) at SPring-8, using 30 keV X-rays and a highly sensitive pixel array detector equipped with a cadmium telluride sensor. The experimental setup of continuous sample translation using multiple crystals allowed the average diffraction weighted dose per data set to be reduced to 58 kGy, and the resulting data revealed a ligand structure featuring an identical bond length to that in the damage-free structure determined using an X-ray free-electron laser. However, precise analysis of the residual density around the ligand structure refined with the synchrotron data showed the possibility of a small level of specific damage, which might have resulted from the accumulated dose of 58 kGy per data set. Further investigation of the photon-energy dependence of specific damage, as assessed by variations in UV-vis absorption spectra, was conducted using an on-line spectrometer at various energies ranging from 10 to 30 keV. No evidence was found for specific radiation damage being energy dependent.

Porous, high-surface-area electrode architectures are described that allow structural characterization of interfacial amorphous thin films with high spatial resolution under device-relevant functional electrochemical conditions using high-energy X-ray (>50 keV) scattering and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis. Porous electrodes were fabricated from glass-capillary array membranes coated with conformal transparent conductive oxide layers, consisting of either a 40 nm–50 nm crystalline indium tin oxide or a 100 nm–150 nm-thick amorphous indium zinc oxide deposited by atomic layer deposition. These porous electrodes solve the problem of insufficient interaction volumes for catalyst thin films in two-dimensional working electrode designs and provide sufficiently low scattering backgrounds to enable high-resolution signal collection from interfacial thin-film catalysts. For example, PDF measurements were readily obtained with 0.2 Å spatial resolution for amorphous cobalt oxide films with thicknesses down to 60 nm when deposited on a porous electrode with 40 µm-diameter pores. This level of resolution resolves the cobaltate domain size and structure, the presence of defect sites assigned to the domain edges, and the changes in fine structure upon redox state change that are relevant to quantitative structure–function modeling. The results suggest the opportunity to leverage the porous, electrode architectures for PDF analysis of nanometre-scale surface-supported molecular catalysts. In addition, a compact 3D-printed electrochemical cell in a three-electrode configuration is described which is designed to allow for simultaneous X-ray transmission and electrolyte flow through the porous working electrode.

An analysis of the coherence properties of the fourth-generation high-energy storage rings with emittance values of 10 pm rad is performed. It is presently expected that a storage ring with these low emittance values will reach diffraction limit at hard X-rays. Simulations of coherence properties were performed with the XRT software and an analytical approach for different photon energies from 500 eV to 50 keV. It was demonstrated that a minimum photon emittance (diffraction limit) reached at such storage rings is λ/2π. Using mode decomposition it is shown that, for the parameters of the storage ring considered in this work, the diffraction limit will be reached for soft X-ray energies of 500 eV. About ten modes will contribute to the radiation field at 12 keV photon energy and even more modes give a contribution at higher photon energies. Energy spread effects of the electron beam in a low-emittance storage ring were analysed in detail. Simulations were performed at different relative energy spread values from zero to 2 × 10−3. A decrease of the degree of coherence with an increase of the relative energy spread value was observed. This analysis shows that, to reach the diffraction limit for high photon energies, electron beam emittance should go down to 1 pm rad and below.

A new resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) instrument has been constructed at beamline P01 of the PETRA III synchrotron. This instrument has been named IRIXS (intermediate X-ray energy RIXS) and is dedicated to X-rays in the tender-energy regime (2.5–3.5 keV). The range covers the L2,3 absorption edges of many of the 4d elements (Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd and Ag), offering a unique opportunity to study their low-energy magnetic and charge excitations. The IRIXS instrument is currently operating at the Ru L3-edge (2840 eV) but can be extended to the other 4d elements using the existing concept. The incoming photons are monochromated with a four-bounce Si(111) monochromator, while the energy analysis of the outgoing photons is performed by a diced spherical crystal analyzer featuring (102) lattice planes of quartz (SiO2). A total resolution of 100 meV (full width at half-maximum) has been achieved at the Ru L3-edge, a number that is in excellent agreement with ray-tracing simulations.

British Geological Survey submits application for geoenergy observatory in Cheshire  ThinkGeoEnergy

Scottish researchers win £12m CCUS funding from European pot - News for the Oil and Gas Sector  Energy Voice

Green light for Cheshire geothermal energy research  BBC News

Geoenergy Observatory to go ahead in Cheshire  The Engineer

Fracking: UK shale gas reserves 'significantly lower than previous estimates'  Energy Live News - Energy Made Easy

Influential energy role for BGS chief scientist  Agg-Net

The title compound, C21H16N2O2, consists of an imidazolidine unit linked to two phenyl rings and two prop-2-yn-1-yl moieties. The imidazolidine ring is oriented at dihedral angles of 79.10 (5) and 82.61 (5)° with respect to the phenyl rings, while the dihedral angle between the two phenyl rings is 62.06 (5)°. In the crystal, inter­molecular C—HProp⋯OImdzln (Prop = prop-2-yn-1-yl and Imdzln = imidazolidine) hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into infinite chains along the b-axis direction. Two weak C—HPhen⋯π inter­actions are also observed. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (43.3%), H⋯C/C⋯H (37.8%) and H⋯O/O⋯H (18.0%) inter­actions. Hydrogen bonding and van der Waals inter­actions are the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry indicates that the C—HProp⋯OImdzln hydrogen-bond energy in the crystal is −40.7 kJ mol−1. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/6–311G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap.

The title compound, C18H16N4O, consists of a 3,6-bis­(pyridin-2-yl)pyridazine moiety linked to a 4-[(prop-2-en-1-yl­oxy)meth­yl] group. The pyridine-2-yl rings are oriented at a dihedral angle of 17.34 (4)° and are rotated slightly out of the plane of the pyridazine ring. In the crystal, C—HPyrd⋯NPyrdz (Pyrd = pyridine and Pyrdz = pyridazine) hydrogen bonds and C—HPrp­oxy⋯π (Prp­oxy = prop-2-en-1-yl­oxy) inter­actions link the mol­ecules, forming deeply corrugated layers approximately parallel to the bc plane and stacked along the a-axis direction. Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (48.5%), H⋯C/C⋯H (26.0%) and H⋯N/N⋯H (17.1%) contacts, hydrogen bonding and van der Waals inter­actions being the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry indicates that in the crystal, the C—HPyrd⋯NPyrdz hydrogen-bond energy is 64.3 kJ mol−1. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/6–311 G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap.

The title compound, C15H12ClNO3, consists of a 1,2-di­hydro­quinoline-4-carb­oxyl­ate unit with 2-chloro­ethyl and propynyl substituents, where the quinoline moiety is almost planar and the propynyl substituent is nearly perpendicular to its mean plane. In the crystal, the mol­ecules form zigzag stacks along the a-axis direction through slightly offset π-stacking inter­actions between inversion-related quinoline moieties which are tied together by inter­molecular C—HPrpn­yl⋯OCarbx and C—HChlethy⋯OCarbx (Prpnyl = propynyl, Carbx = carboxyl­ate and Chlethy = chloro­eth­yl) hydrogen bonds. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (29.9%), H⋯O/O⋯H (21.4%), H⋯C/C⋯ H (19.4%), H⋯Cl/Cl⋯H (16.3%) and C⋯C (8.6%) inter­actions. Hydrogen bonding and van der Waals inter­actions are the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry indicates that in the crystal, the C—HPrpn­yl⋯OCarbx and C—HChlethy⋯OCarbx hydrogen bond energies are 67.1 and 61.7 kJ mol−1, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/ 6–311 G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap.

The title imidazo[1,2-a] pyridine derivative, C13H8Br2N2, was synthesized via a single-step reaction method. The title mol­ecule is planar, showing a dihedral angle of 0.62 (17)° between the phenyl and the imidazo[1,2-a] pyridine rings. An intra­molecular C—H⋯N hydrogen bond with an S(5) ring motif is present. In the crystal, a short H⋯H contact links adjacent mol­ecules into inversion-related dimers. The dimers are linked in turn by weak C—H⋯π and slipped π–π stacking inter­actions, forming layers parallel to (110). The layers are connected into a three-dimensional network by short Br⋯H contacts. Two-dimensional fingerprint plots and three-dimensional Hirshfeld surface analysis of the inter­molecular contacts reveal that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯Br/Br⋯H (26.1%), H⋯H (21.7%), H⋯C/C⋯H (21.3%) and C⋯C (6.5%) inter­actions. Energy framework calculations suggest that the contacts formed between mol­ecules are largely dispersive in nature. Analysis of HOMO–LUMO energies from a DFT calculation reveals the pure π character of the aromatic rings with the highest electron density on the phenyl ring, and σ character of the electron density on the Br atoms. The HOMO–LUMO gap was found to be 4.343 eV.

The title compound, C22H15Cl2NOS, contains 1,4-benzo­thia­zine and 2,4-di­­chloro­benzyl­idene units, where the di­hydro­thia­zine ring adopts a screw-boat conformation. In the crystal, inter­molecular C—HBnz⋯OThz (Bnz = benzene and Thz = thia­zine) hydrogen bonds form corrugated chains extending along the b-axis direction which are connected into layers parallel to the bc plane by inter­molecular C—HMethy⋯SThz (Methy = methyl­ene) hydrogen bonds, en­closing R44(22) ring motifs. Offset π-stacking inter­actions between 2,4-di­­chloro­phenyl rings [centroid–centroid = 3.7701 (8) Å] and π-inter­actions which are associated by C—HBnz⋯π(ring) and C—HDchlphy⋯π(ring) (Dchlphy = 2,4-di­chloro­phen­yl) inter­actions may be effective in the stabilization of the crystal structure. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (29.1%), H⋯C/C⋯H (27.5%), H⋯Cl/Cl⋯H (20.6%) and O⋯H/H⋯O (7.0%) inter­actions. Hydrogen-bonding and van der Waals inter­actions are the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry indicates that in the crystal, the C—HBnz⋯OThz and C—HMethy⋯SThz hydrogen-bond energies are 55.0 and 27.1 kJ mol−1, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap.

The title com­pound, C22H16N4O2, contains two pyridine rings and one meth­oxy­carbonyl­phenyl group attached to a pyridazine ring which deviates very slightly from planarity. In the crystal, ribbons consisting of inversion-related chains of mol­ecules extending along the a-axis direction are formed by C—HMthy⋯OCarbx (Mthy = methyl and Carbx = carboxyl­ate) hydrogen bonds. The ribbons are connected into layers parallel to the bc plane by C—HBnz⋯π(ring) (Bnz = benzene) inter­actions. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (39.7%), H⋯C/C⋯H (27.5%), H⋯N/N⋯H (15.5%) and O⋯H/H⋯O (11.1%) inter­actions. Hydrogen-bonding and van der Waals inter­actions are the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry indicates that in the crystal, C—HMthy⋯OCarbx hydrogen-bond energies are 62.0 and 34.3 kJ mol−1, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level are com­pared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap.

In the title mol­ecule, C11H10N2O, the di­hydro­benzimidazol-2-one moiety is essentially planar, with the prop-2-yn-1-yl substituent rotated well out of this plane. In the crystal, C—HMthy⋯π(ring) inter­actions and C—HProp⋯ODhyr (Mthy = methyl, Prop = prop-2-yn-1-yl and Dhyr = di­hydro) hydrogen bonds form corrugated layers parallel to (10overline{1}), which are associated through additional C—HBnz⋯ODhyr (Bnz = benzene) hydrogen bonds and head-to-tail, slipped, π-stacking [centroid-to-centroid distance = 3.7712 (7) Å] inter­actions between di­hydro­benzimidazol-2-one moieties. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions to the crystal packing are from H⋯H (44.1%), H⋯C/C⋯H (33.5%) and O⋯H/H⋯O (13.4%) inter­actions. Hydrogen-bonding and van der Waals inter­actions are the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry calculations indicate that in the crystal, C—H⋯O hydrogen-bond energies are 46.8 and 32.5 (for C—HProp⋯ODhyr) and 20.2 (for C—HBnz⋯ODhyr) kJ mol−1. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/6–311 G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap.

The title compound, C24H27Cl2NOS, contains 1,4-benzo­thia­zine and 2,4-di­chloro­phenyl­methyl­idene units in which the di­hydro­thia­zine ring adopts a screw-boat conformation. In the crystal, inter­molecular C—HBnz⋯OThz (Bnz = benzene and Thz = thia­zine) hydrogen bonds form chains of mol­ecules extending along the a-axis direction, which are connected to their inversion-related counterparts by C—HBnz⋯ClDchlphy (Dchlphy = 2,4-di­chloro­phen­yl) hydrogen bonds and C—HDchlphy⋯π (ring) inter­actions. These double chains are further linked by C—HDchlphy⋯OThz hydrogen bonds, forming stepped layers approximately parallel to (012). The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (44.7%), C⋯H/H⋯C (23.7%), Cl⋯H/H⋯Cl (18.9%), O⋯H/H⋯O (5.0%) and S⋯H/H⋯S (4.8%) inter­actions. Hydrogen-bonding and van der Waals inter­actions are the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry indicates that in the crystal, C—HDchlphy⋯OThz, C—HBnz⋯OThz and C—HBnz⋯ClDchlphy hydrogen-bond energies are 134.3, 71.2 and 34.4 kJ mol−1, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/6–311 G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap. The two carbon atoms at the end of the nonyl chain are disordered in a 0.562 (4)/0.438 (4) ratio.

In the title mol­ecule, C12H13N3O2S, the benzo­thia­zine moiety is slightly non-planar, with the imidazolidine portion twisted only a few degrees out of the mean plane of the former. In the crystal, a layer structure parallel to the bc plane is formed by a combination of O—HHydethy⋯NThz hydrogen bonds and weak C—HImdz⋯OImdz and C—HBnz⋯OImdz (Hydethy = hy­droxy­ethyl, Thz = thia­zole, Imdz = imidazolidine and Bnz = benzene) inter­actions, together with C—HImdz⋯π(ring) and head-to-tail slipped π-stacking [centroid-to-centroid distances = 3.6507 (7) and 3.6866 (7) Å] inter­actions between thia­zole rings. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (47.0%), H⋯O/O⋯H (16.9%), H⋯C/C⋯H (8.0%) and H⋯S/S⋯H (7.6%) inter­actions. Hydrogen bonding and van der Waals inter­actions are the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry indicates that in the crystal, C—H⋯N and C—H⋯O hydrogen-bond energies are 68.5 (for O—HHydethy⋯NThz), 60.1 (for C—HBnz⋯OImdz) and 41.8 kJ mol−1 (for C—HImdz⋯OImdz). Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/6–311 G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state.

The title compound, C15H14N2O2, consists of pyrrole and benzodiazepine units linked to a propargyl moiety, where the pyrrole and diazepine rings adopt half-chair and boat conformations, respectively. The absolute configuration was assigned on the the basis of l-proline, which was used in the synthesis of benzodiazepine. In the crystal, weak C—HBnz⋯ODiazp and C—HProprg⋯ODiazp (Bnz = benzene, Diazp = diazepine and Proprg = proparg­yl) hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into two-dimensional networks parallel to the bc plane, enclosing R44(28) ring motifs, with the networks forming oblique stacks along the a-axis direction. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (49.8%), H⋯C/C⋯H (25.7%) and H⋯O/O⋯H (20.1%) inter­actions. Hydrogen bonding and van der Waals inter­actions are the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry indicates that in the crystal, C—H⋯O hydrogen-bond energies are 38.8 (for C—HBnz⋯ODiazp) and 27.1 (for C—HProprg⋯ODiazp) kJ mol−1. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/6–311 G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap.

The title compound, C19H16ClNO3S, consists of chloro­phenyl methyl­idene and di­hydro­benzo­thia­zine units linked to an acetate moiety, where the thia­zine ring adopts a screw-boat conformation. In the crystal, two sets of weak C—HPh⋯ODbt (Ph = phenyl and Dbt = di­hydro­benzo­thia­zine) hydrogen bonds form layers of mol­ecules parallel to the bc plane. The layers stack along the a-axis direction with inter­calation of the ester chains. The crystal studied was a two component twin with a refined BASF of 0.34961 (5). The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions to the crystal packing are from H⋯H (37.5%), H⋯C/C⋯H (24.6%) and H⋯O/O⋯H (16.7%) inter­actions. Hydrogen-bonding and van der Waals inter­actions are the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry indicates that in the crystal, C—HPh⋯ODbt hydrogen bond energies are 38.3 and 30.3 kJ mol−1. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/ 6–311 G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap. Moreover, the anti­bacterial activity of the title compound has been evaluated against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

The title compound, C18H16N2O2, consists of perimidine and meth­oxy­phenol units, where the tricyclic perimidine unit contains a naphthalene ring system and a non-planar C4N2 ring adopting an envelope conformation with the NCN group hinged by 47.44 (7)° with respect to the best plane of the other five atoms. In the crystal, O—HPhnl⋯NPrmdn and N—HPrmdn⋯OPhnl (Phnl = phenol and Prmdn = perimidine) hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into infinite chains along the b-axis direction. Weak C—H⋯π inter­actions may further stabilize the crystal structure. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (49.0%), H⋯C/C⋯H (35.8%) and H⋯O/O⋯H (12.0%) inter­actions. Hydrogen bonding and van der Waals inter­actions are the dominant inter­actions in the crystal packing. Computational chemistry indicates that in the crystal, the O—HPhnl⋯NPrmdn and N—HPrmdn⋯OPhnl hydrogen-bond energies are 58.4 and 38.0 kJ mol−1, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/ 6–311 G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined mol­ecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap.

With the increasing trend of using microcrystals and intense microbeams at synchrotron X-ray beamlines, radiation damage becomes a more pressing problem. Theoretical calculations show that the photoelectrons that primarily cause damage can escape microcrystals. This effect would become more pronounced with decreasing crystal size as well as at higher energies. To prove this effect, data from cryocooled lysozyme crystals of dimensions 5 × 3 × 3 and 20 × 8 × 8 µm mounted on cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) grids were collected at 13.5 and 20.1 keV using a PILATUS CdTe 2M detector, which has a similar quantum efficiency at both energies. Accurate absorbed doses were calculated through the direct measurement of individual crystal sizes using scanning electron microscopy after the experiment and characterization of the X-ray microbeam. The crystal lifetime was then quantified based on the D1/2 metric. In this first systematic study, a longer crystal lifetime for smaller crystals was observed and crystal lifetime increased at higher X-ray energies, supporting the theoretical predictions of photoelectron escape. The use of detector technologies specifically optimized for data collection at energies above 20 keV allows the theoretically predicted photoelectron escape to be quantified and exploited, guiding future beamline-design choices.

For the extraction of the best possible X-ray diffraction data from macromolecular crystals, accurate positioning of the crystals with respect to the X-ray beam is crucial. In addition, information about the shape and internal defects of crystals allows the optimization of data-collection strategies. Here, it is demonstrated that the X-ray beam available on the macromolecular crystallo­graphy beamline P14 at the high-brilliance synchrotron-radiation source PETRA III at DESY, Hamburg, Germany can be used for high-energy phase-contrast microtomography of protein crystals mounted in an optically opaque lipidic cubic phase matrix. Three-dimensional tomograms have been obtained at X-ray doses that are substantially smaller and on time scales that are substantially shorter than those used for diffraction-scanning approaches that display protein crystals at micrometre resolution. Adding a compound refractive lens as an objective to the imaging setup, two-dimensional imaging at sub-micrometre resolution has been achieved. All experiments were performed on a standard macromolecular crystallography beamline and are compatible with standard diffraction data-collection workflows and apparatus. Phase-contrast X-ray imaging of macromolecular crystals could find wide application at existing and upcoming low-emittance synchrotron-radiation sources.

Inelastic X-ray scattering is a powerful and versatile technique for studying lattice dynamics in materials of scientific and technological importance. In this article, the design and capabilities of the momentum-resolved high-energy-resolution inelastic X-ray spectrometer (HERIX) at beamline 30-ID of the Advanced Photon Source are reported. The instrument operates at 23.724 keV and has an energy resolution of 1.3–1.7 meV. It can accommodate momentum transfers of up to 72  nm−1, at a typical X-ray flux of 4.5 × 109 photons s−1 meV−1 at the sample. A suite of in situ sample environments are provided, including high pressure, static magnetic fields and uniaxial strains, all at high or cryogenic temperatures.

The Advanced Photon Source 1-ID beamline, operating in the 40–140 keV X-ray energy range, has successfully employed continuously tunable saw-tooth refractive lenses to routinely deliver beams focused in both one and two dimensions to experiments for over 15 years. The practical experience of implementing such lenses, made of silicon and aluminium, is presented, including their properties, control, alignment, and diagnostic methods, achieving ∼1 µm focusing (vertically). Ongoing development and prospects towards submicrometre focusing at these high energies are also mentioned.