Fossil fuels in transportation are a significant source of local emissions in and around cities; thus, decarbonising transportation can reduce both greenhouse gases (GHGs) and air pollutants (APs). However, the degree of these reductions depends on what replaces fossil fuels. Today, GHG and AP mitigation strategies are typically ‘decoupled’ as they have different motivations and responsibilities. This study investigates the ancillary benefits on (a) APs if the transport sector is decarbonised, and (b) GHGs if APs are drastically cut and (c) the possible co-benefits from targeting APs and GHGs in parallel, using an energy-system optimisation model with a detailed and consistent representation of technology and fuel choices. While biofuels are the most cost-efficient option for meeting ambitious climate-change-mitigation targets, they have a very limited effect on reducing APs. Single-handed deep cuts in APs require a shift to zero-emission battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle... [more]

Reaching climate neutrality by 2050 is one of the main long-term objectives of the European Union climate and energy policy, and renewable energy sources (RES) are integral parts of this transition. RES development results in many effects, direct and indirect, linked to each other, societal, local and individual, i.e., “multiple impacts of RES” (MI RES). These effects need to be carefully assessed and evaluated to obtain the full picture of energy field transformation and its context, and enable further development of RES. Nevertheless, the MI RES concept is often presented misleadingly and its scope varies throughout the literature. This paper provides a literature overview of the methodologies of this concept and presents a new concept of MI RES, respecting the difference between effects resulting from the implementation of RES and ultimate multiple impacts. We have summarized the effects into four groups: economic, social, environmental, and technical, which all lead to group of ult... [more]

Off-grid renewable energy sources are dramatically altering the energy landscape in countries with low energy access. While techno-economic perspectives are already widely discussed, the political economy is largely ignored, particularly regarding the institutions providing electricity. Two of many ways that the task of electrification can be framed are: (1) as the duty of the government to provide a basic service to its people, or (2) as a goods that can be purchased from private players in a market system. Electrification in our country of focus, Tanzania, has developed a promising off-grid market as an increasing number of private players have recently become active there. While grid extension is still a priority for the government, solar home systems, which are estimated to make up more than half of all new connections by 2030, get surprisingly less attention in terms of coordination, political support, and policy frameworks. This is despite the fact that the population is highly d... [more]

The main purpose of the study was to identify the level and factors influencing investments in renewable energy sources (RES) in basic local government units in rural areas. The specific objectives were to define the conditions for the development of renewable energy sources in Poland, to determine the directions of changes as well as the importance of renewable energy in Poland, to present the relationship between the level of expenditure on renewable energy and budget components in rural and rural-urban communes. The Świętokrzyskie voivodeship (Voivodship—a unit of the highest administration level in Poland, since 1990 a unit of the primary territorial division of government administration, since 1999 also a unit of local government, there were 16 voivodships in Poland), which is one of the centrally located voivodeships in Poland, was purposefully selected for the research. The research period covered the years 2016−2019. The sources of materials were the literature on the subject,... [more]

The aim of this study is to examine the empirical cointegration, long-run and short-run dynamics and causal relationships between carbon emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in 14 Danube region countries over the period of 1990−2019. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing methodology was applied for each of the examined variables as a dependent variable. Limited by the length of the time series, we excluded two countries from the analysis and obtained valid results for the others for 26 of 36 ARDL models. The ARDL bounds reliably confirmed long-run cointegration between carbon emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Economic growth and energy consumption have a significant impact on carbon emissions in the long-run in all of these four countries; in the short-run, the impact of economic growth is significant in Austria. Likewise, when examining cointegration between energy consumption, carbon emission... [more]

A number of microeconomic choice models are currently applied to demonstrate systematic biases in energy consumer behavior. The models highlight the hidden potential of energy savings from policies that target the so-called behavioral anomalies. Nevertheless, whether these patterns are repeatable or not is not clear, because the efforts to determine the transferability or generalizability of these models are practically nonexistent. This paper uses a unique collection of empirical data from five EU countries collected within the CONSEED project to refine and develop further the standard consumer decision model, validate it for policy purposes, and elaborate on its transferability between countries. The pooled samples allow for a more reliable investigation of the relative importance of the factors influencing consumers’ attitudes and beliefs towards energy investment decisions. Based on the statistical tests conducted to evaluate the “transferability” of the pooled models (i.e., the po... [more]

Renewable energy is one of the most discussed topics nowadays, more so than traditional combustible energy sources and nuclear energy. There is an apparent need to study its public acceptance and the general public’s knowledge about it, especially in the context of more advanced inventions, such as smart grids, energy storage, or photovoltaic inverters. In this research, the results of a custom survey and those of several types of public social media datasets were processed to gain insights into the acceptance and awareness of these technologies. The second aim was to investigate technologies and related public opinions about manufacturers. One social media dataset was processed by a novel technology based on automatic data collection from popular social media sources, blogs, forums and public news. All the collected and anonymized data were restored in a custom-made data lake (unstructured database) and analyzed by a natural language processing (NLP) engine to extract the required inf... [more]

China has experienced rapid social and economic development in the past 40 years. However, excessive consumption of fossil fuel energy has caused an energy shortage and led to severe environmental pollution. To achieve sustainable development, China is striving to transform its growth mode. Adopting renewable energy (RE) including solar photovoltaic (PV) power is an effective measure. How to promote the further development of solar PV power under the scenario of China’s aspirational target of carbon peak by 2030 and 20% RE ratio in the energy mix remains a theme that need to be addressed. This paper analyzes the potential opportunities and challenges confronting solar PV power in China. The analysis covers the dimensions of political, economic, social, and technological (PEST). The results revealed a significant prospect for the further deployment of solar PV power in the coming decades. The aggressive estimated installed capacity of solar PV power is expected to reach 80+ GW annually.... [more]

The paper’s main purpose was to identify the level and factors influencing the consumption of bioenergy of agricultural origin in agriculture in EU countries. All EU countries were deliberately selected for research, as of 31 December 2018. The research period covered the years 2004 to 2018. The sources of materials were the subject literature, Eurostat data, and IEA (International Energy Agency) data. The following methods were used for the analysis and presentation of materials: descriptive, tabular, graphical, Gini concentration coefficient, Lorenz concentration curve, descriptive statistics, Kendall’s tau correlation coefficient and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. In the EU, there was a high level of concentration of renewable energy consumption in several countries. There was also no change in the use of bioenergy of agricultural origin in agriculture, but the concentration level was low. The degree of concentration has not changed for both parameters of renewable energy... [more]

Energy poverty is a problem that affects all member states of the European Union to a varying degree, including Poland, where about 9% of the population is at risk of energy poverty. The article aims to show the changes in energy poverty in Poland in 2010−2018. The specific goal, however, is to evaluate government measures aimed at reducing energy poverty through investments based on renewable energy sources. To present changes in the level of energy poverty in 2010−2018, the authors proposed a new synthetic measure that unifies several different measures used by researchers and allows for a comprehensive assessment of this phenomenon. The conducted research showed that in 2010−2018 there was a slow but visible decrease in the level of energy poverty in Poland. In addition, the article indicates investments in renewable energy sources that may have a positive impact on reducing the scale of energy poverty in Poland. The programs implemented with national and EU public funds, which fina... [more]

Aim of the research is to analyze regional gaps in terms of renewable energy generation across Poland. For this purpose, four types of regions were outlined based on two indicators: the existing renewable energy generation capacity and the current regional energy demand revealed through the number of residents. This classification allowed to reveal regions in Poland that have distinct features of energy gaps and peripherality, while also more successful regions with renewable energy surpluses and distinct sustainable energy potential. For each of the region type key potential systemic problems in terms of renewable energy generation development were given. To understand how peripheral regions and regions with energy gaps could be supported in their development of renewable energy generation the regional innovation systems, social networks, knowledge and technology transfer and diffusion were substantiated. Results of the research can serve as an aid in development of national and regio... [more]

Actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are required from all actors. Adopting plug-in electric vehicles (EV) would reduce light motor vehicle travel emissions, a significant and rising emissions source. To encourage EV uptake, many governments have implemented policies which may be less effective than desired. Using New Zealand as a case study, we surveyed private motorists. The results show that consumers are heterogeneous, with varying car-buying motivations, perceptions, attitudes to EVs and awareness of policies. Uniquely, we segmented motorists into four attitudinal groups to ascertain characteristics potentially affecting EV readiness to provide evidence to improve policies and aid social marketing. Our results show the next-most-ready to buy EVs are early mainstream consumers—designated the EV Positives—who were most concerned about vehicle range, perceptions of EV expense, charging-related inconvenience and the unknown value proposition of batteries, and were relatively una... [more]

With the current worsening of climate change-associated risks, the transition to low-carbon energy sources has become a global priority. In this context, the advances in the implementation of smart grids, which, in addition to greater efficiency and resilience, also allow greater penetration of renewable distributed energy resources, are becoming increasingly important. However, the necessary investments will be colossal. Many specialists see the process of opening up the electric energy markets as essential to boosting these new technologies. Greater decentralization of the decision-making process can potentially promote greater scalability. However, not all liberalization reforms have led to good results. Several researchers have been evaluating experiences in different countries. Brazil, a country with continental dimensions and peculiar characteristics, already counts with a mostly renewable electric energy generation mix. In recent decades, however, it has become increasingly depe... [more]

As a consequence of increasing air pollution, the European Commission has decided to introduce special directives laying down the measures to achieve climate and energy neutrality. Renewable energy (RE) sources play an important role in the pursuit of these goals, which has been taken into account in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The aim of this article is to describe patterns and trends in the achievements of the energy policy of European Union (EU) countries in the field of renewable energy in sustainable development. The identification of leaders in this field gives the possibility to analyse actions taken by the governments of these countries and the possible implementation of the introduced solutions on the ground of individual Member States at the regional and national levels. At the beginning Main goal of energy policy on the field of renewable energy sources (RES) is to increase production from environmentally friendly sources that is why trends were determined i... [more]

Energy is required for socioeconomic development, and the world’s energy needs have significantly increased in the last decades. The lack of energy can have severe impacts on a person’s well-being; therefore, energy access should be ensured for everyone in the world. Energy poverty usually refers to a situation where a household cannot be kept adequately warm, but it is a complex issue with many more aspects. This paper aims to present a comprehensive review of the energy poverty problem, particularly presenting various definitions given in the literature that capture the multi-dimensional nature of the problem and analyzing the different ways of measuring energy poverty (expenditure approach and consensual approach). In addition, the impacts of the problem are identified, including health, socioeconomic, and environmental impacts, as well as the drivers that can worsen energy poverty conditions, such as several household characteristics and various socioeconomic and environmental fact... [more]

There is a need to look for alternative sources of renewable energy, especially in zones where people continue to live under energy poverty conditions. Consequently, to enhance the performance of energy systems, algorithms to support planning decisions are required. This article proposes a simulation-optimization framework to solve the stochastic version of the integrated energy dispatch and unit commitment problem for a solar radiation system operating in non-interconnected zones. Our study was motivated by challenges faced by a rural school located in Cundinamarca, Colombia. Particularly, a simulation with optimization-based iterations approach is used, modeling solar radiation as a random variable. The optimization phase uses a heuristic procedure that enables good solutions to be found in short computational times. To test our method, computational experiments were conducted using a set of randomly generated cases. The results suggest that our approach is useful and able to handle... [more]

This paper presents a user-friendly design method for accurately sizing the distributed energy resources of a stand-alone microgrid to meet the critical load demands of a military, commercial, industrial, or residential facility when utility power is not available. The microgrid combines renewable resources such as photovoltaics (PV) with an energy-storage system to increase energy security for facilities with critical loads. The design method’s novelty complies with IEEE Standards 1562 and 1013, and addresses resilience, which is not taken into account in existing design methods. Several case studies simulated with a physics-based model validate the proposed design method and demonstrate how resilience can be included in the design process. Additionally, the design and the simulations were validated by 24 h laboratory experiments conducted on a microgrid assembled using commercial off-the-shelf components.

Energy innovation is critical for addressing climate change and the ecological transitions of both developed and emerging economies. The present paper aims at the identification and assessment of patterns in energy innovation convergence across a sample of 27 European countries over the period 2000−2018. The research is based on data covering a broad category of patents related to climate change mitigation technologies in the energy sector, including combustion inventions with mitigation potential (e.g., using biomass), extracted from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Statistical Database. Using a nonlinear time-varying factor model, the paper demonstrates that energy innovation efforts in the examined sample follow a pattern of club convergence. The findings allow the identification of three convergence clubs characterised by distinct disparities in energy patent intensity, as measured by the number of patent applications per 10 million inhabitants. Mor... [more]

The most important goals on the Europe 2020 Strategy contained were the climate/energy goals, which determine the achievement of other targets of the strategy. The aim of the article is to evaluate the implementation of the climate/energy targets of the Europe 2020 Strategy by the EU Member States in 2010 and 2019 and to compare the results achieved by them. To measure them, a basic set of indicators was used for this purpose, which the authors supplemented with additional indicators. The evaluation was done using the taxonomic and zero-unitarization method. They made it possible to integrate all indicators. Moreover, the added value in relation to other studies is: the use of individual indicators, instead of general ones obtaining additional information about the internal structure and nature of the implementation of multidimensional groups of targets and focusing solely on the achievement of climate/energy targets. The achieved results not only reflect the progress of the Member Sta... [more]

In the near future, microgrids will become more prevalent as they play a critical role in integrating distributed renewable energy resources into the main grid. Nevertheless, renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind energy can be extremely volatile as they are weather dependent. These resources coupled with demand can lead to random variations on both the generation and load sides, thus complicating optimal energy management. In this article, a reinforcement learning approach has been proposed to deal with this non-stationary scenario, in which the energy management system (EMS) is modelled as a Markov decision process (MDP). A novel modification of the control problem has been presented that improves the use of energy stored in the battery such that the dynamic demand is not subjected to future high grid tariffs. A comprehensive reward function has also been developed which decreases infeasible action explorations thus improving the performance of the data-driven technique. A... [more]

The green energy transition is associated with the use of a wide range of metals and minerals that are exhaustible. Most of these minerals are limited in access due to small resource fields, their concentration in several locations and a broader scale of industry usage which is not limited exclusively to energy and environmental sectors. This article classifies 17 minerals that are critical in the green energy transition concerning the 10 main technologies. The following classification signs of metal resources were used: (1) the absolute amount of metals used in the current period for energy; (2) projected annual demand in 2050 from energy technologies as a percentage of the current rate; (3) the number of technologies where there is a need for an individual metal; (4) cumulative emissions of CO2, which are associated with metal production; (5) period of reserves availability; (6) the number of countries that produced more than 1% of global production; (7) countries with the maximum an... [more]

Recently there has been an ongoing discussion about energy security. This has been caused by tensions affecting international relations, and the emergence of new geopolitical threats. As one of the main sources of primary energy, natural gas is an obvious subject of interest in this discussion. In Europe, the natural gas market is rapidly evolving, which has resulted in a lack of clarity regarding who is responsible for the security of the gas supply. It is not clear now how to measure the security of the gas supply in economic estimates and by whom that security should be financed. In this paper, the authors present an approach which can be used for valuation of energy security concerning the security of natural gas storage using stochastic modelling based on the mathematical model of the “Newsvendor problem”. The valuation is made from the point of view of countries and considers their individual attitudes to the risk of disruption of deliveries, which is a novel approach to the prob... [more]

To effectively mitigate global greenhouse gas emissions, both industrialized and developing countries should participate in the energy transition that to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy. Multilateral development banks (MDBs) have been scaling up their renewable energy finance to developing countries to help them achieve their renewable energy targets. This study examines the evolution of energy financing of the World Bank, the oldest and largest MDB, by reviewing and estimating its sector-specific energy investments made over the last 35 years (1985−2019). The results confirm that the World Bank is on the right track supporting energy transition in developing countries, overall; however, limitations exist. While the share of investments in non-hydro renewable energy (NHRE) in the World Bank’s total energy finance was expanded from 1% (1985−1990) to 16.5% (2011−2019), the share of fossil fuels contracted from 51.8% (1985−1990) to 15.2% (2011−2019). However, commitments to fos... [more]

The objective of this paper is to identify the determinants of decarbonization processes in Poland by urban and rural areas. It also presents directions for knowledge diffusion on decarbonization to develop a sustainable energy strategy for Poland, particularly for local governments and cities. Despite extensive research on the determinants of decarbonization and sustainable energy development, there is a lack of specific solutions in this area. The authors of this paper investigated which determinants, according to the respondents, would lead to better decarbonization solutions in cities and villages in terms of sustainability. The studied sample was purposefully selected and an online questionnaire was used with the use of the “snowball” method. The authors conducted surveys that allowed the concerned parties themselves (respondents) to indicate which factors they believe best influence decarbonization. Such measures are helpful in terms of the understanding public acceptance of deca... [more]

Remote and Indigenous communities in Canada have a unique opportunity to mobilize the vast amount of wood-based biomass to meet their energy needs, while supporting a local economy, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study realized in collaboration with five remote and Indigenous communities across Canada investigates the main barriers and potential solutions to developing stable and sustainable wood-based bioenergy systems. Our results highlight that despite the differences in available biomass and geographical context, these communities face common policy, economic, operational, cultural, social, and environmental risks and barriers to developing bioenergy. The communities identified and ranked the biggest barriers as follows; the high initial investment of bioenergy projects, the logistical and operational challenges of developing a sustainable wood supply chain in remote locations, and the limited opportunities for community leadership of bioenergy projects. Environm... [more]