Applicable Smart City Strategies to Ensure Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Integration in Poor Cities: Kabul Case Study

Najib Rahman Sabory,Ayaz Hosham,Ahmad Shahpoor Amiri,Mir Sayed Shah Danish,Tomonobu Senjyu,Zabihullah Muhammdi,Ajmal Noorzada

doi:10.3390/su132111984

Abstract

A smart city is fundamentally intended to reduce the consumption of resources and optimize efficiencies. In almost any area, efficiency results in energy saving, reduced energy intensity, sustainable economic development, enhanced productivity, a protected environment, and most importantly, cooperation with the climate change battle. Although budget, technology, and the required infrastructure are major constraints for poor cities to achieve smart and sustainable city goals, the benefits of smart cities are multiple for poor cities compared to developing and developed cities. Poor cities achieve improved living environments, security, safety, economic development, governance, and quality of life in addition to achieving sustainable energy goals, and this study seeks to identify those smart renewable energy and energy efficiency strategies that are economically feasible and technically applicable in poor cities. The findings of this research would help poor and low-income, developing cities take the initial steps towards becoming smart cities by applying smart, innovative, and economically feasible sustainable energy projects and initiatives. As a result, these cities will be able to enhance their environment, economy, and employment by transitioning to smart ones.

Highlights

Cities host 55% of the world’s population and are projected to reach 70% by 2050.Currently, they consume 75% of all natural resources and emit around 70% of the total greenhouse gases [1,2]
The main purpose of this research is to specify smart city goals related to sustainable energy, to identify sustainable energy related challenges common to poor cities, to find out those features of smart cities relevant to energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE), and to introduce technically and financially practical smart strategies for integrating renewable energy and enhancing energy efficiency in poor and low-income, developing cities such as Kabul
The key findings of this research are presented in the results and discussions section, interviews with experts and urban sector authorities

Summary

Introduction

Cities host 55% of the world’s population and are projected to reach 70% by 2050. They consume 75% of all natural resources and emit around 70% of the total greenhouse gases [1,2]. The transportation sector uses 28% of the world’s energy demands and contributes 23% to global CO2 emissions. Of the total global energy consumption and 55% of the total electricity demand. It is forecasted that two-thirds of the buildings needed by 2060 will be built by 2035 [3]. According to an International Energy Agency (IEA) analysis published in the Energy

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Results

Conclusion