Sustainable Energy Transitions and Competing Demands: Lessons from the Bonneville Power Administration

With the increasing urgency for sustainable development and energy transition, decision-makers face complex challenges in evaluating and prioritizing viable alternatives. Traditional decision-making techniques often struggle to capture the inherent uncertainty and imprecision associated with the latest sustainable energy transition issues. This paper presents a research framework based on fuzzy set theory and the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method to address these complexities and uncertainties. Our proposed approach offers a comprehensive evaluation and ranking of alternatives for sustainable energy transition. To demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of this system, we employ a case study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). As a global leader in fossil fuel production and export, particularly oil, the KSA has recognized the need to address climate change and diversify its energy sector. By leveraging the fuzzy TOPSIS-based framework, we provide decision-makers with a powerful tool to navigate the challenges and uncertainties involved in the energy transition process. This research yields promising results, demonstrating the superior capabilities of the proposed fuzzy TOPSIS-based framework compared to traditional decision-making techniques. The case study in the KSA highlights how our approach effectively captures and addresses the uncertainties and complexities involved in sustainable energy transition decision making. Through comprehensive evaluations and rankings, decision-makers gain valuable insights into alternative solutions, facilitating informed and strategic decision-making processes. Our research contributes to sustainable energy transitions by introducing a robust decision-making framework that integrates fuzzy set theory and the TOPSIS method. Based on the fuzzy TOPSIS-based evaluation, the research findings indicate that solar energy (EA1) ranked as the most favourable alternative among the evaluated options for the sustainable energy transition in the KSA. Using our framework, stakeholders in the KSA and similar contexts can make informed decisions to accelerate their energy transition efforts and achieve sustainable development goals.

Energy transition is a national agenda, prioritised in many countries, to ensure public safety and achieve climate goals. Although enacting laws is a critical means of realising energy transition policy, legal scholarship has paid little to no attention to the role of law in a sustainable energy transition. Countries are currently experimenting with their legal frameworks to achieve sustainable and smooth energy transition policies that are most beneficial. The pivotal role of law in energy transition has led researchers to place a growing emphasis on introducing and analysing the recently enacted domestic laws in various countries, seeking implications and insights in this regard. This study draws on the example of Korea’s legal framework for energy transition to argue that the voluntary nature of this agreement between the government and operator would have policy implications for many countries striving towards sustainable energy transitions. Unlike numerous other countries (eg Germany) that unilaterally force early closure of nuclear power plants by law, Korea tries to innovatively establish legal grounds that enable a voluntary agreement between the government and operators and the considerable efforts on just transition, while the government commits to contributex to bearing the costs of energy transition.

The aim and objective of this study is to examine the factors influencing sustainable energy transition and climate change in Nigeria and recommend ways to promote sustainable energy transition for policy decisions in Nigeria. There has been a general call for the decarbonization of the global environment. This has necessitated the need for renewable energy and other forms of sustainable energy in developing countries. African governments are passionately disposed to finding a balance between energy transition and energy trilemma. The balance is with respect to energy equity, sustainability, and security However, the African nation of the world are lagging in terms of energy transition and several factors are responsible for the slow speed in energy transition in the Africa. The study adopted qualitative research methodology using literature review. Based on the analysis of literature review in energy transition it has been shown that technically 100 % renewable energy systems have been verified. In order to achieve carbon neutrality, current energy system need to be transformed towards a sustainable energy system or at best quasi sustainable development of petroleum resources. The study findings revealed that there are some barriers to carbon neutrality that presently constrain sustainable energy transition. The study highlighted on the development of an enabling framework that act as counter strategies to overcome the existing barriers and facilitate energy transition to be sustainable. The underlying factors behind sustainable energy transition and de-carbonization are: Financial, technical, energy market and energy policy, support infrastructure, environment/ ecological, legal and regulatory requirements. In conclusion, it is imperative that for a sustainable energy transition and mitigation of climate change in Nigeria, the enabling frame work needed to be reformed.

Reducing household energy use in social housing buildings can substantially contribute to mitigating global climate change. While municipalities and social housing corporations are willing to invest in sustainable renovations and innovations, social housing residents' inclusion in the sustainable energy transition lags behind. This pilot study explored social housing residents' attitudes toward sustainability and sustainable renovation of their apartment building, as well as (factors underlying) their motivation toward two specific sustainable behaviors. Semi-structured interviews, containing both open- and close- ended questions, were conducted with 20 residents of one social housing building that was due for renovations. Results showed that respondents were concerned about climate change, including environmental justice beliefs, typically already engaged in various sustainable behaviors, and were motivated to add sustainable behaviors to their repertoire after the renovation. Yet, perceived social norms were not always supportive of behaving sustainably and respondents sometimes failed to recognize the sustainable value of these behaviors. Furthermore, while respondents were more positive than negative about the sustainable renovation, they nevertheless listed many concerns and problems regarding the renovation process, including procedural justice concerns. This small-scale study provided important insights into barriers and facilitators of the sustainable energy transition among social housing residents, who are at risk of lagging behind in the sustainable urban energy transition. Findings underline the importance of including residents in the sustainable renovation process through engagement, communication, and co-creation.

The maritime shipping industry accounts for 3 % of global greenhouse gas emissions and delivers 90 % of globally traded goods. Maritime shipping is heavily reliant on fossil fuels. There is increasing policy pressure to cut emissions to achieve the Paris Agreement and to meet decarbonization targets.This paper aims to analyze sector coupling for decarbonization and sustainable energy transitions in maritime shipping, exploring the interlinkages between the transport, energy, industry, agriculture and forestry sectors. First, this paper analyses the opportunities and barriers for sector coupling between the maritime shipping sector and other industries. Second, this paper adds new knowledge on the wider implications of sustainable energy transitions and decarbonization for the maritime shipping sector, the role of various stakeholders in supporting or impeding sustainable energy transitions, policy issues at the international, regional and national level and the links to sector coupling.This research uses a mixed methods approach, applying both qualitative research including interviews and quantitative energy modeling. The research thereby links theories from sustainability transitions with techno-economic modeling approaches.Our research finds that the sector couplings between the transport, energy, industry, agriculture and forestry sectors are of growing importance as maritime shipping is transitioning towards decarbonized and renewable marine fuels. At the same time there is competition for scarce natural resources with other sectors, including aviation and road transport. Socio-technical aspects, particularly of financial and political nature, are key factors that determine the speed and direction of the transition, yet they remain under-explored.

Nowadays the world energy system faces numerous transitions and shifts of the existing socio-technical regimes towards higher sustainability. Along with it, the sustainable transitions are often being postponed, slowed down or rejected to avoid negative externalities that could threaten the system stability. In this study, we aim to reach the deeper understanding of the externalities of energy transitions and the vulnerability of energy systems under the influence of negative externalities caused by sustainable energy transitions. Using the Externality theory (Baumol, Oates), Sociotechnical transition theory (Geels), as well as Energy sustainability Trilemma Method for the evaluation of the sustainability of energy systems we argue that such externalities need to be treated (internalized, avoided) by special policy measures other than common (classical) ways which may cause slowing down of sustainability transitions and make extra barriers for them. Transitions to more clean and low-carbon energy systems using energy technologies such as solar, wind, small hydro, biomass, waste management, e-vehicles are in the scope of this paper. It classifies the wide range of policy methods (classical and new) being applied separately and simultaneously, and analyses their application in energy policies designing aimed to combat negative externalities of energy sustainability transitions worldwide, so they might be minimized by properly tailored energy policy in each particular case.

A substantial and rapid decarbonisation of the global economy is required to limit anthropogenic climate change to well below 2°C average global heating by 2050. Yet, emissions from fossil fuel energy generation—which dominate global greenhouse gas emissions—are at an all-time high. Progress and action for an energy transition to net zero carbon is critical, and one in which geoscience sectors and geoscientists will play multiple roles. Here, we outline the landscape of the geosciences and the energy transition in the context of the climate crisis, and intergovernmental policies on climate and social justice. We show how geoscience sectors, skills, knowledge, data, and infrastructure, both directly and indirectly, will play a key role in the energy transition. This may be in the responsible sourcing of raw materials for low carbon energy technologies; in the decarbonisation of heating; and in the near-permanent geological capture and storage of carbon through novel technology development. A new and unprecedented challenge is to reach Geological Net Zero, where zero carbon emissions from geological resource production and consumption are achieved via permanent geological storage. We identify overarching and cross-cutting issues for a sustainable and fair net zero carbon energy transition, and the associated geoscience challenges and opportunities. Finally, we call for geoscience professionals to recognise and take responsibility for their role in ensuring a fair and sustainable energy transition at the pace and scale required.

Clean and low-carbon energy sources and technologies have emerged as a critical driver in delivering the energy transition and achieving net zero-carbon emissions. All energy sources and power systems produce greenhouse gases (GHGs) and hence they contribute to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and resultant climate change besides contributing to other negative environmental impacts. Energy sustainability remains a major challenge globally due to current heavy reliance on depletable and polluting fossil fuels for most of global energy needs. This study examines the energy transition strategies and proposes a roadmap for sustainable energy transition for sustainable energy planning and grid electricity generation and supply in wake of commitments made by the world community to the Paris Agreement aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the rise in global average temperature to 2oC and preferably 1.5oC above the preindustrial level and realisation of the sustainable development goal of the United Nations. The sustainable transition strategies typically consist of three major technological changes namely, energy savings on the demand side, generation efficiency at production level and fossil fuel substitution by various renewable energy sources and low carbon non-renewable sources like nuclear power and carbon emission reduction strategies like carbon capture and sequestration and a conversion from high carbon fossil fuels like coal and oil to natural gas which remains the cleanest fossil fuel. The study demonstrated that decentralised generation with application of both demand side management and behind the meter management (BTM) strategies are effective measures to increase the use of renewable energy resources which are often locally available leading to higher uptake of renewable energy sources and conversion of consumers to prosumers making the transition economically sustainable. Waste to energy options have a significant potential to contribute to the energy transition e.g. use of biowaste for biogas production, slaughterhouse waste biodigestion for biogas and electricity generation and waste treatment and disposal, waste heat recovery from used geothermal for extra power generation and reinjection to improve the reservoir sustainability and use of bagasse and sugarcane trash for grid-based power production in sugar factories. Therefore, domestic, and industrial scale waste to energy conversion can enhance the economic sustainability of waste management process by offering useful energy substitutes for fossil fuels and enhanced energy security through decentralisation of generation. Whereas sustainable development has social, economic, and environmental pillars, energy sustainability is best analysed by five-dimensional approach consisting of environmental, economic, social, technical, and institutional/political sustainability to determine energy resource sustainability. The study recommends the adoption of sustainability-based planning for energy development and optimisation of electricity generation and supply where energy sources are analysed and ranked based on the five dimensions of energy sustainability instead of Least Cost Development Planning (LCDP) often applied by many countries. On this basis, the sustainable energy transition and optimisation of power generation will rely on both renewable and non-renewable energy since both have an important role in the realisation of the energy transition plans even though the desire is to shift entirely to renewable energy sources by the year 2050. The sustainability of various energy sources was assessed with hydrogen, wind, solar, sugarcane bagasse and cane trash, biogas and ocean energy technologies proving to be among the most sustainable renewable energy and sustainable sources. The study also examined various power plants and energy conversion systems for electricity generation in terms of their specific role and potential in grid-based power generation with hydro power plants, geothermal, nuclear, fuel cells, raking high on performance indicators like load and capacity factors making them ideal for base load power supply. Diesel engines and gas turbines using cogeneration and dual cycle systems powered by cleaner fuels like natural gas, hydrogen and biomethane will play an important role in supplying intermediate and peak load power. The study highlighted enabling technologies and concepts in the energy transition which include decentralisation of generation, cogeneration and trigeneration, demand side and behind the meter management microgrids and smart grid technologies, energy and generation planning and optimisation models, energy storage, electrification of transport and use of electric cars as decentralised electricity sources through the V2X technologies like the G2V and V2G, and carbon capture and sequestration for emissions reduction in fossil fuel power plants making them more sustainable. The study classifies electric vehicles as distributed power plants and variable loads with extensive use of energy storage while sugar cane bagasse is noted as a sustainable energy resource for power generation by cane sugar factories by application of more efficient grid connected cogeneration power plants. The study identified long project gestation period as the main factor limiting nuclear and geothermal energy deployment and recommends the adoption of modularised wellhead generators and small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) as a solution to enhance exploitation of these sustainable energy and technologies through faster deployment with high degree of flexibility. Biogas and biomethane demonstrated significant potential as renewable energy sources for power generation and substitute fuels in all applications of fossil natural gas. The study recommends sustainability-based planning for the energy sector and power generation and use of both renewable and non-renewable but sustainable sources of energy, adoption of smart energy concept by all sectors and investment in energy technology and infrastructure development for hydrogen and other promising energy sources like ocean thermal, wave and tidal energy and the conversion of the transition from the traditional to smart grid systems and a shift from centralised to decentralised power generation. Since the transport sector accounts for a significant portion of the global greenhouse gas emissions, electrification of the transport sector and coupling with the power sector is a key strategy recommended for the transition with the smart grid and microgrids playing an enabling role. Since energy sources and generation technologies have associated emissions occurring at different sections of the lifecycle, the use of lifecycle costs and emissions are helpful in long term energy and generation planning which demonstrate that renewable sources and nuclear are the most sustainable when analysed within the five dimensions of energy sustainability, but with the non-renewable sources playing a critical role as dispatchable sources for sustainable grid power generation, while the smart grids and use of energy storage can increase the uptake of variable renewables to as high as 95% to 100% up from a low of 20-25% uptake of variable renewables with the traditional grid. This will significantly help the world in achieving the global emissions and climate targets as. stipulated in the Paris Agreement as well as the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Graphical Abstract The overall objective of the study was to provide solutions to build global energy systems based on renewable and sustainable energy resources and optimise power generation and consumption by use of sustainable energy resources and generation technologies based on the five dimensions of energy sustainability. A sustainable energy system should intergrade electricity and other sectors through smart electricity grids, smart gas grids and smart heat grids as demonstrated below.

China's provincial-level sustainable energy transition requires accelerating renewable energy technological innovation

There is growing awareness that climate change will have a substantial impact on countries' economic and financial development and the risks of financial institutions unless there are urgent mitigating actions taken to intervene and minimize these risks. An important factor in this respect is the agreement reached in Paris in December 2015 to reduce CO2 emissions in order to curb the increase in the rise in the average temperature to acceptable, minimally damaging levels, i.e. well below 2 degrees Celsius in 2030, and preferably only 1.5 degrees. This inevitably means that the composition of the demand for energy, and thus supply, will change. Fossil-fuel producing countries in the Gulf region and elsewhere are becoming increasingly aware of the need to gradually manage a diversification of their economies to reduce dependency on hydrocarbon revenues. The recent low oil prices have underscored the importance of this strategy. At the same time, energy consuming economies such as Europe, but also in Asia, are taking measures to reduce their dependency on hydrocarbons. There is a real possibility that intensively hydrocarbon consuming countries will have to take measures to comply with the climate targets set, by reducing the consumption of hydrocarbon significantly. Harsh measures are in particular needed when these countries start changing their policies relatively late. This risk is particularly important now, with low oil and gas prices, as these countries do not have an incentive to change their behavior in the short term. For the medium to long term it is possible that both hydrocarbon consuming and producing countries will be confronted with large negative economic consequences as a result of this. Hydrocarbon consuming countries will not be able to satisfy the demand for energy, as a switch to renewable energy sources will not be possible in a short period of time. At the same time, hydrocarbon producing countries will be deprived of an important market and oil and gas reserves will reduce in value substantially. This will also potentially have a negative impact on the shareholder value of major and supermajor independent oil and gas companies, especially important where this also underpins many developed economies. Further, innovation into renewables – which is happening at a massive scale - may allow energy consuming countries to switch more easily to these alternative forms of energy, despite the low oil and gas price. This scenario might be beneficial for fossil fuel consuming countries, but not at a global level. Indeed, in this scenario, the capacity of hydrocarbon producing countries to sell oil and gas to energy consuming countries will be adversely impacted. This scenario might not only have an adverse economic impact on the Gulf region but might also lead to political and social destabilization. Such a scenario might materialize in a relatively short span of time if no action is taken to create acceptable, commercially viable technology solutions that enable an orderly minimally damaging transition to a low carbon world. Texas A&M University in Qatar (TAMUQ) and Maastricht University in the Netherlands (UM) have initiated work to embark on a joint programme with respect to the energy transition challenge focusing on how to ensure an orderly, sustainable and benign energy transition scenario, beneficial for both hydrocarbon consuming and producing countries. It is based upon a minimally disruptive scenario where hydrocarbon consuming countries will continue to consume oil and gas, while GCC countries will continue to produce and sell hydrocarbon for a considerable time to come. In addition, climate targets will be achieved and GCC countries will have sufficient time for their diversification policies to be implemented.

Promoting green taxation and sustainable energy transition for low-carbon development

Local energy communities (LECs) are instruments that foster citizen-driven sustainable energy transition, since they manage the generation, exchange and distribution of clean energy. To achieve sustainable energy transitions, there is a need to engage citizens towards achieving fair, just, and inclusive energy management. However, citizen engagement in LECs is challenged by inconsistent design, inadequate local capacity and low public trust in governmental processes, ultimately undermining their efficiency. Existing research on LECs mostly focuses on raising awareness on deployment and acceptance of sustainable energy transition. Hitherto, there are fewer studies that explore renewable energy policy, management and social aspects, and energy participatory approaches in LECs. To this end, a qualitative review was carried out to identify current and imminent challenges and guidelines to be employed for inclusive governance structures needed to engage citizens in sustainable energy initiatives. Moreover, grounded in participatory designs, this study examines management and social barriers that influence citizen participation and engagement in community energy initiatives. Implications from this study contribute towards understanding the importance of community engagement in sustainable energy transition. The findings examine how citizen engagement or the lack thereof ultimately guides the outcome of renewable energy projects in LECs. Additional findings from this article explore the role of citizen participation for community-driven sustainable energy transitions to support the co-creation of clean energy characterized by a high level of energy consumer involvement in LECs.

Pathways for sustainable energy transition

Chapter 15 - Making green finance work for the sustainable energy transition in emerging economies

South Africa's electricity sector is currently pursuing a transition to sustainable energy. This paper aims to analyze the various frameworks pertaining to sustainability transitions, and more specifically, sustainable energy transitions (SETs); to subsequently develop a set of criteria for the South African regime by which to measure the country's progress towards sustainability (in the energy sector) throughout the transition pathway. SETs are vastly complex and require multi-disciplinary approaches to address societies' developmental and economic growth needs, while simultaneously addressing climate change challenges and resource constraints. Sustainability transition frameworks address multiple issues, such as: the link between energy production and consumption, and the economy; the move to sustainable technology adoption from socio-technical contexts; as well as a paradigm shift for policy-making and various other aspects that need to be addressed when transitioning to sustainability. From these insights, a set of criteria consisting of seven aspects for South Africa's electricity sector regime were developed, which includes: energy efficiency, CO2 emission reduction, economic competitiveness, supply security and generation, resilience, innovation and technology, and politics and public acceptance.