The Renewable Energy Production Capability of Settlements to Meet Local Electricity and Transport Energy Demands

Balázs Kulcsár,Piroska Gyöngyi Ailer,Tamás Mankovits

doi:10.3390/su13073636

Abstract

In addition to the examination of electric power from local renewables, this study has sought the answer to the question of what proportion of vehicles are fueled by environmentally friendly energy saving technologies in the vehicle fleets of Hungarian settlements. Further, the study attempts to shed light on the self-sufficiency of Hungarian settlements with respect to the electricity and transport segments. In our assessments, the performance of small-scale household power plants (SSHPPs) utilizing local renewable energy sources, and small-scale power plants with installed capacities under 0.5 MW, was taken into account, as were the proportions of vehicles operating with partly or completely clean energy sources in the vehicle fleets of the individual settlements. Finally, the composition of the vehicle fleet has been examined in the light of the quantities of renewable electricity generated in the individual settlements, in order to consider whether these settlements are capable of covering the energy needs of their vehicle stocks from local sources. In the light of the results, the changes generated by the incentives and investments introduced over the past ten years can be established and subsequently, the energy policy needs in the future can be assessed. Our study has incorporated energy geography and settlement geography aspects.

Highlights

Alongside meeting the ever-increasing energy needs of humanity, the energy industry is facing significant challenges in counteracting global warming
I.e., the shift to renewable energy carriers with the elimination of the use of fossil fuels, would be impossible to achieve from one moment to another, but the increasingly pessimistic climate change forecasts operate as drivers of faster action
The aim of the study was to determine the proportion of vehicles partly or fully operated with clean energy sources in the vehicle fleets of Hungarian settlements, as well as understanding the progress made by Hungarian settlements towards the implementation of self-sufficiency in the light of their vehicle stocks

Summary

Introduction

Alongside meeting the ever-increasing energy needs of humanity, the energy industry is facing significant challenges in counteracting global warming. A significant part of these energy needs together with the associated detrimental effects can be attributed to settlements, and it is evident that efforts have to be taken to produce energy locally, too. Fossil energy sources still dominate the Hungarian energy balance, and the majority is imported. A priority should be to increase the share of locally produced renewable energy sources in the Hungarian energy mix. In Hungary, the energy transition process was initiated relatively late; despite this, significant achievements have been made in the past 10 years, principally by making electricity production carbonneutral [1]. At the European level, there is a wide negative gap [2]

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Results