Energy Demand Research Articles

Can Europe recover its photovoltaic manufacturing capacity?

Can Europe recover its photovoltaic manufacturing capacity? Antonio Urbina, from the Department of Sciences and Institute for Advanced Materials and Mathematics (INAMAT2), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), based at Pamplona in Spain, investigates whether Europe can recover its capacity for photovoltaic manufacturing. The energy transition is contributing worldwide to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the leading cause of climate change. This has been achieved, despite a continually increasing energy demand in all economic sectors, by an impressive growth of installed renewable capacity, the rapid electrification of some sectors (home heating, transport) and more efficient energy use.

A Review of CiteSpace Visualisation and Analysis of High-Temperature Corrosion Inhibitors for Oil and Gas Fields

With the increasing global energy demand, the exploitation depth of oil and gas fields is gradually increasing. At the same time, importing many high-acid crude oil makes it increasingly heavy and inferior, and its acid value is constantly improving. This change has led to the increasingly severe corrosion problem of oil and gas field equipment, which has become an essential factor affecting the national economy and society's sustainable development. As an economical and practical anticorrosion measure, corrosion inhibitors play a crucial role in the anticorrosion of oil and gas field equipment. Through the research method of biorientation, retrieve the Web of Science database in 2008-2024 about oil and gas field high-temperature corrosion inhibitor research literature information, using CiteSpace measurement analysis software visual analysis in the literature keywords, publications, high citation frequency, cooperation and word clustering information change trend, analyze the research situation of oil and gas field in recent years, summarizes the research hotspot of oil field high-temperature corrosion inhibitor, prominent authors and institutions, reference relationship and development trend. The number of documents on high-temperature corrosion inhibitors in oil and gas fields is smaller, and the authors, institutions, and countries are not closely related. There is less research cooperation on high-temperature corrosion inhibitors in oil and gas fields, and more independent studies exist. China University of Petroleum has the first number of publications, and China is the country with the first number of publications. The study of mass spectrometry for corrosion inhibitors in oil and gas fields is prominent, while the literature on high-temperature corrosion inhibitors is rare.

Sustainability of Indonesia's transportation sector energy and resources demand under the low carbon transition strategies

– The transportation sector is Indonesia's largest energy demand sector and has rapidly increased over the last decade, consuming more than 2.4 million TJ in 2022. With most of this energy coming from fossil fuels, the government has set policies to reduce the sector's climate impacts. This study examines the impact of these policies on the future energy demand, the resources needed, and the limiting factors to the implementation. Our results show that the policies can decrease energy demand from the transportation sector, but there will be shifts in the primary energy mix. Coal will be more in demand than gasoline in the future even under the 31 % renewables goal. The demand for critical minerals would also be substantial following the increase in renewables. While Indonesia has one of the largest nickel reserves, it would still require other critical minerals that could threaten Indonesia's energy security. Furthermore, the massive land use required to meet the renewables goals could be a limiting factor in achieving the set goals. This finding serves as valuable information for the policymakers when planning energy and resource supply to meet the emission target.

Spread efficiency of energy demand in the industrial chain: a perspective from economic distance

This paper investigates the spread efficiency of energy demand in the industrial chain based on the input-output method. The concept of intersectoral economic distance and spread efficiency was introduced to formulate the energy demand spread functions. Then, an empirical study was conducted based on China's 2017 input-output data and nearly 3,500 companies were listed in the Chinese A-share market. The results show that the sectoral average spread time is 32.75 days. Manufacturing plays a central role in the spread of energy demand. In the short term, the logistics sector has the greatest pulling effect on energy demand, while the electric power sector has the greatest impact on energy demand in the long term. Energy demand caused by exports is greater than consumption and investment. Finally, sectoral economic distances and actual spread functions for 9 main energy sources are provided to help us better predict energy demand.

Impact of urbanization, economic growth, FDI, and trade openness on energy demand in Ireland: An ARDL approach

Abstract This research study uses an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) paradigm to examine the effects of trade openness, urbanization, economic growth, and foreign direct investment (FDI) on energy demand in Ireland. This thorough theoretical framework anticipates a relationship between energy demand and trade, foreign direct investment, and urbanization. This study demonstrates both short- and long-run cointegration among the variables employing an ARDL (autoregressive distributed lag) bounds-testing method for the data set period from 1972 to 2021. Additionally, Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS), Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS), and Canonical Cointegrating Regression (CCR) were utilized in the study to verify the results' robustness. Nonetheless, this analysis discovers that trade openness and rising GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita increase energy consumption. The results show that for every 1% increase in GDP, energy consumption increases by 0.967%. On the flip side, energy consumption in Ireland is declining due to increased urbanization and foreign direct investment. The results show that for every 1% increase in urbanization, energy usage decreases by 1.738%. The investigation shows that Ireland's energy usage is strongly impacted by trade liberalization, FDI, urbanization, and economic expansion. Findings like these can help policymakers and stakeholders manage and optimize energy usage in the context of urbanization, economic expansion, foreign direct investment, and global trade. The report recommends sustainable energy planning and policy initiatives to strike a healthy balance between meeting the increasing demand for energy and protecting the environment.

Constructed wetlands combined with microbial fuel cells (CW-MFCs) as a sustainable technology for leachate treatment and power generation.

The physical and chemical treatment processes of leachate are not only costly but can also possibly produce harmful by products. Constructed wetlands (CW) has been considered a promising alternative technology for leachate treatment due to less demand for energy, economic, ecological benefits, and simplicity of operations. Various trends and approaches for the application of CW for leachate treatment have been discussed in this review along with offering an informatics peek of the recent innovative developments in CW technology and its perspectives. In addition, coupling CW with microbial fuel cells (MFCs) has proven to produce renewable energy (electricity) while treating contaminants in leachate wastewaters (CW-MFC). The combination of CW-MFC is a promising bio electrochemical that plays symbiotic among plant microorganisms in the rhizosphere of an aquatic plant that convert sun electricity is transformed into bioelectricity with the aid of using the formation of radical secretions, as endogenous substrates, and microbial activity. Several researchers study and try to find out the application of CW-MFC for leachate treatment, along with this system and performance. Several key elements for the advancement of CW-MFC technology such as bioelectricity, reactor configurations, plant species, and electrode materials, has been comprehensively discussed and future research directions were suggested for further improving the performance. Overall, CW-MFC may offer an eco-friendly approach to protecting the aquatic environment and come with built-in advantages for visual appeal and animal habitats using natural materials such as gravel, soil, electroactive bacteria, and plants under controlled condition.

Can Renewable Energy Be a Driving Factor for Economic Stability? An In-depth Study of Sector Expansion and Economic Dynamics

India has emerged as one of the world's most appealing locations for renewable energy development. It has set lofty renewable energy goals to reach 450 gigawatts (GW) capacity by 2030. These aims indicate India's determination to move to greener and more sustainable energy sources. India has been investing in R&D to promote technological innovation in renewable energy. This includes improvements to solar photovoltaic technology, wind energy, energy storage technologies, and smart grid systems. Innovation is critical for improving efficiency, lowering prices, and increasing the reliability of renewable energy sources. This paper aims to analyse the linkages between economic growth and renewable energy usage in India. For this, the Granger Causality technique is adopted, and it is found that no short-run causality exists among the economic growth and RE installed capacity. However, Industrial Production Granger Causes both GDP and Renewable Energy Capacity. When the stock price data of the last five years of top renewable energy companies was also collected, it was found that all the companies are showing an upward trend. While renewable energy is growing rapidly, especially solar and wind power, it is insufficient to meet the bulk of India's energy demands. Renewables contribute to reducing carbon emissions and diversifying the energy mix, but they still account for a smaller percentage compared to thermal power.

Transient stability enhancement of Beles to Bahir Dar transmission line using adaptive neuro-fuzzy-based unified power flow controller

A power system is a complex, nonlinear, and dynamic system, with operating parameters that change over time. Because of the complexity of big load lines and faults, high-voltage transmission power systems are usually vulnerable to transient instability concerns, resulting in power losses and increased voltage variation. This issue has the potential to cause catastrophic events such as cascade failure or widespread blackouts. This problem affects Ethiopia's high-voltage transmission power grid in the northwest area. Because of the increased demand for electrical energy, transmission lines' maximum carrying capacity should be enhanced to maintain a secure and uninterrupted power supply to consumers. To address the problem, ANFIS-based UPFC is used for high-voltage transmission lines. This device was chosen as the ideal alternative due to its capacity to rapidly correct reactive power on high-voltage transmission networks. The PSO algorithm was used to determine the best location for the UPFC. The ANFIS controller receives voltage error and rate of change of voltage error as inputs. Seventy percentage of the retrieved data are used for ANFIS training and 30% for ANFIS testing. To show the performance of the proposed controller, three-phase ground faults are used from a severity perspective. When a three-phase ground fault occurs at the midpoint of the Beles to Bahir Dar transmission line, for instance, the settling time of rotor angle deviation, rotor speed, rotor speed deviation, and output active power of synchronous generators using ANFIS-based UPFC is reduced by 70.58%, 37.75%, 37.75%, and 43.75%, respectively, compared to a system without UPFC. At peak load, PI-based UPFC and ANFIS-based UPFC reduce active power loss by 51.25% and 71.50%, respectively, compared to a system without UPFC on the Beles to Bahir Dar transmission line. In terms of percentage overshoot and settling time, ANFIS-based UPFC outperforms PI-based UPFC for transient stability enhancement.

Natural Gas Consumption Forecasting Based on Homoheterogeneous Stacking Ensemble Learning

Natural gas consumption is an important indicator of energy utilization and demand, and its scientific and high-accuracy prediction plays a key role in energy policy formulation. With the development of deep neural networks and ensemble learning, a homoheterogeneous stacking ensemble learning method is proposed for natural gas consumption forecasting. Firstly, to obtain the potential data characteristics, a nonlinear concave and convex transformation-based data dimension enhancement method is designed. Then, with the aid of a stacking ensemble learning framework, the multiscale autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and high-order fuzzy cognitive map (HFCM) methods are chosen as the base learner models, while the meta learner model is constructed via a well-designed deep neural network with long short-term memory (LSTM) cells. Finally, with the natural gas energy consumption data of national and 30 provinces (where the data of Xizang are unavailable) of China from 2000 to 2019, the numerical results show the proposed algorithm has a better forecasting performance in accuracy, robustness to noise, and sensitivity to data variations than the seven compared traditional and ensemble methods, and the corresponding model applicability rate could achieve more than 90%.

MCGDM approach based on (p, q, r)-spherical fuzzy Frank aggregation operators: applications in the categorization of renewable energy sources

The growing demand for energy, driven by population growth and technological advancements, has made ensuring a sufficient and sustainable energy supply a critical challenge for humanity. Renewable energy sources, such as biomass, solar, wind, and hydro, are inexhaustible and environmentally friendly, offering a viable solution to both the energy crisis and the fight against global warming. However, selecting the optimal renewable energy source remains a complex decision-making problem due to the varying characteristics and impacts of these sources. Motivated by the need for more accurate and nuanced decision-making tools in this domain, this paper introduces a novel multicriteria group decision-making (MCGDM) approach based on \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:(p,q,r)-$$\\end{document}spherical fuzzy Frank aggregation operators. By integrating Frank t-norm with \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:(p,q,r)-$$\\end{document}spherical fuzzy sets, we develop aggregation operators (AOs) that effectively manage membership, neutral, and non-membership degrees through parameters \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:p$$\\end{document}, \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:q$$\\end{document}, and \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:r$$\\end{document}. These AOs provide a more refined framework for decision-making, leading to improved outcomes. We apply this approach to evaluate and identify the superior and optimal renewable energy source using artificial data, demonstrating the advantages of the proposed operators compared to existing methods. This work contributes to the field by offering a robust tool for addressing the energy crisis and advancing sustainable energy solutions.

Preparation and investigation of structural, optical, and dielectric properties of PVA/PVP blend films boosted by MWCNTs/AuNPs for dielectric capacitor applications

With the rising global energy demands, there is a pressing need for the invention of efficient and reliable energy storage systems. This research centers on the creation and analysis of flexible dielectric capacitors composed of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), incorporating a blend of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as the base polymer, with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) serving as nanofillers. The AuNPs were produced through an environmentally friendly synthesis method. Films made from PVA/PVP blended with MWCNTs and AuNPs were fabricated using the casting approach. Various characterization methods, including TEM, XRD, FTIR, and UV–Vis spectroscopy, were utilized to evaluate the samples. A detailed analysis of their electrical/dielectric characteristics was conducted. XRD analysis revealed a significant decrease in crystallinity from 55% for the pure PVA/PVP blend to 37% for the 1.6 wt% nanofiller composite, indicating increased amorphous content, which facilitates better ion mobility. FTIR confirmed strong interactions between the polymer matrix and nanofillers, with intensified vibrational peaks pointing to enhanced molecular dynamics. UV–Vis spectroscopy demonstrated a red shift in the absorption edge, and Tauc plot analysis showed a reduction in the indirect/direct optical band gap from 4.84 eV/5.68 eV for the pure blend to 4.26/5.35 eV for the nanocomposite with 1.6 wt% nanofillers. The addition of nanofillers resulted in improvements in their dielectric features, which exhibited a significant performance improvement, with the dielectric constant (ε′) reaching approximately 1100 at low frequency for the 1.6 wt% nanofiller sample, compared to 9 for the pure blend. Additionally, the dielectric loss (ε'') and tangent loss (tan δ) were reduced, with tan δ showing a decrease from 15 for the pure blend to 2 for the 1.6 wt% nanofiller composite at low frequency, indicating enhanced dielectric efficiency and reduced energy dissipation. The capacitors' functionality was assessed through capacitance-frequency and conductance-frequency analyses. The capacitors exhibited stable high capacitance across a broad frequency spectrum, making them alternatives for energy storage solutions.

A review on modulation techniques of Quasi-Z-source inverter for grid-connected photovoltaic systems

Photovoltaic (PV) is a promising way to meet the increasing global energy demand due to its sustainability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. For the wide-scale adoption of PV systems, converters with reliable input sources, stable control strategies and appropriate modulation techniques must be designed. In the literature, various modulation techniques have been developed that help to boost the voltage of the PV modules by implementing shoot-through (ST) in which the upper and lower switches of an inverter conduct simultaneously and short-circuit occurs. Various optimised modulation techniques have been implemented to enhance its performance. Among those, the quasi-Z-source inverter (qZSI) has attracted much attention due to its ability to achieve higher conversion ratios for grid-connected PV applications. In this paper, a detailed comparison of the modulation schemes for the qZSI PV systems has been done to understand the trade-off and select the most suitable approach. Upon the selection of the space vector modulation with unique switching sequences and rearranging upper ST and lower ST states, the inverter can achieve ST with reduced switching losses. Furthermore, a 600 VA three-phase grid-connected system utilizing a three-level neutral-point-clamped qZSI topology is modulated and simulated. It has been demonstrated that the constant boost control offers good performance in terms of reduced voltage stresses on switches, lower total harmonic distortion, and hence, higher efficiency.

Harvesting low-grade wind energy from highways using a triboelectric nanogenerator

In an era of growing global energy demands, the exploration of niche energy harvesting methods is becoming increasingly important, and harnessing wind energy from highways presents a promising approach to sustainable infrastructure development given the high traffic of many roads. In this work, we report a cylindrical spinning TENG (CS-TENG) for low-grade wind energy harvesting from highways. Through empirical analysis and theoretical modeling, we investigate the feasibility of integrating CS-TENG devices along highway barriers to capture the wind energy generated by passing vehicles, which could contribute to powering streetlights and other road infrastructure in a more eco-friendly way. Our findings highlight broader societal and environmental benefits including enhancing road safety, traffic management, and energy sustainability. A single 100 mm tall CS-TENG device was tested with approximately 4 m/s wind speed and produced an open circuit voltage of 8 V and a short circuit current of 800 µA. This electrical output can be increased with an elevation in the device number, the device size, and improved material properties. This study contributes to the growing discourse on sustainable infrastructure solutions, inspiring further research and innovation in renewable energy harvesting for carbon neutrality.

Tuning the photocatalytic performance of halide perovskites for efficient solar hydrogen production: A DFT study of CsGeCl3-xXx (X= Br, I)

Photoelectrochemical water splitting holds immense potential for sustainable hydrogen production to address mounting energy demands. However, the development of efficient and cost-effective photocatalysts remains a significant challenge. Perovskites, recognized for their cost-effectiveness and tunable characteristics, show potential as viable candidates in this context. Our investigation is the first to mark the photocatalytic efficacy of CsGeCl3. The findings reveal a modest solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency of 0.74 % due to its wide bandgap energy. Halide mixing with iodine and bromine significantly improves the STH efficiencies, reaching approximately 8.47 %. In addition, applying uniaxial compressive stress further boosts the efficiency to 14.6 %. In this study, we employed the density functional theory (DFT) through the WIEN2k software to scrutinize the structural, electronic, optical, photocatalytic, and thermoelectric properties of all the studied structures. Furthermore, the study evaluated the compounds' capacity for CO2 photoreduction, susceptibility to degradation, and the influence of pH on their photocatalytic performance. The insights gained from this work contribute to the development of efficient and cost-effective perovskite-based photocatalysts for renewable hydrogen production.

ZnO-NaNO3 nanocomposites for solar thermal energy storage systems

High-temperature phase change materials (PCMs) with good energy storage density and thermal conductivity are needed to utilize solar thermal energy effectively to meet industrial thermal energy demands. Composite PCMs containing a material of higher thermal conductivity and an inorganic high-temperature PCM can be explored to meet these requirements. Accordingly, a high-temperature, composite inorganic PCM (ZnO-NaNO3) with enhanced thermophysical properties was prepared, and its energy storage potential was investigated experimentally. A maximum thermal conductivity enhancement of 22.7% was achieved at 200 °C for 2 wt% ZnO-NaNO3 nanocomposite. The increase in thermal conductivity at higher temperatures may be attributed to the formation of ordered sodium nitrate layers on the nanoparticle surfaces. The increase in surface area and surface energy due to the addition of ZnO nanoparticles increased the specific heat of the nanocomposite in both the solid and liquid phases (43.5% in the liquid phase for 2 wt% ZnO-NaNO3). Thus, the addition of ZnO nanoparticles to NaNO3 increased its energy storage capacity. The addition of ZnO nanoparticles to NaNO3 did not affect the onset, peak or endset temperature during melting and freezing. Moreover, 2 wt% ZnO-NaNO3 exhibited cyclic stability even after 500 cycles and thus has potential as an energy storage medium.

Investigating the feasibility of agro-waste briquettes as a sustainable energy source in Borno state Nigeria as pathways for post-conflict and instability recovery

The growing energy demand and lack of access to clean energy sources call for the development of more energy for cooking in households, briquettes produced using agricultural materials and related biomass have the capacity for utilization as an energy source. This study aims to introduce briquettes as an alternative energy source for cooking within conflict-affected communities in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, where factors relating to the high cost of charcoal, security constraints, and the environmental impact of tree cutting have sparked apprehension and raised concerns. The study demonstrates the likelihood of adopting briquettes as a cooking fuel alternative in communities recovering from insurgency. Using assessment tools such as household surveys, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), involving a total of 536 questionnaires administered to respondents; KII was administered to 37 respondents and 9 FGDs with cooperatives and dealers in traditional fuel were conducted. From the results 73% of the community relies on charcoal as their primary fuel source, since the majority (68.7%) appeared to be low-income households, 24.1% reported that the high cost of charcoal is a major hindrance to continued usage. However, despite the communities showing potential in briquettes, only 3.7% are aware of briquettes as an alternative option for cooking energy indicating the adoption of briquettes being low in the region. A situational assessment was carried and sensitization strategies were recommended as means to enhance livelihoods and build resilience within the community.

Reduction and structural modification of MoOx/γ-Al2O3 catalysts through acetic acid treatment for green diesel production from corn distiller’s oil

Enabling new environmentally-friendly resources for fuels and platform chemicals is crucial to fulfill our future energy demands while enhancing circularity. Corn distiller’s Oil (CDO) − as a coproduct of the ethanol industry, serves as a sustainable supply of carbon that may be converted into energy, fuels and specialty chemicals. A current challenge in using renewable oxygenated feedstocks is the high amount of coking and catalyst fouling that occurs. This study examined the hydrothermal deoxygenation of CDO into green diesel using molybdenum oxide (MoOx) catalysts in a continuous process without using any external hydrogen. The possibility of reduction and developing oxygen-deficient surfaces on molybdenum oxide (MoOx) catalysts through acetic acid treatment or adding ceria (CeO2) was investigated in order to enhance the acidity of catalysts as well as catalytic activity and stability required for the production of green diesel from CDO. Results showed that the acidity of these catalysts as measured by NH3 temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD) had a strong correlation between the degree of deoxygenation and catalyst stability. Acetic acid treatment of the 7.5 wt% MoO3/γ-Al2O3 catalyst reduced MoO3 to MoO3-x, increased the Mo5+ species from 8.7 % to 22 %, created Mo4+ species and increased the catalyst surface acidity in the range of low to moderate strength by approximately 17 %. The use of acetic acid-treated molybdenum oxide (Hac-7.5 wt% MoO3/γ-Al2O3) catalyst enabled nearly complete (99.9 %) deoxygenation of CDO and heavy hydrocarbons cracking to produce diesel-like fuels. A moderate increase in catalyst surface acidity by acetic acid treatment also increased the selectivity of diesel-like fuel through hydrocracking of long-chain hydrocarbons. This low-cost modification step of catalyst improvement is promising for industrial application. However, cracking of hydrocarbons generated amorphous coke (no graphitic coke was observed) on the catalyst surface, which required periodic removal by controlled calcination of the catalyst in presence of air for further use.

Research on the Application of New Energy Photovoltaic Power Generation Technology

With the rapid development of technology and economy, the demand for energy in society is increasing. People are gradually realizing that fossil energy is limited, and the development of new energy may also face situations where it cannot meet social needs. The problem of resource shortage is gradually exposed to people. Therefore, the development of usable new energy has become an urgent problem for society to solve. At present, electricity is the most widely used energy source worldwide and photovoltaic power generation technology is gradually becoming well-known. As an emerging industry, the development of photovoltaic power generation still requires continuous promotion by national and social policies to be extended to various industries and ensure the stability of its energy supply. This article mainly outlines the principles, characteristics, and advantages of photovoltaic power generation, and briefly explains the current technology types and application aspects of photovoltaic power generation to contribute to its promotion and better serve all aspects of social life with new energy.

Evaluating Microgrid Investments: Introducing the MPIR Index for Economic and Environmental Synergy

In view of the increasing environmental challenges and the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions, the optimization of microgrid systems with regard to economic efficiency and environmental compatibility is becoming ever more important. This paper presents the Microgrid Performance and Investment Rating (MPIR) index, a novel assessment framework developed to link economic and environmental objectives within microgrid configurations. The MPIR index evaluates microgrid configurations based on five critical dimensions: financial viability, sustainability, regional renewable integration readiness, energy demand, and community engagement, facilitating comprehensive and balanced decision making. The current cases focus on the area of Greece; however, the model can have a wider application. Developed using a two-target optimization model, this index integrates various energy sources—including photovoltaics, micro-wind turbines, and different types of batteries—with advanced energy management strategies to assess and improve microgrid performance. This paper presents case studies in which the MPIR index is applied to different microgrid scenarios. It demonstrates its effectiveness in identifying optimal configurations that reduce the carbon footprint while maximizing economic returns. The MPIR index provides a quantifiable, scalable tool for stakeholders, not only advancing the field of microgrid optimization, but also aligning with global sustainability goals and promoting the transition to a more resilient and sustainable energy future.

LCA comparativo en distintos escenarios del edificio NZEB El Salvador, estimación de CO2 para el desempeño térmico

The recent IPCC 2023 report reiterates that humansare responsible for global warming over the past 200 years, causing a rise temperature of 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels, as well as an increase in energy demand, which can be avoided with mitigation options, reducing its use in all sectors, especially in the building sector. One of the options is the design based on the NZEB concept, as it has been the case of the laboratory built on the UCA campus, using passive and active energy efficiency strategies, studying the interaction between construction systems and energy savings. One of the NZEB El Salvador project research objectives, was to study the thermal performance of different construction scenarios, therefore, the present work presents the results of the Life-cycle assessment(LCA) in three proposals for popular construction systems in El Salvador, regulated by the national regulatory framework, comparing them with the baseline of its current operation, through 3 iterative calculation tools: structural, thermal and carbon footprint estimation, managing to find importantfindings on how vernacular systems meet the NZEB standard. ILIA: Investigaciones Latinoamericanas en Ingeniería y Arquitectura, No. 01, 2024: 160-166.