Energy Infrastructure Projects Research Articles

Mainstreaming systematic climate action in energy infrastructure to support the sustainable development goals

The energy sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 37% of the world’s combined emissions, and plays a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. However, there is no systematic means for planners and practitioners to integrate climate considerations throughout the lifecycle of energy infrastructure projects. Using a thematic document analysis, we provide a comprehensive list of activities related to climate mitigation and adaptation which can be systematically mainstreamed into the energy sector project lifecycle to support a range of sustainable development outcomes. Two renewable energy projects were used to integrate the results into a practical context and demonstrate the range of potential SDG target synergies. The case studies demonstrate the varied means by which climate action can be integrated through mainstreaming in project lifecycle stages, holistically achieving wider SDG impacts. This work provides a practical means to maximise progress within the framework of climate-compatible development.

Effect of Project Management Process on Performance of Energy Infrastructure Projects in Rwanda

Effect of Project Management Process on Performance of Energy Infrastructure Projects in Rwanda

Effect of Project Management Process on Performance of Energy Infrastructure Projects in Rwanda

Effect of Project Management Process on Performance of Energy Infrastructure Projects in Rwanda

The support of Multilateral Development Banks to renewable energy projects in developing countries

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are extensively involved in the Paris Climate Agreement and play a key role in climate finance. However, the amounts recently channeled to carbon-based projects may raise doubts about this involvement. This empirical approach seeks to explore whether MDB participation actually favors renewable energy projects in developing countries, aligning with their commitment to this Agreement. An empirical analysis is conducted to explore the determinants of MDBs’ participation in energy infrastructure projects developed in 64 countries using data from 2011 to 2018 obtained from the World Bank’s Private Participation in Infrastructure Database. The results reveal that MDBs’ participation is higher in renewable energy projects, confirming their commitment to clean energy; however, this is not confirmed by the amount of financial support provided.

Tracing the downfall of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

AbstractThe Nord Stream 2 pipeline, widely considered as one of the most contentious energy infrastructure projects ever built, has garnered substantial scholarly and media attention over the course of its seven‐year existence. This narrative review examines key publications in different scholarly fields. It also tracks the evolution of the project, with the aim of explaining its ultimate demise. This overview relies on a comprehensive range of scholarly research, analyses, and news reports. First, concerns that dominated the debate on Nord Stream 2 are identified in the literature. This is followed by a detailed examination of the pivotal events—including the Polish regulator's decision, the delayed Danish permit, the revised European Union regulation, and the US sanctions—that contributed to the timing of the construction of the pipeline. Ultimately, Moscow's actions in February 2022 dealt a fatal blow to the project, which was further aggravated by sabotage 7 months later. Taken together, these developments ensured that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was never utilized, and it currently remains partially damaged and unused at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Scholars have extensively utilized this project as a lens to explore broader trends, highlighting its significance as a prism for understanding complex (energy) politics.This article is categorized under: Energy and Power Systems > Energy Infrastructure Policy and Economics > Security Policy and Economics > Governance and Regulation Policy and Economics > Energy Transitions

MAXIMIZING ALLOY PIPELINE LIFESPAN IN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE: A REVIEW

Energy infrastructure systems’ efficient and reliable operation relies heavily on alloy pipelines’ integrity and lifespan. These pipelines serve as vital conduits for transporting various energy resources, and ensuring their longevity is crucial for maintaining sustainable and safe energy practices. This research paper presents a comprehensive review of strategies to maximize the lifespan of alloy pipelines in energy infrastructure. The paper begins with an introduction highlighting the significance of alloy pipelines in the energy sector and the importance of extending their operational lifespan. A thorough literature review explores existing research on alloy pipelines, corrosion, erosion, stress, and temperature factors that influence their degradation. The selection of appropriate materials and alloys for pipeline construction is analyzed, considering their mechanical, chemical, and corrosion-resistant properties. Corrosion is identified as a major challenge affecting the durability of alloy pipelines. Various corrosion mitigation strategies, such as protective coatings, cathodic protection, and inhibitors, are discussed in detail. The role of advanced monitoring and inspection techniques, including ultrasonic testing and predictive maintenance, in identifying potential issues and ensuring timely repairs is examined. Operational and maintenance best practices are emphasized to avoid premature pipeline failure. Case studies are presented to demonstrate successful implementations of strategies that have prolonged the lifespan of alloy pipelines in energy infrastructure projects. Additionally, the paper discusses future directions and challenges, identifying areas that require further research and development. The findings of this research highlight the importance of proper alloy selection, corrosion management, and regular maintenance in maximizing the lifespan of alloy pipelines in energy infrastructure. The proposed strategies and insights are expected to contribute to the sustainability and efficiency of the energy industry while addressing the pressing need to minimize environmental impacts and ensure a secure energy supply.

Mapping Risk Strategy of Social Stability Risk Considering Causal Relationships for Energy Infrastructure Projects

Mapping Risk Strategy of Social Stability Risk Considering Causal Relationships for Energy Infrastructure Projects

Follow the Grid, Follow the Violence: The Project for a Transregional Mediterranean Electricity Ring

This paper draws on the project for a Mediterranean electricity ring to study questions of structural violence and exclusion. It focuses on how forms of containment at different sites of the envisaged ring connect with energy connectivities enabled by transregional electricity flows. It illustrates how seemingly local manifestations of violence at different nodes of the ring are not a testimony to the incompleteness of ongoing (energy) infrastructure projects, but instead an interconnected and distinct part of the latter. Specifically, it discusses the greenwashing of authoritarian power and colonial occupation, extractivism, climate, and anti-refugee violence. While trans-Mediterranean electricity interconnections enable the greater integration of renewables and may lead to more sustainable energy futures, they are also illustrative of the desire to find new ways to bypass and/or contain Arab populations, as well as refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean. The project for a transregional Mediterranean electricity ring both creates new connectivities and reinforces violent forms of containment while staging European sovereignty in and beyond the Mediterranean. It hides and thereby reproduces (colonial) violence behind a façade of common futures and interconnectivity for all, which reveals itself as deeply exclusionary and Eurocentric.

The Role of International Engagement in Greening China’s Belt and Road Initiative

ABSTRACTAs China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has emerged as the largest public financier for energy infrastructure projects worldwide, concerns about the environmental and climate impacts of such projects have led to mounting international pressure on the Chinese government to ‘green’ its investment practices. This paper examines the understudied role of international engagement, and of specific international actors, in greening China’s BRI. We propose two discrete models of engagement which serve as a means of understanding the role that international actors have played in greening China’s BRI: (1) through direct engagement that influences individual project outcomes; and (2) through indirect engagement that shapes China’s broader policies and investment practices. We also identify factors that have constrained the role of international influence, including the absence of an influential Chinese international development agency. Finally, we propose opportunities for international engagement with China regarding its overseas investment practices.

A causal network approach using a community well-being framework for an initial impact assessment of large-scale energy infrastructure projects

Impact assessment as a discipline continues to evolve and search for ways to address challenges that are wicked, systemic, and unconventional. More guidance however is required on integrating multi-disciplinary and novel approaches without losing the richness of impact assessments. This paper explores integrating the causal network approach, underpinned by a community well-being framework, into environmental and social impact assessments. We do this by using a hypothetical scenario of large-scale green hydrogen industry in Australia and engage an interdisciplinary team of experts representing a broad experience across the social, economic, and environmental sectors, via interviews and a workshop. The result is a complex detailed causal network, depicting both environmental and social risks and opportunities associated with the hydrogen industry. We discuss using simple and complex versions of causal networks as both are needed to when communicatng with all relevant stakeholders. We found that the causal network approach is useful for the initial scoping of potential social and environmental impacts, especially for a multi-disciplinary team. Three areas were identified to further strengthen such an approach to facilitate a fully-fledged impact assessment in a real case. First, causal relationships need to be evaluated to assess the magnitude of the impacts and identify mitigation measures and incentives. Second, stakeholders, including local communities, should be involved throughout the assessment process, beginning from the conceptualisation of such assessments. Third, the causal network approach presented in this paper is likely to benefit from incorporating ecological frameworks (or similar) to expand environmental pathways in the network.

Large-scale hydropower impacts and adaptation strategies on rural communities in the Amazonian floodplain of the Madeira River

Understanding social and environmental impacts and household adaptation strategies in the face of expansions in energy infrastructure projects is essential to inform mitigation and interventions programs that promote well-being. Here we conducted surveys in seven communities distributed across varying degrees of proximity to a hydropower dam complex in the Brazilian Amazon along about 250 km of the floodplain of the Madeira River. Based on interviews with 154 fishers from these communities, we examine how fishers perceived changes in fisheries yields, changes in the composition of fish species, and whether and how adaptation strategies had evolved 8–9 years after the dams' construction. Most respondents (91%) indicated declines in yields after the dams for both upstream and downstream zones. Multivariate analyses revealed statistically significant differences in the composition of species yields in pre-and post-dam periods for all communities and in both upstream and downstream zones (p < 0.001). The composition of yields diversified after the dams, with an apparent decline in yields of species of greatest market value (e.g., catfishes Brachyplatystoma spp., Pseudoplatystoma spp., and jatuarana Brycon spp.), and increases in yields of a set of other smaller bodied and faster growing species (e.g., ‘branquinhas’ Psectrogaster spp., Potamohinna spp., and sardines Triportheus spp.). Both downstream and upstream fishers indicated that fishing profits decreased since the dams' construction (76.8% and 67.9%, respectively). To cope with these changes, the majority of both upstream and downstream fishers (>70%) stated they have had to devote more time to fishing after the dams were built. The time fishers spend traveling to fishing locations also increased for upstream communities (77.1%), but not for downstream communities. Thirty-four percent of the interviewees changed the gear they use to fish after the dams construction, with twice as many mentioning uses of non-selective gear, such as gillnets, and declining use of traditional fishing gears such as castnets and a trap (“covi”). Fish consumption overall decreased: fish was consumed ‘everyday’ before the dams, but 1–2 times per week or rarely after the dams were built. Although the species that declined were those of high economic value, 53% of fishers stated fish prices have increased overall after the dams. These results shed light on the potential challenges faced by fishers and which adaptation strategies they have evolved to maintain livelihoods since the construction of the dams.

Prefiguring politics: transregional energy infrastructures as a lens for the study of authoritarian practices

ABSTRACT Transregional energy infrastructure projects connect regions anew and envisage borderless energy flows. Building on prior work on technopolitics and the practice-turn in research on authoritarian power, we develop a political economy approach to the effects of transnational energy infrastructure expansion. This contribution asks what role transregional authoritarian practices in energy infrastructure expansion play for the limitation of opportunities for contestation and how they prefigure politics. We argue that contemporary energy infrastructure projects remove opportunities for democratic contestation, and fix specific energy futures in place, while preventing others. As material expressions of specific visions of the future, large-scale transnational energy infrastructures alter and hinder democratic decision-making. They shape the context within which infrastructural politics are imagined and realized, thereby enabling, blocking, or containing attempts at transitioning towards sustainable futures. Finally, we briefly zoom in on select project sites and actors in two transregional electricity infrastructure projects, SIEPAC and MedRing.

The long shadow of the developmental state: energy infrastructure and environmental sustainability in Southeast Asia

Energy infrastructure is a major factor in Southeast Asia’s current drive for enhanced connectivity. By focusing on the construction of hydropower dams and coal-fired power plants, this article examines the environmental sustainability of energy projects in the region. Based on an analytical framework informed by historical institutionalism and practice theory, I argue that the implementation of large-scale energy infrastructure projects by investors from China, Japan, South Korea and, to a lesser extent, Thailand and Malaysia is driven by path dependencies and the developmental practices these countries established as developmental states at the time of their own economic takeoff. These legacies explain why ongoing energy projects in the region suffer from a severe lack of environmental sustainability.

Detailed mapping of protected species distribution, an essential tool for renewable energy planning in agroecosystems

The current development of renewable energy infrastructure (EI) can lead to an irreversible loss of biodiversity, but negative impacts can be minimised through effective planning. As a case study, we identify the essential areas for the conservation of a globally threatened bird, the great bustard (Otis tarda). We used 21,296 observations and the Kernel method to calculate the home-range area of the world's largest population of this species. The home-range area (11,142 km2) is highly fragmented in small habitat patches (n = 240 areas, mean = 46.42 km2). A large fraction (55.8 %) of this area is outside Special Protection Areas, thus being highly vulnerable to new EI developments. We identified 842.241 km of transport power lines (>50 kV) that intersect with great bustard home-ranges, and therefore may cause collision fatalities of up to 2.46 individuals per km and year. Undergrounding these lines, as well as any other planned lines, is a priority to reduce bird mortality. If EI projects are not well planned, a significant loss of agro-steppe habitat can occur (32.2 % in our control area). We strongly suggest that planning of new EI should take into account the home-range area and flight movements of agro-steppe threatened birds, both inside and outside SPAs. In general, EI projects are assessed on a case-by-case basis, without considering the synergistic effects of all projects that can affect protected species in a region. This work illustrates how large-scale mapping of endangered species is essential for an effective planning of EI.

An assessment of the implications of disruptive technologies on the performance of energy infrastructure projects in Ghana

PurposeThe demand for energy infrastructure projects has increased steadily over the last few decades and has come at a high cost. Disruptive technologies (DTs) have the inherent capability to affect the performance of energy infrastructure projects. Therefore, this research aims to explore the implications of DTs on the performance of energy infrastructure projects.Design/methodology/approachThis research adopts a positivist philosophical position. A quantitative strategy and deductive approach (based on a survey design) guided this study. Sixty-six respondents participated in the study. The study’s population comprised of experts in energy infrastructure projects who possessed a high level of industrial experience including top- and middle-level management of power generation companies. Cochran’s formula was used to select a sufficient sample for the study. Linear regression, one sample test and Cronbach’s alpha were the analytical tools adopted.FindingsThis study established that there is an 18.4% increase in the performance of energy infrastructure projects in Ghana when DTs are applied. In order of importance, DTs improve speed of operations in energy projects; reduce operating cost and enhance efficiency of energy projects; drive sustainable economic development; enhance security in energy projects; and improve environmental sustainability of projects. The study also revealed that e-commerce technologies, renewable energy technologies, three-dimensional printing, bar code technology, photogrammetry, global positioning systems, geographic information systems and nanotechnologies were the topmost ranked DTs with the most impact on the performance of energy infrastructure projects.Originality/valueThis is a novel investigation on the implications of DTs on the performance of Ghanaian energy infrastructure projects. This study’s practical implication is evident in both policy and practice. Energy sector policymakers should endeavour to adopt DTs in their operations to enhance sustainability and performance.

Corporate green Sukuk issuance for sustainable financing in Indonesia

Green Sukuk is a source of financing that supports the SDGs. Climate change, the growth of the Islamic finance industry, and the rise of socially responsible investing could make green Sukuk a vital tool for financing clean energy and sustainable infrastructure projects. Many studies have identified its potential and advantages. However, no companies have issued green corporate Sukuk in Indonesia yet. The purpose of this study is to determine the potential and main problems of issuing corporate green Sukuk in Indonesia, along with possible solutions and strategies. The research method used is the analytic network process (ANP). In this study, respondents are experts in the field of green Sukuk (involved experts were from academia, project actors, and regulators). The results of the study indicate that the first destination that has the potential to be financed with green corporate Sukuk is renewable energy. At the same time, the main problem is the lack of understanding from market participants. In terms of solutions, the incentive provided by the government is the best to encourage the issuance of green corporate Sukuk. Moreover, the first strategy is to issue green corporate Sukuk with ijarah contracts. From the research results, it is hoped that the Indonesian government can be more aggressive in providing incentives to green project actors.

Pretend Participation: Procedural Injustices in the Madeira Hydroelectric Complex

Energy infrastructure projects have long been associated with a lack of participation by impacted, local populations—this history is evident in the case of hydropower projects in the Global South. Ever since the World Commission on Dams’ Report (WCD 2000), there has been substantive evidence, and numerous recommendations, that have called on governments, financial agencies and construction companies to increase community engagement and participation in dam construction and in their governance thereafter. Further, community groups, activists, and scholars have long articulated the need for participatory governance in energy projects. In this analysis, we evaluate participation in institutionalized mechanisms provided by dam builders—such as public meetings and negotiations—in Brazil’s Madeira hydroelectric complex. We evaluate how perceptions of positive and negative impacts, among other factors, predict engagement, estimating a series of logit models based on a social survey of 673 households carried out in 2019/20. Perceptions of negative and positive impacts of the dams before construction are related to participation in the meetings promoted by dam builders. Yet our results also imply that participation was rare, fleeting, and insufficient and points to the need to ensure community engagement and governance to ensure energy justice in future dam projects in Brazil and elsewhere.

A modelling-based assessment of EU supported natural gas projects of common interest

Between 2013 and 2020 the EU set up a complex institutional system to select and support the implementation of energy infrastructure projects that are of European interest (PCIs). EUR 1.4 billion EU support was awarded to 16 natural gas projects between 2014 and 2019, most of them are still under construction. With the decarbonization agenda emerging, fossil investments have a limited lifetime to recover their investment. To assess the net socio-economic benefits of the gas PCI projects a modelling-based cost benefit analysis was applied. Results revealed that the cross-border projects that were implemented so far have a joint socio-economic benefit/cost ratio (B/C) above 1 even in the most conservative scenario setups. The ones with a final investment decision would need to face a high gas price environment in the future to push the B/C above 1, which is the reality since 2021. The other projects on the full EU list of PCIs are not beneficial as a single group, as they serve similar needs. Some individual non-FID projects are though promising.

Whether China's overseas energy infrastructure projects dirtier or cleaner after the belt and road initiative?

We evaluated whether China's overseas investments in energy infrastructure were dirtier or cleaner after the Belt and Road Initiative than those of other countries with similar project and host country characteristics. We used the energy infrastructure project data from the World Bank's private participation in infrastructure database, which allows comparison among countries of investment and controls for the influences of host countries' demand. Our main findings are as follows. First, during our sample period from 2006 to 2019, the average investment volume of projects funded by China was significantly higher overall including in conventional energy projects, compared to those with other financial sources and similar features. Second, after the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the volume of projects invested in by China was comparatively smaller in conventional energy projects but larger in renewable energy projects. Third, the choice of technology type in energy projects reflected path dependency effects on both the investment and host countries' sides. Nevertheless, after the Belt and Road Initiative, China had actively begun to break away from these effects, investing more in clean energy overseas.

Selection of Smart Grids Projects of Common Interest—Past Experiences and Future Perspectives

This paper discusses the authors’ experience gained with the selection of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) in the thematic area of smart grids deployment, in the context of the TEN-E Regulation. It presents the framework for assessing candidate electricity smart grids for inclusion in the European Union list of PCIs, in view of the TEN-E Regulation and the existing literature on assessment methodologies for energy infrastructure projects. It also provides an overview of smart grid projects included in the PCI lists, with the aim to shed light on the types of projects and their contribution to accelerating the development of European cross-border energy infrastructure projects to respond to EU energy and climate targets. The paper concludes with discussion of recent regulatory initiatives and their potential implications on the presented methodology.