National Energy Research Articles

Optimizing energy and carbon emissions in Egyptian residential buildings using simulation‐based EDGE standards

ABSTRACT Sustainable design focuses on enhancing environmental quality and improving indoor conditions while minimizing negative impacts. This study optimizes energy consumption and carbon emissions by examining the influence of building orientation and thermal insulation in Egyptian residential buildings. The objective is to identify the optimal thermal insulation thickness for building envelopes based on Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) standards. Simulations were performed in 11 cities (Aswan, Cairo, Alexandria, Hurgada, Sharm El Sheikh, Luxor, Port Said, El Dakhla, El Quesir, Ismailia, and Suez) spanning six climate zones with various facade orientations and climatic conditions. The results demonstrate that applying extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation reduces cooling energy consumption by 11% to 67%, influenced by climate conditions, local habits, and building orientation. Additionally, carbon emissions decrease by 3.9% to 11.26%, while annual cost savings per building range from 1,319 to 3,710 EGP, emphasizing the economic and practical benefits of sustainable practices. These findings provide essential guidelines for reducing energy demand and improving thermal efficiency in Egyptian residential buildings. The study’s insights contribute to urban planning strategies, national energy policies, global sustainability goals, and raising awareness of energy-efficient solutions, supporting energy-efficient design and fostering sustainable urban development across diverse regions and climatic environments effectively.

A roadmap for the utilization of renewable energy sources for the sustainable development of Turkey's electricity energy system

Turkey’s achievement of sustainable energy goals can be realized through the enhancement of renewable energy capacity and the strategic integration of nuclear energy. This study aims to promote the use of renewable energy sources and evaluate the impacts of integrating nuclear energy into the energy system to support Turkey’s sustainable energy objectives. Within the framework of the Turkish National Energy Plan, two scenario groups covering the 2025-2050 period were developed using the EnergyPLAN simulation program (version 16.22). The first scenario group focuses solely on the gradual increase of renewable energy capacity, while the second scenario group examines the effects of nuclear energy on energy security and carbon emissions. The results indicate that, in scenarios without nuclear energy, CO₂ emissions decrease by 28%, whereas, with the integration of nuclear energy, this reduction reaches 39%. This comprehensive assessment provides important recommendations that contribute to Turkey’s energy security and sustainable development strategies.

EXPERIENCE IN CREATING AND OPERATING ENERGY MONITORING SYSTEMS AT MUNICIPAL FACILITIES

The urgency of creating a national energy monitoring system in Ukraine is driven by the need for rational use of fuel and energy resources against the backdrop of current challenges, including the energy crisis caused by the military aggression of the Russian Federation. The introduction of such a system will ensure continuous monitoring and analysis of energy consumption at all levels: from government agencies to enterprises, institutions and organisations. The use of modern digital technologies to monitor the use of fuel and energy resources will help to promptly identify inefficient use of resources, reduce costs and improve environmental performance. In the context of Ukraine's integration into the European Union and achievement of sustainable development goals, a national energy monitoring system can become an important tool for fulfilling international commitments in the field of energy efficiency and sustainable development. Therefore, the creation of such a system is critical for ensuring the country's energy independence and sustainability. Object of research: energy management and energy monitoring systems, organisational and technical elements of the systems. Subject of the study: processes and mechanisms of the energy monitoring system, its impact on energy efficiency, energy security and the possibility of forming a national energy monitoring system. Research methods: analytical methods, questionnaire method. The practical significance of the results lies in the development of a national system for monitoring the efficiency of fuel and energy resources, the implementation of which will provide institutions and local governments with the necessary information to analyse resource use and further optimise energy consumption.

Implementing AI and Automation for Monitoring Complex Utility Data (NERC): Its Challenges and Recovery

The utility sector, particularly those adhering to North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) standards, is increasingly challenged by the exponential growth and complexity of data generated across its infrastructure. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation for monitoring such complex utility data offers a transformative approach to enhancing operational efficiency, ensuring regulatory compliance, and mitigating potential cyber and operational risks. This paper explores the implementation of AI-driven solutions and automated systems in NERC environments, highlighting their potential to streamline data analysis, detect anomalies, and optimize response times. However, the journey is not without challenges. Issues such as data silos, legacy system integration, skill gaps, and ethical considerations around AI adoption pose significant barriers. The paper also examines strategies for overcoming these challenges, emphasizing robust recovery mechanisms to maintain resilience against unforeseen failures. By presenting practical insights and case studies, this study provides a roadmap for leveraging AI and automation in complex utility data monitoring, ultimately supporting the critical mission of safeguarding the nation's energy infrastructure.

Study of the Potential of Forest Biomass for the Development of Wood Energy Sectors in Congo Brazzaville

This research explores the potential of residual forest biomass in Congo-Brazzaville to support sustainable energy transition and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the country’s heavy reliance on wood energy, which accounts for 85% of the energy mix, unsustainable practices threaten forest resources. Meanwhile, residues from logging and local wood processing, combined with the annual consumption of wood energy (firewood and charcoal), represent a significant amount of biomass which, if properly utilized, could generate greater social and environmental benefits than it currently does. A multidimensional approach was adopted to assess this potential. An interactive tool, the Biomass Cogeneration (CHP) Project Analysis System, was developed to model biomass flows, estimate energy production (thermal and electrical), and analyze environmental, economic, and logistical impacts. The results show that optimized utilization of forest residues could generate up to 591.7 MW of energy, representing 99% of the country’s installed energy capacity, while avoiding up to 240,005 tons of CO2 emissions annually. By promoting the use of biomass residues for cogeneration, this study supports national energy transition objectives and provides concrete solutions to integrate biomass as a strategic resource within Congo’s energy mix.

Scalable training of trustworthy and energy-efficient predictive graph foundation models for atomistic materials modeling: a case study with HydraGNN

We present our work on developing and training scalable, trustworthy, and energy-efficient predictive graph foundation models (GFMs) using HydraGNN, a multi-headed graph convolutional neural network architecture. HydraGNN expands the boundaries of graph neural network (GNN) computations in both training scale and data diversity. It abstracts over message passing algorithms, allowing both reproduction of and comparison across algorithmic innovations that define nearest-neighbor convolution in GNNs. This work discusses a series of optimizations that have allowed scaling up the GFMs training to tens of thousands of GPUs on datasets consisting of hundreds of millions of graphs. Our GFMs use multitask learning (MTL) to simultaneously learn graph-level and node-level properties of atomistic structures, such as energy and atomic forces. Using over 154 million atomistic structures for training, we illustrate the performance of our approach along with the lessons learned on two state-of-the-art US Department of Energy (US-DOE) supercomputers, namely the Perlmutter petascale system at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center and the Frontier exascale system at Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility. The HydraGNN architecture enables the GFM to achieve near-linear strong scaling performance using more than 2000 GPUs on Perlmutter and 16,000 GPUs on Frontier.

Does the subsidy policy for new energy vehicles increase the demand for commercial insurance?

The state vigorously develops the new energy automobile industry and launches the new energy automobile subsidy policy, at the same time, the commercial insurance industry is also developing rapidly, does the national new energy au-tomobile subsidy policy have a significant impact on the demand for urban commercial insurance? Based on the theoretical analysis of the impact of the subsidy policy on the demand for commercial insurance, this paper systemati-cally examines the impact of the subsidy policy on the demand for commercial insurance by constructing a multi-temporal double-difference model based on the subsidy pilot policy as a quasi-natural experiment. The results show that: the national new energy vehicle subsidy city pilot policy significantly improves ur-ban commercial insurance demand, air quality as a mediating variable affects the demand for commercial insurance in China, and the implementation of the national new energy vehicle subsidy city pilot policy significantly reduces the AQI of the pilot city and improves urban air quality, which in turn positively affects the demand for commercial insurance. This paper expands the research field of the impact of the new energy vehicle subsidy policy on the behavior of the commercial insurance industry, enriches the theoretical literature on the influencing factors of the development of the commercial insurance industry, and can provide empirical references for the management and adjustment of premiums and so on in the development of the commercial insurance industry.

Energy Communities Toward Sustainable Development: The Role of Economic Factors in a Social Analysis

ABSTRACTSustainable challenges have become a priority for governments and businesses seeking to advance the decarbonization process. Within national energy strategies, renewable energy communities (RECs) are emerging as a key mechanism for achieving not only environmental and economic goals—supported by incentive policies—but also social goals, as they actively engage citizens, businesses, and utility companies. The present study focused on the role played by citizens by conducting a social analysis based on an online survey across Italy, examining sustainable behaviors, habits, perceptions, and the economic dynamics of potential prosumers. The results showed that there is widespread concern about climate change; yet, this concern is not accompanied by an adequate level of information. In addition, respondents exhibited a preference for protective regulatory frameworks over full liberalization of the energy sector. Awareness of RECs remains limited, with only two‐thirds of the sample familiar with the concept. However, prior knowledge correlated with a greater inclination to participate in such communities. Economic factors (including sale prices, purchase prices, and exchange prices) played a crucial role in shaping respondents' willingness to engage with RECs, as they sought equilibrium among these financial elements. Ultimately, the economic component appears fundamental to the social acceptance of prosumerism, positioning RECs as a viable pathway toward sustainable development.

OPERATIONAL OPTIMIZATION OF COAL HANDLING FACILITY USING THEORY OF CONSTRAINT (TOC) AND STOCK AND FLOW MODELS

Coal remains one of the most cost-effective energy sources, playing a crucial role in Indonesia's national energy mix and making a significant contribution to national revenue. PT XYZ, a leading coal producer, recorded a total production of 41.94 million tons in 2023, with coal transportation reaching 32.42 million tons. For 2026, PT XYZ has set an ambitious target of producing and delivering 60 million tons. This projected increase in annual shipment volume is expected to place considerable pressure on PT XYZ's existing heavy equipment, particularly the Load Out system at the Coal Handling Facility (CHF). The current Load Out system at CHF 3, with a nominal capacity of 1,500 tons per hour (TpH) for each conveyor, is already operating near its maximum capacity. However, this capacity is projected to be insufficient to meet the 2026 target of 10 million tons, especially as demand continues to rise towards 2030 and beyond. As coal production and transportation demands increase, it is essential to assess whether the existing infrastructure can sustain this load without compromising operational efficiency or reliability. This study employs a supply chain capability analysis method, focusing on coal transportation logistics at Train Loading Station 3 (TLS103). The key findings highlight the need for strategic enhancements to the Loading system at CHF 3, particularly in increasing conveyor capacity and optimizing the operational configuration of TLS103. Through the calculation of the required tonnage per hour (TpH) needed to achieve the 2026 production target, this study identifies significant gaps in the current system that could hinder PT XYZ's ability to meet its goals. The results of this research will serve as recommendations for decision-making regarding capital investments and operational improvements.

Comprehensive Review of CRCPD Efforts in the Disposition of Disused Radioactive Sources.

The Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD), a national non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to radiation protection, established a National Radioactive Material Disposition Program to assist state radiation control programs, licensees, and members of the public in managing orphan sources and otherwise unwanted or disused radioactive material. The program consists of several services including technical assistance with disposition options; financial assistance to radiation control programs for the disposition of orphan sources; and the Source Collection and Threat Reduction (SCATR) Program for financial and logistical assistance in the disposal of unwanted sources. For the past 18 years, the CRCPD has partnered with the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to provide outreach to licensees and assistance in the disposal of disused sources, through the SCATR Program. The overarching goal of the SCATR Program is to design and execute a comprehensive and cost-effective process for identifying and reducing the threat of diversion of radioactive material for misuse, focusing on those sources that have a commercial disposal path. During the time the program has been in place, the scope has expanded to include higher activity sources, such as irradiators, and source collections in unusual circumstances. Progress toward the goals, disposal and transportation issues, and ancillary concerns being addressed by CRCPD are discussed.

Should developed regions bear more responsibility in addressing environmental issues? Insights from Indonesia's unequal regional development

Should developed regions bear more responsibility in addressing environmental issues? Insights from Indonesia's unequal regional development

Integration of offshore energy into national energy system: A case study on Belgium

Integration of offshore energy into national energy system: A case study on Belgium

Assessing the Role of Energy Mix in Long-Term Air Pollution Trends: Initial Evidence from Poland

Air pollution remains a critical environmental and public health issue, requiring diverse research perspectives, including those related to energy production and consumption. This study examines the relationship between Poland’s energy mix and air pollution trends by integrating national statistical data on primary energy consumption and renewable energy sources over the past 15 years with air pollution measurements from the last eight years. The air pollution data, obtained from reference-grade monitoring stations, focus on particulate matter (PM). To address discrepancies in temporal resolution between daily PM measurements and annual energy sector reports, a bootstrapping method was applied within a regression framework to assess the overall impact of individual energy components on national air pollution levels. Seasonal decomposition techniques were employed to analyze the temporal dynamics of specific energy sources and their contributions to pollution variability. A key aspect of this research is the role of renewable energy sources in air quality trends. This study also investigates regional variations in pollution levels by analyzing correlations between geographic location, industrialization intensity, and the proportion of green areas across Poland’s administrative regions (Voivodeships). This spatially explicit approach provides deeper insights into the linkages between energy production and pollution distribution at a national scale. Poland presents a unique case due to its distinct energy mix, which differs significantly from the EU average, its persistently high air pollution levels, and recent regulatory changes. These factors create an ideal setting to assess the impact of energy sector transitions on environmental quality. By employing high-resolution spatiotemporal big data analysis, this study leverages measurements from over 100 monitoring stations and applies advanced statistical methodologies to integrate multi-scale energy and pollution datasets. From a PM perspective, the regression analysis showed that High-Methane Gas had a neutral impact on PM concentrations, making it a suitable transition energy source, while renewables exhibited negative regression coefficients and coal-based sources showed positive coefficients. The findings offer new perspectives on the long-term environmental effects of shifts in national energy policies.

How does trade freedom affect the development of clean energy? based on the moderating effect of carbon emissions

Changes in trade freedom affect national economic development and energy demand, which in turn affects clean energy development. This study assesses the impact of trade freedom on clean energy development in 114 countries from 2006 to 2020. Empirical testing shows that trade freedom significantly inhibits clean energy development in a linear manner. The results also indicate that higher GDP per capita and increased governmental capacity to control corruption are both important factors contributing to clean energy development. In addition, by incorporating mediating mechanisms, this study finds that trade freedom inhibits clean energy development by increasing a country’s innovation and trade openness. Finally, by exploring possible moderating effects, the results show that carbon emissions and bank lending weaken the negative effect of trade freedom on clean energy development, while globalization and government expenditure strengthen this effect. This study offers vital insights to policymakers in balancing the advancement of national trade liberalization policies with clean energy development.

The role of political influence in shaping national energy policy and environmental sustainability

Background: Indonesia's efforts to transition to low-carbon energy are one part of rescaling environmental governance through a process of decentralization, and many actors at the governance level are involved in the transition to low-carbon energy. This research discusses the direction of energy supply policy in Indonesia in the future and its relationship with interested parties, especially the central government. Methods: This study uses literature study and document analysis with stakeholder mapping and PESTEL analysis to examine the energy transition policy in Indonesia, especially the electricity sector. The main focus is on the political aspect by considering economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors. Findings: The results show that regulatory and institutional areas have been restricted during the energy plan-making process, all centralized under central government control making it impossible for local action to take place. However, how sub-national actors can harness this space is influenced by many variables, such as political-economic structures, public participation, and power relations. Conclusion: It can increase understanding of the energy transition at every level and offer useful policy advice to engage all interested parties at national and local levels. The openness of the energy transition should be reformed and reduced from the non-substantial political influence for the matter of all Indonesian people. Novelty/Originality of this article: This study provides a unique perspective on Indonesia's energy transition by critically examining the role of governance decentralization in shaping policy directions. Unlike previous studies that focus solely on technological or economic aspects, this research integrates political, social, and environmental dimensions through stakeholder mapping and PESTEL analysis.

Renewable Energy, Landscape Protection and Tourism Development, a Territorial Plan Experiment in Italy

The contribution offers to the disciplinary debate on theories and practices of land-use planning the restitution of an ongoing research work to support the drafting of an unusual Landscape-Energy-Tourism Plan. Within this endeavor, on the one hand, the article gives an account of the review conducted on the national and international literature as well as on the few available practices, bringing out the elements present and the gaps, including conceptual ones, that need to be filled. On the other hand, starting from ongoing experimentation, the contribution focuses on first directions for an integrated and wide area plan that can offer itself as a possible reference on what planning should be practiced to better hold together landscape protection and enhancement with the necessary regulation of renewable energy facilities and the promotion of sustainable tourism development paths. In the frequent lack of adequate resources and technical expertise as well as sufficient bargaining power in the face of national or international energy managers or unscrupulous entrepreneurs who offer more than the available agricultural land is worth or produces, non-metropolitan territories have only the integrated and intermunicipal plan from their side (even though they don't know or care). While for planners is very difficult to address at the same time landscape protection and tourism development with the very strong request of land for the (sustainable) energy facilities.

Structural Change and Energy Productivity in Türkiye

This paper examines the relationship between structural change and aggregate energy productivity in Türkiye from 1978 to 2019. Using a three-sector model the research quantifies sectoral labor and energy productivities relative to the United States, serving as a benchmark. The findings reveal that while Türkiye initially exhibited higher energy productivity than the U.S. across all sectors, this advantage diminished significantly over the study period. Only the manufacturing sector experienced positive energy productivity growth in Türkiye. Declines in agriculture and services were substantial, emerging as key drivers of the aggregate energy productivity gap between the two countries. A decomposition analysis highlights the dominant role of within-sector energy productivity changes, particularly the negative contribution of services in Türkiye, in explaining the overall decline in aggregate energy productivity. The study underscores the need for sector-specific policies targeting energy productivity improvements, particularly in services, to meet its target of a 35% absolute reduction in emission by 2030. The findings contribute to the literature by providing, for the first time, estimates of relative sectoral energy productivities for Türkiye, offering valuable insights for policymakers focused on enhancing national energy productivity.

Natural Resources and Geopolitical Risk Impact on Energy Security Risk: The Role of Renewable Energy Consumption and Foreign Direct Investment

ABSTRACTNatural resources and geopolitical risks significantly impact energy security risks. The availability and accessibility of natural resources play a significant role in determining a nation's energy vulnerability. Renewable energy consumption, particularly foreign direct investment in renewable energy projects, can help mitigate these risks by diversifying energy supplies and reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. This study examines the impact of natural resources and geopolitical risk in 38 countries at risk of geopolitical conflict between 1990 and 2021 using CO2 emissions, renewable energy consumption, and foreign direct investment as controlling variables. The long‐run analysis is based on slope heterogeneity, Westerlund cointegration, Arellano–Bond dynamic panel‐data estimation, and Robust, correlated panels corrected standard errors (PCSEs). The results indicate that the energy security index is positively associated with natural resources, geopolitical risk, CO2 emissions, and renewable energy consumption. Foreign direct investment is negatively associated with the energy security index in selected geopolitical risk countries. Improving energy security requires addressing multiple policy implications. Natural resource availability, geopolitical risk mitigation, CO2 emissions reduction, and increased renewable energy consumption are key factors. However, the negative association between FDI and energy security in selected geopolitical risk countries emphasizes the importance of careful evaluation of foreign investments to ensure their compatibility with energy security objectives. By implementing appropriate policies, countries can enhance their energy security, promote sustainable development, and mitigate risks posed by geopolitical uncertainties.

The Willow Project and Environmental Justice: Analyzing U.S. Energy Policy’s Impact on Sensitive Ecosystems and Local Communities

In this article, we examine the Willow Project as a significant case study in oil and gas development within Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve, through the lens of the broader challenges of balancing energy development with environmental stewardship. We highlight the project’s implications on biodiversity, climate change, and local communities, particularly the Indigenous populations who depend on these lands for their livelihoods. The case of Willow serves as a microcosm for the national debate over energy priorities in the context of climate goals and environmental justice. Through our analysis, we highlight the contradictions between the stated environmental and climate commitments of the U.S. administration and the realities of ongoing fossil fuel projects. We discuss legislative and regulatory responses to these challenges, including recent changes aimed at protecting ecologically sensitive areas from drilling. However, we argue that more comprehensive reforms are necessary to truly align U.S. energy policy with climate resilience and social equity. In assessing the Willow Project, we also compare the proposed economic benefits, such as job creation and energy security, with the expected costs from environmental degradation and cultural disruption, emphasizing the need to weigh immediate economic gains against long-term ecological and societal impacts. By engaging with this case study, readers will gain a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved in managing natural resource extraction in sensitive ecological zones. They will also be able to appreciate the importance of integrating scientific research, policy analysis, and community feedback in crafting energy policies that support both national energy needs and environmental sustainability.

Energy-aware operation of HPC systems in Germany

High Performance Computing (HPC) systems are among the most energy-intensive scientific facilities, with electric power consumption reaching and often exceeding 20 Megawatts per installation. Unlike other major scientific infrastructures such as particle accelerators or high-intensity light sources, which are few around the world, the number and size of supercomputers are continuously increasing. Even if every new system generation is more energy efficient than the previous one, the overall growth in size of the HPC infrastructure, driven by a rising demand for computational capacity across all scientific disciplines, and especially by Artificial Intelligence (AI) workloads, rapidly drives up the energy demand. This challenge is particularly significant for HPC centers in Germany, where high electricity costs, stringent national energy policies, and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability are key factors. This paper describes various state-of-the-art strategies and innovations employed to enhance the energy efficiency of HPC systems within the national context. Case studies from leading German HPC facilities illustrate the implementation of novel heterogeneous hardware architectures, advanced monitoring infrastructures, high-temperature cooling solutions, energy-aware scheduling, and dynamic power management, among other optimisations. By reviewing best practices and ongoing research, this paper aims to share valuable insight with the global HPC community, motivating the pursuit of more sustainable and energy-efficient HPC architectures and operations.