Promotion Of Renewable Energy Research Articles

Assessment of Ghana's current energy types to meet tomorrow's needs

Ghana is currently facing challenges in aligning its energy options with future energy demands and reducing its dependency on fossil fuels. This study assessed Ghana's current energy types and their potential to meet future energy needs. A structured questionnaire with a cross-sectional survey and random sampling technique was employed to gather information on energy choices, drivers and challenges from 868 respondents. A multiple linear regression model was used to evaluate the impact of energy drivers on preferences in Ghana. Results showed that 82 % of Ghanaians are ready to transition to cleaner energy sources, with preferences for hydropower/grid electricity (45.70 %) and natural gas/LPG (32.90 %) and biofuels (12.00 %). Economic (16.20%) and population (15.50%) growth are the main drivers of energy transitions, while challenges include high initial costs (11.20%) and limited awareness (4.90%). Strategies such as financial support, education, renewable energy promotion, technological advancement and international collaboration should be promoted to actualise Ghana's transition to future renewable energy usage.

An Effective Method of Equivalent Load-Based Time of Use Electricity Pricing to Promote Renewable Energy Consumption

The variability and intermittency inherent in renewable energy sources poses significant challenges to balancing power supply and demand, often leading to wind and solar energy curtailment. To address these challenges, this paper focuses on enhancing Time of Use (TOU) electricity pricing strategies. We propose a novel method based on equivalent load, which leverages typical power grid load and incorporates a responsibility weight for renewable energy consumption. The responsibility weight acts as an equivalent coefficient that accurately reflects renewable energy output, which facilitates the division of time periods and the development of a demand response model. Subsequently, we formulate an optimized TOU electricity pricing model to increase the utilization rate of renewable energy and reduce the peak–valley load difference of the power grid. To solve the TOU pricing optimization model, we employ the Social Network Search (SNS) algorithm, a metaheuristic algorithm simulating users’ social network interactions to gain popularity. By incorporating the users’ mood when expressing opinions, this algorithm efficiently identifies optimal pricing solutions. Our results demonstrate that the equivalent load-based method not only encourages renewable energy consumption but also reduces power generation costs, stabilizes the power grid load, and benefits power generators, suppliers, and consumers without increasing end users’ electricity charges.

Anomaly detection in PV systems using constrained low-rank and sparse decomposition

PV (photovoltaic) systems, also known as solar panel systems, play an essential role in the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and the promotion of renewable energy. Through the conversion of sunlight into usable energy, electricity is generated without emitting greenhouse gases and producing pollutants. Notwithstanding the evolutionary significance of PV systems, the occurrence of defects and anomalies in PV systems may result in diminished power output, consequently impeding the efficiency of the systems and potentially resulting in hazards in certain circumstances. Therefore, early detection of faults and anomalies in PV systems is imperative to guarantee the reliability, efficiency, and safety of the systems. In this article, we develop a signal decomposition for the purpose of anomaly detection in PV systems. The proposed methodology is grounded on the concept of low-rank and sparse decomposition, with consideration given to the signs of the decomposed low-rank and sparse components, as well as the smooth variations within and between periods in the mean signals. Through the implementation of Monte Carlo simulations, we showcase the efficacy of our proposed methodology in identifying anomalies of varying durations and magnitudes in PV systems. A case study is employed to validate the proposed methodology in detecting anomalies in real PV systems.

Maximizing hybrid microgrid system performance: A comparative analysis and optimization using a gradient pelican algorithm

The development of hybrid systems that combine different energy sources has become increasingly important to meet the growing demand for clean and sustainable energy. These systems can offer a reliable and efficient solution to reduce dependence on conventional energy sources and address the issues of climate change and environmental degradation. This study focuses on two types of hybrid systems, namely PV/biomass and PV/diesel, which are commonly used in off-grid areas or places with limited access to electricity. The proposed optimization framework aims to determine the optimal sizing of each component in the system, including PV panels, batteries, and backup sources, to maximize the performance and efficiency of the hybrid system. The Gradient Pelican Optimization Algorithm (GPOA), which is an advanced optimization technique, is proposed to solve the optimization problem. The algorithm is modified to include a local escaping operator, which allows the algorithm to escape local optima and achieve better solutions. The outcomes of the simulation show that the GPOA algorithm outperforms other well-known algorithms in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency. The simulation results also demonstrate that the PV/biomass hybrid system outperforms the PV/diesel hybrid system in terms of cost and environmental impact. The proposed framework and optimization methodology can be useful for designing and optimizing other hybrid systems and can be applied to various applications, including off-grid and remote areas, distributed power systems, and microgrids. The findings of this study can also contribute to the development and promotion of renewable energy and sustainable development.

Modelling tools for the assessment of Renewable Energy Communities

The energy transition is driving the adoption of local renewable energy production. Decentralised renewable plants enable citizens to play an active role in generating and managing energy supplies. In Europe, recent policies are promoting Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), which consist of aggregations of end-users aiming to produce and share renewable energy, generating and managing cost-effective energy supply chains autonomously. A comprehensive analysis of REC potential requires tools that integrate socio-economic, environmental, and spatial evaluations for renewable energy assessment. The objective of this study is to present the current status and capabilities of tools for REC modelling. This paper reviews twelve energy modelling tools which have the potential for the evaluation of RECs. The review structure follows the steps of a REC assessment process, which is structured in background, inputs, simulation or optimisation and outputs. Technical, economic, and environmental aspects of REC projects should be included without leaving behind the spatialisation and geographical planning of the new energy systems. Findings reveal that the co-existence of multiple criteria is not satisfied in any of the current tools, as most of them mainly analyse a few areas of interest and partially consider other aspects. The comparison reveals that the energy and financial outputs are mainly deepened. Meanwhile, environmental and spatial criteria have a marginal role among both inputs and outputs. Finally, software marginally spatializes the workflow steps except for CEA and URBANopt, which are revealed to be the most complete options for REC design.

The Impact of Economic, Environmental and Social Variables in the Consumption of Green Energy. A Comparative Approach of the Balkan Countries

Governments and businesses in many countries are orienting their strategies in accordance with meeting the sustainable development goals (SDGs), due to current global development. In a dynamic environment and competitive markets, this strategy orientation is seen as a way to succeed and ensure long-term sustainability. In this context, renewable energy has gained a lot of attention and interest. The promotion and use of renewable energy depend crucially on government policies. Different incentives such as subsidies, tax incentives, renewable energy targets, and regulations that encourage or require the use of renewables can significantly boost their adoption. Renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines, and energy storage systems, have advanced and have made their use a more attractive option for consumers and businesses because of their accessibility, affordability, and efficiency. This study aims to present and give a comparative overview of renewable energy investments in the Balkan Countries with a focus on green energy. Green energy is a sub-category of renewable energy that refers only to two sources: sun and wind. Even though green energy is part of renewable energy, it might have specific characteristics that are interesting to be known. The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship of the main factors that impact the consumption of green energy in Albania compared to four EU countries. Following the previous research conducted and after identifying the main factors that impact the consumption of green energy, a panel data regression model is used to analyze how these factors are related to the consumption of green energy in 5 countries: Albania (non-EU country), Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Slovenia (EU countries). The study results found that the electricity price and education index positively impact the consumption of green energy, while CO2 emissions negatively impact it.

Towards Sustainable Cities: Challenges and Way Forward

A city is a sizable and enduring human settlement distinguished by its intricate network of structures, infrastructure, and social, economic, and cultural institutions. Cities play a vital role in a country's global economic growth and development, fostering agglomeration of economies, serving as centres of innovation and technological advancement, acting as major hubs for finances and employment, and facilitating infrastructure development while providing access to broader markets. Often specializing in specific industries or sectors, cities offer amenities such as healthcare, education, employment, and recreational opportunities that enhance their appeal to residents seeking a high quality of life. However, the majority of unplanned cities grapple with the challenge of balancing economic, social, and environmental perspectives. Key issues include rapid population growth, urban sprawl, inadequate infrastructure, limited resources, conflicting interests among stakeholders-particularly regarding development versus conservation and pressing environmental concerns like pollution, improper waste management, health issues, and climate change. Addressing these challenges requires cities to evolve into 'Living Cities,' where human settlements can flourish indefinitely as part of nature's beauty and diversity. Achieving this balance involves integrating economic, social, and environmental perspectives. This paper presents detailed strategies under various subheadings, including Integrated Urban Planning with a focus on promoting public transport, increasing green spaces, and conserving biodiversity. It also covers Water Conservation, measures to enhance resilience to climate change impacts, such as strategic infrastructure siting and nature-based solutions, and the promotion of renewable energy and green building concepts to conserve finite resources. Efficient waste management is highlighted to ensure a waste-free urban environment. The paper underscores the importance of stakeholder engagement, involving the public, private sector, NGOs, and communities in the decision-making process through participatory planning and citizen engagement. While acknowledging existing supportive policies and strategies in the country, the paper emphasizes the need for their enforcement and proper implementation to achieve the desired target of sustainable cities-living cities where human populations thrive harmoniously as part of nature's beauty and diversity.
  
 Keywords: Living city, Sustainable city, Urban, Settlement, Integrated planning
  

Minutely multi-step irradiance forecasting based on all-sky images using LSTM-InformerStack hybrid model with dual feature enhancement

In recent years, the government has attached great importance to promoting innovation in new energy technologies, particularly in the area of solar power generation. Photovoltaic (PV) power generation has become an essential factor in the promotion of renewable energy due to its inherent safety, environmental sustainability and abundant solar energy resources. The efficiency and stability of PV generation systems are closely related to the accurate prediction of real-time global horizontal irradiance (GHI). However, some existing research methods have made some progress in hourly resolution, but the multi-step prediction accuracy and model generalization ability in high time resolution are still unsatisfactory. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel minutely multi-step irradiance forecasting based on all-sky images using LSTM-InformerStack hybrid model with dual feature enhancement scheme. In this scheme, the advantages of both LSTM and InformerStack models are combined to further enhance the global and local features, which can better capture the short-term time series patterns and long-term dependencies and improve the accuracy of the time series. The experimental validation results show that the performance of this prediction scheme is improved by 11.2%, and 26.0% for nRMSE and R2, respectively, and the 24-step prediction can be improved up to 26.1% vs. the persistent model. Meanwhile, the prediction scheme of this paper is also expected to provide a reference in future multi-step time series accurate prediction with higher resolution.

Paving the Way for Climate Resilience through Sustainable Urbanization: A Comparative Study

This study explores the crucial role of sustainable urbanization in addressing the climate crisis and fostering socio-economic development. Rapid urban population growth presents cities with unprecedented challenges, including ecological degradation, public health issues, and escalating greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable urbanization emerges as a pivotal strategy to tackle these challenges by advocating for environmentally responsible practices, enhancing urban resilience, and fostering inclusive economic growth. The article conducts a comparative analysis of sustainable urbanization initiatives in diverse cities, with a focus on their approaches to reducing carbon footprints, enhancing disaster resilience, and improving overall quality of life. Examining case studies from Copenhagen, Curitiba, Singapore, Stockholm, and Melbourne, the research highlights innovative strategies in sustainable transport, renewable energy adoption, waste management, and green space integration. These cities serve as exemplars, showcasing successful solutions such as efficient public transportation systems, robust waste recycling programs, promotion of renewable energy, and prioritization of green spaces. The overarching message of this research underscores the critical need for coordinated, cross-sectoral efforts to unlock the full potential of sustainable urbanization. A holistic approach that integrates environmental, social, and economic dimensions is essential for creating urban environments that are resilient, inclusive, and sustainable. This comprehensive strategy not only addresses the climate crisis but also contributes significantly to achieving global sustainability goals.

Does institutional quality matter for renewable energy promotion in OECD economies?

AbstractThis study examines the effect of institutional quality on renewable energy promotion in OECD economies. The study employs annual data from 1980 to 2014 on 18 OECD economies. The robust panel unit root tests show that all the considered variables have a similar order of integration, indicating that they are nonstationary at their levels but stationary at the first‐order differences. The panel cointegration test with structural breaks and cross‐section dependence confirms a long‐run equilibrium association between institutional quality, renewable energy consumption and control variables. The analysis of long‐run estimations displays that better institutional quality makes a unique and substantial contribution to promoting renewable energy consumption. Overall, the study findings offer important policy implications highlighting the importance of institutional quality for the growth of renewable energy and a sustainable world.

Willingness to pay for renewables: Insights from a meta-analysis of choice experiments

Renewable energy policies contribute to solving some of the current environmental challenges, such as climate change mitigation and decarbonization, and people around the world are usually willing to pay for a greater presence of renewable energies. That willingness to pay (WTP) can be translated into a gain in social well-being. But not all renewables are equally valued, nor do all people experience the same gain in terms of well-being. Over the last 25 years, many choice experiments have focused on analyzing social preferences for different external effects associated with renewables. This article presents a meta-analysis of choice experiments to examine the evidence on WTP for renewable energies. We examined 63 articles across 28 countries, with a total sample of 52,948 participants and 84,821 observations. We used three econometric approaches (Generalized Least Squares, Weighted Least Squares, and a Panel Data Model) to estimate the willingness to pay of households for renewables around the world. Results show that the promotion of renewable energies is socially demanded, with an average minimum WTP of between €113 and €124 per household per year. The results also show that onshore wind farms are the preferred renewable energy source for electricity generation, whereas people are more reluctant about offshore wind in comparison with other renewable technologies. Finally, some geographic patterns are found, with people from Asia and southern Europe showing, respectively, a lower and higher willingness to pay for renewable energies.

Challenges on Party Institutionalization: The Broken Linkage of Three Faces of Party in the National Democrats on Promoting Renewable Energy Bill

This article explores institutionalization challenges in the National Democrats (NasDem) Party in promoting the Renewable Energy Bill, viewed from the party’s three faces. NasDem is strategically involved in policy decision-making in the Indonesian parliament, but the three faces of the party are yet to be seen. Despite being established over a decade ago, the direction of institutionalization is still transforming, especially in the linkage between public office and the party at the grassroots. The research question is: How do the three faces of the party in NasDem impact the challenges of institutionalization? Drawing from the Renewable Energy Bill case studies, we argue that three challenges exist. First, a personalistic party’s strong influence leads to failure in two-way communications, especially at the grassroots. Second, the vision of the renewable energy law was notimplemented at the grassroots because the party had to focus on regional policies. Third, although the renewable energy vision has not been fully implemented, the idea of ‘green politics’ has been realized by the party wing at the grassroots through the political education program.

The Role and Relevance of Investment Treaties in Promoting Renewable Energy Investments

The Role and Relevance of Investment Treaties in Promoting Renewable Energy Investments

Does Technological Innovation Promote Renewable Energy Investment?

Technological innovation ( TI) is conducive to economic growth, but whether it promotes the development of renewable energy remains controversial. This study aims to analyze the interrelation between TI and renewable energy investment ( REI) to see how to promote the coordinated development of TI and REI. By using the bootstrap rolling-window subsample Granger causality test and the sample from January 2010 to July 2022 in China, we find that the influence of a country’s overall TI level on REI is twofold. On the one hand, the increase in a country’s overall TI level has a positive influence on REI by reducing the renewable energy risk. On the other hand, TI can reduce REI by bringing more demand for relatively stable non-renewable energy. Conversely, REI has both positive and negative influences on a country’s overall TI level. Additional REI promotes renewable energy-related TI, but it may crowd out the investment in other fields and impede TI. Based on these results, policymakers intended to achieve sustainable development should encourage renewable energy TI, which is conducive to reducing the risk of renewable energy. In addition, policymakers should pay attention to REI’s role in crowing out the investment in other fields, and take measures to promote TI of the whole society. JEL Classification: C32, O32, Q2.

A strategy for the promotion of renewable energy for cleaner production in G7 economies: By means of economic and institutional progress

Based on the experience of G-7 economies, the present study provides a strategy for other developed and developing nations to expedite the transition process from nonrenewable to clean renewable energy for cleaner production. To establish an empirical framework, data of G-7 democracies considered from 1995 to 2020 and employed the Augmented Mean Group model to expose the short-run and long-run influence of institutional quality and quality of democracy to switch from nonrenewable to renewable energy trajectory. The pace of transition is measured in terms of the ratio of renewable energy in the total energy mix, and a higher ratio indicates a greater share of renewable energy in total energy produced from different nonrenewable sources such as Oil, coal, and gas. The findings indicate that institutional quality and strong democratic governments are more active in developing renewable energy infrastructure as compared to governments operating with weak institutions and poor quality of democracy. The coefficient of the Institutional quality variable is greater than the variable of democracy quality, these findings infer that strong institutions are an inevitable and crucial factor in making a swift transition from nonrenewable to renewable energy production in G-7 democracies.

The Role of Culture in Behavioral Aspects of Green Accounting to Promote Renewable Energy Business

The cultural element has had a significant impact on implementation of green accounting and the growth of the green business movement. Businesses need to be aware of how culture affects them and should get ready for the difficulties these cultural components will encounter. This is due to the diverse cultures found in each location and nation. Therefore, culture is one of the aspects that will impact behavior and the sustainability of the firm when running a business and applying green accounting in business. The research method used is descriptive qualitative method with literature review research that emphasizes in depth understanding of the content of behavioral aspects in green accounting implementation. Qualitative research method explores data using observation methods and library research, this research involves looking through books, documents, scientific publications, research journals, and other materials connected to the research title. The study is aim to find the role of culture affect behavior aspects in order to implement of green accounting to boost renewable energy business in Indonesia. Technology and investment are not only two factors contributing to the slow growth of renewable energy; human behavior that affected by social culture should also be considered in order to shift behaviors to promote activities.

The maximization of shared energy in RECs in disadvantaged areas in terms of population density: the case study of Osidda in Sardinia

Even if the first examples of free associations of citizens for the exploitation of local energy resources date back to the end of the nineteenth century, it is with the EU Directive 2018/2001 RED II that the concept of Renewable Energy Community is introduced for the first time. It is an association of ordinary citizens, commercial activities, public administrations, small and medium-sized enterprises, aimed at the production and maximization of the use of energy produced on site. Alongside the social (greater energy independence, awareness of environmental issues) and environmental (promotion of renewable energy and reduction of CO2 emissions) aspects, the economic one is equally relevant in order to contribute to the dissemination of RES, maximizing its self-consumed share in the production site and therefore reducing the loads of overproduction on the transmission network.In this paper, the authors analyze in detail the regulatory aspects and the technological solutions that are contributing to the diffusion of these communities at national level, also in the light of the recent ARERA Resolution for widespread self-consumption. The critical issues associated with their implementation in disadvantaged area in terms of population density will be discussed. The case study of the Municipality of Osidda in Sardinia will be presented, where the provision of social services and the achievement of energy independence represent the tools to combat the rapid depopulation suffered in recent years. The model developed by the authors starts from an initial careful collection of data, aimed at overcoming the problems of measuring and estimating the energy consumption of very different users (residential and public), identifying the possible solutions able to maximize the shared energy produced by RES, inside the RECs and consequently the economic return connected to national economic incentives.

Promoting Renewable Energy Consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa: How Capital Flight Crowds Out the Favorable Effect of Foreign Aid

The study assesses the effect of capital flight in the nexus between foreign aid and renewable energy consumption in 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa using data for the period 1996 to 2018. The empirical technique employed is interactive quantile regressions, and the following findings are established. Foreign aid increases renewable energy consumption, while capital flight dampens the favorable effect of foreign aid on renewable energy consumption. The underlying significance and corresponding mitigating effect are exclusively relevant to the bottom (i.e., 10th) quantile of the conditional distribution of renewable energy consumption. The findings are robust to simultaneity and unobserved heterogeneity. Policy implications are discussed. JEL Classification: H10; Q20; Q30; O11; O55

Renewables, taxes and competitive markets: the role of energy policies on the EU’s sustainable energy consumption

AbstractIn recent years, the European Union has made sustainable consumption and production a political priority, to address economic and social development within the capacity of the ecosystem. To this end, it has put in place several actions related to resource efficiency, energy taxation and the promotion of renewable energies. This has been positive in terms of production, but less progress has been achieved in consumption. Greater understanding of the factors that influence sustainable energy consumption is particularly important. This paper investigates the effects of energy demand policies (energy taxes) and energy supply policies (renewable energies development, competitive energy markets and eco-innovation) on sustainable energy consumption in the EU-28 from 2008 to 2019. This research employs a panel data model to investigate the study’s hypotheses. Our results show that energy tax policies and clean energy have reduced energy intensity. However, electricity prices have been the greatest determinant in reducing total energy consumption. In light of its findings, this paper makes recommendations for several crucial measures for sustainable energy consumption to policymakers. Graphical abstract

Improving the Feed-in Tariff Policy for Renewable Energy Promotion in Ukraine’s Households

This paper deals with improving the feed-in tariff policy for green energy advancement in Ukraine’s households based on assessing the economic efficiency of investment project implementation under the current state support mechanisms. This study was conducted for solar and wind power plants with different installed capacities. The Levelized Cost of Electricity and the payback period for such power plants were calculated considering the ongoing feed-in tariffs and discount rates determined by various equity and debt capital ratios. The results showed that the state support provides attractive payback periods for solar and wind power plants with an installed capacity of ≥30 kW. In comparison, 5 kW solar power plants and wind power plants with a capacity of up to 10 kW are not paid off during the power plants’ lifecycle. It confirmed that the ongoing energy policy in Ukraine’s residential sector is still designed to obtain profits by the owners of generating facilities by selling the excess electricity. In the meantime, its main goal—providing households energy independence—has been levelled. To resolve the issues caused by such a state support model, a methodical approach to improve the feed-in tariff calculation is proposed. In addition, recommendations for reconsidering other policy measures to ensure effective renewable energy development in the residential sector have been made.