Renewable Energy Consumption Research Articles

Towards the cost of health in Africa: examining the synergistic effect of climate change and renewable energy on health expenditure

AbstractClimate change has become the centre of discussion among scholars and practitioners globally. This is believed to have severe consequences for the environment and human health, leading to significant implications for health financing. However, empirical investigations examining the climate change-health nexus remain scarce and underexplored. Hence, this study contributes to knowledge by exploring the direct and synergistic influence of renewable energy and climate change on health expenditure (i.e., national, public, private and external) in Africa. The study employs annual data from a panel of 47 African countries between 2006 and 2019, which are estimated using the generalised method of moments. Robustness checks are performed using alternative proxies for climate change and the Driscoll-Kraay estimation technique. The empirical outcomes reveal that high CO2 emissions increase the various indices of health expenditure, implying environmental degradation triggers higher costs in health spending. The empirical results further show that renewable energy presents a negative and significant influence on health expenditure, showing that health expenditure decreases due to the adoption of renewable energy. Additionally, the study finds that renewable energy weakens the effect of carbon emissions on health spending, including public, private and external health expenditures. This implies that the severe impact of climate change on health expenditure is reduced through the intervening role of renewable energy sources. The study recommends that policymakers implement targeted policies towards reducing carbon emissions and increasing renewable energy consumption to improve health outcomes. Governments must also promote universal health coverage to ensure inclusive coverage as climate change becomes increasingly apparent.

Are natural resources a blessing or a curse for renewable energy? Uncovering the role of regulatory quality and government effectiveness in mitigating the curse

This study examines whether the capacity of the government to formulate and implement sound policies effectively (regulatory quality and government effectiveness) can improve the relationship between natural resource rents and renewable energy consumption. We analyze 96 countries from 2000 to 2020 using a panel threshold regression estimation method and divide these countries into three income groups for heterogeneity analysis. The results show that (i) The correlation between natural resource rents and renewable energy consumption exhibits a non-linear pattern, which shows a "U-shaped." (ii) When regulatory quality and government effectiveness are enhanced, the negative influence of natural resource rents on renewable energy consumption is attenuated or even reversed. This indicates that the formulation and effective implementation of sound policies by the government are conducive to mitigating and even reshaping the curse of natural resources on renewable energy. (iii) Regulatory quality and government effectiveness have the most significant influence in high income countries and the smallest impact in countries with low incomes, while there is some uncertainty about the impact in middle income countries.

A Cross-National Study on Sustainable Smart City Indicators and Their Influence on Life Expectancy—A Cluster Analysis of EU Countries

As a consequence of climate change and its negative impacts on the environment and on human health, the topic of sustainability has become an integral part of urban policy. Smart city initiatives around the world are focusing on different aspects of sustainability in order to provide better living conditions for their residents. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of selected smart city indicators on the average life expectancy as a variable for quality of life and well-being. Based on a Common Correlated Effects (CCE) model, Instrumental Variable Estimator with Common Factors (2SIV), and clustering regression model, EU countries were divided into three distinct clusters indicating common elements but also specificities of each group. The analysis confirmed the positive impact of GDP growth, renewable energy consumption, and the proportion of the population with a tertiary level of education on life expectancy. On the other hand, CO2 emissions and transport pollution have an adverse effect. The analysis provides valuable insights into the complex relationship between smart city variables and quality of life, and it may serve as a basis for informed and responsible decision-making by relevant urban stakeholders aimed at designing more sustainable, resilient, and healthier cities.

IMPACT OF RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY ON FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

This study examines the impact of renewable and non-renewable energy on foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in Nigeria from 1980 to 2017. The objectives are to assess how renewable energy influences economic growth, FDI, and the interplay between renewable and non-renewable energy. Using techniques such as the Augmented Dickey-Fuller test, Co-integration, and the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, secondary data from the World Bank were analyzed, focusing on GDP, renewable energy, non-renewable energy, and FDI. The findings indicate that GDP positively influences renewable energy in the long run, while non-renewable energy has a negative effect. In the short run, non-renewable energy and GDP significantly impact renewable energy, while FDI shows no effect. Recommendations include fostering a stable political environment to attract FDI and providing incentives like subsidies and tax holidays to promote trade and investment in renewable energy. Effective macroeconomic management is essential for translating economic growth into increased renewable energy consumption in Nigeria. KEYWORDS: Renewable Energy, Non-Renewable Energy, Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth.

From investment to impact: The role of green finance and technological innovation on German energy transition

Germany is a global leader in environmental protection and has embraced a fast-track transition towards renewable energy adaptation. To support the continuous energy transition, an approximate sum of EUR 3000 billion needs to be mobilized by 2050, making it an exemplary case for examining the influence of green finance on renewable energy consumption and technological innovation. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of green finance and technological innovation on renewable energy consumption across 16 federal German states, utilizing panel data from 2008 to 2021. Two novel financial proxies, green investment and environmental protection-related sales, are introduced to capture the financial mechanisms underpinning the energy transition. MMQ (method of moments quantile) regression is employed to explore the short and long-run relationship among variables. The results reveal that while environmental protection-related sales consistently increase renewable energy consumption, the positive effects of green investment manifest only in the long term. Furthermore, the results indicate that solely increasing R&D funds does not necessarily boost renewable energy consumption. However, the positive interplay between R&D and patent applications significantly increases electricity generation from renewable sources. Indicating that integrated financial and technological strategies are essential for advancing Germany's renewable energy goals.

Unlocking sustainable development: Evaluating the impact of monetary and fiscal policies on ecological footprint in India

India's rapid economic growth underscores the increased necessity of pursuing the paradigms of sustainable development. However, concerns over environmental sustainability have risen in tandem with the country's aspirational goals for economic progress. Therefore, a crucial aspect of managing this is to create a balance between economic prosperity and environmental quality, wherein comprehending how fiscal and monetary policies affect India's ecological footprint becomes an utmost priority. In this vein, this study evaluates the impact of fiscal and monetary policies on India's ecological footprint while controlling for economic growth, squared economic growth, and renewable energy consumption between 1990 and 2022. Given the complexity of these links and well-suitability for examining both short-term dynamics and long-term relationships, this study employs the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model as its methodology for the empirical analysis. Thus, the findings indicate a significant long-term relationship between India's ecological footprint, fiscal policy, monetary policy, economic growth, squared economic growth, and renewable energy consumption while considering the ecological footprint as the dependent variable. Surprisingly, fiscal policy demonstrates insignificat negligible impacts on the ecological footprint in both the short and long run. Conversely, the result underscores that monetary policy effectively curbs the ecological footprint in both the short and long run. Furthermore, the study validates the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis in the long run. However, no evidence supports the EKC hypothesis in the short run. Besides, the outcome unveils that renewable energy consumption reduces the ecological footprint with no temporal differences. Hence, the policy implications derived from these findings emphasize the crucial role of monetary policy and integrating renewable energy strategies into policy frameworks for achieving sustainable development outcomes, in addition to the other policy interventions that prioritize ecological conservation alongside economic development, ensuring a balanced approach to solve environmental and economic challenges in India.

EU Consumers, Renewable Energy, and Sustainable Development – An Exploratory Market-Oriented Research Approach

The European Union countries are working to reach the truly ambitious objective of achieving a climate-neutral continent by 2050. Increasing the employment of renewable energy is one of the strategic directions promoted to fulfill this purpose. Although the socioeconomic and political context has accelerated the use of renewable energy sources, shifting to green energy raises significant challenges and generates a substantial impact both at the macroeconomic and microeconomic levels, with particular attention given to the overall behavior of the EU consumers within this transitional process. The paper presents the results of an exploratory approach aiming to assess, based on the secondary data and from a market-oriented perspective, the relationships between the production, consumption, and share of renewable energy, the attitude of EU consumers toward renewable energy and the extent to which they are willing to consider it as a reliable alternative to the traditional energy, in connection to the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of the sustainable development in the EU Member States. Keywords: Renewable energy, EU consumers, Marketing, Sustainable development

Shock persistency to material, renewable and non-renewable energy resources? A (non)linear evidence from the highest carbon emitting countries

With the need to provide more evidence on the possibility of reducing material resources utilization and dependency i.e., improving material resources efficiency, this study considers 10 countries with the largest cumulative emissions over centuries (Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the UK, and the USA) by employing dataset that covers centuries (1850-2021). Given the linearity and non-linearity evidence, the investigation reveals whether there is persistent or transitory shock in domestic material consumption, renewable energy (REC), and non-renewable energy sources (REC). For (linearity) unit root test evidence, there are transitory shocks in domestic material consumption only in China, France, Indonesia, and Japan, for China, France, India, Japan, England, and the USA in REC, and in all the countries except Brazil, Canada, Germany, and Indonesia for the NREC series. On the ground of (non-linearity) unit root test, the result reveals that shocks to non-renewable energy consumption are temporary only for Canada, Japan, and the USA and the shocks to renewable energy and domestic material consumptions are permanent in all the examined countries. Indeed, the outcome of these findings offers important knowledge to decision makers on how to carefully develop and implement transitory and persistence policy choices.

Research on the collaborative operation strategy of shared energy storage and virtual power plant based on double layer optimization

Large-scale access to distributed energy resources leads to new energy consumption problems and safe operation risks in the power system. Virtual power plants and shared energy storage are effective ways to promote the flexible consumption of distributed energy resources and improve the reliability and economy of power system operation. Based on the concept of sharing economy and considering the complementary characteristics of source and load resources between different virtual power plants, this paper focuses on the optimisation of shared energy storage and multi-virtual power plant operation. Firstly, distributed wind power, distributed photovoltaic and flexible load resources are aggregated into virtual power plants to analyze the cooperative operation mode of shared energy storage and multi-virtual power plant systems. Secondly, a two-layer decision model for shared energy storage configuration and multi-VPP system operation optimisation is constructed, with the upper model solving the optimal energy storage configuration scheme by maximising the revenue of the shared energy storage operator, and the lower model optimising the multi-VPP system operation strategy by minimising the total operation cost, the maximum amount of new energy consumed, and the minimum amount of carbon emission as the multi-objective optimisation strategy. Finally, a simulation analysis is carried out, and the results show that compared with the independent operation mode of each virtual power plant, the model proposed in this paper increases the annual profit of the shared energy storage operator by 7180¥, reduces the operating cost of the VPP system by 7.08 %, improves the rate of renewable energy consumption by 0.82 %, and reduces the annual carbon emission by 54.91 t, which realizes the mutual benefits of the virtual power plant and the shared energy storage.

Co-optimization of distributed generation, flexible load, and energy storage for promoting renewable energy consumption and power balancing in distribution networks

As more and more DGs are built and connected to the DN, the DN exhibits a notable degree of stochasticity and volatility. This stochasticity and volatility can result in an imbalance of active power in real-time, which may ultimately lead to a collapse of the DN. Therefore, in order to achieve a balance between carbon emissions and economic efficiency, this study introduces a strategy aimed at enhancing the PBC of the DN by employing a collaborative optimization approach involving DG, FL, and ES. The main contribution of this paper is to find a methodology for the co-optimization of DG, FL, and ES, which optimizes the PBC of the DN and the absorption rate of DG to the best conditions. Firstly, a model of DG-FL uncertainty in multiple scenarios is developed, and typical operational scenarios are extracted by effectively quantifying the DG-FL uncertainty of the distribution network. Secondly, a quantitative evaluation method for the balance degree of DG-FL based on IET is proposed. Finally, a two-stage optimization model for DG-FL-ES collaboration is established. The scientific rigor and practical applicability of the proposed method for improving the PBC and facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources are demonstrated through a case study of the power grid in a specific region of Zhejiang Province. The results demonstrate that the method proposed in this paper can enhance the BDODF by 43.44 % and achieve a 100 % absorption rate of renewable energy.

Extended material requirement planning (MRP) within a hybrid energy-enabled smart production system

A smart production system can be made energy-efficient using renewable energy and is considered to maintain the extended material requirement planning under a logistics system by using radio frequency identification. The tracking technology provides information about products with real-time notification. This study investigates renewable energy usage within a smart production system as renewable energy can contribute to Net Zero Emissions. The logistics framework involves an autonomation technology-based production system, optimum cash flow, logistics, and carbon emissions. Time is an essential influencer for material requirement planning. The model is solved with a Laplace integral transformation, where an associated matrix method is utilized by the input–output analysis. The theoretical concept is elaborated through an illustrative numerical example, where the energy consumption and corresponding net present values are evaluated. Numerical and graphical studies prove the effectiveness of the model for the use of renewable energy within for material planning under a reverse logistics system. The result reveals that efficient renewable energy consumption can save considerable costs and reduce the negative net present value of the system. It is found that skilled workers are worthy of a smart production system, not only in a qualitative aspect but also in an economic aspect.

An optimal scheduling strategy for electricity-thermal synergy and complementarity among multi-microgrid based on cooperative games

Multi-microgrid (MMG) systems provide an effective way to convert renewable energy into other forms of energy for low-carbon utilization. However, the coupling of multi-energy and renewable energy brings a challenge to the stable operation and dispatch of the system. Therefore, an electricity-thermal-gas-hydrogen MMG complementary optimization model based on peer-to-peer (P2P) electricity-thermal synergy is proposed. The model focuses on the coupling and conversion of electricity, hydrogen, and thermal through a hydrogen energy storage system (HESS) combined with renewable energy, and incorporates integrated demand response (IDR) and ladder-type carbon trading mechanism (LCTM). Subsequently, based on the cooperative game and the alternating direction multiplier method (ADMM), a multi-energy synergistic and complementary optimal scheduling strategy is proposed, which increases the flexibility of multi-energy sharing. In addition, a revenue allocation optimization strategy that takes into account the fairness and renewable energy consumption rate is proposed to achieve the stability of the alliance system operation. Finally, the simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed model and strategy, realizing the complementary sharing of regional multi-energy, enabling the expansion of the boundaries of optimal energy allocation, further improving the low-carbon economic operation capability of MMG, and reducing the dependence of the system on the energy market.

Impact analysis of the four-party evolutionary game in renewable portfolio standard under dynamic parameters

Renewable portfolio standard has become the primary policy tool to improve the integration of renewable energy. The motivation of the parties involved and the formulation of the policy parameters are crucial for the rapid development of renewable energy industry. However, the role of large consumers has often been neglected as the main party for renewable energy consumption, and the policy parameters have been dominated by static parameters. This paper innovatively introduces large consumers into the evolutionary game, constructs a four-party revenue matrix and the replicated dynamic equations, analyzes the equilibrium conditions of the evolutionary game, and constructs the functions of the key dynamic parameters over time, then simulates the behavioral strategies of the game players under the dynamic parameters with a system dynamics model. The optimal strategy is regulators waive regulation, while power plants, large consumers and power sales companies fulfill their quotas. Dynamic fines, dynamic quotas, and dynamic consumption prices have a large impact on each player, while dynamic TGC prices have a limited impact on them. Reasonably high fines in the initial stage are effective in facilitating each player to its stable state more quickly than static fines. Even if the fine is reduced in the later stages, it will not affect their strategies. High quotas and low consumption prices will significantly accelerate the exit of regulators from regulation, while power sales companies and large consumers will quickly fulfill their quota tasks. Only power generators prefer low quotas and high consumption prices. These results provide some recommendations for the setting of policy parameters.

Role of Energy Intensity and Investment in Reducing Emissions in Türkiye

Addressing the challenge of rising carbon dioxide (CO2) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is a critical priority in global efforts to combat climate change. The primary aim is to assess the relationship between energy intensity, private investments in energy, renewable energy consumption, export-related factors, and their influence on CO2 and GHG emissions in Turkey. The study employs a multi-level approach using correlation and regression analyses to explore the impact of the selected variables. A Bayesian correlation analysis was conducted to evaluate the strength of relationships between variables, and a regression model was used to test the significance of each factor. Data were gathered from official sources on energy intensity, renewable energy consumption, private investments in energy, and export-related variables in Turkey from 2007 to 2022. The study employed the JASP statistical software. The analysis showed that energy intensity and private energy investments are the most significant predictors of CO2 and GHG emissions. Energy intensity exhibited a strong negative correlation with CO2 emissions per capita (r = -0.717, BF₁₀ = 10.456) and GHG emissions (r = -0.802, BF₁₀ = 44.224), highlighting the critical role of energy efficiency in reducing emissions. Renewable energy consumption also played a role, though its influence was less pronounced than energy efficiency and investment. Based on the findings, it is recommended that policymakers prioritize energy efficiency improvements and create incentives for private investment in renewable energy technologies. Future studies should focus on sector-specific energy efficiency improvements and policy frameworks to enhance private sector engagement in clean energy initiatives.

The Role of Renewable Energy, Technological Innovation, and Human Capital on Environmental Quality in Türkiye: Testing the LCC Hypothesis with Smooth Structural Shifts

Newly industrializing economies are ardently striving for rapid development, aspiring to emulate the affluence of Western nations. However, amidst this relentless economic dynamism, the world grapples with an escalating climate change crisis. Therefore, it becomes imperative to identify the factors contributing to improving developing nations' environmental quality while concurrently advancing their sustainable development objectives. In this regard, the present study aims to dissect the environmental implications of renewable energy consumption, technological innovation, and human capital and examine the "Load Capacity Curve" (LCC) hypothesis in Türkiye through an extension of the STIRPAT model. To achieve this objective, the research operates a novel econometric methodology, namely the "augmented autoregressive distributed lag" (A-ARDL) approach with Fourier terms, to analyze yearly data from 1980 to 2019. The empirical findings substantiate the validation of the LCC hypothesis in Türkiye, both in the short and long term. Furthermore, the results unveil that renewable energy consumption and human capital significantly bolster ecological welfare over the long term, whereas technological innovation exhibits no discernible impact on the environment. Additionally, the outcomes display that population growth positively impacts the environment in the short term; nevertheless, over the long term, it becomes detrimental to environmental quality.

A Review of Renewable Energy Investment in Belt and Road Initiative Countries: A Bibliometric Analysis Perspective

Since the proposal of the “Belt and Road” initiative (BRI) in 2013, China’s renewable energy investments in the countries along the route have shown rapid growth and diversification. These investments have shifted from initial product exports and engineering contracts to deeper equity investments and financing cooperation. They not only promote a global energy structure transformation towards green and low-carbon development but also bring significant economic growth and social progress to the participating countries. This study aims to systematically review the research status and trends of renewable energy investments in “Belt and Road” countries through comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Utilizing the Web of Science database and VOS viewer 1.6.17 software for visualization, this research reveals the publication trends, high-impact articles, institutional collaborations, and author networks in this field. Additionally, through keyword co-occurrence network analysis, three core research themes are identified: investment motivations, synergy effects, renewable energy consumption, and international cooperation. This systematic bibliometric analysis not only outlines the current research landscape but also provides important insights for identifying emerging research directions, thereby supporting more in-depth investigations into renewable energy investments within the “Belt and Road” initiative.

Future pathways for green hydrogen: Analyzing the nexus of renewable energy consumption and hydrogen development in Chinese cities

Hydrogen energy offers a promising pathway for achieving zero-carbon urban energy consumption. This study quantitatively analyzes the patterns of hydrogen energy development and its linked to electricity consumption in China's urban areas. It investigates the spatial relationships between hydrogen energy expansion, the potential for green hydrogen production, and overall energy use. Utilizing a coupling coordination degree (CCD) model and a panel vector autoregressive (PVAR) model, the research explores the dynamic interactions between urban hydrogen energy development and the transition to renewable energy sources. In line with Chinese government policy, the study also conducts a scenario analysis of green hydrogen production by 2030, proposing a consumption strategy that balances environmental sustainability with economic growth. The key conclusions are as follows: (1) There is a spatial mismatch between the locations where hydrogen energy is being developed and where the potential for green hydrogen production is greatest. Cities with higher electricity consumption demonstrate stronger synergies in the coordinated development of hydrogen and renewable energy. (2) The development of hydrogen energy significantly accelerates the transition to renewable energy consumption in urban areas, with this impact being more substantial than that of the utilization capacity alone. (3) Hydrogen production in the Plan Scenario is significantly higher than in the Pessimistic Scenario, underscoring the critical importance of implementing renewable hydrogen projects in provinces with high production potential. Future trends in green hydrogen consumption at the provincial level indicate that addressing the challenges of efficient inter-provincial transportation of hydrogen energy remains essential.

Green growth a pathway to sustainable growth in developed countries

The quest by countries to drive to maturity stage of development especially by industrialize nations continued to impact on green economy despite policy framework and strategy implementation to curtail the activities. Emissions endanger the existence of secured environment. It is in the light of this literatures have concentrated on the area. This study seeks to investigate the determinants of green growth in 13 developed countries spanning 2010 to 2020. This study employed the ordinary least square regression with robust option, country specific effect and time fixed option, fixed effect and random effect estimation with time varying effect estimation options. This study also employed the generalized square regression technique with several robust option and post estimation test. The result of the study posit that CO2 emissions from gaseous fuel consumption which is (% of total) has a positive and significant relationship with green growth indicating that the consumption of this energy increases green growth. The coefficient Renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption) revealed a positive effect on green growth. The coefficient Fossil fuel energy consumption (% of total energy) revealed a negative effect on green growth. In addition, Combustible renewable and waste (% of total energy) posit a negative relationship on green growth. A caveat for policy shows that in spite strategies and deliberate policy reform put in place to mitigate the effect on green growth, much is needed in terms of investment in clean energy. No doubt deliberate policy reform need to strengthen and enforced in this respect cannot be underscored

Renewable energy, energy efficiency, and economic complexity in the middle East and North Africa: A panel data analysis

This paper aims to investigate how economic complexity and structural transformation affect energy security. This study differs from previous research by focusing on energy efficiency and renewable energy transition as indicators of energy security. The employed methods include econometric techniques such as Panel-Corrected Standard Errors, Driscoll and Kraay's Spatial Correlation Consistent (SCC) method, and Generalized Least Squares, covering data from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries between 1990 and 2017. The results show that economic complexity has a negative effect on energy efficiency but a positive impact on renewable energy. However, economic growth positively affects energy efficiency but negatively influences renewable energy. These results imply that economic complexity is energy-intensive but green, whereas economic growth is energy-saving but brown. The comparative analysis reveals that the negative effects of economic complexity and growth are larger than their positive effects, highlighting the necessity of restructuring economic activities and sectors. Accordingly, decision-makers should encourage the utilization of more energy-efficient technologies in economic activities and production, while promoting renewable energy consumption to enhance energy security in the MENA region.

Oil prices and the renewable energy transition: Empirical evidence from China

This paper explores the effect of oil price, gross domestic product (GDP), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions on renewable energy consumption in China from 1990 to 2020, utilizing the canonical cointegrating regression (CCR) method. The findings indicate that the oil price, GDP and CO2 emissions positively and significantly affect renewable energy consumption over the examined time frame. Numerically, a 1% increase in oil prices, GDP, and CO2 emissions results in a 0.16%, 0.39%, and 1.70% increase in renewable energy consumption, respectively. The positive effect of oil prices on renewable energy consumption can be seen as the cost advantage of renewable energy, which may grow with rising oil prices, leading to a rise in its adoption. The study underscores the significance of promoting renewable energy usage, emphasizing the need for policies that aid energy security and environmental sustainability.