Renewable Energy Strategies Research Articles

European Union Renewable Energy Strategy

The renewable energy sector is becoming increasingly important in the global energy balance. This process can be explained by the depletion of fossil resources and the global environmental concern. Economies need more energy-efficient technologies to meet the growing volume of energy consumption. In the last quarter of the century, the European Union has seen a rapid development of renewable energy sources. Its aim is not only to diversify energy consumption, but to switch to renewable sources in order to reduce its dependence on traditional energy imports. The article examines the strategy of the European Union in the field of renewable energy technologies and their prospects. In the European Union, the renewable energy sector is regulated both at the organizational and national levels. The current regulatory framework is being improved; it establishes uniform requirements for all member states. However, each country has adopted its own national plans for renewable energy development. The European Union countries can independently determine the measures of state stimulation and support of renewable energy development. The most effective of them are: tax incentives, green tariffs, grants and loans. Despite certain difficulties, including those associated with the current level of technology development, renewable energy has a very high potential for further development, and the share of energy generated from renewable sources is increasing every year.

Grid-Connected Power Converters: An Overview of Control Strategies for Renewable Energy

The move towards a greener energy mix to fight climate change propels investments in converter-interfaced resources such as wind and photovoltaics, energy storage systems and electric vehicles. The ongoing evolution of the power system is occurring at a very fast pace, challenging transmission and distribution system operators to seek solutions that are not only adequate for this moment but also for future scenarios. Ongoing research in the fields of power electronics, power systems and control aims at developing control strategies that will help the energy transition to occur, while keeping a stable, secure and reliable power system. The objective of this paper is to present a critical review of the control strategies developed for grid-connected power converters found in renewable energy systems, energy storage systems and electric vehicles. The impact of grid-connected converters on the stability of power grids is also reviewed, highlighting the promising control strategies for enhancing system stability.

Searching for energy independence, finding renewables? Energy security perceptions and renewable energy policy in Lithuania

Lithuania's electricity sector has one of the EU's highest dependency rates, with about seventy percent of consumed electricity being generated abroad. This high rate was accentuated by the fact that until 2015 the dependency was on a sole country, namely the Russian Federation. With virtually no primary energy resources of its own, Lithuania progressed from a pro-nuclear to a renewable national energy strategy in just one decade. Based on the revised Copenhagen Securitization School, this article analyses energy security perceptions as a factor that determines the recent turn in Lithuanian energy strategy. Our findings show that renewable energy policy was shaped by the perception of potential energy security threats, but in contrast to the theory of securitization we identify achieving a high degree of perceived energy security as the primary enabler of renewable energy. The analysis of political processes leading to two distinct national energy strategies (2009–2012; 2013–2018) shows that rather than renewable energy being installed because of the energy security concerns related to the high dependency rate, it was the desecuritization of energy supply which allowed the turn to a renewables-based strategy. Only after a certain level of perceived energy security was established by linking up to the European energy landscape, Lithuania found it permissible to base its national energy strategy on renewables. The findings shed light on Europe's geography of (de)securitization, an East-West split within the European Union in terms of renewables and energy security. On the basis of our findings we conclude that the current geopolitical crisis in Eastern Europe is greatly affecting this geography, possibly to the detriment of the transition to renewable energy.

An overview of renewable energy strategies and policies in Palestine: Strengths and challenges

In this paper, renewable energy (RE) policies are evaluated to draw up recommendations for the energy sector stakeholders. The good potential of RE exists in Palestine, especially solar and biomass resources. Structural frameworks and targets are established for RE penetration in Palestine. Some strategies for the enhancement of RE systems are already in place; however, sustainable policies are still needed. To accomplish this task, a comprehensive integrated approach, involving all consumed energy forms (e.g., electricity, heating and cooling, and transport sectors) is anticipated. Energy security in Palestine over the upcoming 20 years is investigated using a Monte-Carlo simulation model that applies different RE adoption scenarios. In order to meet the Palestinian population's electrical energy needs in the near future, RE sources should be growing at an annual rate of about 5–10%. Few incentives exist for photovoltaic systems, yet sufficient funds must be allocated to the other forms of RE. Licensing and permitting procedures must be simplified and made more attractive for investors in the RE sector. Specifications and codes relevant to the utilization of RE need to be developed and enforced, including RE system identification and grid connection. It is crucial to designate a certain institution that can monitor and evaluate RE policies and collect relevant data to promote RE implementation in Palestine. A policy framework is proposed to achieve future energy sustainability for Palestine.

Evaluation of ex-situ hydrogen biomethanation at mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures

The biogas is seen as a key renewable resource in achieving the targets of countries renewable energy strategies. However, due to the high amount of CO 2 concentration in biogas production, the energy level of biogas decreases, and the use of biogas as an alternative energy source is limited. The hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis process is one of the key technology that capable to convert CO 2 to CH 4 with H 2 biomethanation. In this study the ex-situ hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions and kinetic parameters such as H 2 utilization rates, CH 4 yields and H 2 gas-liquid mass transfer rates were evaluated. The highest CH 4 concentrations were obtained as of 79 and 81% from the mesophilic and thermophilic reactors at H 2 :CO 2 ratio of 4:1. Also, the efficiency of hydrogen utilization ( η H 2 ) increased to 92% and the CH 4 yield ( Y C H 4 ) reached to 0.28 L CH4 /L H2 in thermophilic reactors. • Biological methanation of CO 2 to CH 4 using H 2 as the electron source was investigated. • Thermophilic conditions were quite effective at CH 4 production. • The highest CH 4 production was obtained at 81% at the H 2 :CO 2 ratio of 4:1. • The H 2 gas-liquid mass transfer was higher at a 4:1 stoichiometric ratio.

Does Renewable Energy Matter to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals? The Impact of Renewable Energy Strategies on Sustainable Economic Growth

The influences of renewable and conventional energy consumption on ecological sustainability remain unclear because of the dynamic economic and innovative framework. This investigation gives a new perception by exploring the association between the production of various sources of renewable energies (e.g., hydroelectric, wind, solar PV, geothermal, and biomass power) and economic growth encapsulating capital, government spending, and trade openness. This research used a heterogeneous approach for panel data and second generational tools for econometrics, which allow for cross-sectional reliance and slope heterogeneity. This study has revealed the substantial reason to back up the feedback assumptions between renewable energy sources and economic growth, using the Dumitrescu and Hurlin analysis. In terms of policy, this empirical analysis suggests enacting impactful policies that encourage green power and economic reform in an attempt to lessen CO2 concentrations in the biosphere.

A holistic environmental investigation of complementary energy in Alberta

AbstractAs Canada progresses toward its pledge of net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050, it is worthwhile to thoughtfully examine the current energy landscape and how one might hope to achieve decarbonization within this timeframe. This examination is of particular importance in a fossil fuel producing region such as Alberta. Through an analysis of renewable energy strategies as well as the potential difficulties in this transition, an appropriate strategy may be devised. A combinatorial approach of wind, solar, and geothermal energy sources in the residential, commercial, and industrial spheres may serve as a transition measure, and eventually supplant fossil fuels as the dominant source of energy produced in Alberta with appropriate incentivization. Decarbonization is a pressing need given the imminent climate crisis the world is encountering, and these technologies are capable of serving as a step toward lower carbon emissions and ultimately curbing human-accelerated climate change.

Greenland and the geopolitics of critical minerals

Greenland and the geopolitics of critical minerals

Applicable Smart City Strategies to Ensure Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Integration in Poor Cities: Kabul Case Study

A smart city is fundamentally intended to reduce the consumption of resources and optimize efficiencies. In almost any area, efficiency results in energy saving, reduced energy intensity, sustainable economic development, enhanced productivity, a protected environment, and most importantly, cooperation with the climate change battle. Although budget, technology, and the required infrastructure are major constraints for poor cities to achieve smart and sustainable city goals, the benefits of smart cities are multiple for poor cities compared to developing and developed cities. Poor cities achieve improved living environments, security, safety, economic development, governance, and quality of life in addition to achieving sustainable energy goals, and this study seeks to identify those smart renewable energy and energy efficiency strategies that are economically feasible and technically applicable in poor cities. The findings of this research would help poor and low-income, developing cities take the initial steps towards becoming smart cities by applying smart, innovative, and economically feasible sustainable energy projects and initiatives. As a result, these cities will be able to enhance their environment, economy, and employment by transitioning to smart ones.

Investigating alternative power generation strategies for local municipalities that are tied to the national grid

Escalating electrical energy usage and costs over the past few years has resulted in large utility bill expenses that municipalities are struggling to pay-off to National Energy Suppliers. Furthermore, some energy suppliers are struggling to meet the demand for more energy due to a variety of factors. The challenge therefore exists in identifying viable alternative power generation strategies for local municipalities to reduce their current electrical energy expenses or to provide limited power to their community when disconnected from the National Grid. An environmentally friendly renewable energy strategy method could be used to supplement the current energy requirements of a municipality during months of high energy demand. The main focus of this study will be on a small town in the Free State province of South Africa, called Koffiefontein. A battery-based solar PV system was designed in the Homer software and chosen as the renewable energy strategy to supplement the current energy needs of Koffiefontein due to its performance and cost effectiveness. The initial implementation cost of the system is $ 42 995 649.95. The cost of energy for the PV system suggested for Koffiefontein houses is $ 0.40/kWh with the yearly electricity production of 27 661 kWh. The payback period of the system is 45.3 years. The municipality needs to consider installing battery-based solar PV system to supply businesses in Koffiefontein during their high demanding hours and during load shedding as the system indicates an affordable cost of energy with high yearly production.

Evaluating the Market Potential of Concentrated Solar Thermal Technology for Different Applications in the MENA Region

Abstract Missing financial and regulatory frameworks lead to low development and stagnating costs of concentrated solar thermal technology. Nevertheless, in locations with high direct normal irradiance (DNI) such as the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region, the technology could become competitive, being promised a learning rate of 10–20%, and boost local economies. This study aims to identify potential business cases and evaluate the increased technology's investment likelihood in the region, focusing on Egypt. A thorough market assessment on the structure, regulatory framework, demand, and potential revenues was conducted for the power and process heating sector. A SWOT analysis was performed considering the local context and competing technologies. Egypt was shown to offer local manufacturing potential, regulatory framework, and renewable energy (RE) strategies, facilitating the technology's deployment. Moreover, the market is already open for private investment and selected international funds are directed toward CSP development. High initial technology cost, subsidized fuel and electricity prices for industry, alongside lack of long-term financial incentives and awareness of potential long-term benefits for the economy were identified as the most significant threats. High solar heat demand for industrial processes and large potential for concentrated solar heat (CSH) application were identified. Yet, the market is decentralized and the processes are very diverse, moreover retrofitting may pose risks alongside the high upfront investment and additional land costs, which makes concentrated solar heat applications less attractive for the Egyptian industrial sector. Hence, for concentrated solar technology deployment, financial incentives and a regulatory framework specifically directed toward the technology would be necessary.

Solar Photovoltaic Architecture and Agronomic Management in Agrivoltaic System: A Review

Agrivoltaic systems (AVS) offer a symbiotic strategy for co-location sustainable renewable energy and agricultural production. This is particularly important in densely populated developing and developed countries, where renewable energy development is becoming more important; however, profitable farmland must be preserved. As emphasized in the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) nexus, AVS advancements should not only focus on energy management, but also agronomic management (crop and water management). Thus, we critically review the important factors that influence the decision of energy management (solar PV architecture) and agronomic management in AV systems. The outcomes show that solar PV architecture and agronomic management advancements are reliant on (1) solar radiation qualities in term of light intensity and photosynthetically activate radiation (PAR), (2) AVS categories such as energy-centric, agricultural-centric, and agricultural-energy-centric, and (3) shareholder perspective (especially farmers). Next, several adjustments for crop selection and management are needed due to light limitation, microclimate condition beneath the solar structure, and solar structure constraints. More importantly, a systematic irrigation system is required to prevent damage to the solar panel structure. To summarize, AVS advancements should be carefully planned to ensure the goals of reducing reliance on non-renewable sources, mitigating global warming effects, and meeting the FEW initiatives.

The Effect of Marshallian and Jacobian Knowledge Spillovers on Jobs in the Solar, Wind and Energy Efficiency Sector

The purpose of this paper is to establish if Marshallian and Jacobian knowledge spillovers affect job creation in the green energy sector. Whether these two effects exist is important for the number of jobs created in related fields and jobs pushed away in other sectors. In the analysis, the production efficiency, in terms of jobs and job spillovers, from inventions in solar, wind and energy efficiency, is explored through data envelopment analysis (DEA), based on the Malmquist productivity index, and tobit regression. A panel dataset of American and European firms over the period of 2002–2017 is used. The contribution to the literature is to show the role of the spillovers from the same technology sector (Marshallian externalities), and of the spillovers from more diversified activity (Jacobian externalities). Since previous empirical evidence concerning the innovation effects on the production efficiency is yet weak, the paper attempts to bridge this gap. The empirical findings suggest negative Marshallian externalities, while Jacobian externalities have no statistical impact on the job creation process. The findings are of strategic importance for governments who are developing industrial strategies for renewable energy.

Routes for energy and bio-silica production from rice husk: A comprehensive review and emerging prospect

The high energy and silica contents of rice husks make them attractive for use in renewable energy and green chemical strategies. This review comprehensively discussed the potential route of rice husk utilization to energy and bio-silica simultaneously which is still lacking to investigate. The ash content in the dry rice husk could be up to 25 wt% and the high silica content in the rice husk ash could reach 99.77 d b. wt%. About 1 tonne/h of rice husk combustion could produce about 600–700 kWh of averaged net electricity so that it can be employed to support a small and simple power plant. Apart from that, applying acid leaching as a pretreatment before rice husk ash extraction with NaOH could achieve bio-silica with 98% recovery, 99.7% purity, and 400.69 m2/g surface area. Rice husk combustion in a suspension combustor seems to be appropriate to maintain the low combustion temperature at 700 °C in order to prevent the crystalline silica formation in the rice husk ash. The combustion efficiency is very high with 0.8% of unburnt carbon content in the ash as well as CO and NOx emissions are below 250 ppm. This review reveals that the industrial-scale for energy and amorphous bio-silica production from rice husk through a suspension combustor with optimized operating parameters emerges as a future prospect. It can lead to sustainability and self-reliance on chemicals and energy sectors, of which there are many research and development challenges to overcome.

Kazakhstan: Assessment of Renewable Energy Support and a Green Economy

The growth of renewable energy sources (RES) shows the desire of the government of Kazakhstan to meet challenges that affect the welfare and development of the state. National targets, government programs, policies influence renewable energy strategies. In the future, renewable energy technologies will act as sources of a green economy and sustainable economic growth. The state policy in the field of energy in Kazakhstan is aimed at improving the conditions for the development and support of renewable energy sources, amendments are being made to provide for the holding of auctions for new RES projects, which replaces the previously existing system of fixed tariffs. It is expected that the costs of traditional power plants for the purchase of renewable energy will skyrocket, provided that the goals in the field of renewable generation are achieved. This article provides an assessment of international experience in supporting renewable energy sources, as well as analyzes the current situation in the development of renewable energy in Kazakhstan and the impact on sustainable development and popularization of the «green» economy. The study shows that by supporting the development of renewable energy sources, economic growth is possible, which is achieved in an environmentally sustainable way.

Comparing Donor- and Acceptor-Originated Exciton Dynamics in Non-Fullerene Acceptor Blend Polymeric Systems.

Non-fullerene type acceptors (NFA) have gained attention owing to their spectral extension that enables efficient solar energy capturing. For instance, the solely NFA-mediated absorbing region contributes to the photovoltaic power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as ~30%, in the case of the solar cells comprised of fluorinated materials, PBDB-T-2F and ITIC-4F. This implies that NFAs must be able to serve as electron donors, even though they are conventionally assigned as electron acceptors. Therefore, the pathways of NFA-originated excitons need to be explored by the spectrally resolved photovoltaic characters. Additionally, excitation wavelength dependent transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) was performed to trace the nature of the NFA-originated excitons and polymeric donor-originated excitons separately. Unique origin-dependent decay behaviors of the blend system were found by successive comparing of those solutions and pristine films which showed a dramatic change upon film formation. With the obtained experimental results, including TAS, a possible model describing origin-dependent decay pathways was suggested in the framework of reaction kinetics. Finally, numerical simulations based on the suggested model were performed to verify the feasibility, achieving reasonable correlation with experimental observables. The results should provide deeper insights in to renewable energy strategies by using novel material classes that are compatible with flexible electronics.

Renewable energy source selection for a green port with AHP

In view of the need to reduce the greenhouse gas emission causing global climate change coupled with the necessity to protect the environment around port vicinities, the green port concept receives considerable attention. This concept’s motivation is to balance environmental challenges with economic demands such that seaports improve their financial, commercial, and operational performances. In this regard, the use of renewable energy is one of the viable solutions. Based on the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method, this paper presents a systematic approach for selecting the most suitable alternative of renewable energy sources. The results show that for the case of Kuala Tanjung Port, solar energy is the most favored alternative, followed by wind energy, biomass, and wave energy. It is hoped that this paper provides a starting point to plan for a long-term renewable energy strategy in the context of a green port.

China’s renewable energy strategy and industrial adjustment policy

The rapid development of China’s economy has driven the growth of energy consumption. However, the domination of the energy structure by fossil energy not only increases carbon emissions but is also an important source of fog and haze in China. This will cause global warming and increase people’s lung diseases. To alleviate these problems, renewable energy (RE) development is crucial in reducing CO2 emissions, promoting economic development, and reducing fog and haze in China. Industry accounts for the highest proportion of energy consumption, so an efficient adjustment of the industrial structure will greatly contribute to overall energy development, economic development, and environmental protection. By analyzing the sales output value of China’s industrial subsectors, together with energy consumption and CO2 emissions, this paper determines which industries should be encouraged and which industries should be restricted in China. Finally, RE strategies and industrial policies are proposed for Chinese government references. The contributions of the paper are three-fold: (1) propose a novel framework for the development of China in the aspects of energy, economy, and environmental policies; (2) provide valuable information for the Chinese government to enable it to understand which industries should be encouraged to improve its economic competitiveness; and (3) use hybrid methods (e.g., entropy method and weighted sum method) to rank the energy and CO2 productivity, and the recommendations will provide strategic guidance for China’s energy development.

Strategy of Large-Scale Electric Vehicles Absorbing Renewable Energy Abandoned Electricity Based on Master-Slave Game

The rapid development of renewable energy power has improved global energy and environmental problems. However, with the high volatility of renewable energy, it is an important challenge to guarantee the consumption of renewable energy and the reliable operation of high percentage renewable energy power systems. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a tracking absorption strategy for renewable energy based on the interaction between the supply side and the demand side, which adjusts the charging process of electric vehicles (EVs) through electric vehicle aggregator (EVA) to realize the tracking absorption of renewable energy abandoned electricity. In view of this process, we analyze the interaction among power grid, EVA and renewable energy generation (REG) as well as their market characteristics. The master-slave game model of EVA and REG was constructed considering the charging behavior characteristics of EVs and the output characteristics of REGs. Then the model solving strategy based on soft actor-critic (SAC) algorithm is proposed, and the REG pricing strategy and EVA scheduling strategy are calculated to optimize the mutual benefits. The case analysis shows that, under the same scale of electric vehicles, the proposed method can promote about 93.89% of the power abandonment consumption of wind power system, 96.00% of the photovoltaic system, and 97.41% of the wind-solar system. This strategy reduces the electricity purchase cost of EVA, promotes the interaction among renewable energy, vehicles and power grid, and improves the utilization efficiency of renewable energy.

The Cloud’s fearsome five renewable energy strategies: Coupling sustainable development goals with firm specific advantages

Abstract Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook, the fearsome five of cloud computing, have committed to providing their data centers with renewable energy. In so doing, this paper argues that their strategies are fulfilling two main Sustainable Development Goals, while demonstrating a new evolution in the relation between firm specific advantages and country specific advantages in understanding foreign direct investment. This paper elaborates an environmental interpretation of the relationships between firm-specific and country-specific advantages to appreciate how the cloud companies have developed and globally diffused new firm-specific advantages inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals. The analysis compares the evolution of these ‘green’ firm-specific advantages in home and host countries, supporting the idea of multinational enterprises as pro-active institutions in the global economy.