Renewable Energy Supply Research Articles

An optimal scheme assists the municipalities in Fukuoka, Japan in achieving their goal of 100% renewable energy supply and future decarbonization

To achieve the net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal by 2050, it is essential for local municipalities to clarify the current state of renewable energy (RE) development, energy balance, and future development directions. Thus, an optimal energy supply system scheme with a coordination function between municipalities has been designed for Fukuoka Prefecture. We initially examined the spatial distribution of current RE supply and energy balance at the municipality level and estimated the total supply potential of Agri-Voltaic to be approximately 4145 GWh year−1. In our analysis, we found that in 2020 (the current scenario), the share of RE supply by municipalities relative to demand ranged from 3 % to 267 %, with an average of 32 %. Grid power accounted for 84 % of the total demand. However, considering factors like a declining birth rate, an aging population, and energy saving initiatives assumed for 2050 (the future scenario), we estimate a decrease in total energy demand from the current level of 30,950 to a future level of 24,339 GWh year−1. From an emissions perspective, optimizing the promotion of additional RE sources and coordinating RE usage between municipalities in the future will help achieve the goal of 100 % RE supply, meet the future energy demand at the prefecture level, and support regional decarbonization efforts (emission reductions: 7871 GgCO2).

Dynamic linkages between tourism development, renewable energy and high-quality economic development: Evidence from spatial Durbin model.

There has been a shift in focus toward environmentally and economically sustainable forms of economic growth known as High-quality economic development (HQED). However, this study analyzes the impact of tourism development (TD) and renewable energy consumption on HQED in 30 provinces of China, while covering the time period from 2007 to 2021. TD and HQED has been measured with help of Global Moran Index. This study has used dynamic spatial Durbin model (SDM) to measure the dynamic impact of TD index and renewable energy consumption on HQED along with green finance, foreign direct investment and investment in education. The findings from empirical analysis shows that TD has negative impact on HQED and in more developed regions, the relationship is positive, while in the less developed western part of China, the U-shape has been reversed. Central and northeastern China have a U-shaped connection, while it has been noticed the interaction term of TD and renewable energy endorses HQED. In addition, renewable energy consumption, green finance and increase in education investment have positive and significant impact on HQED while foreign direct investment has negative impact on HQED in China. Therefore, in the light of this study policymakers should focus on the quality of tourism industry, green finance for renewable energy supply and enhancing education investment in China to attain the goal of HQED.

Influence factors on sustainable business models for renewable energy supply: Indonesian electricity industry

Influence factors on sustainable business models for renewable energy supply: Indonesian electricity industry

Optimization Examples for Water Allocation, Energy, Carbon Emissions, and Costs

The field of Water Resources Management (WRM) is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, realizing its direct connections with energy, food, and social and economic sciences, among others. Computationally, this leads to more complex models, wherein the achievement of multiple goals is sought. Optimization processes have found various applications in such complex WRM problems. This entry considers the main factors involved in modern WRM, and puts them in a single optimization problem, including water allocation from different sources to different uses and non-renewable and renewable energy supplies, with their associated carbon emissions and costs. The entry explores the problem mathematically by presenting different optimization approaches, such as linear, fuzzy, dynamic, goal, and non-linear programming models. Furthermore, codes for each model are provided in Python, an open-source language. This entry has an educational character, and the examples presented are easily reproducible, so this is expected to be a useful resource for students, modelers, researchers, and water managers.

The social network perspective on power system co-evolution: responses to "double carbon target" realization in China.

The introduction of dual carbon targets will significantly impact power system development. Despite this, there is currently limited research on achieving system evolution and transition while ensuring safety, low-carbon output, and efficiency, as well as quantitatively analyzing the resulting changes dual carbon targets will have on the power system. Co-evolution of the power system offers a solution to balance the impact of dual carbon goals and enhance interaction among system entities, thereby facilitating the achievement of these goals. Our study focuses on constructing an evolutionary topological network by analyzing the dynamic evolution rule of power systems. We investigate the co-evolution pattern of power systems by analyzing the relationship between the role of power system agents and their dynamic structures. Furthermore, we analyze the future structural changes of power systems, which can provide theoretical support for achieving dual carbon goals in the power system. Our findings highlight key measures to promote synergistic evolution, including increasing energy storage capabilities, stabilizing renewable energy supply, breaking inter-provincial barriers in electricity transmission, and developing a multi-level intelligent power system. Through link analysis, we discover that future power systems will maintain a mild coordination among agents rather than implementing large-scale realignment and reconfiguration. We posit that overcoming obstacles can be achieved by fostering cohesion between the network and agents through technological innovation and widespread market diffusion to drive co-evolution.

Impact of supporting power source on a high-proportion renewable energy generation base

In recent years, China has organized three batches of high-proportion renewable energy generation bases, with the aim of resolving the geographical imbalance between renewable energy supply and consumption. Renewable electricity is transported from the resource-abundant western regions to the electricity-demanding eastern regions. Given the inherent variability and unpredictability of wind power and photovoltaic power generation, there is a pressing need for additional support from more reliable energy generation sources, including coal-fired power and concentrated solar power (CSP). This paper presents a power system optimization planning model that incorporates the internal energy transfer of CSP. It proposes strategies for establishing high-proportion renewable energy generation bases supported by both coal-fired power and CSP. Furthermore, it investigates the primary constraints affecting the energy generation base. The study also compares the peak shaving depth and output characteristics between coal-fired power and CSP. Moreover, this paper introduces the method of natural gas supplemental combustion to enhance the power supply stability of CSP, enabling the renewable energy generation base to supply electricity through conventional DC transmission.

Natural resources, economic growth, and environmental sustainability in China: the role of technological innovation

Economic development, energy sustainability, and pollution are issues related to human survival, and it is crucial to properly address the relationships between them. This article examines the nexus between natural resources (NRs), technological innovation, economic growth (EG), and environmental sustainability in China by applying a fixed effect model, random effect model, instrumental variable estimation, using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces as the basis of investigation. (1) There is a “resource curse” in the role of NRs in economic development; the accumulation of human capital, the degree of marketization and the degree of urbanization can mitigate the phenomenon of “resource curse”. (2) The phenomenon of “resource curse” is mainly caused by the displacement effect of technological innovation. (3) Natural resource exploitation and economic development inhibit environmental sustainability, while technological innovation promotes environmental sustainability. Based on the research conclusions, policy insights are proposed to increase the degree of marketization, strengthen human capital accumulation, increase scientific and technological investment, and increase the supply of renewable energy, with a view to providing assistance in promoting the harmonious development of human beings and nature as well as the economic development of various regions.

Renewable Energy for Desalinization using Reverse Osmosis

This paper presents a proposal for fulfilling the energy demands of small desalination facilities in remote areas, by using a combination of renewable energies. The integrated system consists of photovoltaic modules, wind turbine, diesel generator, battery bank for energy storage and a reverse osmosis desalinization unit. A central aspect is the automation of the overall system to improve reliability and ensure that the water demand is fulfilled. For this, variations in the supply of renewable energy, water demand and maintenance operations of desalination plant are taken into account using short-term predictions. The key objectives are maximise the use of renewable energies, reduce fuel dependency and engine wear and tear due to incomplete combustion.

High Temperature Biomass Fired Stirling Engine (HTBS)

Biomass is an important resource for the utilisation of renewable energy not only in Germany, but in many other countries. Being sufficient to provide base load it is capable to stabilise electricity grids besides contributing to climate change precaution. Additionally it is essential that the applications for heat, power and fuel feature high conversion efficiencies. There fore the on-site generation of electricity is a crucial contribution to renewable energy supply, especially in real small-scale applications. The project “HTBioStir” - development of a high temperature heat exchanger for the coupling of biomass boiler and Stirling engine - is designed and realized as a fundamental research project focusing on important mechanisms of heat transfer. The basic approach to generate electricity and heat implies the transfer of enthalpy on high temperature levels from the flue gases of a wood chip operated fire tube boiler to the working fluid helium through the heater head of a Stirling engine generator set. Using an indirect heat transfer mechanism, air as the carrier, an innovative heat exchanger with surface structured industrial power tube bundle and upstream a similar recuperative air-preheater by which an α-type SOLO 2V is operated to gene rate electricity. The leaving air at a much lower temperature level serves then as preheated oxidant in the furnace, while the flue gases produce hot water in the boiler. At present measure ment campaigns were carried out to establish energy and mass balances of the fire tube boiler as well as the Stirling engine.

Investigating the Technical Reuse Potential of Crystalline Photovoltaic Modules with Regard to a Recycling Alternative

Photovoltaics (PV) is a key pillar of renewable energy supply. However, the climate and resource crisis make it necessary to implement further optimizations toward a circular economy in the PV industry. One strategy for saving resources and lowering carbon dioxide emissions is the reuse of modules (second-life PV). As part of this work, various tests were carried out with crystalline modules from two different manufacturers. The modules had already been transported to a recycling company and were originally intended for recycling. The measurements carried out provide a comprehensive assessment of the condition of the PV modules. In total, five different measurement methods were used, two of which related to short-term measurements under controlled laboratory conditions and three to long-term assessments under real conditions. The investigation illustrated that modules from the recycling company have potential for reuse. However, it also showed that a clearly differentiated classification system is necessary due to module age- and environmental conditions-related degradation. Qualification and further long-term measurements should be implemented using a combination of measurement methods.

Enhancing target benefits of power system stakeholders: A columns and constraint generation-based power-to-gas linked economic dispatch

Economic dispatch (ED) plays a crucial role in optimizing power plant output to minimize the cost of electricity production and ensure economic efficiency in complex power systems. However, with the growing emphasis on carbon neutrality policies and the increased use of renewable energy sources (RES), traditional ED models may lead to economic losses for independent power producers (IPP) and renewable energy providers (REP). To address this challenge, a new ED model is proposed in this study, which integrates power-to-gas (P2G) technology and takes into account the perspectives of all stakeholders, including independent system operator (ISO) IPP, and REP. The proposed approach is tested in the context of the cost based pool (CBP) market structure in S. Korea, where a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) problem is solved for each target benefit using columns and constraint generations (C&CG). By ensuring the target benefits of each stakeholder group, this improved ED model aims to encourage their participation in the power system and support economic efficiency. The simulation results of the P2G-linked ED proposed in this paper verify that as the capacity of the integrated P2G increases, there is an increase in the improvement rate of each target benefit for ISO, IPP, and REP.

Quantifying the impact of multi-scale climate variability on electricity prices in a renewable-dominated power grid

The variability and intermittency of renewable energy sources pose several challenges for power systems operations, including energy curtailment and price volatility. In power systems with considerable renewable sources, co-variability in renewable energy supply and electricity load can intensify these outcomes. In this study, we examine the impacts of interplay between renewable resource and load co-variability and power system constraints across multiple spatial and temporal scales. We use the New York State power system as our case study, which is undergoing a major transition toward increased renewable generation. We characterize the spatiotemporal co-variability of renewable energy-generating resources and electricity load and investigate the impact of climatic variability on electricity price volatility. We use an accurate, reduced-form representation of the New York power system, which integrates additional wind and solar power resources to meet the state’s energy targets through 2030. Our study shows while diversifying renewables mitigates power variability, short-term fluctuations can still lead to inefficient energy use and substantial curtailment. Annual electricity prices varied by 9%, with price spikes fluctuating by up to 56%, while reflecting a state-wide heterogeneity. Hydropower primarily influences yearly prices, whereas solar and wind mainly affect short-term volatility. Our results underscore the importance of considering both spatiotemporal dynamics and system constraints when planning investments in renewable energy infrastructure.

Sustainable Energy Management using Machine Learning

The global energy sector is encountering escalating difficulties, including rising demands for efficiency, shifts in supply and demand patterns, and a lack of optimal management analysis. Utilizing machine learning (ML) to process energy sector data can gradually address these issues. ML algorithms have the capability to analyze equipment data, construct predictive models, and address sustainability-related problems. In smart cities, the integration of machine learning algorithms enables automatic responses to fluctuations in electricity prices, facilitating effective control of energy consumption. Systems employing machine learning can assist energy suppliers in adapting to variable renewable energy supplies. Worldwide, there is a growing emphasis on low-emission energy sources, leading to increased installed capacities of solar photovoltaic, wind farms, and marine energy systems. Consequently, artificial intelligence and machine learning are poised to play a vital role in effectively managing the challenges of the energy sector. The implementation of micro-grids presents significant challenges that necessitate advanced control techniques like model predictive control (MPC). This paper focuses on employing MPC for energy management in micro-grids and aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the development of MPC methods for sustainable energy management.

Modelling Policy Pathways to Maximise Renewable Energy Growth and Investment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Using OSeMOSYS (Open Source Energy Modelling System)

This study sought to generate, evaluate, and recommend possible national policies for the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to implement to most effectively boost growth and investment in renewable energy technologies (RETs) through 2065 using Open Source Energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS). The novelty of this study stems in-part from the scarcity of RET modelling completed for specific West African countries rather than for broader regions. Market-based instruments were identified as the policy type most practical for DRC. From modelling the resulting energy systems for policy pathways involving a 16% RET subsidy, a 70% fossil fuel tax, and both in combination relative to no-policy baseline scenarios, the scenarios including the tax had the lowest net costs (USD304–306 B) and the highest proportion of RETs (above 90%). Additionally, despite the current reliance on hydropower to fulfil 98% of its energy needs, hydropower played a very minor role in all of a modelled scenarios (no future investment beyond residual capacity). Finally, a post-modelling market potential assessment was performed on the technology that dominated off-grid supply across policy pathways: a 0.3 kW small solar home system (SHS). Based on learning rates for solar photovoltaics (PV), demand for a small SHS in DRC (>160 million units in total) was found to be sufficient to substantially reduce the unit cost as deployment scales. Ultimately, this study yielded four recommendations for the DRC government: (1) Pursue financial incentives to catalyse DRC’s renewable energy supply. (2) Tax fossil fuel energy production. (3) Re-evaluate focus on hydropower. (4) Promote DRC as a healthy market for solar home systems.

Interrelationships of renewable energy zones in Queensland: localised effects on capacity value and congestion

Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) are in the early stages of implementation in Australia's National Electricity Market (NEM) as a means of expediting transmission investment and facilitating new renewable generation capacity. This research explores the interrelationships and seasonal behaviour of nine proposed REZ across the Queensland region of the NEM. Assessment of the seasonal variable renewable energy supply and localised congestion effects, highlights the rapid increase in spilled energy that occurs as REZ subscription matures. Further, the contribution to the reliable supply of energy at a system level is considered through capacity value analysis and contextualised with their recent market performance. Important system planning considerations are highlighted, where analytical techniques are applied to the resource adequacy and congestion management problem.

A Promising Path toward a Net-Zero Clean Energy Future in Africa and Southeast Asia

This paper explores strategies for a rapid transition to net-zero energy in Africa and Southeast Asia through renewable energy sources. The study analyzes the current energy landscape and challenges faced by these regions, focusing on opportunities for economic development based on renewable energy generation, specifically solar PV and wind energy. The results show that an increase in renewable energy generation in Southeast Asia resulted in a comparable rise in renewable energy supply, electricity generation, and overall energy supply between 2021 and 2022. In Africa, an increase in renewable energy generation from 201-210 TWh demanded an increase in renewable energy supply, electricity generation, and overall energy supply between 2021 and 2022. Southeast Asia exceeded Africa in terms of solar PV generation in both years, with a share of 38-45 TWh, while Africa achieved a lesser proportion of 14-16 TWh in solar PV generation in the historical scenario. The same incremental trend was observed in both the stated policy scenario and the announced pledged scenario for both Africa and Southeast Asia in 2030 and 2050. According to the analysis, Africa produced a higher fraction of total wind energy production at 23–25 TWh, compared to Southeast Asia, which reported 9–14 TWh under the historical scenario between 2021 and 2022. However, according to the announced pledged scenario, Southeast Asia is predicted to outperform Africa in wind energy output between 2030 and 2050. However, by 2050, Southeast Asia is forecast to vastly outperform Africa in terms of wind energy output, with a staggering record of 1207 TWh compared to Africa's estimated 593 TWh. The authors propose five potential solutions to the challenges of renewable energy supply in Africa and Southeast Asia, based on the International Energy Agency's forecast between 2030 and 2050. These include exploring solar energy advancements, floating turbines, wave energy converters, ocean thermal energy conversion systems, energy storage and thermal energy solutions, and IoT integration for energy efficiency enhancement. The authors emphasize the need for long-term solutions and suggest policy implications for sustainable scenarios that encourage environmentally sound behaviors, drive economic growth, and promote social development. These scenarios include integrated resource planning, market liberalization, government incentives, and capacity-building.

Renewable Energy Supply and Energy Efficiency Technologies

Renewable Energy Supply and Energy Efficiency Technologies

Responsive CO2 capture: predictive multi-objective optimisation for managing intermittent flue gas and renewable energy supply

A predictive control framework is developed to maximise enhanced weathering reactor CO2 capture rate, whilst simultaneously minimising non-renewable energy consumption.

Mapping of very shallow geothermal potentials in rural areas of Bavaria

Climate change is a rising issue which strongly influences contemporary society. Therefore, the utilization of sustainable non-fossil energy sources is one of the most important goals in order to reduce greenhouse gas emission. Utilization of geothermal energy for heating and cooling buildings or residential units is one of the significant steps in providing sustainable and renewable energy supply. This paper presents very Shallow Geo-thermal Potentials (vSGP) of German federal state Bavaria, with special focus on rural are-as. Main goal of the study was to analyze the potentials for utilization of very shallow geo-thermal systems in terms of thermal conductivity and heat extraction. High-resolution soil maps containing information of grain size conditions served as an area-wide data basis for the research, while the analysis and visualization of the results were conducted by GIS software. Thermal conductivity as well as system-specific heat extraction were calculated depending on soil texture and climate conditions. Thermal conductivity results are intend-ed to be further used as the basic parameter for planning and installing horizontal geo-thermal heating and cooling systems.

Effect of Renewable Energy Consumption on Economic Growth in Kenya

Despite Kenya having a massive generating capacity of renewable energy, its consumption levels remain significantly low. The low supply levels have driven the costs of production upwards leading to high energy prices thereby slowing economic activity occasioned by inadequate investments in the energy sector. However, there are conflicting results on the existing link between economic growth and renewable energy consumption in the developing world. This study purposed to establish the effect of renewable energy consumption on economic growth in Kenya. This study was anchored on the Neo-Classical Solow-Swan growth model. This study adopted the correlational research design and used time series data for the period 1980-2017 to determine the nature of the existing linkages. Capital and labour were incorporated as control variables. The granger causality results established the existence of a bidirectional and feedback relationship existing between renewable energy consumption and economic growth in Kenya. Vector Error Correction Model results showed that a unit increase in total renewable energy consumption led to a gross domestic product rise by 13,340 million dollars in the second year. Therefore, both the granger causality and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) tests advocate for investment in the consumption of renewable energy if desired levels of economic growth are to be attained. Therefore, investment in modern energy generation and supply technologies and demonopolisation of the generation and supply of renewable energies to encourage private investments are recommended as the necessary measures to increase the level of renewable energy consumption, which in turn accelerates the rate of economic growth. Interventions such as tax exemptions on renewable energy equipment may encourage more uptake and consumption of renewable energies. This study may assist the government in the formulation of sustainable energy policies. This study may assist the government in the formulation of sound and sustainable energy policies for industrial and economic growth.