Share Of Renewable Energy Research Articles

Understanding stakeholder attitudes towards low-head pumped hydro storage technology

BackgroundThe share of renewable energy feeding the European grid has been growing over the years, even though the intermittency of some renewable energy sources can induce electric grid instability. Energy storage has proven to be an effective way of reducing grid instability. Various solutions for large-scale energy storage are being researched nowadays. This study focusses on the innovative low-head pumped hydro storage (LH PHS) technology, a large-scale energy storage scheme suitable for shallow seas (5 – 30 m depth). Implementation of renewable energy technologies, such as wind farms in Europe, Asia and North America, has faced public opposition which has delayed or even cancelled the implementation of renewable energy projects. Literature about public perception of projects highlights the importance of involving stakeholders from the early stages of project planning. Considering this, the present study aims to collect stakeholder opinions (via an online survey) to determine what is necessary for a smooth implementation of LH PHS in the North Sea, both from technical and policy points of view.ResultsStakeholders from commercial parties, government authorities and local groups recognized the potential of LH PHS as a means to increase the share of renewable energies within the European power grid. Economics, bureaucratic burden, and structural safety have emerged as primary aspects of concern respecting the implementation of LH PHS. The impression of the respondents is that a low-head pumped hydro station would not have negative effects on their organizations. Furthermore, most of the engineering firms participating in the study communicated that their knowledge and resources could be involved in the construction of such an energy storage facility.ConclusionAs identified stakeholder concerns such as economics and structural safety are currently being researched, effective communication of the findings of this research is paramount to keep stakeholders informed of the ongoing progress. Two-way communication between researchers and stakeholders is recommended to enhance public acceptance of future technologies. Furthermore, is it advisable to undertake an examination of the available energy policies relevant to LH PHS.

Tracking China’s CO2 emissions using Kaya-LMDI for the period 1991–2022

The main aim of this study is to investigate how the different drivers regulating incremental CO2 emissions have evolved in China over seven five-year plans (1991–2022). The study also examines how these different drivers’ (including population, economic development, energy intensity, share of renewable energy and its productivity, and carbon intensity) regulating of CO2 emissions have changed. The results are obtained by employing Kaya identity and logarithmic mean divisia index (LMDI) methodology. Additionally, the Tapio method is utilized to study the decoupling elasticity history of carbon emissions from China’s economy. The decoupling of carbon emissions from the economy due to different drivers is further investigated, and the results may inform and assist policymakers in determining environmentally sustainable policies. The results reveal that the value added of CO2 emissions reached its highest point in the 10th five-year plan (FYP) and has decreased every year thereafter. Economic factor and renewable energy share factor are the main reasons for the increase in carbon emissions. Those emissions peaked in the 11th and 12th FYPs, respectively, and have been gradually declining in subsequent years. Meanwhile, the energy intensity factor, the renewable energy utilization factor, and the carbon emission intensity factor, as the key contributors to carbon emission reduction, have made monumental contributions to carbon emission reduction. These factors reached their highest levels in the 12th and 13th FYPs, respectively. China was still in a stage of weak decoupling at this stage, but the decoupling elasticity is gradually converging to zero. On an individual basis, energy intensity, carbon intensity, renewable energy productivity, and population factor have a much greater ability to decouple than economic factor and renewable energy share factor. Some implications are offered, including the improvement of population quality, the promotion of a green and low-carbon economy, and the innovation of energy efficiency.

Econometric Analysis of the Influence of Factors on the Share of Energy From Renewable Sources in the EU

The use of renewable energy is at the core of EU energy policy, reducing dependence on fossil fuels imported from non-EU countries, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and decoupling energy costs from oil prices. Currently, 22.5% of energy consumed in the EU comes from renewable sources. This increase over 2021 is due to strong growth in solar energy. This share is also increasing due to the consumption of non-renewable energy sources in 2022. According to expert forecasts, the share of renewable energy sources in Europe will continue to grow. Achieving the 42.5% target by 2030 will require a deep transformation of the European energy system. The very strong climate and energy policies pursued in the EU for about a dozen years and aimed at limiting emissions of harmful substances into the environment have led to a gradual abandonment of traditional energy sources. Increasing demand for energy while reducing its supply from traditional sources means that in order not to make the economy too dependent on energy imports, the dynamic development of renewable energy is necessary. The EU is therefore taking very extensive operational and strategic actions to use other sources for production, such as wind, solar energy, mechanical water energy, biomass and geothermal energy, as well as tidal waves, ocean heat, wave energy and sea currents. In this study, we assess the impact of energy, economic and environmental factors on the share of renewable energy in the EU. The aim of these studies was to identify the energy, economic and environmental indicators that have the greatest impact on the share of energy from renewable sources in the European Union. The study was conducted using the Statgraphics Centurion software package. The source data for the study was data from the official Eurostat website for the period from 2012 to 2022. The results of this study show that changes in gross domestic product in market prices per capita have a positive impact, as do changes in greenhouse gas emissions per capita negatively affect the share of energy from renewable sources in the EU in the period 2012-2022. This may most likely be due to the fact that EU countries are more likely to invest in renewable energy as they can afford to invest in the development of expensive renewable energy technologies and support subsidies for the promotion and regulation of renewable energy. The negative impact of per capita greenhouse gas emissions on renewable energy development is due to the high share of coal in the EU energy mix, meaning that coal not only has negative environmental impacts, but also negative environmental impacts. development of renewable energy.

The Janus‐Faced Role of Renewable Energy Development in Global Carbon Reduction Under Renewable Energy Policies

AbstractThe global‐scale empirical analysis of how renewable energy policies (REPs) affect carbon emissions and the mediating role of renewable energy development (RED) in this mechanism remains underexplored. To fill this research gap, we extracted and organized REPs data from IEA's databases for 135 countries until 2018 and conducted empirical analyses of these issues. We find that: (a) REPs significantly reduce global carbon emissions, especially through regulatory, economic, and R&D policies. (b) REPs' effectiveness in mitigating carbon emissions is enhanced by robust energy infrastructure, strong control of corruption, and adherence to the rule of law. Besides, the balance of REPs types does not influence their efficiency, but REPs prioritizing certain renewable energy (RE) types aligns better with carbon reduction goals. (c) RED displays a Janus‐faced influence on REPs' carbon reduction effect—renewable energy consumption (REC) positively mediates it, whereas renewable energy share (RES) exerts a negative mediation. Specifically, REC consistently reduces carbon emissions, while RES initially increases and then decreases carbon emissions, exhibiting an inverted U‐shape. (d) The initial rise in carbon emissions with RES is due to the low substitution of RE for fossil energy and the country‐specific heterogeneity in organizational, geographic, industrial, economic, demographic, and temporal factors.

An assessment of the renewable energy potential of oil palm residues: A case study of CDC plantation, Cameroon

Cameroon faces enormous clean energy accessibility challenges despite abundant energy resources and huge quantities of free oil palm residues (OPR) generated but dumped yearly from the agro-industrial companies like the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC). Presently, electricity supply is mainly from hydro (73 %) with accessibility of 65 % and 14 % for urban and rural areas respectively, while energy mix is historically dominated by traditional biomass fuels such as firewood and charcoal, accounting for more than 76 % of the country's total energy consumption. The hydro supply is not regular as it depends on weather conditions and this has negatively impacted the economy. The situation is aggravated by the increased energy demand over the past decade as Cameroon has engaged to become an emerging economy by 2035. However, encouraging policies for researchers and investors in the energy sector have been put in place with a view of attaining a 25 % share of renewable energy (RE) by 2035. OPR are a potential (RE) resource but require technical assessment and technological transformation into clean energy rather than dumping, which constitutes a serious environmental problem. This research has assessed the quantity of OPR generated annually at the CDC and estimated its clean energy value from 2004 to 2018 by consulting fruits-harvest records from CDC statistics office and by bomb calorimetry respectively. The significant findings reveal a yearly production of 203666T of OPR with a calorific value of 896 TJ, corresponding to electrical energy potential of 249 MWh. The energy could be used by the industry or injected into the grid to mitigate the current energy challenges.

Income inequality and CO2 emissions nexus: A long-run analysis for Turkey

The relationship between economic factors and environmental impacts is of paramount significance in the pursuit of sustainable development and the implementation of effective measures to alleviate environmental deterioration. This research utilizes the VECM, FMOLS, CCR, and DOLS methodologies to examine the relationship between income inequality and CO2 emissions spanning from 1990 to 2022 in Turkey. Theoretical frameworks such as Boyce's socio-economic dynamics, Veblen's pecuniary emulation theory, and the marginal propensity to emit provide detailed insights into the complex relationship between economic inequality and environmental degradation. In synthesizing the literature on income inequality and CO2 emissions, we observe a wide spectrum of findings ranging from positive to negative associations, with some studies yielding inconclusive results in different nations and areas. Beyond income inequality, this research considers a wider range of CO2 explanatory factors, such as GDP per capita, industrial value added, energy consumption, renewable energy, population density, and the Gini index. The estimates reveal that income per capita, industrial value added, energy consumption, and population density show positive linkages with CO2 emissions. On the other hand, renewable energy share and income inequality reflect negative associations with CO2 emissions. Notably, an increase in the Gini coefficient, reflecting worse income distribution, is associated with a reduction in CO2 emissions in Turkey.

Determinants of Carbon Emission- A Study in South Asian Countries

The rapid economic growth of South Asian countries, coupled with rising populations, has led to an increasing demand for energy, thereby posing significant challenges for sustainable development. This paper explores the importance of sustainable energy development in South Asia, highlighting its critical role in ensuring economic stability, environmental protection, and social equity. The United Nations has underscored this through its UNFCCC 2016 targets, transitioning from the Millennium Development Goals to the broader Sustainable Development Goals, with a heightened focus on mitigating climate change. In this context sustainable energy development is very important. This study focuses on the sustainable energy development status of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Utilizing 23 years of data (2000-2022), we employed Panel Data Analysis to investigate the determinants influencing carbon intensity in these nations. Our findings reveal that energy intensity, per capita renewable energy consumption and access to electricity significantly increase carbon intensity. Conversely, higher per capita income, a greater share of renewable energy in total consumption and increased per capita energy generation from fossil fuels correlate with a significant reduction in carbon intensity. The results suggest that enhanced collective efforts among SAARC countries are imperative for advancing sustainable renewable energy development.

The Nexus of Agricultural Efficiency, Renewable Energy Consumption, and Climate Change in Turkey

Agricultural practices and renewable energy consumption have a major impact on the absorption of heat-trapping greenhouse gases and are closely linked to climate change. The impact of agriculture on climate change is due to the GHGs such as methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide carbon dioxide that are released into the atmosphere during the agricultural practices. Therefore, to avoid undesirable effects of agriculture on climate change, it is important to understand the relationship between agricultural activities and greenhouse gases. In this study, we analyze the long-term effects of agricultural efficiency, fertilizer use, and renewable energy consumption on total carbon emissions in Turkey. The analysis is performed in two steps. In the first step, the values of agricultural efficiency are calculated using the CEE method. In the second step, ARDL and NARDL models are used to estimate the long-term effects of agricultural efficiency, fertilizer use, renewable energy consumption, GDP and population on CO2 emissions. The results show that improving agricultural efficiency and increasing the share of renewable energy would reduce carbon emissions, while fertilizer use, GDP, and population have negative long-term effects on CO2. In addition, the results of the Wald test indicate asymmetric long-term effects of renewable energy, agricultural efficiency, and fertilizer use on climate change.

Does Renewable Energy Matter for Economic Growth and Happiness?

This paper investigates whether renewable energy influences economic growth and happiness. Using panel data from 25 European Union countries for the period 2012–2022, this study employs a panel model for estimation with fixed and random effects, and robust HAC standard errors. According to the research results, in general, the growing share of renewable energy in the energy mix has a positive impact on economic growth and the happiness of citizens. However, detailed research has shown that this effect depends on the type of energy; a significant positive impact was recorded only in solar share energy, wind share energy and economic growth. However, almost all types of renewable energy were included, i.e., biofuel, hydro, solar and other renewable share energy, and all had a significantly positive impact on the level of happiness. The exception was wind share energy, which showed a significant negative impact. The research findings of this paper provide empirical support for promoting renewable energy, which is positive both for economies and the happiness of citizens. It is one of the main aspects of sustainable economic growth.

The Impact of RED III Directive on the Use of Renewable Fuels in Transport on the Example of Estonia

Over the past two decades, there has been an increasing use of biofuels worldwide, especially in Europe. The main objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), from transportation. The regulation of fuels produced from biomass and other renewable sources at the EU level is primarily governed by the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). As of today, RED III directive has come into effect, significantly altering the EU fuel market by 2030. The main change involves an increase in the share of renewable fuels in transport and the non-use of first-generation fuels. Since all EU member states are obliged to comply with the RED III directive, it is essential to assess the current status of each member state in meeting the requirements for transport fuels. Therefore, the aim of this article is to analyze the impact of the RED III directive on the use of renewable fuels in the transport sector. Specifically, it provides an overview of various RED directives' requirements, analyzes the shares of renewable fuels in fossil diesel in Estonia under different RED III compliance scenarios, and presents an overview of the situation regarding the use of renewable fuels in Estonia. The article is based on a literature review, and fuel share calculations are based on RED III directive calculation methodologies. The results of the study indicate that if the requirement for the share of renewable energy used in transport is 29%, using only HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) to achieve this goal would require replacing 30.3% of diesel with HVO. In cases where there is a requirement to reduce the greenhouse gas emission intensity of fuels in the transport sector by at least 14.5% by 2030, the volumetric share of HVO fuel must meet certain criteria based on the raw material. For example, fuel produced from residues must contain a minimal amount of biocomponents. In this context, biologically derived oil is initially used, such as in food preparation. Subsequently, after its use in food preparation, it is processed into fuel. The article also addresses cases where biogas is introduced as a renewable component in replacing diesel.

Assessing the Feasibility of Climate Policies of Japan, Latvia and Lithuania to Reach the Targets of the Paris Agreement

The study compares the most recent developments in energy policies of Japan, Lithuania and Latvia as a way to mitigate climate change. Latvia, Lithuania and Japan have all pledged to reach net zero by 2050 but face significant challenges, namely the dependence on energy imports in the form of fossil fuels, as they keep dominating the final energy supply. All three countries have a goal to sharply reduce this dependence, with Lithuania and Latvia even striving to become net energy exporters by focusing almost entirely on renewable energy. Japan, on the other hand, also aim to boost a renewable energy share, yet focuses more on the diversification of imported energy sources. The study attempts to discuss the differing approaches in climate change mitigation in Japan as compared to Latvia and Lithuania. The ambition of each country is estimated by Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), the roadmap to reduce the emissions in different sectors as enshrined in the climate strategy of each country, and the penetration of the renewable energy sector, estimating the scope of the ambition and implementation gaps compared to the goals set by the Paris Agreement. The study also estimates the impact of external impacts, namely the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in shaping climate change policies. Therefore, this study offers a comprehensive outlook on what needs to be achieved so that all three countries could be role models to follow in the climate policy. All three countries could collaborate on solar power, off-shore wind power, and hydrogen technologies. There have already been joint projects between Japan and the EU on advanced biofuels and the new generation of concentrator photovoltaics. However, there are significant differences regarding the role of ammonia and hydrogen production in the Climate change policy strategies of the three countries. Some contributing sectors are left behind and the current climate change strategies, even if properly implemented, may not be 2°C-compatible, let alone 1.5°C-compatible. The policies look even direr for a fair share target, and the implementation gap generally remains wide for the 2024-2030 period.

THE ROLE OF FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE SHARE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN JAPAN: A COMPREHENSIVE TIME-SERIES ANALYSIS

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of financial development (FD) on the share of renewable energy (RE) usage in Japan. The existing theoretical literature and empirical analyses covering different country cases reveal that FD might have positive, negative, or insignificant effect on RE use. Since there is no empirical investigation of the issue for Japan, the study aims to contribute to the literature. To that end, we used several time-series techniques to detect the association between RE usage and FD in Japan over the 1970–2020 period. The results obtained from the ARDL, Hatemi-J, Maki, Tsong et al. and NARDL cointegration tests showed that there is a significant cointegrated relationship between the share of RE use, FD, GDP per capita and trade openness. As for the long-run coefficients obtained from the ARDL, FMOLS, CCR and NARDL estimators revealed that increases in FD and trade openness raise the share of RE usage while increases in GDP per capita reduce it. Briefly, for the Japan case, we may suggest that improving the financial market structure of the country will bear fruit in terms of the share of cleaner and sustainable energy usage.

How do natural resource rents and productive capacity affect carbon emissions? Evidence from developed and developing countries

This study re-examines the determinants of CO2 emissions, considering 36 developing and developed economies from 2000 to 2020. The study uses a new indicator of economic cycles, i.e., the productive capacity index. The panel models also control for the impacts of geopolitical risk, globalisation, renewable energy share, and total natural resource rents. After diagnosing the data for necessary panel diagnostics, the Westerlund cointegration test indicates a significant long-run relationship. In this context, two-step System Generalised Method of Moments (SGMM) estimations demonstrate the positive effects of geopolitical risk, productive capacity index, and natural resource rents on per capita CO2 emissions. In contrast, globalisation and the share of renewable energy reduce CO2 emissions. The Panel-Correlated Standard Errors (PCSE) and the Feasible Generalised Least Squares (FGLS) confirm the long-run reliability of these baseline findings. Policy implications concerning the issue of rising CO2 emissions are also discussed.

Renewable Energy Share in European Industry: Analysis and Extrapolation of Trends in EU Countries

Renewable Energy Share in European Industry: Analysis and Extrapolation of Trends in EU Countries

Enhancing Grid Stability and Sustainability: Energy-Storage-Based Hybrid Systems for Seamless Renewable Integration

In the face of escalating global energy demand, the shift towards renewable energy sources has emerged as a sustainable solution. However, the integration of renewable energy into the electrical grid introduces challenges such as intermittent and instability. The concept of energy-storage-based hybrid systems, which combines renewable energy systems with energy storage, presents a promising approach to overcome these hurdles. These hybrid systems enhance grid stability by ensuring a consistent energy supply, compensating for the variable output of renewable energy sources, and providing ancillary services to the grid. Furthermore, they pave the way for a more resilient and reliable energy infrastructure, fostering the seamless integration of a substantial share of renewable energies. This paper offers a comprehensive exploration of energy-storage-based hybrid systems, discussing their structure, functioning, and the pivotal role they play in bolstering grid stability and promoting the unobstructed integration of renewable energy sources.

Mitigation of land-related impacts of solar deployment in the European Union through land planning policies

Solar power is space-intensive and will contribute to intensify land competition, a factor typically not captured by models. This study uses the Integrated Assessment Model WILIAM which explicitly represents the land use changes driven by solar energy expansion through a hard link of its energy and land modules including net energy restrictions. A Green Growth type transition is simulated for the European Union with a high renewable energy share target in electricity mix by 2050, testing different land use planning policies.The results show that a rapid deployment of solar power in land without land policies can intensify land use conflicts and increase associated land use change emissions. Land-use requirements for solar would be 1–1.4 % of total land (corresponding to 55–75 % of urban land), which could be problematic locally. The implementation of land-use protection and land siting policies could reduce 23 % of total land occupied bv solar photovoltaics panels (with respect to forest and cropland the area occupied could be reduced up to 88 %), and 23–47 % of the land use change associated emissions with respect to a scenario where not policies are applied. These results show the importance of integrating land use and energy planning policies to alleviate the undesired impacts.

Incorporating operational constraints into long-term energy planning: The case of the Egyptian power system under high share of renewables

This study assesses the performance of Egypt's energy system on a short-term basis to ensure that it can handle a high share of renewable energy, as predicted in the long-term planning up to 2040. PLEXOS software is used for short-term analysis to simulate operational performance on an hourly basis while considering the constraints of Unit Commitment (UC) and Economic Dispatch (ED). The long-term energy planning model, which covered the years 2020–2040 with chosen representative years (2020 as the base year and 2025, 2030, 2035, and 2040), was validated by the short-term operational model. The results from the short-term analysis indicate that by the year 2040, 69.5 % of the electricity mix from renewable energy sources (excluding hydro) can be accommodated, representing a slightly lower capacity than the 70 % predicted by the long-term plan. Due to the high share of intermittent renewable energy sources, traditional generators will experience excessive cycling in 2040. The average weighted short-run marginal cost in 2040 is projected to be 7.8 USD/MWh, compared to 18.37 USD/MWh in 2020, due to the low operating costs of renewable energy plants and their high penetration in 2040. Various operational techniques have been suggested to reduce the curtailment of renewable energy to achieve only 1.2 % of the total energy generation of the system by 2040. Additionally, other adjustments to the system operation are being considered to maintain a balance in the power system on a short-term basis.

Measuring the gap between optimal and observed energy structure: Evidence from 36 OECD countries

Sustainable development has always been given priority by economic authorities, therefore pursuing both environmental emissions reduction and economic growth at the same time is required. However, energy structure is often disregarded in existing performance evaluation methodologies, despite its essential function in determining environmental efficiency or productivity. This study shows how ignoring the energy structure can lead to distorted policy recommendations as well as evaluation results. The present study provides a non-parametric estimating approach to quantify the difference between the optimal (theoretical) energy structure required to achieve sustainable development and the actual (observed) energy structure. This method may assess the energy transition process and evaluate the observed and optimal energy structure of a country or region. We demonstrate that using the countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development as an example, that only a limited number of countries are able to meet their objectives for carbon reduction and economic development simultaneously without transforming their energy structure. The relationship between energy structure and green total factor productivity (GTFP) was further studied using a two-stage least squares regression on the observed energy structure and GTFP. The findings indicate that most countries need to increase their share of renewable energy in order to achieve green growth.

Thermodynamic analysis and multi-objective optimization of an ORC-based solar-natural gas driven trigeneration system for a residential area

Regarding the growing demands for energy, depletion of fossil fuel resources, and the adverse environmental consequences associated with their utilization, especially global warming, it is imperative to increase the share of renewable resources within energy systems. During the summer season, the residential sector in Khuzestan province, Iran, experiences a significant surge in energy consumption. This elevated demand is mostly attributed to the region's severe temperatures, requiring the extensive use of cooling equipment. As a result, taking into account the high potential for solar energy in the nation, this research first uses TRNSYS software to calculate the cooling and heating loads of a residential area in the province of Khuzestan. Next, a solar-natural gas Combined Cooling, Heating and Power (CCHP) system is designed and modeled using Engineering Equation Solver (EES) software, with the goal of supplying the cooling load. Then, using the particle swarm optimization technique, the system's multi-objective optimization was completed. The results showed that a fuel consumption rate of 0.04274 kg/s is required in steady state conditions to supply a cooling load of 1446.2 kW for the region with 1000 m2 of solar collecting area. A total of 465.7 kW of electric power and 3336 kW of heating are produced. The system's energy and exergy efficiencies were determined to be 186.6 % and 27.81 %, respectively. Eventually, the findings of this study demonstrated that the proposed configuration has the potential to provide multiple positive outcomes with a high level of efficiency, and improve the share of renewable energy.

Does energy transition reduce carbon inequality? A global analysis.

Energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables is instrumental in mitigating climate change. Low-income countries have a higher share of renewable energy in their total energy consumption than rich countries (WDI, 2023). Thus, it is imperative to examine the role of energy transition in affecting relative CO2 emissions between rich and poor sections of the societies across income groups of the countries. In this context, our study contributes by constructing the carbon inequality models with renewable and non-renewable energy consumption as prime explanatory variables separately for 114 countries over a data period 1990-2019. The models are estimated individually for high-middle-low-income countries by controlling for foreign direct investment (FDI), economic growth, and innovations. Starting with preliminary econometric operations, we employ the dynamic simulated panel autoregressive distributed lag approach and Driscoll-Kraay standard error regression for empirical investigation. We find that energy transition reduces carbon inequality globally. Innovation has a negative impact, economic growth has a positive impact on carbon inequality, and FDI has an asymmetric impact based on the income level of the countries. The crucial global policy implications are discussed.