Search

Energy management problems associated with rapid institutional, political, technical, ecological, social and economic development have been of critical concern to both national and local governments worldwide for many decades; thus, addressing such issues is a global priority. The main of objective of this study is to provide a review on the application and use of decision making approaches in regard to energy management problems. This paper selected and reviewed 196 published papers, from 1995 to 2015 in 72 important journals related to energy management, which chosen from the “Web of Science” database and in this regard, the systematic and meta-analysis method which called “PRISMA” has been proposed. All published papers were categorized into 13 different fields: environmental impact assessment, waste management, sustainability assessment, renewable energy, energy sustainability, land management, green management topics, water resources management, climate change, strategic environmental assessment, construction and environmental management and other energy management areas. Furthermore, papers were categorized based on the authors, publication year, nationality of authors, region, technique and application, number of criteria, research purpose, gap and contribution, solution and modeling, results and findings. Hybrid MCDM and fuzzy MCDM in the integrated methods were ranked as the first methods in use. The Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Review was the important journal in this paper, with 32 published papers. Finally, environmental impact assessment was ranked as the first area that applied decision making approaches. Results of this study acknowledge that decision making approaches can help decision makers and stakeholders in solving some problems under uncertainties situations in environmental decision making and these approaches have seen increasing interest among previous researchers to use these approaches in various steps of environmental decision making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy efficiency is recognised as a key strategy to tackle three energy-related challenges – climate change, energy security and economic development – at the least cost to the society. In the recent years of the economic downturn, it gained even more relevance in the developed countries as there is more than ever the need to decouple economic recovery and growth from energy consumption. However, despite this formal recognition, energy efficiency remains the least understood and the most neglected feature of overall energy policy. Despite the substantial efforts made to develop sound energy efficiency policies, the desired effects in terms of achieved energy savings are lacking. The phenomenon is known as energy efficiency gap and its persistence was the main driver of this research. The aim of the research was to examine the causes and propose solutions for bridging the gap. Therefore, ideal policy making cycle is defined connecting design, implementation and multiple criteria evaluation of policy instruments’ impacts in closed, repetitive loop. Concept of energy efficiency market was introduced as a basis for policy making, enabling better understanding of the overall environment where policy needs to be implemented. Paper deals with the concept of energy efficiency market. It discusses the fundamental aim of energy efficiency policy – to achieve market transformation towards more efficient products and services. It presents market barriers that call for policy interventions, but upgrades the list of usually addressed barriers with behavioural and societal aspects of energy efficiency related decisions. Established methodology for energy efficiency market assessment includes upgraded model of barriers to energy efficiency. Focus of this paper is how to establish a model of energy efficiency market and to upgrade exisitng model of barriers to energy efficiencies to describe the reality better as to be a basis for policy instruments design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The insatiable appetite for non-renewable fossil fuels in the past has resulted in a plethora of anthropogenic climate changes and pollution across the globe, causing serious threats to human beings and the environment. To avoid this contention, greater use of wind energy could be the solution for economic growth and sustainable environment, in the long run. This paper discusses the ways in which India has started the growth of wind energy and the country’s potential to expand its contribution to meet ever-increasing energy needs. The paper lucidly presents India’s progress to become the top five wind energy producers in the world. This paper also discusses the major achievements, programs, policy, and incentives for the installation of wind power in India. Opportunities and challenges have been discussed along with the ways to remove barriers to achieve higher growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the coming decades the energy sector will have to face three major transformations concerned with climate change, security of supply and energy poverty. The first two have been extensively analysed, but less attention has been paid to the third, even though it has a great influence on the lives of millions of people. This paper presents an overview on energy poverty, different ways of measuring it and its implications. According to the WHO, indoor pollution causes an estimated 1.3 million deaths per annum in low income countries associated with the use of biomass in inadequate cookstoves. Although energy poverty cannot be delinked from the broader, more complex problem of poverty in general, access to energy infrastructures would avoid its most serious consequences and would help to encourage autonomous development. According to the IEA, the cost of providing universal access to energy by 2030 would require annual investment of $35 billion, i.e. much less than the amount provided annually in subsidies to fossil fuels. Finally, the paper argues that energy and energy poverty need to be incorporated into the design of development strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time for development. Adaptation to this change combined with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can help to boost the economic transformation which stimulates growth, fills the energy gap and reduces poverty. This paper focuses on the potential of renewable energy sources (RES) for electricity generation in Madagascar which is a lower-income country. A large accessibility to electricity could be a driving force for the economic development of this fourth worldwide Island. The Electricity mix is currently heavily dependent to fossil fuel imports. Indeed, most of the electric demands are fulfilled by diesel power plants. An overview of the power situation and renewable energy potential of Madagascar is first presented, then different scenarios for the evolution its electricity mix are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity is the basic tool that drives industrialization, technological advancement, engineering transformation and economic growth all over the world. The situation of Nigeria's electricity power sector is one that has defied virtually every effort made to resurrect it from its state of dilapidation. A major concern is “can there ever be stable and cost effective electricity in Nigeria?” The authors are positive this can be realised, but not without considering other forms of electricity energy resources available in Nigeria other than the conventional sources of electricity which is currently the mainstay. A deliberate transition from conventional sources of electricity energy to renewable and environmental friendly sources is critical for national development, even though recent development show the Nigerian government is backsliding in adopting renewable energy technologies. This paper will be used to highlight the different sources of renewable energy which is critical to solve the lingering problem of electricity generation in Nigeria. Hence, based on the literature, modeled scenarios and field experience, the authors discovered it is much easier for individuals to drive this transition to 100% renewable energy than to continue to depend on government forever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconciling economic growth and energy supply with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other goals for environmental protection is a major challenge for emerging economies such as Brazil. Establishing energy security standards consistent with realistic economic growth projections while considering climate change requires complex calculations and relies upon risky assumptions. Yet, such calculations and decisions must be made to avoid future energy shortages and economic crises. This paper discusses the current dilemma concerning planning and decision-making for the Brazilian electric sector considering the construction of hydroelectric power plants in the Amazon region, energy security requirements, projected economic growth and climate change feedbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy and its usage constitute one of the most important environmental issues nowadays that substantially affect economic and social development and the improvement of the quality of life in all countries. The risk of climate change and environmental degradation is real with the global development process and human intervention being the key components in dictating the nature of environmental problems. Education on energy issues should be the means for helping students cope with present and future energy needs and the adoption of appropriate, attitudes, lifestyle practices and behavior is deemed necessary. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the complex of student׳s views and attitudes about energy and its usage related to the environment. A questionnaire has been used as a research tool most appropriate to these research׳s goals. The results expose the need for a radical change in patterns of human behavior towards an environmentally sustainable orientation and the dominant role that environmental education possesses in realizing this direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]