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Jurisdictions around the world are responding the to potential of smart grids in different ways. This paper employs a multi-level perspective approach to socio-technological transitions to examine why the Canadian province of Ontario has seen a relatively smooth transition of smart meter technologies from the niche to regime levels as compared with other Canadian provinces, and other jurisdictions in the United States, European Union, and Australia. The paper also examines the reasons for Ontario's advanced legislative and policy framework around Smart Grid development, relative to those of other provinces. The complex institutional landscape around electricity that has emerged in Ontario since the break-up of the province's monopoly utility Ontario Hydro in the late 1990s emerges as a significant factor in both outcomes. The role of the province's municipally-owned LDCs spell out "local distribution companies (LDCs) as the primary agents for smart meter deployment, as opposed to a dominant vertically integrated utility, appears to have had an important mediating effect on public opposition to smart meters. With respect to Smart Grid policy, the diversity of high capacity institutional actors that now define the province's electricity policy landscape has facilitated the emergence of several interagency policy development niches. In a manner consistent with the concept of technological niches in the socio-technical transitions literature, the interagency status of these policy niches has shielded them from the regime level selective pressures that would likely have existed in a more unified institutional structure, and empowered new policy ideas to move from the niche to regime levels. These outcomes have significant implications for the understanding of socio-technological transitions, particularly around the role of institutional complexity in the emergence of niches for technology and policy development purposes and in niche to regime level transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polish economy is still undergoing the transformation process and seeks to converge with the most developed economies in Europe. While many economic reforms have been made, the generating sector was left to its own devices and lack of the investments caused that electricity supply in Poland is ineffective and not secure. The coal is a primary fuel and it constitutes over 80% of the energy mix. Thus, with energy mix restructuration ahead, the ambitious and balanced energy policy is highly required. The article aims to present the 2050 Energy Policy for Poland, which should facilitate the transformation of coal-based electricity generation system towards more sustainable and diversified energy mix. Comprehensive description and review of the current conditions of energy sector in Poland are accompanied with strengths and problems that need to be solved, taking into account European requirements. Additionally, in the paper the authors describe the development process of the Polish Energy Policy as they actively participated in the calculations of optimal energy mix for Poland. The manuscript presents the eMix model (energy mix optimization tool) developed by the authors, that constituted a background for Ministry of Economy to create Energy Policy. Hundreds of simulations scenarios were performed for the Ministry of Economy to provide the clear view of the electricity generation sector and to understand the impacts of all external stimuli to the mix. Assumptions for the model and results of calculations according to the policy scenarios are presented in the paper. Finally, the authors evaluate the final decisions of the policy makers, integrated in the Polish Energy Policy 2050, taking into account the challenges for the Polish power sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey’s rapid economic growth followed by increasing gap between domestic energy production and consumption signifies the large-scale integration of low-carbon and renewable resources into energy system. Turkey’s energy demand is increasing and supplying fossil energies such as oil and gas is becoming more challenging due to the lack of domestic hydrocarbon resources. The country is facing two main issues; first, maintaining energy balance and second, handling environmental issues. Nevertheless, Turkey has substantial renewable and low-carbon energy resources with co-benefits for the country’s fast growing economy and environmental sustainability. This paper aims to present a comprehensive update on Turkey’s renewable and low-carbon energy sector. It reviews not only the current status of the technology, policy and economy, but also provides an insight into the social aspects as well. From a policy point of view, the paper critically discusses Turkey’s energy strategy and perspectives and from the social point of view, the paper argues that there is a research gap in recent literature regarding public awareness and social acceptance of low-carbon energy technologies. Also, the future challenges for promoting low-carbon society in Turkey are discussed in terms of sustainable development and socio-environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change urges that global CO 2 emissions from the power sector should be reduced by 90 percent or more below 2010 levels between 2040 and 2070. Such a reduction will most likely require greatly increasing the share of wind, solar, energy storage and nuclear energy in the energy mix in the next 40–50 years. This paper emphasizes the importance of developing large energy storage systems without which, wind and solar can only have a limited impact on CO 2 emissions as it will depend mainly on the energy mix used during wind and solar down time. The large areas that are required would be challenging, but not unrealistic, as long as a solution for energy storage exists. Carbon capture and storage has considerable potential to reduce CO 2 emissions from coal and gas power plants, but also from heavy industries such as cement and steel manufacturing. To give an idea of the scale of the required infrastructure, in the United States, coal and gas power plants emit approximately 2.4 billion tonnes of CO 2 per year; whereas the US annual petroleum consumption is about 0.9 billion tonnes (6.9 billion barrels). This paper also emphasizes that uranium and thorium used in breeder reactors represent an almost infinite source of low-carbon energy. The issues associated with the management of nuclear wastes are real, but they are not the uniquely difficult issues perceived by the media, much of the public and by many politicians. Finally, the investment necessary to implement a wind and solar powered economy would very likely be higher than that necessary to implement a nuclear powered economy because of the much larger number of GWe required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translating resource efficiency into practical European, national and local policy frameworks which integrate the various economic, social and environmental components passes through short to long term visions, strategies as well as measurable targets. The RE-SEEties project was funded by the South East Europe programme in order to contribute to the resource efficiency challenge. The project investigated on energy consumption and waste production and disposal; potential changes in consumption patterns and how policy making alternatives may support the achievement of resource efficiency targets. This paper aims to present the main results of this unique international cooperative experience carried out by research centres and municipalities in the South East Europe area. First, the paper focuses on the methodological toolkit and criteria for assessment which aims to support municipalities in creating a sustainable and resource efficient future through coherent and appropriate planning practices. Second, the paper discusses the main results obtained and lessons learned on a wide range of interrelated issues covering the policymaking process, financing of local resource-efficiency investments, good practices, tools to support decision-making and assessment methodologies. It also covers behavioural change and how policy can stimulate public authorities, companies and citizens to become more sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As energy plays a vital role in the modern lifestyle of any country, understanding how sustainable the energy system of a country remains an important policy issue. This paper reviews the comprehensiveness of existing metrics in tracking and tracing energy sustainability and finds that the existing multi-dimensional indicators do not capture the sustainability dimension adequately. This paper proposes a composite index, SEDI (Sustainable Energy Development Index), to fill the gap. SEDI focuses on establishing the sustainability level of both intra- and inter-generational needs. The paper discusses the methodology, data availability and initial country comparisons. It is found that SEDI has a positive correlation with both the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Energy Development Index (EDI) but provides a better understanding of the different dimensions of energy sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand-side management (DSM) is an effective means to construct low-carbon electricity system, improve energy efficiency and fastly enhance the sustainable development of economy. DSM in China has entered a period of rapid development. A series of policies and regulations related to DSM have been issued by some national ministries in China. However, some problems exist in the implementation of DSM. In view of that, the current situation of DSM development in China is analyzed in this paper from the three aspects of policies and regulations related to DSM, DSM organizational management and DSM development of representative regions. Following that, the challenges faced in DSM implementation are discussed and feasible measures are proposed based on the challenges. This paper is conducive to give impetus to the development of DSM in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to promote the growth of renewable energy sector in Malaysia, feed-in tariff (FiT) mechanism has been introduced by Malaysian government in 2011, in accordance with Renewable Energy Act 2011 and Sustainable Energy Development Authority Act 2011. The tariff was enacted to overcome the shortcomings identified in the small renewable energy power (SREP) Program from 2001 to 2010. This paper highlighted some measures adopted to rectify the shortcomings identified during SREP, and the role of Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) in achieving the above mentioned task. The paper also includes the latest progress on renewable energy projects, especially those related to solar photovoltaic system. It is predicted that solar energy will become the main source of renewable energy in Malaysia by the year 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is vast, abundant and particularly plentiful in energy sources, due to which it has obtained remarkable achievements on economy. However, its energy structure is too simple to support the sustainable development of economy as coal still contributes to the majority of energy consumption in China. As a consequence, Renewable Energy Law was enacted in 2005, and Chinese government announced a series of policies to boom renewable energy industry. Subsidy policy is one of the major forms of these policies. This paper aims to present these subsidy policies and to analyze their effects according to relative data in energy industry 2005–2013, to find out the deficiencies and enlighten possible policy improvements. The original intentions and abstracts of 5 different levels of subsidy related policies are summarized, and the effects in reality are attentively analyzed. It can be concluded that subsidy policies have different short-term effect on different renewable energies, and they all show some negative effect to a certain extent. 6 core problems are summarized in this paper, and remedy strategies are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy planning can be defined as a roadmap for meeting the energy needs of a nation and is accomplished by considering multiple factors such as technology, economy, environment, and the society that impact the national energy issues. Long-term energy planning is a strategic approach to study how structural changes of a nation would affect the energy demand and supply. This is done through scenario analysis which would also cater for uncertainty in planning. Good energy plan would ensure sustainable development which acts as a guiding factor for any energy scheme. In this paper, we present an overview of the different facets of energy planning based on a comprehensive literature review. It present the risks, uncertainties and errors involved in energy planning. The econometric, optimization and simulation models are reviewed and five appropriate computer models, that can be used for a small developing island nation׳s long-term energy planning using scenario analysis, are discussed. This paper also discusses the inquiry method and elaborates on why it can be used for energy planning in small developing island countries. Validation process of energy models is also presented and finally, recommendations are made for energy planners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies a panel threshold regression model to explore the impact of the regional technological innovation level on regional sustainable development using the regional economic development level as the threshold variable and panel data from 31 Chinese provinces from 2009 to 2015. The empirical research results show a significant double threshold effect of the regional technological innovation level on regional sustainable development. Positive interrelationships are observed between the regional technological innovation level and regional sustainable development when the regional economic development level does not exceed 0.301. The regional technological innovation level plays a significant role in promoting regional sustainable development when the former is between 0.301 and 0.438, but regional innovation otherwise has a minimal promotional effect. This research enriches the scholarship on regional innovation and lays a theoretical foundation that governments can use in policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is important for sustainable development, yet multidimensional challenges exist for policy makers in transformations to sustainable energy systems. Sustainable development is generally recognised as having a three-lens approach: development must balance impacts in the economic, environmental and cultural dimensions. While cultural themes such as governance, motivation, and social values are widely acknowledged in the literature as critical for transformations to sustainability, however, research on these themes has been scant. Culture influences many aspects of society; hence it is important to consider culture when developing policies for sustainable development. Understanding national cultures can lead to greater understanding of what shapes national policy and strategies for transformations to sustainable energy systems. Understanding cultural influences on policy can help other countries to overcome similar challenges in policy making, planning or local resource management. Comparisons between countries serve to further advance the understanding of approaches to such challenges. This paper examines transformations towards sustainable energy through the lens of culture, through a case study of geothermal development in Iceland and Japan. Using Hoftsede's cultural theory framework, we highlight cultural variables relevant to sustainability transformations, with particular emphasis on the challenges of the management of geothermal energy resources, and the management of related conflicts and public participation. We present our findings garnered from interviews with key players in the energy industry in both countries reinforced by an extensive literature review. We find that culture clearly influences the approach to geothermal energy development in both countries and we identify benefits and disadvantages to approaches on overlapping issues and challenges in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia near the equator within the typical tropical climatic zone. The efficient use of energy is vital due to the dependency on fossil resources that are being exhausted, which ultimately cause CO 2 emissions. Economic development and population growth are deemed to affect the growing energy demand in the country. Therefore, sustainability, energy security, and climate change are crucial challenges for the power sector in Malaysia. The aforementioned issues can be tackled with energy efficient measures in the building sector. Buildings in Malaysia consume 14.3% of the overall energy and 53% of only electrical energy is being consumed in residential and commercial sectors. Therefore, energy efficiency in buildings is crucial in order to reduce the energy use and improve the local environmental sustainability. This paper discusses a review on the building energy scenario, the policy perspectives, building energy efficiency programs along with landmark buildings and their characteristics. Besides, the potential of renewable energy resources in buildings and various prospective issues and challenges faced by the country have also been discussed. The significant review content thus benefits researchers, scientists and practitioners for a better understanding on energy efficiency and the sustainable measures that have been so far taken. The review also puts forward some actions to promote building energy efficiency and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central Africa possesses important renewable energy potential that continues to suffer from poor development. The primary cause of the poor use of renewable energy is the poor commitment and dedication among the region's governments who have not taken the necessary measures to support the sector. The primary purpose of this paper is to emphasize the renewable energy resources of Central Africa that they may be used optimally. The report also describes the availability of renewable energy resources and suggests actions to promote and sustain their development by improving access to sustainable, environmentally friendly, and affordable energy services, making significant improvements to energy infrastructure in Central Africa, and promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency. The work presents the potential for solar, biomass and hydropower, indicating where development is available. Next, the identified obstacles of clean energy promotion are targeted. Finally, suggestions are offered to help countries develop a vision aimed at developing good clean energy policy that increases the status of environmentally friendly energy. A Cameroon case study is examined as an illustration. Several documents are cited from institutions in the region and abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there is no specific legal basis for the development and utilisation of marine renewable energy, nor legal protection for the developers in China. The consequence is that the Chinese Government is unable to provide institutional support for the substantive development of marine renewable energy, resulting in slow development of China's marine energy industry. This paper provides an institutional framework for the establishment of relevant laws in China and legislative proposals in legal perspective, for the better development of marine renewable energy. The Chinese Government should optimise the administrative management system, strengthen financial regulation such as tax and emphasise sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a cornerstone for development, past and current energy use has often posed a major challenge for policymakers with respect to planning and management. Within this context, in this paper an updated multi-sectorial cross-country assessment of energy consumption trends was undertaken, aiming at identifying the main drivers of changes in aggregate energy consumption. These drivers have been interpreted in the light of the policy measures that have been implemented over the years by different countries to achieve a sustainable development of the energy sector. The cross-country assessment encompasses a set of developed (United Kingdom, Portugal and Spain) and emerging (Brazil, China, and India) countries. Resorting to the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition method, changes in the aggregate energy consumption were decomposed into three main explanatory effects: activity, structure and intensity. The major findings achieved reflect the relevance of intensity and activity effects in detriment of the structural effect. The assessment of energy consumption trends using the LMDI decomposition method provides critical information regarding which is the dominant factor that should be focused in policy design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to global climate concerns, many countries are developing energy policies to encourage low emissions and high efficiency. Taiwan's current practices should be modified for the emerging smart grid (SG) industry. Strategic policy and implementation plans that shift focus from original equipment manufacture (OEM) and original design manufacture (ODM) to a vertically integrated system involving suppliers and customers should be adopted to obtain success in the global markets. Government energy SG projects have been implemented over a short-term (2011–2015), medium-term (2016–2020) and long-term (2021–2030) to ensure steady supply, promote energy conservation, reduce carbon emission, increase green energy and facilitate a low carbon economy. Practical implementation of SG systems is the most effective way to reach these goals. In this paper, current smart grid statuses in some advanced countries are briefly reviewed. The implementation plans for smart grids in Taiwan are analyzed from the perspectives of strategic policy and cost-benefit. Then, gaps between supply and demand for new energy systems, opportunities for new industries, and suggestions for SG industries are discussed. Finally, recommendations for constructing an efficient and environmentally friendly SG in Taiwan for a low carbon society and sustainable development are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy sustainability and environmental preservation have become worldwide concerns with the many manifestations of climate change and the continually increasing demand for energy. As cities and nations become more technologically advanced, electricity consumption rises to levels that may no longer be manageable if left unattended. The Smart Grid offers an answer to the shift to more sustainable technologies such as distributed generation and microgrids. A general public awareness and adequate attention from potential researchers and policy makers is crucial. This paper presents an overview of the Smart Grid with its general features, functionalities and characteristics. It presents the Smart Grid fundamental and related technologies and have identified the research activities, challenges and issues. It demonstrates how these technologies have shaped the modern electricity grid and continued to evolve and strengthen its role in the better alignment of energy demand and supply. Smart Grid implementation and practices in various locations are also unveiled. Concrete energy policies facilitate Smart Grid initiatives across the nations. Interestingly, Smart Grid practices in different regions barely indicate competition but rather an unbordered community of similar aspirations and shared lessons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitigation of global energy demands and climate change are the most important factors in the modern days. Development and application of solar energy have been regarded by the government of India and common people, and they thought that solar photo voltaic energy can provide more energy in future compare to other renewable energies. In the last decade, solar photovoltaic energy research and development has supported by the central government and state governments. This paper discusses the progress of current solar photovoltaic energy in India. It highlights the renewable energy trend in India with major achievements, state wise analysis of solar parks and industrial applications. Finally, it discusses the Indian government policies and initiatives to promote solar energy in India. This review on solar photovoltaic energy will help decision makers and various stakeholders to understand the current status, barriers and challenges for better planning and management in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iran is rich in energy resources and oil has dominated the politico-socio-economic life of this country, but nevertheless Iran has no documented policy and vision for its massive resources. This poses a major challenge to policy makers and the society. It is necessary to have a clear picture of Iran׳s energy status in recent years showing the flow of energy supply, demand, consumption, import and export to know how the energy situation in Iran is and identify its weaknesses and strengths. This paper is the first step in that direction and presents an overview of Iran energy situation and the potential and current state of renewable energy application. The status of energy in Iran is compared to world’s energy status via five key factors, and finally this comparison shows hints for designing roadmap of energy for Iran to attain sustainable and secure energy in long term. The novel contribution of this work is the STEEP analysis of Iran energy situation for designing the long-term supporting mechanisms for sustainable and secure energy for Iran based on Social (S), Technological (T), Economical (E), Environmental (E) and Political (P) criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of new-power generation sources, the difference between maximum and minimum power requirements from a power grid is growing. However, the peaking power installed capacity, such as pumped-hydro energy storage and gas-fired power, is too small to meet the peaking regulation requirements. Chinese coal-based energy resources structure determines coal-fired power plants to be the main source of power. This means that coal-fired power units will need to undertake more peak shaving tasks for a long period of time. In this paper, we provide an overall review of China׳s coal-fired power units׳ peak regulation with a detailed presentation of the installed capacity, peak shaving operation modes and support policies. High energy-consumption problems, environmental pollutants and safety barriers when coal-fired power units run in low-load operation are noted from the power generation perspective. Some policy recommendations are given to solve the peak shaving problem to some extent and to ensure the sustainable development of the power energy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited fossil resources, the continuous increment in fuel prices and severe environmental problems require new sustainable electricity generation options, which utilize renewable energies. Solar photovoltaic generation is a proven renewable energy technology and has the potential to become cost-effective in the future, for it produces electricity from the solar radiation. In Ghana, the electricity demand is rapidly increasing at a rate of 10% annually. In the attempt to change the conventional energy intensive economical development and its negative impact on the environment, the government has begun to support the development of the solar photovoltaic technology strongly. In this paper, the state of solar photovoltaic, the challenges facing the industry, the potential of the technology, the policies and strategies to promote development of the technology have been presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides analysis of fuel and energy transition in Lithuanian industry sector and its sustainable development for the period 2005–2013 after the integration of Lithuania into the European Union. Lithuania has limited quantity of indigenous energy sources and was depended from import of energy resources (natural gas, petroleum, hard coal). In 2005–2009 Lithuanian energy dependence from such resources was about 50–62%. About 70–80% of electricity was produced from Lithuanian Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP). In 2009, indigenous and renewable energy sources (RES) comprised 14.7% of gross inland energy consumption. At the end of 2009 INPP was closed and the structure of gross inland fuel and energy consumption changed radically. In 2010–2013 Lithuania׳s energy dependence on the imports of fuel increased to 80–82% and considerably exceeded the EU average 53–54%. The share of RES and indigenous energy resources in 2013 increased to 21.4%. In analysis the structural changes of Lithuanian industry for the period 2005–2013 were carried out. About 21–25% of gross value added belonged to industry sector. The indices of the industrial production and its main composite parts were disclosed. Key attention was directed to energy consumption by main kinds the industrial activities. Energy demand and its changes in industry were examined. RES flows diagram and RES share for industry sector were shown. The final energy consumption by different energy sources and various consumer groups was researched. The greatest Lithuanian industry consumers of natural gas, electricity, heat, hard coal and firewood were examined. Industry progress indicators, energy intensity, labor productivity, emissions of greenhouse gasses and air pollutants were studied. The expenditures of industrial enterprises on environmental protection were assessed. The vision of Lithuanian energy sector operation in compliance with the larger integration in to the EU is foreseen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper introduces a transparent methodology to assess new suitable locations for mini and small hydro power plants in Europe. The expansion of hydro electricity production is a policy focus not only in Europe, but in the US (Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013) and in the developing world as well. The analysis of the technical potential points out the exact geographical locations and their corresponding capacities instead of only a theoretical potential; therefore it can serve as a reference for the policy debate over the sustainable management of water resources. This debate is reflected already in two major European policies: the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2000/60/EC) and the RES Directive (2009/28/EC) on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. As both policies have major influence on the priorities of water use, it is important to identify water management practices capable of accommodating sustainable energy purposes while maintaining water quality objectives at the same time. As the WFD poses limitation on the further expansion of large scale hydro options in the European water bodies, the present study focuses on local mini and small hydropower options and their suitability mapping. The presented, geographically explicit method is based on geospatial analysis and the results can contribute to the prioritization of potential hydro power sites in order to improve water quality and its use for energy simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving sustainable energy development in a region requires rational use of energy resources and technologies, and the development of appropriate policies. Three concerns are therefore required to achieve these issues: (i) to acquire a picture of the local current energy situation, (ii) to measure the state of development and the progress towards a sustainable energy system, and (iii) to have energy decision- and policy-makers fully aware of the implications on sustainable development of selected policies. It is in this perspective and in the frame of activities on sustainable energy for all and access to energy in developing countries carried out by the UNESCO Chair in Energy for Sustainable Development, that we developed this review. The objective of this paper is to depict the current energy situation of Africa by using the most up to date data, describing it as far as the concept of sustainable development is concerned, and to see if and how energy policies promoted by local players fit with this asset. We assess the energy situation of Africa by combining (i) data, mainly by the International Energy Agency, about national energy balances for primary and electric energy, the Energy Development Index and energy resources, with (ii) a more comprehensive analysis of the African energy system, accomplished by the Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development. An overview of the energy-related policies and action plans developed by different local players in the African continent is also carried out with the goal of providing remarks by coupling such plans with the above mentioned energy analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy system models can be used to explore future sustainable energy pathways for the household sector in order to inform policy decisions. However, few residential energy system models have been developed for the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region and they do not account for the key diversities of energy use within the sector. This paper addresses this gap by developing a new residential energy model for Nigeria—the most populous country in SSA. The model is then used to explore different energy transition scenarios for the sector. Results indicate that the final energy consumption of the rural households will reduce and that of the urban households will increase significantly by 2050 when compared to the base year levels. The results indicate that cooking remains the most energy-intensive end-use. Analysis of the scenarios reveals that realising Sustainable Development Goal number 7 in Nigeria will drastically reduce the final energy demand of the sector. The transition from fuelwood to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking will reduce indoor air pollutants considerably but will increase CO 2 emissions by 2050. The results also indicate that including the cost of externalities in energy cost makes electricity and biogas more economically viable options for cooking. While the model results are insightful, the paper argues that robust and dedicated policies are needed for a sustainable energy transition of the Nigerian residential sector. • A bottom-up energy system model for the Nigerian residential sector: TINIRES is developed. • Energy system implications of SDG 7 in Nigeria household sector by 2030 and beyond. • Household energy consumption is expected to increase by 100% between 2010 and 2050. • Biogas is the most economically viable option for cooking in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general perception of small run-of-river hydropower plants as renewable energy sources with little or no environmental impacts has led to a global proliferation of this hydropower technology. However, such hydropower schemes may alter the natural flow regime and impair the fluvial ecosystem at different trophic levels. This paper presents a global-scale analysis of the major ecological impacts of three main small run-of-river hydropower types: dam-toe, diversion weir, and pondage schemes. This review's main objective is to provide an extensive overview of how changing the natural flow regime due to hydropower operation may affect various aspects of the fluvial ecosystem. Ultimately, it will inform decision-makers in water resources and ecosystem conservation for better planning and management. This review analyses data on ecological impacts from 33 countries in five regions, considering the last forty years' most relevant publications, a total of 146 peer-reviewed publications. The analysis was focused on impacts in biota, water quality, hydrologic alteration, and geomorphology. The results show, notably, the diversion weir and the pondage hydropower schemes are less eco-friendly; the opposite was concluded for the dam-toe hydropower scheme. Although there was conflicting information from different countries and sources, the most common impacts are: water depletion downstream of the diversion, water quality deterioration, loss of longitudinal connectivity, habitat degradation, and simplification of the biota community composition. A set of potential non-structural and structural mitigation measures was recommended to mitigate several ecological impacts such as connectivity loss, fish injuries, and aquatic habitat degradation. Among mitigation measures, environmental flows are fundamental for fluvial ecosystem conservation. The main research gaps and some of the pressing future research needs were highlighted, as well. Finally, interdisciplinary research progress involving different stakeholders is crucial to harmonize conflicting interests and enable the sustainable development of small run-of-river hydropower plants. [Display omitted] • Eco-friendliness of run-of-river hydropower plants is questionable when it is intensively developed. • Periodic water depletion degrades fluvial habitats and reduces connectivity. • Environmental flows remain overlooked in run-of-river hydropower plants. • Pondage hydropower scheme induces the highest ecological impacts. • Run-of-river hydropower plants do not always have a direct impact on fluvial ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable energy development is a complex multi-dimensional concept that can vary in meaning based on the context it is applied in and the perspective of the user. The role of energy in achieving sustainable development was recognized when the concept was first put forward in 1987. However, what that role consisted of was not made clear. Since then, the concept of sustainable energy development has developed to become a prominent policy objective on the international agenda, as evidenced by the introduction of the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 7 on energy. This paper presents an overview of the history of the concept as well as its emerging themes. Through a citation analysis, the most cited open-access publications relevant to the concept were identified. A thematic analysis of these most cited publications led to the identification of four interrelated themes of sustainable energy development; access to affordable modern energy services, sustainable energy supply, sustainable energy consumption, and energy security. The overarching goal of sustainable energy development was defined as furthering sustainability. Equitable access to affordable and reliable modern energy services is integral to sustainable development. A transformation of the current energy system is necessary to reduce its harmful impacts, both on the supply and demand side. This transformation is not possible unless it is economically viable through, for instance, cost-competitive technologies and changes in energy pricing to reflect the external costs of energy. • Sustainable energy development is a young multi-dimensional concept. • Common themes of sustainable energy development are identified. • Access to modern energy services for all is essential to further sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]