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Abstract This paper is an Editorial for the special issue (SI) of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (RSER) devoted to the 12th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES), held from the 4th to 8th October 2017 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The key focus of RSER is to publish critical thinking across the wide field of renewable and sustainable energy. The journal publishes either pure review papers or research papers with a precise review element. Overall, the guest editors invited 36 papers presented on 12th SDEWES conference, of which 17 were accepted after rigorous peer review process. The SDEWES conferences present a continuous effort in gathering high level scientists and research papers across the field of sustainability and by now the amount of accumulated knowledge, through conference papers and special journal issues, is significant. Each SDEWES journal editorial presents a wider overview of special issue journal papers in order to maintain the continuation of knowledge generation on the main sustainability topics. The main topics covered in this RSER editorial include renewable energies with special focus on integration, markets and roadmaps, energy efficiency in buildings, industrial process and transport, bio based economy focused on bio based chemicals and biofuels, energy storage focused on batteries, thermal and geological storages and various sustainability assessments in several sectors and technologies. All were considered in light of the Circular Economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The purpose of the paper is to establish national carbon emissions prices for the People's Republic of China, which is one of the world's largest producers of carbon emissions. Several measures have been undertaken to address climate change in China, including the establishment of a carbon trading system. Since 2013, eight regional carbon emissions markets have been established, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Chongqing, Hubei and Fujian. The Central Government announced a national carbon emissions market, with power generation as the first industry to be considered. However, as carbon emissions prices in the eight regional markets are very different, for a variety of administrative reasons, it is essential to create a procedure for establishing a national carbon emissions price. The regional markets are pioneers, and their experience will play important roles in establishing a national carbon emissions market, with national prices based on regional prices, turnovers and volumes. The paper considers two sources of regional data for China's carbon allowances, which are based on primary and secondary data sources, and compares their relative strengths and weaknesses. The paper establishes national carbon emissions prices based on the primary and secondary regional prices, for the first time, and compares both national prices and regional prices against each other. The carbon emission prices in Hubei, Guangdong, Shenzhen and Tianjin are highly correlated with the national prices based on the primary and secondary sources. Establishing national carbon emissions prices should be very helpful for the national carbon emissions market that is under construction in China, as well as for other regions and countries worldwide. For purposes of establishing a single indicative price for carbon emissions in China, the empirical results suggest that the Arithmetic Mean of the National Primary and Secondary prices leads to the optimal prices for carbon emissions in China. Highlights • The paper establishes national carbon emissions prices for China. • The paper considers primary and secondary regional carbon allowance data sources. • The paper establishes national carbon emission prices using primary and secondary regional data. • National carbon emissions prices will be helpful for China's carbon emissions market. • Arithmetic mean of national primary and secondary carbon emission prices is optimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming, and the energy crisis, both caused by the unregulated overconsumption of fossil fuels, are some of the main problems humanity has to face along with freshwater shortage. The importance of safe access to freshwater and various forms of energy to the survival of modern societies is undeniable. Water- and energy-related technologies are independent, but thermal energy storage can bind such technologies. Salts, which are well-known phase-change materials that can be used as thermal energy storage media, can be extracted from the brine produced by desalination plants, which is usually rejected into the environment. Evaporation, electrodialysis, membrane distillation-crystallization, and adsorption/desorption are suitable techniques for extracting salts from brine in conjunction with desalination. Obtained salts can be used as phase change materials in thermal energy storage units. Salt-based thermal energy storage units can be integrated into concentrated solar power plants, geothermal power plants, fossil fuel, and biomass fuel power plants, load-following nuclear power plants, and various industrial processes for energy production and optimization. Although there are many papers on molten salt-based thermal energy storage, the direct utilization of salts extractable from the brine produced by desalination plants for thermal energy storage units has not been thoroughly investigated. In order to provide a guide for researchers in investigating such systems, this paper reviews salt extraction technologies in conjunction with desalination, applications of salt-based phase change materials in thermal energy storage, and challenges and perspectives of binding desalination plants with energy production or optimization systems using thermal energy storage. • Desalination plants produce brine which can be used to obtain salts. • Salts are phase change materials that can be used in thermal energy storage. • Salt-based thermal energy storage units can be used in various applications. • Co-generation of water and electricity is possible using thermal energy storage. • Developing thermal energy storage technology demands a multidisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building envelope parameters and geometric configurations can considerably influence the building energy performance. However, determining the best trade-offs of different building shape and envelope configurations to yield near-optimal design alternatives with respect to their energy performance is not a straight-forward task. Consequently, different methods have been utilized to optimize building envelope parameters and geometric configurations to achieve better energy performance. The objective of this paper is to provide an extensive review of the optimization methods and their application in energy-efficient architectural building design to better identify the potentials and applicability of different optimization methods. This paper reviews the optimization research, where building envelope parameters and geometric configurations are considered remarkably as the optimization independent variable(s) and building energy consumption/demand is included as an objective in the optimization process. The associated derivative-free and derivative-based optimization methods and their application in energy-efficient building design are included in this review. In addition, decision-making approaches are discussed for multi-objective optimizations. Current optimization tools are demonstrated. Finally, crucial considerations, including limitations and suggestions for the related future studies are concluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of cleaner and renewable energy sources are necessary so that fossil fuel dependency and global warming can be reduced. Present communication is an attempt to explore the available literature on Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) air collectors and PVT air collector integrated greenhouse drying system. Solar drying is one of the best method to preserve crops for a long time. In developing and under developed countries; per capita electricity production is low; therefore the electricity uses for heating purpose cannot be economically and environmentally justified option. In previous studies, it was found that forced drying is better in terms of controlling drying parameters and PVT air collector is better than standalone PV module in terms of energy storage. In present review paper, combination of PVT air collector and drying system has been discussed. Moreover, thermal modelling of PVT air collector integrated greenhouse drying system has been presented in detail. Average thermal efficiency, electrical efficiency and overall thermal efficiency for PVT air collector are found to be 26.68%, 11.26% and 56.30% respectively at 0.01 kg/s mass flow rate of air. This review paper may be very helpful for researchers and scientists to develop thermal models for different hybrid solar systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent global energy crisis has provoked a need to explore alternate energy sources including run-of-the-river hydropower projects. To derive maximum payback for a given investment, finding the most advantageous siting of power plants is imperative. If a selection of potential sites misses some of the apparently indistinct sites with significant power potential, there is a chance of acquiring only partial benefits out of these investments. A review of the existing methods for evaluating power potential of a river is discussed in this paper with their limitations along with a new proposed approach. The new approach can be used to evaluate different installation schemes along a river to assess run-of-the-river hydropower potentials using geospatial data techniques to select sites exhibiting higher total hydropower potential. The case study of Kunhar River, located in the northern part of Pakistan, presents the applicability of the approach. Open source Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission (ASTER)’s digital elevation model (DEM) and regional hydrologic gauged data are used for identifying the best locations for hydropower plants, demonstrating this approach is substantially more cost effective and robust compared to other field based assessment. Replicating the proposed approach for other locations is easy following the step-by-step method presented in this paper and giving consideration to the limitations described. This study may provide guidelines for the development of cost-effective and energy efficient hydropower projects. The use of this approach is most advantageous in the preliminary assessment phase of a project to narrow the scope of the detailed study focusing only on the higher potential sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cameroon has an abundant reserve of energy resources, such as crude oil, natural gas, hydropower, biomass, solar, wind and geothermal energies. However, these resources are still weakly valorised. The country relies mainly on hydropower energy for electricity generation (73%) with persistent power outages throughout the country especially in the dry seasons when water levels are low. Electricity access is about 65–88% in urban areas and around 14% for rural populations. Cameroon has experienced a strong economic growth (growth rate of 5.9% in 2015), accompanied by a rapid increase in electricity demand (1455 MW in 2014). Electricity needs are expected to continue rising over the next decade to reach 5000 MW by 2020 and 6000 MW by 2030. This paper seeks to address energy issues (reliability, accessibility and security) in Cameroon and brings to light the potential and meaningful contributions of renewables in solving energy concern. In order to achieve this objective, an overview, of the energy sector (energy source, access, demand, supply and distribution) is given followed by a review of renewable energy potential, policy, benefits and barriers. In addition, this paper introduces the energy roadmap to achieve a universal access to electricity, which will pave the way for the country emergence by 2035. It is found that energy sector of Cameroon holds promising possibilities of development and diversification given the country's energy potential. With adequate policy, standards, regulations, awareness, capacity building and off-grid renewable energy investments measures, it is possible for Cameroon to meet the future energy targets and ensure meaningful development throughout the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Any electronic equipment contains silicon chips. Modern society, the Knowledge Society, has been possible through the development of low-cost silicon chips. Some researchers, however, have been claiming that “Moore's law” for silicon chip design and production of integrated circuits will remain valid only for the next 1 or 2 decades due to energy limitations. Thus, we cannot produce these chips as efficiently as before. The objective of this paper is to present and discuss this claim in terms of energy, information and communications technologies (ICT), computer engineering, knowledge and knowledge engineering, and electronics views. It also appears that the use of some advanced production techniques could extend the use of silicon chips. The author has been unable to find any study yet that has addressed the effect of this issue on the future of intelligence, knowledge and knowledge engineering and management. Hence, this may cited as an original feature of the present paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lighting system design is a significant component of building and is considered as an important aspect when addressing sustainability of buildings. Achieving sustainability in buildings would tackle through energy conservation and waste savings. In most of the industrialised countries, rising energy costs make indoor artificial lightings as a significant contributor. Thus, visual comfort within the indoor environment could be affected by an energy-saving strategy. This paper organises a systematic state of the art review of indoor lighting simulation related to the buildings research. Simulation allows artificial objects and dynamical role variations to optimise the maximal use of lighting systems in buildings. Thus, it allows equivalent lighting system design and the synthetic environment in a virtual world. This strategy makes it possible to design and select the subjective state of the physical and virtual well-being of the visual comfort in the buildings. The main objective of this paper is to find out the most popular simulation tool adopted for the simulation of lighting in the building prototypes by various researchers. The simulation platforms are categorised in simple tools and integrated tools. The survey comprises of seventy papers which were thoroughly reviewed. It is observed that various relevant studies were carried out by different researchers in the energy savings and lighting in buildings and their prototypes were found during the survey. This research can positively aid the researchers and energy managers in deciding the feasible simulation tool for simulating their respective prototypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disposal of paddy residue has turn out to be a huge problem in north-west Indian states, resulting farmers prefer to burn the residues in-situ. Paddy residue management is of utmost important as it contains plant nutrients and improves the soil-plant-atmospheric continuum. Burning biomass not only pollutes environment and results in loss of appreciable amount of plant essential nutrients. The objectives of the review paper is to access the amount of residue generation, its utilization in-situ and ex-situ, emphasize harmful effects of residue burning on human health, soil health and environment of north-west states of India specially in Punjab and Haryana. This paper also discusses the possible strategies, financial and socio-economic evaluation of the paddy residue management technologies and accentuates the assessment of range of potential policy instruments which would offer avenues for sustainable agriculture and environment. Timely availability of conservation agriculture (CA) machinery is of utmost significance to manage the paddy residues in-situ. Collection and transportation of voluminous mass of paddy residue is cumbersome, therefore, ex-situ residue management is still not an economically viable option. The agricultural waste opens vivid options for its versatile usage and is possible if residue is collected and managed properly. It is a prerequisite for surplus residues to be used for CA. There is an urge to create awareness among farming communities to incline them to understand importance of crop residues in CA for sustainability and resilience of Indian agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade several scientific papers have dealt with the damages fossil fuels did to our environment. Carbon dioxide has been blamed the chief culprit since it is produced by the automobile fleet that uses diesel or gasoline as a fuel. As a result, several countries are implementing public policies aimed at the replacement of fossil fuels by renewable ones, such as biodiesel. Brazil has become one of them, since the biodiesel production has increased from 736 m 3 to 3,419,838 m 3 in less than ten years. Therefore, this paper intends to briefly review the literature on the history, evolution, and the environmental aspects of biodiesel in Brazil in order to show its positive economic impact on the Brazilian economy, in addition to showing how important this biofuel is to the environment by providing an overview of its advantages when compared to fossil diesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this review article is to review of DEA models in regarding to energy efficiency. This paper reviewed and summarized the different models of DEA that have been applied around the world to development of energy efficiency problems. Consequently, a review of 144 published scholarly papers appearing in 45 high-ranking journals between 2006 and 2015 have been obtained to achieve a comprehensive review of DEA application in energy efficiency. Accordingly, the selected articles have been categorized based on year of publication; author (s) nationalities, scope of study, time duration, application area, study purpose, results and outcomes. Results of this review paper indicated that DEA showed great promise to be a good evaluative tool for future analysis on energy efficiency issues, where the production function between the inputs and outputs was virtually absent or extremely difficult to acquire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive review on the status of renewable energy developments and hydrogen economy in the Middle East and North Africa region. This region is heavily reliant on fossil fuels for its domestic energy supply and is also considered a global energy exporter. In this regard, an overview of the current state of energy sector in the region is provided. Moreover, the region possesses great potential for renewable energy exploitation due to its climatic advantages. Therefore, the current status of renewable energy utilization within the region's various countries is reviewed by presenting several operational renewable energy-based plants and future projects for deployment of renewable power in the region. Green hydrogen is an important sustainable clean fuel, and its utilization is essential for both environmental preservation and energy security. Thus, the status of hydrogen production and utilization in the region is discussed considering the various operational systems and future hydrogen generation projects. The concept of source, system and service is also incorporated which considers the utilization of clean energy sources for sustainable hydrogen production through environmentally benign pathways. The potential deployment opportunities for the renewable hydrogen production are also discussed based on available renewable sources in the region. Moreover, this paper discusses the challenges of increasing renewable energy utilization in the region. Furthermore, this paper provides a road map for achieving renewable hydrogen economy including a reduction in domestic utilization of oil and gas sources, subsidization of renewable production sector, and financial support to hydrogen production and transportation infrastructure. • Providing an overview of the status of energy sector in the region. • Providing an overview of the status of renewable energy utilization in the region. • Discussing the challenges and opportunities of renewable and hydrogen energy development in the region. • Providing a road map for renewable hydrogen development in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart grid engineering is the key for a beneficial use of widespread energy resources, it is a modernized electrical grid that uses analog or digital information and communications technology. Renewable energy itself a thrust area of research due to its availability, applicability and environmental friendly nature and the application of smart grid in renewable energy makes it vast and more promising. This fusion enables the efficient use of renewable energies which is a key challenge for now. The present review paper attempts to investigate the role of smart grid in the renewable energy. The introductory section sets the role of renewable energy and distributed power in a smart grid system. Subsections cover the concept and availability of renewable energies, renewable energy power calculation formulae, smart grid concepts and its feasibility, case studied as performed by different researchers around the World, discussion and future recommendations and finally the conclusions from the study. To achieve this, articles from different sources such as internet, reports, conferences and journals of Elsevier, Springer, Tailor and Franacis, Wiley and many more have been collected and reviewed. This paper concludes that renewable energies can be used efficiently and in a smart way by using the smart grids. However, the smart grid technology is not mature enough and needs more research on the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduction of energy consumption is a major concern in vapor compression cooling systems, especially in areas with very hot weather conditions. In hot weather conditions, performance of these systems decrease sharply and electrical power consumption increases considerably. Evaporative condensers enhance the heat rejection process by using the cooling effect of evaporation and therefore improve energy-usage efficiency. This paper presents an extensive review of the state of the art of evaporative condensers used in residential cooling systems: refrigeration, air-conditioning, and heat pump systems. The paper primarily concentrates on the energy consumption of residential cooling systems worldwide and its related problems. In addition, the paper covers the operation principles of evaporative-condensers, theory of heat rejection, and water evaporation rate. Finally, comparison between different types of condensers is presented. It is found that by using evaporative-cooled condenser instead of air-cooled condenser, the power consumption can be reduced up to 58% and the coefficient of performance can be improved by about 113.4% with systems of different cooling capacities ranging from 3 to 3000 kW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total energy consumption per capita of any country is a critical input for the economic and social development. But nowadays, the current energy production systems are not sustainable and they are not environment friendly. Increased fossil energy consumptions in manufacturing, transportation and standard of living in the growing population have the highest impact on the environment in terms of global warming potential and air pollution. Also fossil fuel prices are increasing because of shortening of fossil fuel sources. Sustainable development improves standard of life economically and environmentally over the long term in a way that must be supported by the industrial structure of the country. In order to sustain energy availability and keep environment livable for future generations, finding new alternatives is necessary. Increased awareness of society about environmental issues and fossil energy sources depletion support new clean alternatives. These alternatives are one of the important and determinant policy areas for the countries, and should include both short and long term energy policies. This paper discusses the environmental pollution caused by energy consumption, and the role of conventional and renewable energy technologies as one component of the effective sustainable development and solution. Also, renewable energy potential of Turkey for assessment of the green energy systems is investigated in terms of sustainable development, environmental impact and prices. All the given results in this paper will be useful to researchers, engineers, decision and policy makers in industry and government. [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]

The nexus between trade openness and energy demand is hot topic of discussion among academicians and researchers, and numerous studies are available in existing literature while investigating the nexus between trade openness and energy demand. This paper explores the relationship between energy consumption, trade openness and economic growth in case of Thailand. In doing so, we have applied Bayer and Hanck cointegration approach to test whether the long run relationship exists between the variables. Our results confirm the presence of cointegration between the variables. Energy consumption stimulates economic growth. Trade openness adds in economic growth. The causality analysis reveals that energy consumption Granger causes economic growth and in resulting, economic growth Granger causes energy consumption. Trade openness and energy consumption are interdependent i.e. trade openness Granger causes energy consumption and in return, energy consumption Granger causes trade openness. This paper openness up new directions for policy making authorities in Thailand to design a comprehensive energy and trade policies to sustain economic growth for long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health and performance of students and teachers are influenced by the internal environment of school buildings such as noise levels, indoor temperature, air quality and light. Providing good internal environmental conditions with minimum energy for schools has long been a concern in school design guidelines around the world. The growing necessity to save energy in an uncertain future and to provide a good indoor environment in schools suggests that school designers should approach design more holistically in order to offer a better internal environment and to reduce the gap between design and performance. This paper investigates design issues in UK schools through case study analysis and a review of the literature. The main reasons for these design issues can be attributed to the lack of optimisation of different internal environment factors and their relation with energy consumption; the lack of understanding occupants’ response to the environment; the lack of building adaptability and the inappropriate application or use technology. This paper urges school designers to look at these factors holistically in order to overcome these problems in the future design of UK schools. This study also suggests an Environmental Circle to look at the interrelation between comfort factors through their sub factors in a holistic manner in order to prevent any conflict between. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving energy performance has been recognized as an effective measure to promote the energy saving and emission reduction and to realize the sustainable development. Methods of improving energy performance towards sustainable manufacturing are numerous and scattered, resulting in insufficiency from the perspective of overall strategies and system integration. After the intensive selection of advanced literatures, about 166 research papers directly related to energy performance improvement are analyzed. A comprehensive review and analysis from multi-perspectives of energy monitoring, evaluation, optimization and benchmarking are performed, which is conducive to understand the energy consumption pattern and take effective energy-saving measures. This paper establishes a framework of energy performance integrated method, and four energy management methods and their energy models in energy monitoring, evaluation, optimization and benchmarking phase are analyzed and summarized. Besides, the proposed framework analyzes potential applications and key advantages, and some challenges and potential opportunities for energy performance improvement methods are discussed. This study will provide a significant foundation for energy-efficient production through various methods application. • Performing a review on methods of improving energy performance. • Constructing a framework of methods of improving energy performance. • Summarizing advances in energy monitoring, evaluation, optimization and benchmarking. • Discussing challenges and opportunities of improving energy performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis posits that in the early stages of economic growth environmental degradation and pollution increase. However, as a nation reaches a certain level of income, measured in per capita terms, the trend reverses. The postulated relationship thus produces an inverted U-shaped curve. The topic has drawn much academic interest in the context of developed and emerging nations. The aim of this paper is to investigate the existence of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) in case of Tunisia using annual time series data for the period of 1971–2010. The ARDL bounds testing approach to cointegration is applied to test long run relationship in the presence of structural breaks and vector error correction model (VECM) to detect the direction of causality among the variables. The robustness of causality analysis has been tested by applying the innovative accounting approach (IAA). The findings of this paper confirmed long run relationship between economic growth, energy consumption, trade openness and CO2 emissions. The results also indicated the existence of EKC confirmed by the VECM and IAA approaches. The study has significant contribution for policy implications to curtail energy pollutants by implementing environment friendly regulations to sustain economic development in Tunisia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This review describes the situation and the varying potential of energy supply utilization of countries in the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). This exercise reveals that the increase in energy consumption is associated with economic growth and population expansion. The interconnectivity between energy use and national level, as well as the connection between energy utilization and gross domestic product (GDP), which is an indicator of economic development, must be explained to determine the significance of national energy utility in these countries. Therefore, alternative energy source utilization is necessary for the provision of an appreciable constituent of imminent energy requirements in sectors that utilize energy. Alternative energy source utilization is a crucial factor in ensuring the total capacity of energy sources in various growing economies of the world where clean energy is unavailable. Furthermore, some of these countries also possess alternative energy sources such as hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass. This paper provides details on sustainable energy supply developments in OIC countries. These countries must sustainably develop energy despite their sufficient wealth in crude oil and natural gas. The main purpose of this study is to determine economic growth in relation to energy supply to facilitate sustainable development. In addition, this paper suggests necessary requirements to sustain the energy development processes in OIC countries and as well as some stages that must be adopted to enhance development at a sustainable rate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Bangladesh is a small country with its large population struggled with several challenges over the last few decades, including overpopulation, power grid disruptions, floods, and global warming. Sufficient rate of energy production is must for a developing country, but quickly expanding population and overall economic growth interrupt the energy sector. Renewable energy plays a vital role to contribute in this sector. For becoming an agricultural country biomass is an important sustainable energy source for this country. Organic crop residues, animal waste, and municipal solid waste are the most accessible biomass energy sources in this country. On the other hand, by using the membrane gas separation technology the quality biogas can be improved and it helps the environment from the toxic CO 2 which is a major element of biogas. This study represents the extension, potential and innovations identified with the utilization of biomass assets. Besides the improvement of biogas also discussed in this paper. This paper also represents the various initiatives conducted by the government that are all relevant to biomass energy. This work further can be studies to innovate different biomass technology and to improve the quality of biogas. [Display omitted] • Biomass is an alternative and sustainable renewable energy source in Bangladesh. • Thermal and bio-chemical methods are widely used for changing over biomass to energy. • Government plan is to produce electricity by utilizing natural gas, liquid fuel, and peat. • Membrane gas separation technology is used to increase the quality of gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The energy security concern has been established as an alarming issue in context of petro diplomacy now-a-days. Global warming with rapid changes in climate, increase in price and depletion in reserve of fossil fuel are leading scientists to work toward alternative fuel. Biodiesel could be an answer for the alternative fuel, which is renewable, biodegradable, non-toxic and less polluting. This paper is comprised of fuel properties, engine performance and emission characteristics of commonly used different vegetable (jatropha, palm, coconut, cottonseed, sunflower, soybean and canola/rapeseed) based biodiesel derived from experimental results at different conditions performed worldwide. It can introduce a potential guideline to improve engine performance and emission characteristics using different biodiesels and their blends as well. This paper provides a comparative baseline to make an easy comparison among the biodiesels in respect of fuel properties, engine performance and emission characteristics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of the paper is to assess energy technologies in road transport sector in terms of atmospheric emissions and costs and to indicate the most competitive and environmentally friendly transport technologies. The main tasks of the paper are: to develop the multi-criteria framework for comparative assessment of energy technologies in road transport and to apply MCDM methods for the transport technologies assessment. One of the MCDM methods, viz. the interval TOPSIS method, is employed in order to tackle the uncertain criteria. The assessment framework allows comparing road transport technologies in terms of their environmental and economic impacts and facilitates decision making process in transport sector. The main indicators selected for technologies assessment are: private costs and life cycle emissions of the main pollutants (GHG; particulates, NOx, CO, HCs). The ranking of road transport technologies based on private costs and atmospheric emissions allowed prioritizing these technologies in terms of environmental friendliness the lowest costs. However the extent, capacity, and quality of road infrastructure affects the overall level of transportation activity, which in turn affects how much energy is consumed by vehicles and the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted. The paper presents the impact of transportation infrastructure on GHG emissions from road vehicles and policy implications of performed assessment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper illustrates a new approach to forecast the potential energy savings and environmental impact of adopting energy efficient practices in the Jordanian transportation sector. This approach is based on Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and the double exponential smoothing techniques. The ANFIS model has been developed using socio-economic and transport related indicators based on annual number of vehicles, vehicle owner level, income level, and fuel prices in Jordan. The double exponential smoothing technique has been used to forecast the different transport indicators to feed the developed ANFIS model in order to forecast the transport energy demand for the next two decades. The model has been validated using testing data and has showed very accurate results of 97%. The results show that the transport energy demand is expected to increase at % 4.9yr−1 from years 2011–2030. As an example of the energy efficiency improvement in the transportation sector, this paper examines potential benefits that can be achieved through the introduction of diesel cars to the passenger cars market in Jordan. Five scenarios are suggested for implementation and investigated using the new approach on the basis of local and global trends over the period 2011–2030. It is demonstrated that introducing diesel passenger cars can slow down the growth of energy consumption in the transportation sector resulting in significant savings in the national fuel bill. It is also shown that this is an effective and feasible option for cutting down CO2 emissions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As the air conditioning system is one of the largest contributors to electrical peak demand, the role of the cold thermal energy storage (CTES) system has become more significant in the past decade. The present paper has reviewed the studies conducted on the energy and exergy analysis of CTES systems with a special focus on ice thermal and chilled water storage systems as the most common types of CTES. However, choosing a proper CTES technique is mainly dependent on localized parameters such as the ambient temperature profile, electricity rate structure, and user''s habit, which makes it quite difficult and complicated as it depends on many individual parameters. Therefore, it was found that energy and exergy analysis can help significantly for a better judgment. The review paper has shown that the exergetic efficiency analysis can show a more realistic picture than energy efficiency analysis. In addition, the environmental impact and the economic feasibility of these systems are also investigated. It was found that, based on the total exergy efficiency, the ice on coil (internal melt) is known as the most desirable CTES system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Energy is vital for all types of activities on earth whether living or non-living. This paper first discusses some misconceptions about energy and energy sources. A new classification of energy sources, contrary to traditional renewable and non-renewable sources, is then presented. The energy sources are classified as sun-dependent energy sources (SDES) and sun-independent energy sources (SIES). Total energy use of the world, today and in the long future, and a possible energy scenario is proposed in the light of this new classification of energy sources. Unlike previous energy scenarios which cover few decades to a maximum of few centuries, this paper presents the energy use and policy guidelines for long into the future keeping in view the energy sources available at that time, their optimum utilization, total world population and energy-use-per-person constraints. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Variability in the predicted cost of energy of an ocean energy converter array is more substantial than for other forms of energy generation, due to the combined stochastic action of weather conditions and failures. If the variability is great enough, then this may influence future financial decisions. This paper provides the unique contribution of quantifying variability in the predicted cost of energy and introduces a framework for investigating reduction of variability through investment in components. Following review of existing methodologies for parametric analysis of ocean energy array design, the development of the DTOcean software tool is presented. DTOcean can quantify variability by simulating the design, deployment and operation of arrays with higher complexity than previous models, designing sub-systems at component level. A case study of a theoretical floating wave energy converter array is used to demonstrate that the variability in levelised cost of energy (LCOE) can be greatest for the smallest arrays and that investment in improved component reliability can reduce both the variability and most likely value of LCOE. A hypothetical study of improved electrical cables and connectors shows reductions in LCOE up to 2.51% and reductions in the variability of LCOE of over 50%; these minima occur for different combinations of components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vulnerability of electric potential generation from water resources has been evidenced due to uncertainties of climatic origin and energy planning. Changes in rainfall regimes are multifactorial phenomena difficult to model. Rainfall is the main natural way of restoring the reservoir levels of hydroelectric power plants. The reduction in rainfall levels may increase in the coming years, resulting in a probable change of the energy matrix configuration of the state of Minas Gerais (MG). This could reduce the share of renewable sources increasing dependence on the importance of energy from fossil fuels, which are the immediate primary sources of energy available. Prior examinations have portrayed the depletion of hydroelectricity in Brazil, or its macro-regions, however this work tries to supply a more focused look at the effects on the electricity and social sectors of the state of Minas Gerais. The study developed in this paper aims to investigate the hydrological potential alteration impacts and consequences on the energy matrix of the state, the greenhouse gas emissions and the social reflexes of these changes due to scenarios motivated by climate change. The investigation intends to show the importance of the water-energy-emissions nexus for energy planning and decision-making, in order to evaluate the best options for dealing with adverse and potentially destabilizing conditions. The results of the analyses show that while hydropower demand was 5.24 Mtoe in 2015, in 2030 the supply of hydropower will be 5.81 Mtoe and 4.72 Mtoe, for the conservative and severe scenarios, respectively. In addition, the effect of climate change may require an increase in the share of non-renewable sources in the energy matrix, which could increase CO 2 e emissions from 4.2% to 7.4% by 2030, compared to the levels in 2016. • Reduction in rainfall levels will change the energy matrix configuration of MG state. • Population growth will boost demand for energy. • It is shown the importance of the water-energy-emissions nexus for energy planning and decision-making. • The energy matrix may considerably increase the CO 2 e emissions by 2030, compared with 2016 levels in the MG state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Urban areas provide strategic settings for attaining more sustainable urban systems. This paper provides fivefold contributions to the literature based on the Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems City Index. A comprehensive benchmarking of 120 cities is undertaken of which the first three cities are found to be Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Helsinki. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses are conducted by comparing the original ranking with those based on Monte Carlo simulations and three aggregation schemes with and without the use of the geometric mean. The ranking of cities that take place in the 95% confidence interval and strong coefficients of correlation are found to suggest aspects of index robustness. As the third contribution, a scenario that represents the cross-sectoral strategy of utilizing residual energy in the urban vicinity from the industry, thermal power generation, wastewater, and urban biowaste is applied to 60 cities. The integration of data from the Pan-European Thermal Atlas provides additional practical value to local decision-makers who can assess possible improvements in city performance through such an approach. Fourth, 13 city pairs of 3 or more cities with the same above or below average performances across the dimensions of the index are identified as another means of supporting policy-learning opportunities. The fifth contribution synthesizes the original results of the research work to discuss the need for integrated urban transitions and proposes a vision for cities to envision the sustainable development of urban energy, water and environment systems. The research work provides analytical support to cities in a time when local actors are tasked with a mission that is nothing less than leading the transition to net-zero emissions by mid-century. Highlights • An original benchmarking of 120 cities with a composite indicator is provided. • Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of the city rankings suggest assessment quality. • A scenario that is representative of a cross-sectoral strategy is evaluated for 60 cities. • Pairs with similar performance across the dimensions of the index are identified. • The implications are discussed based on the need for integrated urban transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper discusses the need of renewable energy sources. A case study has been carried out to study the technical state of art, reasons for the plant becoming non-operative, revival opportunities with justification and finally comes out with recommendations to revive on the basis of comprehensive survey conducted in the village. The case study is carried out at Nayakana Hulikatti village in Dharwad district that was developed by IEI (International Energy Initiative) in 1995–96 in co-ordination with rotary club and the plant was functional for few years. The paper also highlights the need of educating consumers to involve in power generation using locally available renewable resources for their power requirement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is a well known fact that eight countries have 81% of all world crude oil reserves, six countries have 70% of all natural gas reserves and eight countries have 89% of all coal reserves. Energy is central to achieving the interrelated economic, social, and environmental aims of sustainable human development. But if we are to realise this important goal, the kinds of energy we produce and the ways we use them will have to change. Otherwise, environmental damage will accelerate, inequity will increase, and global economic growth will be jeopardised. Energy produced and used in ways that support human development in all its social, economic and environmental dimensions is what is meant by sustainable energy. The generation of energy by clean, efficient and environmental-friendly means is now one of the major challenges for engineers and scientists. This paper reviews a proposed energy-related solution to global warming, air pollution mortality, and energy security. It discusses recent topics related directly to energy production such as fuel cells (FCs) which represent a promising clean and efficient energy conversion technology. The paper also focuses on those technologies which, in terms of cost, cleanliness, reliability and availability, have the potential to compete with conventional energy conversion systems and to reach commercialisation phase before 2015. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Oil palm is one of the major economic crops in many countries. Malaysia alone produces about 47% of the world''s palm oil supply and can be considered as the world''s largest producer and exporter of palm oil. Malaysia also generates huge quantity of oil palm biomass including oil palm trunks, oil palm fronds, empty fruit bunches (EFB), shells and fibers as waste from palm oil fruit harvest and oil extraction processing. At present there is a continuously increasing interest in the utilization of oil palm biomass as a source of clean energy. One of the major interests is hydrogen from oil palm biomass. Hydrogen from biomass is a clean and efficient energy source and is expected to take a significant role in future energy demand due to the raw material availability. This paper presents a review which focuses on different types of thermo-chemical processes for conversion of oil palm biomass to hydrogen rich gas. This paper offers a concise and up-to-date scenario of the present status of oil palm industry in contributing towards sustainable and renewable energy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reviews the present energy status in Islamic Republic of Iran with an emphasis on utilization of environmentally friendly energy resources. The paper reveals the huge energy losses due to technological gaps and absence of relevant art of know-how in conventional energy industries. It also includes some critical issues effecting the efficient operation of Renewable Energy Converting Systems (RECS) having specific site and climate dependency. The environmentally friendly scaled energy balance presented in this paper is self explaining for energy policy makers to achieve a suitable scenario based on various positions of scale pointer which may alter depending on implementation level of advanced technologies and relevant art of know-how. The paper, besides being informative in achieving optimal energy prospects in Iran, also provides useful quid lines to energy planners not only at home but also in other Asian/Middle Eastern countries having similar alternative energy scenarios. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) systems are emerging as an important branch of solar technology, which combines photovoltaic panels and solar collectors in a single unit to generate electricity and heat from uninterruptible solar energy. Energy systems are typically examined from two aspects of energy and exergy. The exergy of these systems is of great importance because it focuses on the quality of the energy. Due to the unequal quality of electrical and thermal energy, it is clear that the exergetic performance of these systems gives a clearer view of their efficiency compared to their energetic one. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the researches conducted in the field of the exergy for various types of PV/T systems in the last decade. According to our study, the largest attention was directed at investigating the exergy of water-based, air-based and nanofluid-based PV/T systems, and the exergy examination of other types, especially thermoelectric-based PV/T systems, was rarely performed. Also, a comparison between different PV/T systems shows that using nanofluids, concentrators and optical filters could improve the exergy efficiency of PV/T systems. Highlights • A detailed review of the exergetic performance of PV/T systems is provided. • Exergy efficiency of different PV/T systems is compared. • Factors affecting the exergy efficiency of photovoltaic/ thermal systems are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Energy demand continues to increase in turn raising concerns about energy supply. In this paper, the author has tried to systematize the role of the energy sector in South Eastern (SE) Europe in the context of the European energy policy process. This should make the energy sector in SE Europe more visible and open to substantial activities and appropriate funding. This is important to assure its full alignment with the European energy policy process, and in so doing, make it less fragile. According to the SE European Energy Community Treaty, parties to the Treaty are obliged to implement reforms in the energy and environmental sector in accordance with the European Union''s respective policy. This paper raises awareness of the environmental requirements that have been set, of renewable energy and its implementation, at the same time pointing out that the response in SE Europe has been at a low level. It is believed that this paper could draw attention to the existing problems and could contribute to the establishment of a common integrated energy market in SE Europe and the EU. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a review about conventional and renewable energy scenario of the county in quantitative terms of supply, generation and exploitation of available resources. In this energy scenario, the renewable energy share is in the range of a fraction of a percentage compared to total conventional energy supplies, so depicting it as a sector of least significance for government. Main emphasis in this paper has been given on presentation of data about renewable energy (RE) installations in the country, on-going activities, development projects, RE planning and achievements of public sector RE institutions and organizations. At the end some suggestions are given for effective planning and exploitation of RE resources and use of technologies. These suggestions are not only useful for Pakistan but also are equally important for the third world countries to enhance appreciably RE contribution in their total energy supplies of their country. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The practice of viticulture and winemaking is highly dependent upon the weather and climate. Any future changes in the seasons, their duration, local maximum, minimum and mean temperatures, frost occurrence and heat accumulation could have a major impact on the winegrowing areas of the world. Given that the winegrowing industry has substantial energy requirements and is directly influenced by any changes in climate, the industry should be at the forefront in promoting the case of energy efficiency and the adoption of renewable technologies. Solar renewables in the form of solar thermal and photovoltaics (PVs) offer a complimentary solution to many winegrowing processes. This paper examines the limited number of world wineries that have adopted solar renewables and presents a viable case for their wide scale integration into the industry. The paper presents a range of viticultural and winemaking processes where solar energy can be directly or indirectly applied and suggests the potential for solar energy in making substantial savings in both energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. In 2005, almost 8 million hectares were under vines producing 40.2 million tonnes of grapes for crushing. The total global energy use within the winemaking industry is estimated at over 105PJ emitting nearly 16 million tonnes of CO2. If ancillary industries, such as bottle making and transportation are included, the total carbon footprint of the industry is estimated at over 76 million tonnes of CO2. This paper calculates that if the commercial winemaking establishments in the ‘developed’ wine producing regions of the world integrated a ‘small’ solar installation into their wineries, the potential savings are 18.3% or 19.24PJ of the energy used in the global winemaking industry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sustainable development requires methods and tools to measure and compare the environmental impacts of human activities for various products (goods and services). Providing society with goods and services contributes to a wide range of environmental impacts. Environmental impacts include emissions into the environment and the consumption of resources as well as other interventions such as land use, etc. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a technique for assessing environmental loads of a product or a system. The aim of this paper is to review existing energy and CO2 life cycle analyses of renewable sources based electricity generation systems. The paper points out that carbon emission from renewable energy (RE) systems are not nil, as is generally assumed while evaluating carbon credits. Further the range of carbon emissions from RE systems have been found out from existing literature and compared with those from fossil fuel based systems, so as to assist in a rational choice of energy supply systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper provides a detailed review of renewably driven hydrogen systems and modeling approaches applicable to these systems that have been reported over the last two decades. Several renewable energy technologies, including solar photovoltaic, wind, and hydro, have been considered as the power source in these reports. Storage is an important aspect of hydrogen systems, and options for this are summarized here. Utilization systems include fuel cells as well as a variety of thermal uses. Some of the reported studies have addressed residential applications whereas others were related to commercial scale systems. This paper particularly emphasizes aspects of modeling of the various components for the renewable hydrogen system. Based on the literature on this area, conclusions are provided on the current understanding as well as future work related to this topic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Due to the rapid increase in the global demand for renewable energy and uneven, seasonal distribution of bulky biomass resources, developing decentralized and mobile biomass thermochemical conversion systems are critical, particularly to accommodate the energy needs of rural residents in developing countries and remote communities. This paper establishes the fundamental concepts of decentralized and mobile thermochemical biomass conversion systems and addresses the necessity and advantages of such systems. This article comprehensively examines the potential of various biomass and non-biomass waste streams for co-processing in such systems and summarizes the latest progress in pretreatment technologies, conversion pathways, product separation and purification, and applications. Moreover, this paper compares the designs and specifications, operation status, drawbacks, and benefits of existing systems from household to industrial-scale. It also summarizes the latest studies on the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of such systems. The key challenges in the future research and development of such systems are discussed, including systems integration and simplifications, interaction mechanism of mixed waste during co-processing, development of cost-effective catalysts, and investigation of biochar applications. Also, our recommendation is to re-visit the direct-combustion technology under a modern technological and environmental perspective. Moreover, it is necessary to promote education and training for the development of dedicated skills to support the operation and maintenance of conversion systems at secondary or higher levels. • Key concepts of decentralized and mobile biomass conversion systems are established. • Systematic comparison of decentralized and mobile systems from household to industrial scale. • Up-to-date review on co-processing, reactor design, and cost-effective catalysts. • Mobile systems show great potential in helping developing countries and off-grid communities. • Necessity for high level education to promote the decentralized biomass conversion is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of energy by clean, efficient and environmental-friendly means is now one of the major challenges for engineers and scientists. Fuel cells convert chemical energy of a fuel gas directly into electrical work, and are efficient and environmentally clean, since no combustion is required. Moreover, fuel cells have the potential for development to a sufficient size for applications for commercial electricity generation. This paper outlines the acute global population growth and the growing need and use of energy and its consequent environmental impacts. The existing or emerging fuel cells’ technologies are comprehensively discussed in this paper. In particular, attention is given to the design and operation of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), noting the restrictions based on materials’ requirements and fuel specifications. Moreover, advantages of SOFCs with respect to the other fuel cell technologies are identified. This paper also reviews the limitations and the benefits of SOFCs in relationship with energy, environment and sustainable development. Few potential applications, as long-term potential actions for sustainable development, and the future of such devices are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This review offers a state of the field examination of cookstove implementation efforts with a focus on stakeholder engagement and persistently low rates of adoption. Literature from related fields, such as sanitation and public health, indicate that perspectives in sustainable energy are narrow, and point to a new approach for sustainable energy and development engagement, one that does not solely rely on overcoming habitualized behaviors of adult women. Should stakeholder perspectives be expanded, and coupled with partnerships that include local, youth-oriented educational institutions, better uptake of efficient cooking technologies may be realized. This paper argues that youth, current and future users of cookstoves, are systematically overlooked at all points along the cookstove value chain, and that their continued exclusion from implementation efforts is to the detriment of cookstove research and practice. This paper calls for their purposeful inclusion in development efforts through collaborations with Education for Sustainable Development providers whose work is complementary to the cookstove and sustainable development communities' aims and aspirations. This represents a new line of research in sustainable household energy, one that includes a diversity of perspectives and the inclusion of all stakeholders. • Overview of current and past cookstove implementation efforts and research. • Discussion of complementary public health field successes as model for cookstoves. • Proposed research agenda including youth-focused sustainability education. • Substantiates prior calls for more inclusive perspectives in the cookstove sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable-based energy systems have the potential to vastly increase the use of land devoted to energy, thus drastically changing landscapes and habitats, since conventional, fossil-based energy systems use a very small proportion of earth's land surface. Land use affects ecosystems, biodiversity, and geochemical cycles. It also affects people's well-being due to effects on views, noise, recreation, and quality of life. This means strong and transparent metrics to assess land use for energy systems are needed. This review considers some of the most influential papers and metrics in this category, namely ecological footprint, land use intensity and power density, attempting to make them transparent in terms of data used and calculations performed. The literature frequently relies heavily on assessments that are decades old, many dating from the 1980's. The lack of transparency in the methods and even confusion in the units has led to the published metrics being applied incorrectly. Even within the same paper, the calculation is often performed several different ways, leading to errors and confusion on several orders of magnitude. An assessment of land use by major electricity production technologies and fuels as well as an explanation and guide to commonly used metrics is provided. • Estimates of land use by power generation technologies vary by orders of magnitude, with inconsisten methodologies. • The energy transition will cause drastic changes to land use, which provides barriers to adoption of renewables. • Storage has relatively high use of land, which has so far been almost unexplored in the literature. • Natural gas has lowest land use but there is potential for renewables to improve land use profile via mixed-use development. • Further development of land use metrics including ecosystem services is needed for betterfor better sustainability assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arriving optimum improvement of a thermodynamic system of energy conversion such as a combined cycle power plant (CCPP) is complicated due to the existence of different factors. Energy and exergy analysis is utilized as effective methods to determine both the quantity and quality of the energy sources. This paper reviews the latest thermodynamics analysis on each system components of a CCPP independently and determine the exergy destruction of the plant. A few layouts of the CCPP plant from different locations considered as case studies. In fact, the most energy losses occurred in the condenser compared with the plant components. It found that in the combustion chamber (CC) the highest exergy destruction occurred. The ambient temperature causes an evident decrement in the power production by the gas turbine (GT). The result has proved that besides energy, exergy analysis is an efficient way to the assessment of the performance of the CCPP by recommending a more advantageous configuration of the CCPP plant, which would lead to reductions in fuel required and emissions of air pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seawater desalination is an important option for addressing the world's water supply challenges. Current desalination plants use enormous quantities of energy and cause a number of environmental issues. Renewable energy options, mostly solar and geothermal systems, have been examined in detail to supply the energy needed for water desalination. The co-location benefit of energy derived from the ocean to power seawater desalination processes is appealing. However, the promise and potential of ocean-based power generation for desalination systems has not been investigated in detail. The development of such systems has been limited due to technological and economic limitations of energy harvesting and transport as well as device maintenance under water. In this paper, we review the state of the art of ocean energy in desalination. It explores different sources of energy from the ocean that include electricity generation, as well as mechanical force and thermal energy and salinity gradients that can also be directly harnessed for powering the desalination processes. We also examine recent advances in scaling up for commercial deployment, and discuss relevant cost, environmental and social concerns. The great potential of ocean energy for seawater desalination in terms of diverse energy forms, flexible integration methods and various deployment strategies can provide important environmental, water and social benefits for seawater desalination, thus promote sustainability in water-energy nexus. The use of ocean energy in desalination applications could benefit the future development of ocean energy technology in renewable energy sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade the demand of power in India has increased manifold, therefore Government has announced the National Solar Mission of generating 100 GW of solar power up to 2022. Around 60% of the total National Solar Mission target is allotted to the national/international large-scale solar power developers/investors. Hence, it becomes important to know the ground reality of large-scale solar PV developers/investors. This paper deeply analyzes the key barriers and bottlenecks faced by solar power developers in achieving the target and their growth. This article also suggests some motivational factors of solar energy which play an important role in attracting large solar players around the world to invest in Indian subcontinent. It concludes by highlighting some key policies of the Government that can help in addressing some identified barriers in order to ensure a secured sustainable energy future of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the precedents, policies and factors relevant to a successful energy regime transition which may be applied in the Japanese case, through a review of national leaders in renewable energy deployment. The examples of Germany, Italy and Spain are of particular note for their progress along the transition pathway toward a low carbon energy regime. Transition theory is used as a framework to enable this assessment, and exogenous impacts specific to Japan such as recent and ongoing market liberalization and the Fukushima nuclear incident are considered as pertinent factors which impact upon the transition landscape. Through a comparative assessment of policy approaches, technologies deployed, and social factors impacting upon deployment, lessons are drawn for comparison with current Japanese transition progress, identifying factors critical to the future estimation of the Japanese transition pathway. Future energy transition pathway projections will need to incorporate policy approaches and mechanisms as well as being cognizant of Japan's geographic and cost-competitive RE resource deployment limitations. These limitations alongside existing generation assets (including nuclear energy) are expected to have a significant impact upon Japan's transition from the current pre-development phase toward take-off, acceleration and the stabilization of a new, low-carbon energy regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its vast natural resources, African is facing serious challenges in sustainable development in an energy sector, if addressed with dispatch could not only check its indispensable needs, but also mitigate some global phenomenon at stake, such as desertification, environmental degradation and green house emission. This paper reviews the prospects of four major renewable energy sources-hydro, solar, wind and biomass- for each of the three leading countries in Africa namely South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria. Based on literature survey of energy efficiency, all the three countries encourage energy efficiency in varying degrees. In the course of this review, several national energy policy frameworks of these countries were looked into, especially on how African countries could overcome the persistent energy crisis in the continent by utilizing the naturally gifted renewable energy sources. This could only be achievable if proper technology, awareness and skills for harnessing the resources are provided. Also lingering energy challenges such as energy efficiency measures, needs for grid extension, energy storage technology and seasonal variation were carefully highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]