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The pulp and paper industry (PPI) has several opportunities to contribute to meeting prevailing climate targets. It can cut its own CO2 emissions, which currently account for 2% of global industrial fossil CO2 emissions, and it has an opportunity to produce renewable energy, fuels, and materials for other sectors. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of the decarbonization prospects of the PPI. The study provides insights on the magnitude of needed annual renewal rates for several possible net-zero target years of industrial fossil CO2 emissions in the PPI and discusses decarbonization opportunities, namely, energy and material efficiency improvement, fuel switching, electrification, renewable energy production, carbon capture, and new products. The effects of climate policies on the decarbonization opportunities are critically evaluated to provide an overview of the current and future business environment of the European PPI. The focus is on Europe, but other regions are analyzed briefly to widen the view. The analysis shows that there are no major technical barriers to the fossil-free operation of the PPI, but the sector renovates slowly, and many new opportunities are not implemented on a large scale due to immature technology, poor economic feasibility, or unclear political environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union, in pursuit of the goal of reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050, is deploying different actions, with industry decarbonization as a key strategy. However, increasing electricity demand requires an intensification of energy generation from clean technologies, and the energy system's expansion is hindered by renewable generation's climatic dependencies and the imperative for substantial electrical infrastructure investments. Although the transmission grid is expected to grow, flexibility mechanisms and innovative technologies need to be applied to avoid an overwhelming growth. In this context, this paper presents a thorough assessment, conducted within the FLEXINDUSTRIES project, of the flexibility potential across seven energy-intensive industries (automotive industry, biofuel production, polymer manufacturing, steel manufacturing, paper mills, pharmaceutical industry, and cement production). The methodology followed during the analysis entails reviewing the state-of-the-art existing flexibility mechanisms, industries' energy markets engagement, and technical/operational readiness. The results highlight the feasibility of the proposed actions for enabling energy market flexibility through demand-response programs, quantifying energy opportunities, and pinpointing regulatory and technical barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing use of renewable energy sources and decentralized power systems, certain challenges have emerged in meeting consumers' electrical energy demands. The intermittent nature of renewable energy generation means that it cannot always align with consumers' needs, resulting in periods of excess energy production when it is not required. To bridge this gap between production and consumption, energy storage systems are necessary. This paper defines the work of an isolated microgrid, which consists of renewable sources (wind and PV) for energy production, households with electric vehicles as consumers, and a combined storage system. This storage system is made from batteries, hydrogen storage, and a control system that defines the best use of the storage. Stored energy is utilized through fuel cells to generate electricity for consumption when renewable sources cannot meet the demand. This paper presents the principles of electrolysis and models of individual elements within such a system, as well as the definition and principle of control of the system functionality based on rules and conditions. The proposed control system aims to increase the energy storage lifecycle by deciding when and how to utilize which type of storage and define a self-sufficient microgrid based on renewable sources of production. An economic analysis of the storage part of the system was carried out in which the levelized cost of energy stored and the NPC of the storage systems are calculated. A simulation of the system's operation is conducted using one-hour measurements of wind turbines, solar panels, and household consumption in Serbia. To analyze the system's behavior, a one-week time horizon is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of renewable energy and the increasing maturity of energy storage technology, microgrids are quickly becoming popular worldwide. The stochastic scheduling problem of microgrids can increase operational costs and resource wastage. In order to reduce operational costs and optimize resource utilization efficiency, the real-time scheduling of microgrids becomes particularly important. After collecting extensive data, reinforcement learning (RL) can provide good strategies. However, it cannot make quick and rational decisions in different environments. As a method with generalization ability, meta-learning can compensate for this deficiency. Therefore, this paper introduces a microgrid scheduling strategy based on RL and meta-learning. This method can quickly adapt to different environments with a small amount of training data, enabling rapid energy scheduling policy generation in the early stages of microgrid operation. This paper first establishes a microgrid model, including components such as energy storage, load, and distributed generation (DG). Then, we use a meta-reinforcement learning framework to train the initial scheduling strategy, considering the various operational constraints of the microgrid. The experimental results show that the MAML-based RL strategy has advantages in improving energy utilization and reducing operational costs in the early stages of microgrid operation. This research provides a new intelligent solution for microgrids' efficient, stable, and economical operation in their initial stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low carbon operation of power systems is a key way to achieve the goal of energy power carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. In order to promote the low carbon transition of energy and power and the coordinated and optimized operation of distributed energy sources in virtual power plants (VPP), this paper proposes a framework for collaborative utilization of pumped storage–carbon capture–power-to-gas (P2G) technologies. It also constructs a multi-time scale low carbon economic dispatch model for VPP to minimize the internal resource operation cost of VPP in each time period. During the intraday scheduling stage, the day-ahead scheduling results as the planned output and the energy flow is then dynamically corrected at a short-term resolution in the framework. This allows for the exploration of the low-carbon potential of each aggregation unit within the virtual power plant. The results of the simulation indicate that the strategy and model proposed in this paper can effectively encourage the consumption of renewable energy sources, promote the low-carbon operation of power system power, and serve as a valuable reference for the low-carbon economic operation of the power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the integration of blockchain technology, smart microgrids, and the energy market, highlighting its potential to revolutionize the energy industry. The integration of blockchain technology into smart microgrids aims to address challenges related to energy efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. The paper provides an overview of blockchain technology, emphasizing its transparency, immutability, and decentralization characteristics. It explores the concept of smart microgrids, which enable efficient energy management and integration of renewable energy sources. The combination of blockchain and smart microgrids offers several benefits such as increased efficiency, reduced transaction costs, enhanced security, and improved grid reliability. One of the key advantages of this convergence is the ability to facilitate peer-to-peer energy trading. Blockchain technology allows for transparent and auditable energy transactions, enabling direct trading between energy producers and consumers. This empowers prosumers to actively participate in the energy market, promoting renewable energy adoption and democratizing energy access. However, some challenges need to be addressed, including scalability, interoperability, and regulatory frameworks. Ongoing initiatives, projects, and pilot studies are exploring the implementation of blockchain-enabled smart microgrids, and case studies provide real-world examples of successful deployments. In conclusion, the convergence of blockchain, smart microgrids, and the electrical energy market has the potential to transform the energy industry. Collaboration among stakeholders, including energy companies, technology providers, regulators, and consumers, is crucial to fully realize the benefits of this integration. By leveraging blockchain and smart microgrids, the energy industry can pave the way for a more efficient, sustainable, and decentralized energy future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of green and low‐carbon transformation of industrial high‐energy‐consuming parks, in order to realize the coordinated development planning of energy and transportation under different peaking capacity requirements, this paper proposes a collaborative optimization model of industrial high‐energy‐consuming parks under green and low‐carbon. Firstly, by studying the energy balance mechanism between industrial load and new energy, an energy topology prior model of energy interaction in the next generation of industrial new energy power grid is constructed. Then, based on the probability characteristics of the equilibrium state of different regions in the high‐energy‐consuming industrial zone, combined with the prior knowledge of industrial load and low‐carbon power system, a collaborative development planning model of high‐energy‐consuming industrial parks is constructed. Finally, the proposed model is simulated. From the simulation results the authors can see the dynamic division model and solution algorithm of energy balance region established in this paper can effectively improve the energy balance ability of power grid, reduce peak shaving demand and use more renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities overwhelm our environment with CO2 and other global warming issues. The current electricity landscape necessitates a superior, continuous power supply and addressing such environmental concerns. These issues can be resolved by incorporating renewable energy sources (RESs) into the utility grid. Thus, this paper presents an optimized hybrid fuzzy logic self-tuning PID controller to control the automatic generation control (AGC) of various renewable sources. This controller regulates the frequency deviations of the power system and governs the change in the tie-line load of a multi-area hybrid energy system composed of wind, biomass, and photovoltaic energy sources. MATLAB Simulink software was applied to design and test the system. The PID controller has been tuned using four algorithms, namely, genetic algorithm (GA), pattern search (PS), simulated annealing (SA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO), and we compared the results with the proposed novel optimized PID controller (GA-fuzzy logic self-tuning technique) to validate it. The results show the superiority of the proposed hybrid GA-fuzzy logic self-tuning algorithm over the other algorithms in bringing the power system back to its regular operation. The paper also proposes an operation strategy to lower the utilization of biomass energy in the presence of other renewable energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the association between renewable energy uptake and digitalization in the sector by reviewing relevant literature (published 2010–2022), with the aim of identifying the existing utilization of digital technologies within the sector, challenges to adoption, and future prospects. Different search engines (SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) were used to locate relevant papers and documents. The results revealed the high significance of digital technologies in supporting the renewable energy sector, with high costs and security risks representing the key challenges. Most papers reviewed had a positive outlook, but recommended further research and development for effective energy transition and resilient infrastructure. The current drivers of the integration of digital technologies to support the diffusion of renewable energy sources appear to extend beyond energy demand and involve many aspects of sustainability and sustainable development. Compared with previous reviews, this work has unique scope and novelty since it considers the bigger picture of the coupling between digitalization and the renewable energy sector, with a greater focus on critical areas in these two interconnected bodies that need to be addressed. The relatively small sample of relevant papers (69 from 836 hits) located in the literature review confirms the need for more research covering the subject in greater depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU has set the ambitious target of raising the share of EU energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 32% by 2030, with a target of climate neutrality by 2050. The aim of this paper is to assess the role of biomass usage in the context of these targets. The paper identifies the progress made between 2013 and 2022 by focusing on a selection of EU countries. The largest bioenergy increments of 130, 77, and 60 PJ were reported for Poland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. This study evaluates the crucial role of co-generation and heat in EU regions, with biomass usage between 55 and 80% of the combined heat and power (CHP) energy in Nordic countries. The future perspectives for bioenergy based on EU policies, biomass resources, and technical issues were addressed. The EU possesses around 9% of the global biomass supply, ensuring a certain level of biomass resource dependence. Thus, the biomass usage demand in energy production, non-energy sectors, and transport is expected to rise, leading to increments of 13–76% on biomass imports. It appears that bioenergy development is mostly limited by economic issues and uneven support for bioenergy in different EU countries as well as environmental issues. The study shows a promising and sustainable potential of bioenergy in the EU as a renewable energy source while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and the economy. By 2050, liquid biofuels are likely to be increasingly used in the transport sector. Non-energy sector usage of biomass is still in an early stage of development, except for the pulp and paper industry, and significant use of biomass in non-energy sectors seems unlikely in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deploying renewable energy to unit design energy-efficient technologies may fulfill the additional demand of various energy-intensive industries for their sustainability and resiliency. Multiple Stage Evaporator (MSE) is one of the most energy-intensive units used to extract the water content of the weak liquor in various industries, including the paper industry. This energy intensiveness may be reduced by integrating various Energy Reduction Schemes (ERSs). Hence, this work proposes a ERSs integrated MSE model to analyze its energy efficiency. These ERSs includes Thermo-Vapor Compressor, Steam-, Feed- Split, Feed Preheater, and Flash Tanks. Further, the performance of the proposed model is investigated under two important real-time plant complexities: Boiling Point Elevation and Fouling to achieve more realistic results. The performance analysis is initiated with the formulation of a nonlinear constrained optimization problem to increase the steam economy (SE). Also, the simulation is extended to validate at two different product concentrations (52% and 65%) by employing state-of-art optimization algorithms: CONOPT, and SCA in GAMS and MATLAB respectively. The simulated results shows an increment 1.64% and 1.37% of SE for both 52% and 65% concentration of weak liquor respectively in case of CONOPT than SCA. Also, the waste heat of the condensate, feed, and product may be further utilized for the heat recovery by incorporating the flash tanks which leads to a countable energy saving. Eventually, integrating the solar fields: PTC and LFR ensures a notable reduction in conventional heat utilization by 85.96% and 92.85%, respectively and hence, enhance the energy efficiency. • Expounded energy modeling of ERSs based MSE with BPE and Fouling. • Implementation of NLP and metaheuristic approaches for performance optimization. • Reutilization of waste heat to maximize the energy efficiency. • Integration of solar fields (PTC and LFR) to reduce conventional fuel utilization. • Prospecting the challenges and direction of energy management optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the European Union, increasing attention is already being paid not only to the development of renewable energy sources, but also to the establishment of solutions to achieve local energy self-sufficiency while increasing the role of citizens in managing the energy they generate. This approach is expected both to have a positive impact on the environment and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and to enhance energy security—both in economic and civic terms by, i.a., combating energy poverty. The development of local energy communities promoted in the EU is supported i.a. by energy cooperatives. These contribute to the efficient harnessing of renewable energy potential in rural and urban-rural areas, and have been developing in Poland for several years now. In their previous studies, the authors of this research paper attempted to verify the generation (number, type and capacity of installed sources) and consumption (energy demand) configurations in which an energy cooperative would be a viable solution for prosumers who might establish it. However, over the past few years, the conditions for prosumers and the method of their accounting with the electricity seller have changed radically in Poland (shift from net metering to net billing). This situation has opened up space for further research and encouraged the authors to revisit the problem of analyzing the viability of establishing energy cooperatives in relation to the rules of operation of individual prosumers. This research was carried out for three scenarios, and the horizon of the analyses conducted and described extends to 2045. The comparative analysis included energy consumers without their own generation sources, prosumers with a photovoltaic generation installation covered by the net billing model, as well as a scenario involving prosumers' cooperation within an energy cooperative, which by law is settled in the net metering model. Conclusions from the research and simulations made it possible to confirm the claim that, despite changes in the rules of prosumer billing, developing energy independence in the energy community formula results in a significant reduction in the cost of purchasing electricity (even several times lower purchase costs in the timeframe analyzed) and can lead to a reduction in the payback time of investments in generation sources even by a factor of two. The results presented in this research paper open up space for further research. The outcomes allow us to assume that energy cooperatives—in the organizational and institutional model in Poland—are a good tool for reducing the phenomenon of energy poverty on a local scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global energy crisis, which began in 2021 due to the extraordinary economic recovery after the pandemic and intensified after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has changed the conditions of energy management, paying more attention to energy efficiency. Natural gas prices have reached record levels and, consequently, so have electricity prices in some markets. Oil prices have reached their highest level since 2008. Higher energy prices have contributed to sharply increased inflation. Households are again becoming interested in buying coal as a source of heat. High energy and gas prices have pushed many families into poverty and forced some factories to cut production or even close. They have also slowed economic growth to the point where some countries are heading for a serious recession. Paradoxically, the negative effects of the energy crisis may accelerate the introduction of cleaner, sustainable, renewable energy such as wind and solar energy. The energy crisis is comparable to the oil crisis of the 1970s, when it contributed to significant advances in energy efficiency. The current crisis has highlighted the importance of investments in renewable energy resources and initiated the process of integrating regional markets, developing energy efficiency and promoting renewable energies. The aim of this article is to comprehensively explore the complex relationship between energy awareness, consumption patterns, and energy efficiency, with a focus on both individual consumers and industries, during the global energy crisis. This paper is based on a literature review, overarching policy documents, energy reports, and other secondary documents. The primary research method was the systematic literature review method, based on which the impact of the global energy crisis on energy efficiency was evaluated. This study emphasizes the diverse influences on energy awareness, ranging from economic factors to consumer preferences and environmental consciousness. The findings of the paper underscore the significant responsibility of industries in contributing to energy-saving efforts and the active role of consumers in the energy market. The responsibility of industries in contributing to energy efficiency is highlighted, with a call for a comprehensive approach that integrates energy-saving criteria into product development and corporate social responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the International Maritime Organization has paved the way towards zero emissions, more frequent applications of transition fuels in newly constructed ships have been observed. Fuels such as LNG or methanol are characterised by lower emissions when burned in engines. In order to diminish fuel consumption, and hence the rate of emission, support for the performance of a ship's engines with energy from renewable sources such as photovoltaic (PV) installations is increasingly common. The efficiency of PV panels decreases with an increase in temperature, and it is therefore important to cool them. However, the cooling systems for PV panels impose additional financial outlays as well as a higher demand for electric power, which is needed to run the circulating pumps. A natural cooling process can occur in some vessels via high sea waves, when the ship's decks are flooded by outboard water, although such cooling has an accidental and periodic character, as it results from weather conditions. Despite this, its potential demands a closer examination. This paper presents experimental research carried out with an experimental setup that allowed us to simulate the process of flooding of a PV panel with water waves of various frequencies, resulting from choppy periods at sea. Depending on the weather conditions and the character of flooding, our results indicate that an increase in the power of the PV module of about 18% is obtainable. Our research shows that when the intervals between flooding are longer, the periodic character of the temperature changes obtained by flooding the front surface of a PV panel with water is more distinctive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources (RES) are currently being substantially integrated into the power grid because of the recent liberalization of the energy market and associated benefits to both the environment and the economy. A significant amount of renewable energy sources are stochastic and weather dependent, being integrated into the power system that causes a mismatch between the generation of power and the load demand, which creates major issues like variations in frequency and power transmission between the regions. So it is necessary to maintain the frequency and tie-line power variations within a defined range. This is known as automatic generation control (AGC) or load frequency control (LFC). This paper uses brown bear optimization algorithm (BOA) to tune the PID and cascaded PI-PDN controllers for LFC of the renewable integrated two-area power system. The ITAE objective function is utilized to obtain optimal gains of the PID controller. The performance of LFC with BOA-tuned PID controller is compared with other optimization techniques named grey wolf optimization technique (GWO) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) on a RES integrated two-area power system under various scenarios. Further, the effectiveness of the BOA is verified by comparing performance of the PID and cascaded PI-PDN controllers. According to simulation results, BOA offers superior performance in comparison with the GWO and PSO technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strategic objective of world climate policy is the decarbonization of industries, aiming to achieve "net-zero" emissions by 2050, as outlined in the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement. This transition entails increasing the utilization of renewable energy sources (RES) in industrial energy consumption, thereby transforming economies from reliance on fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives. However, this shift poses a significant challenge for many EU countries, with varying degrees of success in adaptation. This paper investigates the process of decarbonizing industries by analyzing trends in the adoption of RES in EU countries and evaluating their progress toward climate targets. Utilizing time series analysis of production, total energy usage, and the proportion of renewables in industrial energy consumption, the study compares two groups of countries: longstanding EU members and newer additions. The aim is to forecast the trajectory of RES integration in industry and assess the feasibility of meeting the targets outlined in the European Green Deal. The findings reveal a considerable gap between the set targets and projected outcomes, with only a few countries expected to meet the EU's 2030 goals. This is highlighted by disparities in RES shares across member states, ranging from 0.0% to 53.8% in 2022. Despite notable increases in the absolute use of renewable energy, particularly in central and eastern European nations, substantial challenges persist in aligning industrial sectors with EU decarbonization objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the demand for sustainable energy solutions grows, there is a critical requirement for continuous innovation to optimize the performance and safety of renewable energy systems (RESs). Closed-loop digital twins (CLDTs)—synchronized virtual replicas embedded with real-time data and control loops to mirror the behavior of physical systems—have emerged as a promising tool for achieving this goal. This paper presents a systematic literature review on the application of digital twin (DT) technology in the context of RESs with an emphasis on the impact of DTs on the efficiency, performance, and safety assurance of RESs. It explores the concept of CLDTs, highlighting their key functionalities and potential benefits for various renewable energy technologies. However, their effective implementation requires a structured approach to integrate observation, orientation, decision, and action (OODA) processes. This study presents a novel OODA framework specifically designed for CLDTs to systematically identify and manage their key components. These components include real-time monitoring, decision-making, and actuation. The comparison is carried out against the capabilities of DT utilizing the OODA framework. By analyzing the current literature, this review explores how DT empowers RESs with enhanced efficiency, reduced risks, and improved safety assurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve sustainable development goals and meet the demand for clean and efficient energy utilization, it is imperative to advance the penetration of renewable energy in various sectors. Energy storage systems can mitigate the intermittent issues of renewable energy and enhance the efficiency and economic viability of existing energy facilities. Among various energy storage technologies, thermocline heat storage (THS) has garnered widespread attention from researchers due to its stability and economic advantages. Currently, there are only a few review articles focusing on THS, and there is a gap in the literature regarding the optimization design of THS systems. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive review of the recent research progress in THS, elucidating its principles, thermal storage materials, applications, and optimization designs. The novelty of this work lies in the detailed classification and analysis of various optimization designs for THS, including tank shape, aspect ratio, inlet/outlet configuration, thermal energy storage materials arrangement, operating strategies, and numerical model optimization approaches. The limitations of existing research are also identified, and future perspectives are proposed, aiming to provide recommendations for THS research and contribute to the development and promotion of THS technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the urgent global need to limit warming to 2 °C as well as a localized need in our case study to address rising energy demand amid electrical and thermal network limitations, a critical examination of demand-side energy reductions and the concept of energy sufficiency is needed. This paper contributes to the sparse literature on bottom-up analysis by utilizing Iceland—a leader in renewable energy generation—as a case study to explore the socio-economic factors influencing energy footprints. Our findings reveal significant energy footprints across various consumption domains, particularly housing and mobility, influenced by income levels, urbanization, and lifestyle choices. The study highlights the paradox of a high renewable energy supply leading to potential misconceptions regarding abundant and low-cost energy, resulting in substantial energy consumption-related environmental impacts. Using detailed household consumption survey data, this research provides insights crucial for developing sustainable energy policies that not only target technological advancements but also address the need for a reduction in energy demand and a shift towards energy sufficiency. This work marks a contribution to the literature through the provision of a case study of low income inequality and high energy footprints in a highly renewable energy system context. Further, this work is useful for Icelandic and international policymakers to understand in such high-demand contexts which consumption domains would be most relevant for sufficiency policies. This comprehensive analysis opens pathways for future research to further explore the intersections of energy consumption, socio-economic factors, and well-being, offering a nuanced understanding necessary for crafting sufficiency and demand-side policies aimed at a sustainable energy future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenges posed by climate change and global warming loom large, necessitating a critical initial step towards the long-term growth and the enhancement of both environmental and operational efficiency. Within the energy sector, renewable energy sources are gaining increasing prominence. Consequently, traditional oil and gas companies (OGC) are undergoing a gradual transformation into comprehensive energy corporations, aligning themselves with energy transition policies. This paper examines two types of efficiency measures—operational and environmental—for the 20 largest OGC during the period of 2010–2019. Secondly, this research aims to explore the effect of the global energy transition on both environmental and operational efficiency. Based on three estimation methods, two estimation steps are used in this research. In the first step, the True Fixed Effect (TFE) model and the Battese and coelli (1995) SFA model are applied to evaluate, measure and compare the environmental and operational efficiency scores. In the second step, the TFE model and GMM approach for the dynamic panel data model are used to explore, evaluate and verify the effect of global energy transition on the environmental and operational efficiency of the largest 20 OGC in the world. The results reveal that the average operational efficiency of major OGC measured using the BC.95 model and TFE model is 66% and 85%, respectively, and the overall average level of environmental efficiency for OGC over a 10-year period is 31% (based to B.C.95 model) and 13% (based to TFE model). Our findings reveal that biofuels, solar and hydropower contribute to promote the operational and environmental efficiency of the largest 20 OGC. However, the analysis suggests that while the global energy transition significantly influences and bolsters environmental efficiency, its effect on operational efficiency among these major OGC remains less pronounced and insufficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variability and intermittency inherent in renewable energy sources poses significant challenges to balancing power supply and demand, often leading to wind and solar energy curtailment. To address these challenges, this paper focuses on enhancing Time of Use (TOU) electricity pricing strategies. We propose a novel method based on equivalent load, which leverages typical power grid load and incorporates a responsibility weight for renewable energy consumption. The responsibility weight acts as an equivalent coefficient that accurately reflects renewable energy output, which facilitates the division of time periods and the development of a demand response model. Subsequently, we formulate an optimized TOU electricity pricing model to increase the utilization rate of renewable energy and reduce the peak–valley load difference of the power grid. To solve the TOU pricing optimization model, we employ the Social Network Search (SNS) algorithm, a metaheuristic algorithm simulating users' social network interactions to gain popularity. By incorporating the users' mood when expressing opinions, this algorithm efficiently identifies optimal pricing solutions. Our results demonstrate that the equivalent load-based method not only encourages renewable energy consumption but also reduces power generation costs, stabilizes the power grid load, and benefits power generators, suppliers, and consumers without increasing end users' electricity charges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global transition toward sustainable energy gains momentum, integrating electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage, and renewable energy sources has become a pivotal strategy. This paper analyses the interplay between EVs, energy storage, and renewable energy integration with Indonesia's grid as a test case. A comprehensive energy system modeling approach using PLEXOS is presented, using historical data on electricity generation, hourly demand, and renewable energy, and multiple scenarios of charging patterns and EV adoption. Through a series of scenarios, we evaluate the impact of different charging strategies and EV penetration levels on generation capacity, battery storage requirements, total system cost, renewable energy penetration, and emissions reduction. The findings reveal that optimized charging patterns and higher EV adoption rates, compared to no EVs adoption, led to substantial improvements in renewable energy utilization (+4%), emissions reduction (−12.8%), and overall system cost (−9%). While EVs contribute to reduced emissions compared to conventional vehicles, non-optimized charging behavior may lead to higher total emissions when compared to scenarios without EVs. The research also found the potential of vehicle to grid (V2G) to reduce the need for battery storage compared to zero EV (−84%), to reduce emissions significantly (−23.7%), and boost penetration of renewable energy (+10%). This research offers valuable insights for policymakers, energy planners, and stakeholders seeking to leverage the synergies between EVs and renewable energy integration to pursue a sustainable energy future for Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve a more ecologically friendly energy transition by the year 2050 under the European "green" accord, hydrogen has recently gained significant scientific interest due to its efficiency as an energy carrier. This paper focuses on large-scale hydrogen production systems based on marine renewable-energy-based wind turbines and tidal turbines. The paper reviews the different technologies of hydrogen production using water electrolyzers, energy storage unit base hydrogen vectors, and fuel cells (FC). The focus is on large-scale hydrogen production systems using marine renewable energies. This study compares electrolyzers, energy storage units, and FC technologies, with the main factors considered being cost, sustainability, and efficiency. Furthermore, a review of aging models of electrolyzers and FCs based on electrical circuit models is drawn from the literature and presented, including characterization methods of the model components and the parameters extraction methods, using a dynamic current profile. In addition, industrial projects for producing hydrogen from renewable energies that have already been completed or are now in progress are examined. The paper is concluded through a summary of recent hydrogen production and energy storage advances, as well as some applications. Perspectives on enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of hydrogen production systems are also proposed and discussed. This paper provides a review of behavioral aging models of electrolyzers and FCs when integrated into hydrogen production systems, as this is crucial for their successful deployment in an ever-changing energy context. We also review the EU's potential for renewable energy analysis. In summary, this study provides valuable information for research and industry stakeholders aiming to promote a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential buildings may use energy storage, flexible loads, and renewable energy sources to reduce energy consumption and increase demand side flexibility. The flexibility of a single building can be coordinated with other facilities in a transactive energy (TE) market to reduce energy costs. In addition, cloud energy storage (CES) has been proposed to provide storage services for residential buildings with more economic benefits than individual energy storage units in recent years. Although the TE market and CES implementation have received much attention in previous works, a suitable structure for CES participation in TE market has not been addressed. Furthermore, previous studies ignored all or some sources of uncertainties in the TE decision making process. This paper presents a stochastic optimization model in a transactive energy framework based on a distributed optimization algorithm for peer‐to‐peer energy trading using the alternating direction method of multipliers in the presence of CES. This paper considers the uncertainties of the inflexible load demand, renewable energy generations, and market prices using an artificial neural network‐based scenario generation and reduction methodology. Numerical results show improvements toward addressing the challenges of the uncertainties while maximizing the CES's owner revenue and minimizing the customers' costs in the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the issues of global energy crisis and climate change are becoming increasingly prominent in the world, urban microgrids have received widespread attention as an effective way to improve energy utilization efficiency and reduce environmental pollution. Among them, the cogeneration of heat and power (CHP) system is considered as one of the key technologies to improve the energy efficiency of urban microgrids because it can provide both electricity and heat. However, how to optimize the energy flow scheduling for CHP systems, especially in the context of increasing renewable energy sources, has become a hot topic of current research. Existing studies usually rely on the traditional dualtime-scale scheduling strategies, namely day-ahead scheduling and real-time scheduling, but both have obvious limitations in dealing with the uncertainty and volatility of new energy sources. To address the above problems, this paper proposes a thermodynamic analysis-based scheduling method for optimizing the energy flow in the CHP system of urban microgrids. First, this paper introduces the concepts of rolling schedule and real-time schedule to improve the traditional time-scale scheduling method, so as to enhance the system's adaptability to new energy power fluctuations. Second, for the absorption CHP system, this paper proposes a thermal cycle performance optimization strategy, which significantly improves the utilization efficiency of thermal energy through the cascaded recycling of system waste heat. Through these two innovations, this study not only realizes a more accurate and efficient energy management, but also provides a new strategy for the sustainable development of urban microgrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of hybrid–electric propulsion, allowing us to partially replace fuel with batteries and to reduce aircraft in-flight emissions, represents one of the main investigated solutions to mitigate the aviation climate impact. Despite its environmental potential being appealing for a practical application, two main drawbacks limit the actual implementation of this technology: first, the low gravimetric energy density of the batteries restricts hybrid–electric aircraft payload and range capabilities; second, the production of electricity is currently not entirely based on renewable energy sources, hence a non-direct emissions budget may limit the benefit in terms of overall decarbonization. When designing hybrid–electric aircraft, even projecting its actual entry into service in the next decades, it is necessary to take these limitations into account depending on both the more reliable technological forecasts on the development of electric components and on the estimates of electricity production. A proper analysis of the figure of merits related to the operation of such an aircraft, therefore, becomes crucial in assessing the impact related to its introduction into service. In this context, trade-offs between different performance metrics may be needed to efficiently exploit the environmental benefits of such an advanced concept, while limiting the possible drawbacks coming from its utilisation. This paper provides a performance analysis of hybrid–electric aircraft through an assessment of the relevant figures of merit characterizing its operations. In particular, direct and non-direct emissions, climate impact, ground pollution, operating costs, fuel consumption, weight, and a combination of these figures of merit allow us to define a proper development perimeter in which a possible (future) hybrid–electric aircraft can express its maximum potential towards all the aspects of its utilisation. The trade-off analyses provided in this paper allow us to identify more effective paths for the actual development of hybrid–electric aircraft, highlighting the impact of the selected design variables on the performance metrics, and bringing to light also the possible related limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ageing of coal-fired power stations in South Africa has led to regular power outages. Therefore, the country will need to urgently increase its electricity capacity to meet further energy demand from growing urbanization and population growth. This challenge has increased interest in alternative energy sources, such as renewable energy (RE). South Africa is gradually implementing appropriate renewable energy practices, reducing carbon emissions, cleansing the air, and assuring a more sustainable future. This paper summarizes the availability, current state, and future potential of renewable energy choices in South Africa. This paper also evaluates specific policy measures and government actions aimed at eliminating barriers and increasing renewable energy deployment in the future. It also considers the South African network's specialized techno-economic analysis. The findings show that South Africa is still heavily reliant on coal, with 78% of the current installed capacity coming from coal power in 2022, compared to 9.3% for solar and wind energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technically, residential energy management systems are fundamental sectors in the smart grids for implementing demand response programs in the layer of households for managing energy consumption and reducing energy bills. The paper proposes a novel energy management scheme that takes production and usage into account based on a heuristic searching operation. In addition to modelling the grid, renewable energy sources, batteries, and electric vehicles, various kinds of electrical and thermal devices have been examined, including air conditioners, water heaters, vacuum cleaners etc. A method is developed for solving the objective constraint issue in a smart home in order to reduce energy consumption and determine feasible operation states among the various loads. Moreover, this paper proposes a grey wolf optimization method for solving the issue over a longer simulation period. Various cases were examined to evaluate the effectiveness of this suggested robust optimization algorithm. The outcomes show that the suggested model could not only reduce energy costs significantly but has also shown good performance for energy management purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the dual pressure of energy consumption and environmental pollution, mankind hopes to develop clean and renewable alternative energy, and the rapid development of fuel cells meets people's demand for energy-efficient power systems. The emergence of portable micro energy systems represented by microfluidic fuel cells, such as paper-based microfluidic fuel cells, has greatly enriched the means of medical detection to better cope with the threat of disease transmission. In this work, the numerical simulation method is innovatively introduced to study the paper-based microfluidic fuel cells. Both transient and steady-state modes are employed to demonstrate the whole operation process of the paper-based microfluidic fuel cell. In addition, the different structural parameters, including electrode spacing, the distance between electrode and inlet, channel thickness, and electrode length, are also investigated their influence mechanisms on cell performance. Results show that the increase of most structural parameters decreases cell output power in different degrees. Even on the premise that increasing channel thickness has a positive impact on the output power, the fuel utilization still shows a downward trend. These conclusions provide theoretical support and reference for future optimization work and accelerate the development of microfluidic fuel cells. • Numerical simulation is employed to study paper-based microfluidic fuel cell. • The effects of structure parameters on cell performance are discussed. • Through fuel concentration distribution to reveal cell performance mechanism. • Fuel utilization is used to evaluate energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, to achieve sustainable development and avoid devastating impacts on the environment, India is making rapid and broad changes to green energy technology. In order to provide long-term energy security with lower emissions, renewable energy sources are essential. It is well known that renewable energy technologies, or RETs, have the capacity to significantly meet the demand for electricity while lowering pollution levels. The nation has set up an ecologically friendly energy route in recent years. In this paper, we apply multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) models to determine the best renewable energy technology for India. We use the MULTIMOORA model to identify the best technology under the pythagorean neutrosophic fuzzy set (PNFS) and the FUCOM to obtain the criteria weights. In this study, we investigate sources of renewable energy using the newly developed idea of the PNFS and recommend the best renewable energy source for India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With large-scale grid-connected renewable energy, new power systems require more flexible and reliable energy storage power sources. Pumped storage stations play an important role in peak shaving, valley filling, and promoting renewable energy consumption. This paper presents the reasonable energy-abandonment operation of a combined power generation system (CPGS), in which a pumped storage station is the core control power, with an ultra-high proportion of renewable energy. Firstly, based on the seasonal characteristics of wind, solar, and load demand, typical days are selected through improved clustering analysis algorithms. Then, a daily optimal scheduling model for combined power generation systems (CPGS) is developed with the goals of economy, low-carbon, and stable operation. Finally, the correlation between the energy-abandonment rate and pumped storage station peak shaving and system optimization operation indicators is obtained by a reasonable energy-abandonment calculation method considering source-grid-load coordination. Taking the operation data of an energy base in the western region of China as an example, when the penetration rate of renewable energy is 60–70% in the future, the operating cost on the power side is greatly affected by the construction of the source side. When the system operates at a planned reasonable energy-abandonment rate of 2%, electricity regulation, load tracking, and daily operating costs all show better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing renewable energy (RE) sources can provide a realistic answer to the problem of many nations' energy needs. This paper reviews the current status of using RE to produce electricity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The primary aim of the review is to identify and analyze the solar- and wind-energy utilization, problems, and future trends in KSA while taking into account all relevant aspects, associated development hurdles, and suggested solutions. All involved parties will receive useful results and conclusions from a thorough examination and analysis of the pertinent literature that can assist them in understanding the potential of solar and wind energy, considering all the linked issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in new technologies, a reduction in CO2 emissions, and the rising demand for energy are causing a growth in the share of renewable energy sources. In distribution networks, an increasing number of distributed generators (DGs) makes the utility grid's protection complex and demanding. Vector surge and rate-of-change-of-frequency are the established anti-islanding protection methods, recognizing that the standard paradigm for protection, involving distributed generation, cannot be set only once but has to be continuously updated following the requirements and changes in the system. One of the requirements is active participation in the preservation of system frequency and voltage, which can be interrupted if the DG trips and disconnects from the utility grid. Anti-islanding protection and spurious tripping can be avoided by implementing new algorithms and techniques. This paper presents a novel protection scheme based on a voltage frequency differential. The proposed algorithm employs remote and local frequency measurements in such a manner that, for the occurrence of a frequency difference, it is assumed that the DG is in an islanding state. In this article, we demonstrate the feasibility of the algorithm through numerical analysis of grid events and laboratory testing emulating real grid-measured values. The test results show that the algorithm is resilient to false tripping for non-islanding events and more reliable than conventional methods in islanding detection. The algorithm can be set to low-frequency differential values, drastically reducing the non-detection zone in any DG type, regardless of its size and voltage level at the point of common coupling. Unlike standard anti-islanding methods, the algorithm supports the ability of the DG to fault-ride through demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous increase in global energy demand and growing environmental awareness, the utilization of renewable energy has become a worldwide consensus. In order to address the challenges posed by the intermittent and unpredictable nature of renewable energy in distributed power distribution networks, as well as to improve the economic and operational stability of distribution systems, this paper proposes the establishment of an active distribution network capable of accommodating renewable energy. The objective is to enhance the efficiency of new energy utilization. This study investigates optimal scheduling models for energy storage technologies and economic-operation dispatching techniques in distributed power distribution networks. Additionally, it develops a comprehensive demand response model, with real-time pricing and incentive policies aiming to minimize load peak–valley differentials. The control mechanism incorporates time-of-use pricing and integrates a chaos particle swarm algorithm for a holistic approach to solution finding. By coordinating and optimizing the control of distributed power sources, energy storage systems, and flexible loads, the active distribution network achieves minimal operational costs while meeting demand-side power requirements, striving to smooth out load curves as much as possible. Case studies demonstrate significant enhancements during off-peak periods, with an approximately 60% increase in the load power overall elevation of load factors during regular periods, as well as a reduction in grid loads during evening peak hours, with a maximum decrease of nearly 65 kW. This approach mitigates grid operational pressures and user expense, effectively enhancing the stability and economic efficiency in distribution network operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand-side flexible load resources, such as Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Air Conditioners (ACs), offer significant potential for enhancing flexibility in the power system, thereby promoting the full integration of renewable energy. To this end, this paper proposes an optimal allocation method for demand-side flexible resources to enhance renewable energy consumption. Firstly, the adjustable flexibility of these resources is modeled based on the generalized energy storage model. Secondly, we generate random scenarios for wind, solar, and load, considering variable correlations based on non-parametric probability predictions of random variables combined with Copula function sampling. Next, we establish the optimal allocation model for demand-side flexible resources, considering the simulated operation of these random scenarios. Finally, we optimize the demand-side resource transformation plan year by year based on the growth trend forecast results of renewable energy installed capacity in Jiangsu Province from 2025 to 2031. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern power grid, characterized by the increased penetration of power electronics and extensive utilization of renewable energy, inverter-based power plants play a pivotal role as the principal interface of renewable energy sources (RESs) and the grid. Considering the stability characteristics of grid-following (GFL) inverters when the grid is relatively weak, the application of grid-forming (GFM) controls becomes imperative in enhancing the stability of the entire power plant. Thus, there is an urgent need for suitable and effective models to study the interaction and stability of the paralleled inverters employing GFL and GFM controls. Thus, the small-signal modeling with full-order state-space model and eigenvalues analysis are presented in this paper. First, the small-signal state-space model of the individual GFL and GFM inverters is obtained, considering the control loop, interaction, reference frame, transmissions, and time delays. Then, the models of the individual inverter are extended to the hybrid inverters to study the effects of the GFM inverters on the small-signal stability of the entire system. And the impacts of the inertia and damping are analyzed by the eigenvalues of the state-transition matrix. A case comprising three parallel GFL inverters and two GFL inverters with one GFM inverter, respectively, are studied to examine the effectiveness and accuracy of the model. Finally, the stability margin obtained from the eigenvalue analysis of the entire system is verified by time-domain simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of an insulated area with a subtropical climate, such as La Réunion island, it is crucial to reduce the energy consumption of buildings and develop local renewable energy sources to achieve energy autonomy. Direct current (DC) nanogrids could facilitate this by reducing the energy conversion steps, especially for solar energy. This article presents the deployment and efficiency evaluation of a 48 VDC low-voltage direct current (LVDC) nanogrid, from conception to real-world installation within a company. The nanogrid consists of a photovoltaic power plant, a lithium–iron–phosphate (LFP) battery, and DC end-use equipment, such as LED lighting and DC fans, for two individual offices. For identical test conditions, which are at an equivalent cabling distance and with the same final power demand, the total power consumed by the installation is measured for several stages from 50 to 400 W, according to a 100% DC configuration or a conventional DC/AC/DC PV configuration incorporating an inverter and AC/DC converter. The methodology used enables a critical view to be taken of the installation, assessing both its efficiency and its limitations. Energy savings of between 23% and 40% are measured in DC for a power limit identified at 150 W for a distance of 25 m. These results show that it is possible to supply 48 VDC in an innovative way to terminal equipment consuming no more than 100 W, such as lighting and air fans, using the IEEE 802.3 bt power over ethernet (PoE) protocol, while at the same time saving energy. The nanogrid hardware and software infrastructure, the methodology employed for efficiency quantification, and the measurement results are described in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green transition is a challenge for the Polish economy and energy sector. In this paper, the expert method of analysis was applied and findings revealed that the challenges and prerequisites for an effective transformation of the power sector mainly include technical, technological and organizational issues of energy production and use. The provision of electricity at competitive prices and with a low carbon footprint, for individual consumers and industry, is a prerequisite for maintaining the well-being of the population and ensuring the competitiveness of domestically produced goods. The ambitious climate policy goals of the European Union require immediate action and call for radical changes in the Polish energy sector; in the coming years, it must drastically reduce the amount of energy produced from fossil fuels and replace it with so-called green energy from renewable sources. The main purpose of this article was to highlight the need to modify Poland's energy policy until 2040 in order to make it more consistent with the ambitious climate goals of the European Union. This article also shows that Poland's energy transition must include a shift from fossil fuels to renewables, while ensuring that energy security is stabilized by the current energy and generation resources. To this end, we discuss the issues of creating reserves in the national energy system for the entire period of Poland's energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stochastic programming has become increasingly vital in energy applications, especially in the context of the growing need for renewable energy solutions. This paper presents a significant advancement in this field by introducing an efficient and robust algorithm for optimally sizing hybrid renewable energy systems. Utilizing a two-stage stochastic programming approach, the proposed algorithm addresses the challenges posed by the unpredictability of renewable energy sources. The proposed solution leverages the three-block alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM), a cutting-edge technique that facilitates parallel computation and enhances computational efficiency. The distinctiveness of this method lies in its ability to solve complex stochastic optimization problems without compromising the mathematical integrity of the model. This is achieved by applying first-order optimality conditions, ensuring both robustness and efficacy. To demonstrate the practical applicability and superiority of the algorithm, a case study was conducted in a rural area of South Africa. The proposed algorithm was applied to design an optimal hybrid renewable energy system, and its performance was compared against traditional methods such as progressive hedging and Monte Carlo techniques. Results affirm the superiority of the approach, saving approximately 8.16% capital cost when compared to progressive hedging. In addition, the proposed algorithm outperforms the Monte Carlo method both in terms of CPU time and the number of cost function evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic panels play a pivotal role in the renewable energy sector, serving as a crucial component for generating environmentally friendly electricity from sunlight. However, a persistent challenge lies in the adverse effects of rising temperatures resulting from prolonged exposure to solar radiation. Consequently, this elevated temperature hinders the efficiency of photovoltaic panels and reduces power production, primarily due to changes in semiconductor properties within the solar cells. Given the depletion of limited fossil fuel resources and the urgent need to reduce carbon gas emissions, scientists and researchers are actively exploring innovative strategies to enhance photovoltaic panel efficiency through advanced cooling methods. This paper conducts a comprehensive review of various cooling technologies employed to enhance the performance of PV panels, encompassing water-based, air-based, and phase-change materials, alongside novel cooling approaches. This study collects and assesses data from recent studies on cooling the PV panel, considering both environmental and economic factors, illustrating the importance of cooling methods on photovoltaic panel efficiency. Among the investigated cooling methods, the thermoelectric cooling method emerges as a promising solution, demonstrating noteworthy improvements in energy efficiency and a positive environmental footprint while maintaining economic viability. As future work, studies should be made at the level of different periods of time throughout the years and for longer periods. This research contributes to the ongoing effort to identify effective cooling strategies, ultimately advancing electricity generation from photovoltaic panels and promoting the adoption of sustainable energy systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's energy challenges are multifaceted. Over the past 30–40 years, energy issues have been discussed and published on an extensive scale. The green transition involves concrete actions related to increasing energy efficiency, replacing fossil fuels with alternative fuels, producing energy using renewable resources, creating various means of transport that use electric motors, identifying technical solutions that generate an increased energy yield in the case of buildings, and waste reduction, reuse and recycling. In order to attain a climate-neutral environment, it is mandatory to impose regulations, measures and actions to help decarbonize the energy sector. The analysis of published articles on these issues is the subject of this large and information-dense review. Concretely, the transition to climate neutrality will generate obvious advantages at an economic, social and technological level, for example, the opportunity for economic growth, new business models and new markets, and the generation of new jobs or technological development. At the same time, this paper underscores the need for a multifaceted approach, integrating technological innovation, policy intervention and global cooperation for an effective energy transformation. The review suggests future issues and research directions, focusing on viable strategies for energy transition and its socio-economic environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an event-triggered distributed secondary control, along with an energy management algorithm, was developed to ensure the voltage stability and power management of a DC microgrid containing batteries and renewable energy sources, such as PV systems and wind turbines. The energy management algorithm, employing fuzzy logic control, governs power flow based on the generation status of sources and the charging rate of the battery. Consequently, the control algorithm shields the battery from overcharging and over-discharging situations, simultaneously ensuring energy quality within the microgrid. Sampled-data-based event-triggered control is integrated into the proposed distributed secondary control to alleviate communication burdens between controllers, effectively avoiding Zeno behavior. To demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed control algorithm, several experimental studies were conducted on a real DC microgrid prototype. The results obtained confirmed the controller's effectiveness. With the proposed control algorithm, autonomous control has been developed to ensure the safe and continuous operation of loads in island-mode microgrids, incorporating PV systems, wind turbines, and batteries, while also minimizing communication overhead. This control system adeptly manages power flow, safeguards the battery against overcharging and over-discharging, and optimizes the efficiency of intermittent energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of civilization is related to an increase in energy demand, while its production is still based mainly on fossil fuels. The release of carbon into the environment, which disturbs the balance of the global system, is the consequence of using these fuels. One possible way to reduce the carbon footprint of the energy sector is the widespread use of cover crops' biomass for energy production. The aim of this paper is to critically review the knowledge on the dissemination of catch and cover crops' cultivation in different regions of the world, and the yield, chemical composition and biomethane potential of their biomass. Additionally, the environmental benefits, as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with this biomass use in the energy sector, are considered. The review showed that the aboveground biomass of cover and catch crops is a valuable source for the production of bioenergy in biogas plants. However, the key role of these crops is to prevent soil degradation. Therefore, changes in biomass target use must be preceded by a multi-aspect analysis that allows their impact on the environment to be assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of renewable energy systems in buildings leads to a reduction in energy bills for end users and a reduction in the carbon footprint of such buildings, usually referred to as prosumers. In addition, the installation of charging points for the electric vehicles of people working or living in these buildings can further improve the energy efficiency of the whole system if innovative technologies, such as vehicle-to-building (V2B) technologies, are implemented. The aim of this paper is to present an Energy Management System (EMS) based on mathematical programming that has been developed to optimally manage a prosumer building equipped with photovoltaics, a micro wind turbine and several charging points for electric vehicles. Capabilities curves of renewable power plant inverters are modelled within the EMS, as well as the possibility to apply power curtailment and V2B. The use of V2B technology reduces the amount of electricity purchased from the public grid, while the use of smart inverters for the power plants allows zero reactive power to be drawn from the grid. Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is used to quantify curtailment costs, while penalties on reactive power absorption from the distribution network are evaluated in accordance with the current regulatory framework. Specifically, the model is applied to a prosumer building owned by the postal service in a large city in Italy. The paper reports the main results of the study and proposes a sensitivity analysis on the number of charging stations and vehicles, as well as on the consideration of different typical days characterized by different load and generation profiles. This paper also investigates how errors in forecasting energy production from renewable sources impact the optimal operation of the whole system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rapid development of today's industry, it not only greatly accelerates the consumption of energy, but also causes serious pollution to the environment. Therefore, reducing energy waste and recovering energy has become an important research direction today. This paper introduces the future development trend of renewable energy, discusses the progress of recovery of nonpolluting energy such as marine, bioenergy and thermal energy, and analyzes the efficiency and social benefits of various types of energy recovery. Energy recovery methods for natural gas pipelines are briefly analyzed, and current research advances in energy pressure recovery devices are provided, leading to a summary of methods to improve the efficiency of fluid energy recovery. Finally, it is concluded that although the current energy sources are diversified, the most valued energy sources at present and in the future should be solar energy and ocean, which are infinitely recyclable. This paper will benefit researchers to further understand and study the various aspects of energy recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgrid technology offers a new practical approach to harnessing the benefits of distributed energy resources in grid-connected and island environments. There are several significant advantages associated with this technology, including cost-effectiveness, reliability, safety, and improved energy efficiency. However, the adoption of renewable energy generation and electric vehicles in modern microgrids has led to issues related to stability, energy management, and protection. This paper aims to discuss and analyze the latest techniques developed to address these issues, with an emphasis on microgrid stability and energy management schemes based on both traditional and distinct approaches. A comprehensive analysis of various schemes, potential issues, and challenges is conducted, along with an identification of research gaps and suggestions for future microgrid development. This paper provides an overview of the current state of the field and proposes potential areas of future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global energy consumption has led to concerns about potential supply problems, energy consumption and growing environmental impacts. This paper comprehensively provides a detailed assessment of current studies on the subject of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology in net-zero energy buildings (NZEBs). The review is validated through various case studies, which highlight the significance of factors such as building surface area to volume ratio (A/V), window-wall ratio (WWR), glass solar heating gain coefficient (SHGC), and others in achieving the NZEBs standards. In addition, this review article draws the following conclusions: (1) NZEBs use renewable energy to achieve energy efficiency and carbon neutrality. (2) NZEBs implementation, however, has some limitations, including the negligence of indoor conditions in the analysis, household thermal comfort, and the absence of an energy supply and demand monitoring system. (3) Most researchers advise supplementing facade and window BIPV as solely roofing BIPV will not be able to meet the building's electricity usage. (4) Combining BIPV with building integrated solar thermal (BIST), considering esthetics and geometry, enhances outcomes and helps meet NZEB criteria. (5) BIPV designs should follow standards and learn from successful cases. However, to ascertain the long-term reliability and structural integrity of BIPV systems, a comprehensive study of their potential degradation mechanisms over extended periods is imperative. The review paper aims to examine BIPV applications in-depth, underscoring its pivotal role in attaining a net-zero energy benchmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to present the need and the importance of using efficiently the energy and finding new ways to improve the transport based on renewable energy. The paper is based on a large number of official information sources which are structured and presented in the author's opinion. The main results emphasize that the Danube region is a large river basin and ecological corridor requiring a regional approach to nature conservation, spatial planning and water management. The environmental impact of transport links, tourist constructions or new energy production facilities must also be considered. Transport policy has been given a new direction: achieving a 'sustainable through flexibility' system, which means organizing transport in such a way as to optimize energy consumption. The development of the national transmission system shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of conservation and environmental protection and the rational use of energy. The protection of human life and the environment is a priority in all transport-related relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widely recognised Energiewende, ("energy transition") in Germany has lost its original momentum. We therefore address the question of how the transition process to a new energy system can be reignited. To do so, we developed the "5Ds approach", which lays the groundwork for a process analysis and the identification of important catalysts and barriers. Focusing on the five major fields required for the energy transition, we analyse the effects of: (1) Decarbonisation: How can efficiency and renewable energies be expanded successfully? (2) Digitalisation: Which digital solutions facilitate this conversion and would be suitable as sustainable business models? (3) Decentralisation: How can potential decentralised energy and efficiency opportunities be developed? (4) Democratisation: How can participation be strengthened in order to foster acceptance (and prevent "yellow vest" protests, etc.)? (5) Diversification of service: Which services can make significant contributions in the context of flexible power generation, demand-side management, storage and grids? Our paper comes to the conclusion that German policy efforts in the "5D" fields have been implemented very differently. Particularly with regard to democratisation, the opportunities for genuine participation among the different social actors must be further strengthened to get the Energiewende back on track. New market models are needed to meet the challenges of the energy transition and to increase the performance of "5D" through economic incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy crises and the growth of the energy demand have increased the interest in utilizing unconventional power sources. Thus, renewable energy sources have become a topic of interest to mitigate rising energy concerns and cope with increased electricity demand. With remarkable merits including cleanness and abundance, photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems are a key to solving these issues. The employed inverters should effectively utilize the maximum available power from the PV solar system and transfer this power to the utility grid without posing any further limitations. However, the unequal power generation of different PV systems caused by partial shading (PS) and other PV panel degradation factors leads to a reduction in generation capacity. One of the relatively new solutions to mitigate the mismatch concerns between the PV modules and sub-modules is to extract the maximum power of each sub-module individually. The main objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of such PV grid-connected inverters topologies associated with sub-module connection and control. It will classify the PV grid-tied inverters in accordance with the level where the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) system is implemented. A special focus has been placed on sub-module microinverters (MI) in terms of circuit topologies, conversion efficiency, and controller design. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of employing the distributed MPPT (DMPPT) approach to maximize the power generation of PV systems by mitigating the mismatch issues inside the PV module. The circuit topology, PV system configuration, and MPPT algorithms used for applying DMPPT solutions in PV SMs are discussed in detail in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]