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The unflinching upsurge in global warming has put the world into a state of disarray, and policymakers are not sure of what the future holds for the ecosystem. To get the global environment back on track of sustainability, efforts are relentlessly emanating from both developed and developing economies to identify the hindering and enhancing factors. Given the preceding narratives, this paper investigates the tripartite impacts of renewable and nonrenewable energy, trade openness, and institutions on sustainable environment in 54 African countries from 1996 to 2019. The study employs the two-step system generalized methods of moment (SYS-GMM) in estimating the effects of the regressors on four indicators of sustainable environment. Six findings are prominent from the study. First, nonrenewable energy (NRE) and trade openness (TO) hinder sustainable environment, while renewable energy enhances it. Second, the unconditional impacts of institutions drive the path to a sustainable environment. Third, the interaction of institutions with NRE and TO hinders sustainable environment. However, after conducting institutional enhancement estimations, the interactive terms became supportive of sustainable environment. Fourth, the thresholds are policy-relevant across the specifications. Specifically, a 31.11% utilization of nonrenewable energy and 43.75% openness to trade contribute to a sustainable environment. Sixth, the impacts of economic growth and its square empirically support the inverted U-shaped EKC. This study suggests the adoption of carbon-taxing on nonrenewable energy products, price-subsidization for renewable energy goods and services, and institutional quality reforms as pathways towards achieving a sustainable environment in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses environmental and energy-saving factors in architectural competition procedures. The final assessment of sustainability and environmental aspects of a building is a derivative of the decisions taken during the entire project execution process, especially those taken at the initial stage. Notifications concerning architectural competitions, both in Poland and other European countries, as well as in the United States and Canada, increasingly often list sustainability as a necessary criterion. Aspects such as the use of renewable energy sources, energy efficiency solutions or reducing a building's occupancy costs most often appear as guidelines. In this paper, the authors discuss the essence of solutions in architectural competition procedures announced in Poland in the years 2018–2022, using 154 cases as an example and setting them against the background of Europe. The types and level of detail of the selected criteria and their frequency of occurrence were examined. The study unveiled the absence of comprehensive guidelines in the processes of nationwide architectural competitions that take sustainability into account. The lack of definitions for environmental and energy objectives has a significant impact on their integration into competition designs, and reduces the chances of adapting and adopting these aspects at a further stage. Based on the analysis, a range of recommendations were formulated for implementation in competition procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The transition to energy-sustainable systems is a globally accepted concept, but it is implemented with various degrees of success around the world. The aim of this paper is to determine the status of green transition in five Central Asian countries (Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and the Kyrgyz Republic) that are among the highest energy consumers globally and the most vulnerable to climate change. Despite a notable improvement in living conditions across all countries over the past two decades, the region remains underdeveloped. Economic growth is based on the export of natural resources and remittance inflows, but the structure of the economy is monolithic. Main findings: Upon analysing transition indicators for the period 2000–2020, no evidence of significant changes towards a sustainable energy transition is found. All countries in the region (except Uzbekistan) have recorded an increase in carbon emissions, while the carbon intensity of the energy mix is almost the same. While there has been visible progress in reducing energy intensity, the countries in the region remain among the most energy-intensive economies. Despite the region's substantial potential for renewable energy production, it remains underutilized. Conclusions: A multitude of varied problems accompanies the green transition in Central Asian countries. The energy market that has not yet been liberalised, along with significant subsidies and low energy tariffs, discourages investments in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency initiatives. A high level of corruption, rigid legislative and institutional infrastructure, and insufficient capital are additional factors that determine the speed, scope, and effectiveness of the green transition. Thus far, the primary focus in these countries has been on ensuring energy security. However, there has been a discernible surge in investments (particularly from China) in renewable energy projects. Although energy efficiency and climate change issues are formally defined, the energy transition goals are often declarative without an action plan that provides concrete steps in transition process. Strategic planing of economic development that includes all related sectors (not only the energy sector) and paying attention to socio-economic and environmental indicators of sustainable development are prerequisites for successfully implementating the energy transition in these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of energy efficiency programs and renewable resources in energy communities (EC) incorporating smart microgrids might be the future development of sustainable cities. Cooperation among EC with high penetration of renewable energy resources will support energy procurement. Mutual energy efficiency programs in EC associated with deploying renewable resources can guarantee sustainable development significantly. This paper proposes a new sustainability index (SI) influenced by the loss of load reduction while increasing the penetration of renewable energies. A multi‐objective optimization method is used to determine the optimal size and location of renewable resources incorporating energy efficiency programs. The objective functions, that is, the total cost and SI, are based upon social, economic, environmental, and technical (SEET) considerations. Since the outputs of renewable energies are uncertain, it may increase the loss of load probability. Therefore, this paper introduces a model that can handle the uncertainties of renewable energies. A new method so‐called adaptive multi‐objective crow search algorithm (AMCSA) is developed for the trade‐off between cost and sustainability in the optimization problem. The proposed methodology cannot only minimize the total cost in EC but also will maximize the SI. Simulation studies and results analysis indicates the effectiveness of the proposed methodology for the development of sustainability and renewable energies in the smart grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this paper is to reconsider the necessity for the green transition and the key preconditions for the implementation of a circular economy in Western Balkan countries. With the objective of the research in mind, the method of analysis and synthesis was applied to determine (1) regulatory and institutional prerequisites for the green transition; (2) the need for the Western Balkan countries to redefine the model of sustainable economic growth towards the green transition; (3) the development opportunities for recovery defined in the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans; and (4) the possibility of implementing the circular economy in the Western Balkans. Main text: The main findings of the research indicate that: (1) the countries of the Western Balkan region, following the example of the EU, should define a national strategic approach to the green transition with an accompanying action plan and regulatory framework; (2) the biggest challenge of the green transition is the reform of the energy sector and the restructuring of the energy-intensive economy; (3) the countries have untapped potential in renewable energy sources and report the improvement of energy efficiency; (4) the circular economy can boost the green transition, because the countries of the region have a five-time lower value of resource productivity than the average of the EU, while the generation of waste (excluding major mineral wastes) per GDP unit is lower compared to the EU; (5) cross-sectoral governance should be more coordinated. Conclusions: The green transition might be a development opportunity for the Western Balkans, which should enable sustainable economic growth as well as energy security and environmental protection. However, the implementation of the Green Agenda is not easy, because the region faces the problem of underdeveloped regulatory and institutional capacities that might provide not only the base for long-term planning but also financial resources for the efficient implementation of projects. In addition, it is essential to understand the principles of the Green Agenda and the interaction of all activities that should enable the achievement of defined goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this study was to assess the investment activity of basic local government units in the development of renewable energy sources co-financed by EU funds depending on CO2 emissions and other socio-economic conditions in terms of regions of Poland in the years 2007–2020. Empirical studies aimed at the verification of the research hypothesis that "the greatest investment activity in local projects co-financed from EU funds related to the development of renewable energy sources is observed for local government units in regions with highest CO2 emissions". Empirical studies were conducted based on data from the Ministry of Investment and Economic Development in Poland, the Local Data Bank, and the National Centre for Emissions Management. Thus, the conducted analyses provide both cognitive and applicatory values for the establishment of an appropriate energy transition policy in individual regions of Poland, which may be implemented by local government authorities within the current financial framework. Data concerning CO2 emissions at the regional level were estimated by applying the original disaggregation method as modified by the authors, which made it possible to fill the research gap resulting from the lack of data on emissions at the regional level. In order to show the regional diversification in investment activity of local government units in terms of renewable energy sources, its multi-faceted analysis was conducted by applying the Ward method. Clusters of regions with similar investment activity of local government units were described based on characteristics included in the typological classification (so-called active characteristics) and selected indexes showing CO2 emission levels, as well as selected socio-economic indexes (so-called passive characteristics). Based on the empirical studies, the research hypothesis presented in this paper was negatively verified. Considering both multiannual financial frameworks, the EU financial support for the development of renewable energy sources was used primarily by local government units of a predominantly agricultural character, and less advanced in terms of their development but exhibiting conditions conducive to renewable energy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction of carbon emissions from the energy industry chain and the coordinated development of the energy supply chain have attracted widespread attention. This paper conducts a systematic review of the existing literature on the energy industry chain and energy supply chain. Based on the analytical results, this paper finds that research gaps exist in the studies of energy consumption structure and resource consumption in energy industry chain. In addition, the studies of coordinated operation mechanisms, risk control and the impact of government policies on the energy supply chain still have some shortcomings. Furthermore, this paper shows that the exploitation and utilization of renewable energy and the sustainable development of the energy industry chain and supply chain have become the major focus of scholars and governments in recent years. Accordingly, this article finally presents the future research prospects and provides managerial insights for policy makers and enterprise managers to accelerate the development of renewable energy resources and to achieve green, low-carbon, coordinated and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts such as the Glasgow United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties 26, the Paris Agreement (Paris agreement, United Nations, Paris, 2015) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are supporting the drive to protect the planet from global warming by ensuring sustainable development. The oil and gas industry, as key contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, must transition to more sustainable energy solutions and play their part in reducing these emissions. Currently, oil and gas companies are implementing technical solutions to achieve net zero carbon emissions. The energy transition from fossil fuel reliance has also happened by exploiting alternative renewable energy sources to meet global energy demand such as wind, solar, biogas and bioderived feedstocks. This net zero energy transition will require a fair and just transition for all in society, and to implement this, it is crucial for those working in the oil and gas industry to understand the technologies needed, the importance of carbon policies and their roles. This research presents a modified Delphi study of employees in Malaysia's national oil and gas company to understand their perceptions towards a net-zero carbon future. The paper briefly reviews Malaysia's low-carbon policy plans, its current carbon dioxide accounting balance, and identifies potential technologies for decarbonisation to set the scene for the modified Delphi study. The results indicated that the national oil and gas company has both the capabilities and the financial resources to significantly contribute towards Malaysia transitioning to a carbon neutral nation. This can be achieved by implementing advanced technologies complementing with nature-based solutions to realise net zero carbon emissions. This study also portrays the confidence that the portfolio of solutions should be executed through a coordinated effort to maximise the outcome and minimise the financial impact in terms of economical sustainability. Implementation of activities towards this energy transition will require significant social commitment, and hence, gauging their perception towards this journey is key objective of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The provision of electricity in rural areas has been an outstanding need in trying to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030. However, most sub-Saharan countries have found this difficult due to financial constraints. Uganda tried to increase rural electrification to more than 20% of its population by 2020 through Rural Electrification Agency programmes. In an attempt to realise SDGs and the National Vision by 2040, Uganda is investing more in renewable energy sources, especially solar photovoltaic mini-grids to ensure that rural areas access affordable, reliable, and sustainable modern energy. This paper assesses the operation, causes of failure, causes of discomfort for mini-grid connected customers, and customer behavior of two solar photovoltaic mini-grids located in Kyenjojo District in western Uganda. It was found that the current energy demand exceeds the generation supply and that the systems need phase upgrades and clustering to remain economically viable and sustainable. The methodology involved re-sizing the existing load demand of the connected users, well-designed and administered questionnaires, analysis of published literature, review of the existing records, and interviews. Analysis was done in an Excel software program. The paper concludes by identifying the benefits and challenges of solar photovoltaic mini-grids in Kyenjojo District. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper examines the adoption of solar energy in residential buildings throughout Saudi Arabia, with a specific emphasis on Makkah. Despite the immense global demand for energy and growing environmental concerns, the adoption of solar energy in Saudi housing remains relatively low. While previous studies have examined the potential, feasibility, and policy support for solar energy, this research uniquely approaches the issue from the perspective of customers on a national scale. The study aims to identify the factors that influence customers' intentions to use solar energy in Saudi Arabia, contributing to the development of a sustainable circular supply chain for renewable energy. To achieve this, the research integrates the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2). An online questionnaire was distributed, garnering responses from a total of 250 participants. A regression analysis was employed to analyze the data and examine the relationships between the proposed hypotheses. The study's findings reveal that four critical factors wield significant influence over consumer behavior and their decisions regarding the adoption of solar PV technology. These factors are: Social Influence (SI), Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE), and Facilitating Conditions (FC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the nexus between renewable energy use, CO2 emissions, exchange rate, and economic development within emerging South Asian nations, namely Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) framework. It examines annual data spanning from 1990 to 2019, examining key indicators of renewable energy consumption, CO2 emissions, exchange rate, and economic development. The ARDL bounds test results demonstrate the existence of co-integration among the variables in the long run. The empirical result finds that the renewable energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and exchange rate have a significant impact on economic growth in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the long run. In India no significant relationship found in the long run. In short run assessment, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka also found same relationship with economic growth and renewable energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and exchange rate. Interestingly, In Pakistan no significant relationship has found in short run estimation analysis. Furthermore, study tried to determine the causality direction by using the Toda Yamamoto granger causality approach, which reveals bidirectional causation between exchange rate and CO2 emission in India. In Pakistan, study also found bi-directional causality among the variables renewable energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and economic growth. Finally, this paper emphasizes developing the policy as well as making a concrete decision regarding the renewable energy consumption, CO2 emissions, exchange rate, and economic development for ensuring sustainable economic growth in South Asian region. Future research could extend this work by including different dimensional data, additional countries, or using alternative or supplementary modeling techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital business plays a crucial role in driving energy efficiency and sustainability by enabling innovative solutions such as smart grid technologies, data analytics for energy optimization, and remote monitoring and control systems. Through digitalization, businesses can streamline processes, minimize energy waste, and make informed decisions that lead to more efficient resource utilization and reduced environmental impact. This paper aims at analyzing the character of digital business' impact on energy efficiency to outline the relevant instruments to unleash EU countries' potential for attaining sustainable development. The study applies the panel-corrected standard errors technique to check the effect of digital business on energy efficiency for the EU countries in 2011–2020. The findings show that digital business has a significant negative effect on energy intensity, implying that increased digital business leads to decreased energy intensity. Additionally, digital business practices positively contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and promoting renewable energy, although the impact on final energy consumption varies across different indicators. The findings underscore the significance of integrating digital business practices to improve energy efficiency, lower energy intensity, and advance the adoption of renewable energy sources within the EU. Policymakers and businesses should prioritize the adoption of digital technologies and e-commerce strategies to facilitate sustainable energy transitions and accomplish environmental objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of wind energy has become increasingly popular in the United States and many European countries due to its abundant nature and optimized design. While existing wind turbines are predominantly large-scale and not suitable for standalone or distributed power production, Lubbock County in West Texas offers a diverse range of renewable energy options to meet its energy needs. The region relies heavily on utility-scale wind energy sources to supply power to the Texas Grid, replacing conventional fossil fuel-based systems. Currently, standalone solar PV systems are the preferred choice for renewable energy generation. However, West Texas possesses an ample supply of wind energy that can be harnessed to establish a microgrid and provide standalone power to rural communities. Distributed wind energy offers localized power generation, reducing transmission losses and grid strain, while conventional wind farms require long-distance transmission, leading to efficiency gains. By employing the latest technology and optimizing efficiency, even in low-scale generation, a 6-kilowatt permanent magnet alternator-based distributed wind turbine has been designed. This paper focuses on analyzing the techno-economic aspects of implementing this wind turbine in a real-world scenario, taking into account wind attributes, such as velocity and available power, at the specific location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is the key driver of economic growth; however, the economic leadership position of G7 countries and the rising global manufacturing hub status of the ASEAN-5 countries have yet to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Thus, this paper aims to examine the effects of real GDP per capita, urban population, the number of individuals using the internet, carbon dioxide emissions, total trade and net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows on the renewable energy consumption (REC) of G7 and ASEAN-5 countries from 1990 to 2021 yearly data. Using Studenmund's and Gujarati and Porter's procedures of the panel data model, the panel fixed-effect econometric modelling held the best outcome for both G7's and ASEAN-5 countries' REC models. Based on the findings, urban population highly and positively affects REC in G7 countries. However, there is also a positive and strong relationship between net FDI inflows and REC in ASEAN-5 countries. The empirical findings prove the importance of macroeconomic, socioeconomic and environmental variables for the outcomes of REC policies across both developed and developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public buildings are energy-intensive users, especially when energy management is lacking. More than ever, the use of energy efficiency strategies and renewable energy sources (RES) in buildings are a national priority for Morocco in order to improve energy self-sufficiency, replace fossil fuel use and lower energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions. Relating to the exemplarity of the Moroccan government in terms of energy efficiency and sustainable development, the study support that aim and presents results of a deep energy performance analysis of more than 20 university campuses across Morocco, which has concluded that around 80% of the energy consumed in the university campuses is designated for lightning and hot water for sanitary use. Later, this study examined the potential for energy saving and the environmental benefits of implementing actions to reduce energy demand from the grid, considering the use of on-site solar energy. Thereafter, the study aimed to analyze the impact of RES integration in public university campuses, namely the photovoltaic (ESM1) for electricity output and solar thermal system for hot water use (ESM2), to assess the techno-economic-environmental performance on building energy consumption reduction. Hence, the paper reported a detailed energetic-economic and environmental (3E) analysis simulation for campuses by integration of the two Energy Saving Measurements (ESM). The results showed that the integration of ESM1 system can reduce the annual energy demand by 22% and the energy bill by 34%, whereas the integration of ESM2 achieved 67% in energy saving. According to the analysis of the results, the integration of ESM1 is expected to save 6044 MWh of electrical energy annually on the 30222 MWh for all campuses and 2559 MWh for ESM2 which is equivalent to 284 m3/yr of diesel. With the reduced energy consumption, it is possible to cut down fossil fuels for electricity production and offset greenhouse gas emissions by 672 tons of carbon dioxide annually. Besides, the evaluation of results showed that the energy performance indicator was reduced from 530 kWh/bed/yr to 248 kWh/bed/yr, which represents 56% of energy saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the impact of the development of green finance on China's energy consumption structure. 17 basic indexes and the improved entropy weight method are used to construct the green finance index (GFI). Multiple regression, panel regression, and spatial regression are used to study the impact of green finance on China's traditional energy and renewable energy consumption. The results show that there is a positive spatial spillover effect in the development of green finance among provinces in China. The development of green finance contributes to the conversion of traditional to renewable energy consumption. The effect of green finance on the transformation of energy consumption structure is mainly reflected in the direct effect. The green finance in each province not only helps the local development of green energy but also plays a good role in the production and utilization of clean energy consumption in surrounding provinces. Therefore, the government should support the green finance, reduce traditional energy consumption, and increase renewable energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conference event allowed researchers to present recent research in the field of non-renewable and renewable energy sources and technologies, sustainable energy development, green energy and economy, environmental protection in energy managements systems, power-to-gas and power-to-liquid technologies, alternative fuels and other areas. New knowledge concerning non-renewable and renewable energy sources and technologies, green energy and economy, environmental protection in energy, power generation technologies, alternative fuels and other energy- and environment-related areas of research is constantly provided by the intense research activity of researchers worldwide. The energy sector, along with the conditions of the natural and built environment, are significantly affected by the tremendous increase in total energy consumption. [Extracted from the article]

Remote community initiatives for renewable energy are rapidly emerging across Canada but with varying numbers, success rates, and strategies. To meet low-carbon transition goals, the need to coordinate technology deployment and long-term policy to guide the adoption is critical. Renewable resources such as wind, solar, hydro, and biomass can provide energy at a subsidized cost, create sustainable infrastructure, and provide new economic viability in social value integration. The renewable energy transition is crucial to Canada in sustaining remote and indigenous communities by providing local, clean, and low-carbon-emission energy for heat, power, and possibly transportation. This paper identified 635 renewable resources projects deployed to improve and increase electricity supply. To an extent, balancing demand within the remote and indigenous communities of Canada and highlighting sustainable renewable energy development through ownership participation within the communities is achievable before 2050 and beyond through energy efficiency and the social value of energy. The article identifies clean energy targets as mandated by the different provinces in Canada to reach net-zero GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors concluded that the NO emission reduction in the real-scale reheating furnace was about 23% after the burner and furnace air-staged combustions were optimized but without additional investments in system modifications. The effects of the secondary combustion air ratio and air-to-fuel equivalence ratio on the NO emission level were evaluated using a single-burner combustion system and a real-scale reheating furnace. These deal with reducing gas emissions from combustion systems [[1], [3]], reducing gas emissions from the transport sector [[5], [7]], and improving the efficiency of energy systems [[9]]. [Extracted from the article]

In Africa, switching to renewable energy sources with low carbon emissions is becoming more popular. In the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS), the low-carbon energy transition must overcome significant obstacles, including those posed by policies put in place and their implementation. In order to replace the current fossil fuel-driven economy with low-carbon development that also advances the regional aims and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this paper analyzes the current policy landscape in the region. A total of 75 policies from four categories (energy access, energy efficiency, renewable energy, climate change) were chosen for the policy review. Multicriteria decision analysis and a thorough review of the literature have shed light on how well the policies of the ECOWAS countries could promote low-carbon development and what the main challenges to overcome are. The last step was the comparison of the progress of the two key policies in the region: the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP) and National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP). The results illustrate the amount of work still needing to be done in the region, with only 26 of the 75 policies receiving a score above 50. However, the prospect of a better energy strategy that adequately considers the difficulties of the energy transition is possible, given the progress made by the region's nations since the creation of national action plans for energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE). Our analysis has also shown that countries like Senegal have obtained quite promising results, as evidenced by the best scores of 76.88 and 73.25, respectively, obtained by its NREAP and NEEAP policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-innovation and green technologies are key to Europe's future and they are at the heart of the European Union (EU) policies. The EU's economic prosperity and well being are linked to its natural environment and the global demand for renewable energy and resource-efficient solutions will be a source of new jobs and economic growth in the years to come. As the numerous practical examples from industry demonstrate, eco-innovation is a powerful instrument that combines reduced negative impact on the environment with a positive impact on the economy and society. Eco-innovation call attention to the positive contribution that the small and medium enterprises can make to sustainable development and a competitive economy. To step towards sustainable economic growth, there is a need for much more eco-innovations to appear in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The aim of the paper is to present the results of empirical research aimed at SME's involvement in eco-innovation activities in Slovakia and to compare them with the EU 28 average. Our analysis is aimed at five eco-innovation activities contributing deeply to the circular economy. That is a) waste recycling and minimizing waste generation; b) re-planned energy usage to minimize consumption; c) redesigning products and services to minimize the use of materials or using recycled materials; d) changes to the use of water to minimize consumption and to maximize water re-usage; e) usage of renewable energy sources. Identified will be the actual and perceived issues (problems, difficulties) encountered by Slovak SMEs with regard to undertaking eco-innovations. Based on the research results formulated are the implications for SMEs managers and policymakers in Slovakia concerned with the SME's involvement in ecoinnovation. Our study is qualitative and descriptive in nature and most of the data is based on secondary sources. The data used to assess the SME's involvement in eco-innovation activities come from the survey commissioned by the EC in the year 2016 with the aim to explore SME's activities in relation to the circular economy (including the ecoinnovation activities) in the period of years 2014-2016. As to the Slovakia 383 SMEs operating in manufacturing, services and in the industry sector has been interviewed. The methods used in the paper are the methods of causal analysis, deduction, abstraction, comparison as well as synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has sorted out the general logic of the impact of COVID-19 on energy consumption. In the short term, the epidemic has forced governments to adopt different levels of lockdown measures. The total electricity consumption decreased and the share of renewable energy has increased. Based on the International Energy Agency's (IEA) data on electricity production and consumption, this paper analyzes the long-term effects: The COVID-19 pandemic does affect overall electricity demand and market structure in the short term, but in the long term, the impact of the pandemic is detrimental to the proportion of electricity generated from renewable sources. Increased, especially in hard-hit countries. The impact on countries with different levels of development is different, and countries with higher levels of economic development are better able to resist such exogenous shocks. The pandemic is still ongoing, how to steadily promote sustainable development? In this paper we suggest that to cope with climate change, to accomplish energy transformation and upgrading or even sustainable development, we should not only rely on reducing human activities, but give more support to countries with low development levels in realizing sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main goals for sustainable development of a country is providing sustainable energy resources, which means satisfying the current needs for energy without compromising the future generations. Moreover, sustainable energy resources primarily involve greater inclusion of renewable energy sources. The biomass is the most widely used renewable energy source, mainly because of its relatively low price and its availability. However, in order for the biomass to stay a renewable energy source, it must be used rationally and with a plan, which primarily requires a detailed analysis of the current situation and resources. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to calculate the optimal utilization of biomass in energy purposes, taking into account the sustainable development of a country. As an example, in this paper Macedonia is considered. A detailed analysis of the data sources related to biomass is made and several different indicators that describe the current situation in Macedonia are presented. Furthermore, several scenarios are defined in this paper in order to calculate the optimal share of biomass in the overall energy mix in Macedonia for the next 20 years, using the MARKAL model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work represents a continuation of the author's concerns about sustainable development issues. This paper is aimed at meeting Romania's targets for energy and the environment, targets with a major impact on the objectives of sustainable development. The concrete targets included in SDSEU and RES are highlighted, defining and specifying how to assess their degree of achievement. For the evaluations, the official information from the NRAE and DB of NIS is used. The conclusions contain references to the degree of achievement of TC for EM as well as proposals for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy resource utilisation is becoming more prevalent in society and can be a sustainable method to meet rising energy demand and consumption. The International Renewable Energy Agency reports that presently, approximately 33% of total electricity output around the world is from renewable energy sources. However, in Nigeria, the World Bank reported this figure as 18.2% in 2015. It is important to understand how Nigeria can raise this average as the world moves towards less use of fossil fuels. Therefore, the aim of this work was to provide a review of the established literature, which can then be used to support the development of renewable energy systems in Nigeria. The methodology employed for the study of the literature involved a systematic review method, including identification, screening, eligibility and inclusion criterium steps. Understanding the national energy landscape is essential to support potential projects, and consequently, energy supply, demand and consumption in Nigeria are observed. The review examined renewable energy sources in Nigeria with a focus on solar and biomass/bioenergy. The levelised cost of electricity from renewable technologies was analysed, and the paper identified and evaluated past projects centered on solar and biomass, presenting three main case studies. The results indicate that solar and biomass have the most potential for energy generation in Nigeria, with 4–6.5 kWh/m2 of solar irradiation available per day and approximately 2.3 × 109 GJ bioenergy potential per year. However, solar PV is currently of most interest in Nigeria due to the lower cost of on-grid solar PV electricity, which can comfortably compete with fossil fuels. Nevertheless, costs still need to be lowered to compete fully. Finally, the findings also indicate that there is an omission in the literature surrounding the existing renewable projects and technologies in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an upsurge of studies on sustainable development. The majority of research focuses on developed countries and issues that are incompatible with developing nations. This study addresses a gap in the literature by reviewing the research on developed and developing economies, as well as their social and environmental boundaries, under the renewable energy and sustainable development (RESD) nexus. It also explores how RESD may be applied in extreme situations such as population increase, energy supply disruptions, and transportation shortfalls. The fundamental contribution of this paper is to provide detailed debate from the perspective of economic growth hypotheses and their relationship with energy usage and renewable energy solutions for sustainable growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity is a crucial part of our everyday lives. A limited number of resources can be utilized to generate power; hence, one must save these resources or electricity for future utilization. This is only possible by using energy most efficiently. For sustainable development and energy conservation, energy auditing plays an indispensable role. The energy audit is an extensive study that helps to identify energy use among different services and provides opportunities for energy conservation. The literature showed various energy audits conducted at various locations with its analysis. Few were shown that the appliances are responsible for high energy consumption, and few talked about the cost analysis with energy-saving methodologies. This work is proposed to combine the integration of renewable energy sources in a building and the cost-saving due to energy-efficient appliances. This paper tries to observe, infer, and analyze the patterns of energy usage of a residential complex and various measures to reduce energy consumption and cost-saving. A case study is included to analyze the reduction in consumption of energy per unit to make the building energy efficient. A feasibility study is executed to observe the increments in costs. Calculations for auditing will reduce the building's carbon footprint and benefit residents in the form of cost savings in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around the globe, all developing and developed economies focus on renewable energy sources for clean and sustainable economic growth and aim to decrease carbon emission to improve the climatic condition. This study aims to evaluate the feasible renewable energy source in Pakistan and study the criteria based on the investigation of wind energy, biomass energy, geothermal and solar energy, and their effects on Pakistan's climate. As renewable energy, clean and sustainable production is only produced from renewable energy sources; the current paper bears the viability of five primary renewable energy sources in Pakistan. This article established an advanced fuzzy (AHP) with a multi-perspective approach based on the expert assessment to select the efficient renewable energy in Pakistan. Further in this study, we utilized the DEA model to investigate the relative efficacy of renewable energy. This study indicated that wind energy is the efficient renewable energy source in Pakistan, which showed an efficiency score of 0. 1000. Our results further suggested that wind energy's next option for renewable energy solar best for renewable production in Pakistan. The results further exposed that the solar is the second-highest energy source with an efficiency score of 0. 777. Moreover, geothermal gets a less efficient score, that of 0.198. Further, our study showed that the economic benefits (EBs) and environmental implication criteria are significant in this research. This article gives a strong recommendation for a future wind energy source in Pakistan. Our results suggest that the best renewable energy source in the future is wind energy for the sustainable and economic development of Pakistan and other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the tendencies of sustainable development of renewable energy sources. The paper refers to the actual Energy strategies in Ukraine. As a conclusion, it is possible to implement the national Energy strategy by reducing the fossil fuel consumption and passing to renewable energy sources in the future. In 2035, about 50% of total energy consumption will covered by renewable energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave energy is one of the most promising alternatives to fossil fuels due to the enormous available resource; however, its development may be slowed as it is often regarded as uneconomical. The largest cost reductions are expected to be obtained through economies of scale and technological progress. In this sense, the incorporation of wave energy systems into offshore wind energy farms is an opportunity to foster the development of wave energy. The synergies between both renewables can be realised through these co-located energy farms and, thus, some challenges of offshore wind energy can be met. Among them, this paper focuses on the longer non-operational periods of offshore wind turbines-relative to their onshore counterparts-typically caused by delays in maintenance due to the harsh marine conditions. Co-located wave energy converters would act as a barrier extracting energy from the waves and resulting in a shielding effect over the wind farm. On this basis, the aim of this paper is to analyse wave energy economics in a holistic way, as well as the synergies between wave and offshore wind energy, focusing on the shadow effect and the associated increase in the accessibility to the wind turbines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving energy efficiency and building a low-emission economy are fundamental elements of sustainable development. The concept is based on a rational-energy economy and is aimed at limiting the negative consequence of the impact of energy on the environment. The main purpose of the paper is to assess the application of activities for both improving energy efficiency and building a low-emission economy, undertaken in Małopolska. Thermomodernization, installations of renewable energy sources, replacement of inefficient heating sources, and low-emission transport are among the cofinanced activities in the implemented programs. The first section of this paper discusses existing legal acts in the European Union, at the national and provincial levels, related to the analyzed issue. The second section contains description of the actions undertaken for improving energy efficiency and air quality, as well as for increasing the use of renewable energy sources, in Małopolska. The third section includes a qualitative assessment of the effects obtained and further directions for activities in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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New district heating system technologies have arisen in the last years to deliver economic and environmental benefits to residential and commercial buildings. The extensive ranges of equipment, energy sources, temperature profile configurations, size of the network, energy demand, and many other intrinsic variables, make it difficult to identify if a determined district heating option is potentially better than another in environmental terms. As for the economic evaluation, there are several tools decision-makers can rely on to assess environmental performance. The main challenge is to provide a holistic point of view for which lifespan and complexity of implementable, new technological systems can be an obstacle. For this reason, in this paper, a Life Cycle Assessment is performed upon a technical evaluation of several district heating configuration options for the Gulbene region in Latvia, where DH systems in most of the assessed parishes are already operating under medium temperature regimes, also known as third-generation district heating. The goal of the study is to understand the environmental impact of moving from the current DH system to a low temperature one. Results show a considerable environmental benefit if low-temperature profiles, combined with the use of renewable energy sources are adopted in the current DH systems. A hotspot analysis is also performed showing the use stage is the one carrying most of the burden across the project's lifetime, followed by infrastructure construction; also showing that the refurbishment of buildings does not play a major role in the total environmental impact contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper deals with issues related to activities undertaken by local government. The article focuses on the identification and assessment of the significance of local government's different bottom-up initiatives that support development of local entrepreneurship. The article also indirectly discusses the importance of activities referring to energy efficiency. Through the digitization process and by using digital tools, LGs realize projects, improve local actors' awareness, and finally achieve new challenges such as a higher proportion of gross final energy consumption being from renewable sources. The aim of the paper is to present the relationship between the LGs' entrepreneurial activities, which we call bottom-up initiatives, and the local entrepreneurship level, understood as the number of entrepreneurs active on the territory of a LG. This paper presents the results of research carried out on the bottom-up initiatives undertaken by Polish local governments to support entrepreneurship. The research was based on survey and statistical tools and stepwise regression analysis. In the paper, bottom-up initiatives undertaken by local governments (such as organizing events at the national or regional scale that enable networking among entrepreneurs or establishing departments for supporting local entrepreneurship that offer cooperation with local entrepreneurs) were found to influence the number of entrepreneurs active in local government territories. The paper concludes that local governments and their bottom-up activities are an important factor influencing local entrepreneurship development. The presented research results have implications for policy makers and may be useful for local governments in Poland and in other countries in the context of supporting entrepreneurship by undertaking bottom-up initiatives at the local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consideration of alternative transport fuels, produced from feedstocks and renewable resources, is inevitable to enhance energy security and alleviate environmental burdens. Whilst these fuels are apparently considered to be clean, they may not be entirely sustainable from economic, environmental and social perspectives. A Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) framework that integrates all three components of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) sustainability can potentially be used to evaluate the sustainability performance of fuels from well to wheel. This paper presents an LCSA framework consisting of Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (ELCA), Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) tools to assess the environmental, economic and social performance of alternative fuels. The framework is aimed at identifying the areas that require improvements for overall sustainability performance. The proposed framework provides a comprehensive basis that considers the region-specific variations in the life cycle data pertaining to alternative fuels. The added feature of the framework is its robustness to accommodate variations in natural resources, and other regional issues, such as socio-economic and demographic changes. The framework has been tested using a hypothetical example of canola-based biodiesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A growing population and the impact of climate change represent clear challenges for the agricultural sector. Adapting agricultural machinery, e.g., raising the use of electric vehicles (EVs), is one way of meeting such challenges. Although interest in EVs and sustainable farming is becoming ever stronger, in practice the usage of EVs still remains at a relatively low level. As EV experience is key in deciding for or against e-mobility, the present paper focuses on the differences in perceptions between experienced and non-experienced electric vehicle users. The present study was conducted in the course of a pilot project on e-mobility in rural Austrian regions. Three hundred and thirty-four farmers were asked to assess the performance of 13 attributes regarding e-cars and agricultural EVs. While none of the selected attributes were deemed unimportant, there were clear differences in perceptions between those with and without EV experience. For example, farmers with experience were more satisfied with the performance of current EVs than those without experience. Availability of a private charging station for agricultural EVs is seen as important by both groups, but experienced farmers rate the respective importance, and also satisfaction with private charging stations significantly higher than farmers without experience. The results show that specific policy adaptations have to be made in order to increase the acceptance of EVs in the agriculture sector.Graphical abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable consumption and production policies have been developed by the EU as part of the United Nations 10-year framework programme on sustainable consumption and production. In this context, the study of energy consumption and production patterns might be especially relevant as the importance of energy input. This paper develops the Sustainable Energy Market Aggregated Index in the EU-28 that provides information about the achieved effects of sustainable consumption and production policies on energy efficiency, energy dependence, generation mix based on clean production technologies and competitive market structure. The results suggest that Denmark, Sweden, UK, Italy, the Netherlands have the better scores. Reinforcing measures are proposed for member states with the lowest results (Slovakia, Luxembourg, Estonia, Czech Republic and Belgium) in order to move towards more competitive energy markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the relationship between biomass energy consumption and economic growth was analysed for some European Transition Countries. Two econometrical methods, which are time series (Autoregressive Distributed Lag (A.R.D.L.) bounds testing approach and Granger Causality) and Panel data methods (Pedroni test, Panel Johansen test and Panel Causality test) were used to determine the cointegration relationship between the variables. A.R.D.L. and Granger Causality methods were practiced for Albania, Bulgaria and Romania for the 1981-2014 period. Panel Cointegration and Causality methods were applied for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia and Slovak Republic for the 1991-2014 period; and Croatia, Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia for the 1995-2014 period. According to the results, while short-run and long-run causality results demonstrate that the conservation hypothesis is valid for Albania and the countries in group 1, evidence of the growth hypothesis is supported for Bulgaria, Romania and the countries in group 2. In strong causality results, evidence of bidirectional causality for all countries is found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: Energy landscapes; Germany's "Energiewende"; Renewable energy sources (RES); Sustainable development; Transition of energy systems EN Energy landscapes Germany's "Energiewende" Renewable energy sources (RES) Sustainable development Transition of energy systems 1 3 3 12/24/20 20201222 NES 201222 The transition of energy systems toward renewable energy sources (RES) is a key issue for sustainable development. Thus, new energy landscapes will emerge changing energy provision from "energy for space" to "energy from space". Energy landscapes, Germany's "Energiewende", Renewable energy sources (RES), Sustainable development, Transition of energy systems. [Extracted from the article]

Transport is one of the sectors of the energy consumption where the presence of renewable energies is lower and its increase is hard to achieve especially in countries that import all the fuels that they consume. This paper addresses the progress that Portugal is making toward a more sustainable transport sector. A near- and medium- term scenario analysis is performed, based on the energy consumption in the past and on a detailed evaluation of the trends for renewable energy in the transport sector. The near-term scenarios aim at portraying the conditions that allow the country to fulfill the target of 10% renewable share in transportation established by the European Union. The medium-term scenarios highlight the implications, in terms of emission reduction and of energy independence, deriving from the use of electric vehicles and natural gas, synthetic and fossil, as alternatives to liquid fuels. The results show that electric vehicles would substantially reduce the total energy consumption and the greenhouse gas emissions, while the promotion of routes for synthetic natural gas would contribute to taking advantage of local resources. The paper also provides some insights about the design of future policies to build a more sustainable transport sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing residential energy use and carbon dioxide emissions is a policy concern across Europe. One of the approaches to address this problem, real-world laboratories (RwLs), has recently gained prominence as a means to generate both sustainability change and social knowledge. Yet RwLs are context-bound, and transferability is an issue for scaling up change. Drawing on Realistic Evaluation (RE) and Theories of Change (ToC), this paper analyses researchers' and practitioners' views on the role of contexts and change mechanisms in the outcomes of interventions targeting residential energy use. The results show that extracting the underlying logic of RwL designs could help to identify where and when these designs are likely to be transferrable. This contribution has implications for the design of future RwLs, given that RwLs have until now rarely articulated their ToC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for renewable energy is regarded as a major component in the move towards achieving sustainable development. Using a large sample of 177 countries over the period 1990 to 2020, this research explores the impact of the most significant drivers of renewable energy. Findings from this work contribute to the literature by identifying the most significant drivers of renewable energy deployment and their different responses in developed and developing economies. Empirical results suggest that GDP, oil price, access to electricity, and CO2 and methane emissions are significant determinants of renewables both as a share in energy consumption and as a share in electricity production. Additionally, trade is found to be a significant driver for the share of renewables in total energy consumption but not for the share of renewables in the electricity production model. Finally, our findings indicate that the factors influencing the development of renewables vary significantly between developed and developing countries, necessitating distinct approaches for each group of countries. These results can play a significant role from a policy perspective in designing and implementing specific policies to increase renewable energy deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an overview of a special issue titled "Sustainable Development Processes for Renewable Energy Technology II." The issue focuses on the transformation of energy production into the use of renewable sources, which is important for achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. The articles in the issue cover various topics, including improving equipment for mineral resource production, modeling underground reservoirs for thermal energy, environmental factors in the design of photovoltaic panels, software development for sustainable well operation in oil and gas production, and the economic benefits of transitioning to renewable energy sources. The authors hope that the collective work presented in this issue will contribute to the development of clean and affordable energy in the future. [Extracted from the article]

Construction of highways has had negative environmental impacts. Thus, the concept of green highway was introduced in Europe as a part of sustainable development efforts. It has been long known that construction of regular highways leads to greenhouse gas emission from logging activities, cut and fill, excavation and road premix laying. Literature review shows there are several rating systems for energy efficiency; the latter constituting important criteria in the development of green highways. Energy efficiency refers to reduced usage of energy, , renewable energy as well as alternative energy as well as the and policies related to energy saving and renewable energy. This paper aims to identify the criteria and sub-criteria of energy efficiency for green highway development in Malaysia. These criteria are obtained from available rating systems and from literature. Data was obtained through survey questionnaire method. The LATAR Highway, one of the main concession company for highway development in Malaysia, was the respondent. This study reported five criteria of energy efficiency: technology and design, renewal energy, policy and plan, utilising solar energy, and reduce usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though the green energy economy is an ideal economic pattern for sustainable development, the benefits of investment in it may not be the highest and the cost of consumption of the related products and services may not be the lowest in the current status quo. The emergence of new technologies and business models will make the green energy economy more feasible and profitable. Therefore, the increase in renewable energy share is a key point for developing a green energy economy in Taiwan. This Special Issue is, of course, not a completion of the research on green energy economy but a record of the continually on-going development of green energy economy. [Extracted from the article]

The deficient water and energy management for manufacturing products negatively affect the environment, hence a customized and integrated management system is critical as part of the business sustainable development framework. In this work, the experimental results related to the CO2 emission factor of a manufacturing company are presented through the application of an energy- and water-integrated management system based on the ISO 50001 and ISO 46001 standards as part of the global supporting trend to the transition to a low-carbon economy. Regarding the methodology, the deming cycle and the high-level structure characteristic of the aforementioned standards were used to establish concurrent organizational and technological actions to achieve the efficiency objectives. In particular, data curation, analysis, and translation were used as arguments for countermeasures to improve energy and water efficiency. As a result, energy and water use reduction was achieved, ≈ 12.66% and ≈ 15.23%, respectively, implying that the CO2 emission factor by manufacturing items during 2021 decreased by ≈ 19.88% compared with 2020. In addition, relevant findings, challenges, and opportunities were also determined that can serve as recommendations to improve the overall CO2 emission factor through the use of various renewable energy systems, actions related to bioclimatic architecture, and optimization methods for the energy-water nexus. The aforementioned has important managerial implications based on the Deming cycle which are mentioned in the conclusion section, such as the more detailed analysis of the technological and organizational options and methods that allow for improving efficiency for later years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study inspects the seven sectors of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies to explore the impact of consumption of clean energy, green bonds, and green economic advancement on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices to attain sustainable development goals (SDGs). The ESG aspects are individually explored from 2011 to 2020. It is observed that the key determinants of ESG practices are green economic advancement, clean energy, and green financing. Moreover, these determinants positively and significantly track the ASEAN economies toward attaining SDGs. The determinants play a vital role in sustainable advancement even when explored individually using different regression models. The linkages between the explanatory and outcome variables remain consistent after controlling other variables like climate regulatory quality, foreign direct investment, and gross domestic product. The study provides solid implications for stakeholders, environmental activists, and governments of ASEAN economies. The findings also infer sustainable business practices via creating an association between ESG practices, green economy, clean energy, and green financing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coherency of research, development, and innovation processes are vital in promoting a more resource efficient society. Sustainability-oriented innovation systems define specific kinds of innovation systems, i.e. those that are directed to the aims of sustainable development. This paper develops an integrated method with four layers of analysis to evaluate the priorities and performances of such systems. The method is applied to a sample of emerging and innovation based economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Turkey, and Singapore. The analyses consider the 6 main activities or functional dynamics of innovation systems and a set of 19 keywords. The keywords relate to the thematic clusters of renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency, and environmental management. The priorities of the countries in each main interaction of the system are classified accordingly. The priorities are compared to the existing level of specialization in the keywords based on the intermediate outputs of the system. The analyses cover 153,838 papers and 15,138 patents between the years 2003 and 2014. A Sustainable Innovation Index is developed to aggregate the normalized values of country performance across all keywords. Singapore receives the highest value (21.17) and the average of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa is 14.91. The results determine the ability of countries to align priorities and performance towards more mature innovation systems for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the sustainability of urban ecosystem is becoming a key area in global sustainable development. Urban metabolism is an effective analysis tool for the study of urban ecosystem. In this regard, how to evaluate the level of urban sustainable development and identify the key factors that affect urban metabolism is critical. Many studies on urban metabolism have been explored during the past half century, but few concerns about the key factors that affect urban metabolism. Therefore, this paper fills such a gap by combining emergy and Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) methods in order to analyze the sustainable development level and identify the driving forces of emergy utilization, respectively. A typical industrial city, Shenyang in northeast China, was chosen as a case study city in this paper. Results show that renewable resource utilization in Shenyang was very limited from 2000 to 2010, while nonrenewable resources and the imported resources increased rapidly. During this period, total emergy utilization of Shenyang increased from 8.52 × 10 22 sej to 21.53 × 10 22 sej, and emergy density increased with annual increasing rate of 10.34%, demonstrating a fast development of the economy and high level of resident's consumption. LMDI method was employed to analyze the driving forces of emergy consumption from the aspects of scale, structure and intensity. Results show that the rapid increase of emergy utilization in Shenyang was mainly caused by the expansion of economic scale, while emergy intensity greatly contributed to offset total consumption, and industry structure played a marginal role, with a minor value for its growth. Based upon these results, several policy recommendations were raised, including the use of more renewable and clean energy sources, a regenerative and preventative eco-industrial development approach, and capacity-building efforts, so that the overall environment pressure on urban development can be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of various environmental problems and challenges concerning resource allocation, the utilisation of renewable resources is increasingly important for the efficient use of raw materials. Therefore, cascading utilisation (i.e., the multiple material utilisations of renewable resources prior to their conversion into energy) and approaches that aim to further increase resource efficiency (e.g., the utilisation of by-products) can be considered guiding principles. This paper therefore introduces the Special Volume "Improved Resource Efficiency and Cascading Utilisation of Renewable Materials". Because both research aspects, resource efficiency and cascading utilisation, belong to several disciplines, the Special Volume adopts an interdisciplinary perspective and presents 16 articles, which can be divided into four subjects: Innovative Materials based on Renewable Resources and their Impact on Sustainability and Resource Efficiency, Quantitative Models for the Integrated Optimisation of Production and Distribution in Networks for Renewable Resources, Information Technology-based Collaboration in Value Generating Networks for Renewable Resources, and Consumer Behaviour towards Eco-friendly Products. The interdisciplinary perspective allows a comprehensive overview of current research on resource efficiency, which is supplemented with 15 book reviews showing the extent to which textbooks of selected disciplines already refer to resource efficiency. This introductory article highlights the relevance of the four subjects, presents summaries of all papers, and discusses future research directions. The overall contribution of the Special Volume is that it bridges the resource efficiency research of selected disciplines and that it presents several approaches for more environmentally sound production and consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]