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As new sources of energy and advanced technologies are used, there is a continuous evolution in energy supply, demand, and distribution. Advanced nuclear reactors and clean hydrogen have the opportunity to scale together and diversify the hydrogen production market away from fossil fuel-based production. Nevertheless, the technical uncertainties surrounding nuclear hydrogen processes necessitate thorough research and a solid development effort. This paper aims to position pink hydrogen for nuclear hydrogen production at the forefront of sustainable energy-related solutions by offering a comprehensive review of recent advancements in nuclear hydrogen production, covering both research endeavors and industrial applications. It delves into various pink hydrogen generation methodologies, elucidating their respective merits and challenges. Furthermore, this paper analyzes the evolving landscape of pink hydrogen in terms of its levelized cost by comparatively assessing different production pathways. By synthesizing insights from academic research and industrial practices, this paper provides valuable perspectives for stakeholders involved in shaping the future of nuclear hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent statistics indicate that as of 2023, the global renewable energy capacity has reached new heights, with Saudi Arabia significantly contributing to this growth through its strategic initiatives. The kingdom is particularly focusing on harnessing solar power, given its abundant sunlight, and is also exploring wind energy, leveraging its vast desert landscapes. These efforts are part of Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to become a global leader in renewable energy. This paper provides a detailed exploration of Saudi Arabia's ambitious journey from a fossil-fuel-dominated energy sector to a more sustainable, renewable-energy-driven future. Anchored in the broader context of global energy trends, the study emphasizes the critical shift toward renewable resources, with a particular focus on Saudi Arabia's unique position in this global movement. Key to this transition is Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, a strategic framework that guides the country's renewable energy policies and initiatives. A comprehensive review of these policies, including other governmental and international collaborations that support renewable energy development, is offered. The current state of renewable energy in Saudi Arabia is assessed, including an overview of existing projects and production statistics. The paper also explores emerging technologies such as energy storage systems and smart grid solutions, emphasizing their role in Saudi Arabia's energy transition. An impact assessment is conducted to understand the environmental, economic, and social effects of this energy shift. The paper also includes a comparative analysis of other countries' renewable energy transitions, extracting lessons and best practices applicable to the Saudi context. Strategic recommendations and reflections on Saudi Arabia's future role in the global energy landscape are provided for stakeholders in energy policy, environmental planning, and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mozambique is experiencing the consequences of a severe energy crisis with economic and social impacts. Its strict dependence on hydroelectric sources is being severely tested by recent droughts that have drastically reduced water levels in dams. However, Mozambique is addressing energy poverty by exploring renewable energy sources thanks to investments in the sector by the European Union. The research concerns an energy analysis profile of the country and the penetration of renewable energy, presenting an energy upgrading scope through a semi-automatic calculation methodology in a Building Information Modeling (BIM) environment. The building under study, located in Maputo, is the Natural History Museum, which plays an important role in biodiversity conservation. Therefore, this paper proposes a BIM methodology for sizing an environmental control system tailored to serve the museum. The proposed system replaces the previous one and includes a photovoltaic system that not only meets the museum's load but also supplies electricity to the surrounding area. Energy production from renewable sources with a surplus of 30% has been achieved. The proposed digital methodology has identified a maximum gap of 1.5% between the dimensions of the BIM duct and those of a traditional plant design, meeting ASHRAE requirements for environmental control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an empirical investigation into the effects of energy transition and digitization on carbon dioxide emissions, serving as a proxy for environmental sustainability, across 28 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2021. Utilizing both static and dynamic regression analyses, the study reveals a significant driving effect of the energy transition on environmental sustainability, primarily through a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Notably, this influence is more pronounced in the eastern region of China, followed by the central and western regions, indicating regional heterogeneity in the impact of the energy transition. Furthermore, digitization is found to have a substantial moderating effect, enhancing energy conservation and emission reductions. As digitization progresses, its capability to diminish the impact of energy transitions on carbon dioxide emissions becomes more apparent, particularly in the eastern region, while this effect is less marked in central and western China. The study also delves into the nonlinear relationship between energy transitions and carbon dioxide emissions, discovering that increased levels of digitization can exacerbate the negative effects of energy transitions on emissions. These findings offer valuable insights into the dynamics of energy transition and digitalization, highlighting their crucial roles in shaping environmental sustainability in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To combat climate change and safeguard a liveable future, humanity needs fundamental and rapid social change. The purpose of this paper is to show, why and how climate communication can play an important role to nurture the public engagement needed for this change, and to explore, what higher education for sustainability can learn from climate communication. Design/methodology/approach: The scientific evidence base on climate communication for effective public engagement is summarised into 10 key principles, including "basing communication on people's values", "conscious use of framing" and "turning concern into action". Based on the author's perspective and experience in the university context, implications are explored for sustainability in higher education. Findings: The study provides suggestions for teaching (e.g. complement information with consistent behaviour by the lecturer, integrate local stories and provide students with basic skills to communicate climate effectively), for research (e.g. make teaching for effective engagement the subject of applied research), for universities' third mission to contribute to sustainable development in the society (e.g. provide climate communication trainings to empower local stakeholders) and greening the campus (develop a proper engagement infrastructure, e.g. by a university storytelling exchange on climate action). Originality/value: The study provides an up-to-date overview of climate communication research, which is in itself original. This evidence base holds interesting learnings for institutions of higher education, and the link between climate communication and universities has so far not been explored comprehensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviewed the deposition of thin films of TiO2 for self-cleaning applications deposited using the spin coater. The overwhelming global demand for electricity pushes power producers to develop substitute energy sources. Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, and hydroelectric are now considered to create alternative power sources. The most abundant form on earth is solar energy, converted to electrical energy using a solar panel. Regrettably, solar panels attract contaminants once exposed to the atmosphere, causing their efficiency to drop. Self-cleaning is one of the researched technologies to help maintain clean photovoltaic surfaces. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is among the materials studied for self-cleaning, and the spin-coating method offers great promise. This paper presented the background and working principle of the spin coater, precautions to be taken with the spin-coating process, and the merits and demerits of the process. The paper highlighted the self-cleaning mechanism and the spin-coating method to create self-cleaning TiO2 thin films for application on several surfaces, including the solar panel. Commonly used self-cleaning materials were also reviewed, including materials used to dope or create TiO2 composite for better self-cleaning capability. Effects of process parameters, available substrates, surfactants, solvents, and stabilizing agents on the final TiO2 thin film performance and recent innovative efforts to improve the spin-coating process and the self-cleaning abilities of TiO2 are reviewed. This will contribute to the body of knowledge on spin-coating techniques, self-cleaning thin films, and TiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the intermediate results of the design experimentation of a Public Housing development in which the Renewable Energy Community model is an opportunity for energy transition but also for the needs of social inclusion and collaboration, which characterise the complex conditions of contemporary housing. Demonstrating the transcalar and multifunctional effectiveness of RECs incentivises their implementation, especially when a complex demanding framework is confronted with limitedly available resources. Hence, through a systemic approach, simulative methods and impact indicators, the extent of the contribution offered by the REC model was verified not only in terms of decarbonisation and climate neutrality but as an opportunity for eco-social regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary context of the polycrisis, ways and criteria for sustainable urban transformation are discussed that shift the needle of ecological transition from building to city, towards energy self-sufficiency and social self-determination. Alternative forms of management, containment and production of clean and accessible energy from renewable sources are explored that have feedback in terms of process, design and social innovation. The paper aims to highlight the active and adaptive dimensions of technological design in its ability to support and promote behaviour favouring sustainable environmental transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy transition is a subject of significant interest in the countries of the European Union, and the involvement of public authorities is remarkable. Unlike previous energy transitions, this process is politically driven, the efforts of public authorities being secondary to the actions of companies whose guidelines are based on stability at the European level through strategies and directives. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current evolution of energy security status in the European Union and in Romania, with reference to global efforts to achieve climate neutrality through the energy transition. The historical method was used in the elaboration of the material, in order to outline the current energy security policies in terms of sustainability, both environmental and social. The logical method was used in order to emphasize the cause–effect relationship between economic processes in the energy sector. The use of bibliometric analysis demonstrated the importance of the topic of energy transition in scientific literature, but it also demonstrated the increasing interest of researchers in subjects related to energy security and energy poverty in the context of this new transition. By using the graphical method, statistic data and their evolution were highlighted in detail for the present study. The results of the articles are embodied in an approach that aims to focus on economic and social factors that determine the capacity of states to support the EU's independence from a single supplier in the current context of conflict. The authors conclude by anticipating massive challenges in achieving the environmental objectives of the European Green Deal, as well as by highlighting the issue of energy poverty as a social factor influencing global strategic decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, energy communities initiatives have gained traction in Europe as a means to achieve energy transition goals, allowing citizen involvement in energy production, consumption, and distribution. Following the 2018 European directive RED II, these projects have rapidly increased across the continent, showcasing their potential for creating sustainable local energy systems. While studies highlight economic, environmental, and social benefits, barriers such as regulatory challenges, finance access, and low public awareness remain. This paper presents the results of a systematic literature review that explores the state-of-the-art of the academic research on energy communities. The study adopts a systematic approach to examine the body of literature on the topic to provide a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon on the basis of rigorous and replicable research criteria. The reviewed material consists of 140 articles collected through the Scopus database, evaluated using specific structural dimensions to group the literature into analytical categories. The analysis of scientific papers published between 2018 and 2022 shows a growing attention towards Renewable Energy Communities, particularly those based on solar energy for electricity production, often combined with storage systems and heat pumps, whereas attention towards energy communities based on thermal energy production is still limited. Furthermore, most scholars focused on analysing specific territorial contexts; comparisons between different regions allows to highlight common features and elements characterizing each model. It emerged that the development of energy communities depends mainly on regulatory, financial, and managerial barriers that require an adequate institutional and legal framework capable of promoting their diffusion. Most studies address the topic from an economic perspective, often in association with incentivizing community models. However, a social perspective should be included by introducing the concept of energy sharing and methodologies for its distribution among all members of the community. The scientific community is called upon to continue investigating and supporting the development of community energy initiatives by providing evidence-based recommendations to policymakers, industry stakeholders, and local communities. This can help to overcome existing barriers and facilitate the diffusion of energy communities models, contributing to the achievement of sustainable and inclusive energy transition goals. • Systematic literature review exploring academic research on energy communities in Europe. • Structural dimensions and related analytical categories as framework to review 140 journal articles. • Most studies concern ECs based on renewable energy sources, with solar power being the predominant source. • Most employed technologies are related to the production of electricity from photovoltaic with batteries and heat pumps. • Most studied focus on Renewable Energy Community, while Citizens Energy Community are less considered in academic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy policy is becoming a key aspect of the everyday worldwide agenda, and the decisions in this field are directly affecting many aspects, such as energy security, energy supply, and consumer final prices, as well as environmental aspects, among others, and will also affect conditions in the coming years with regard to aspects such as energy resource availability decay, climate change effects, or air contamination. During the last decades, many specific efforts in energy planning research have been carried out by different scientists around the world, but very few of their scientifically based conclusions and recommendations have been transferred into energy planning and energy policy. As a consequence, the energy availability and the environmental situation of the world are worsening; the objectives which aim to achieve a maximum of a 1.5 °C increase are far from being achieved, and many different regions are suffering energy supply disruptions and lack of accessible and secure energy access. This paper analyzes how current energy policy is based more on the direct influence of stakeholders, energy politics, and citizens' beliefs or preferences than on a scientific approach. It also proposes a different approach that would combine scientific energy planning as a driver for stakeholders and the political decisions which are necessary to consider as soon as possible; this is the only possible way to ensure a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia is currently undergoing the energy transition from heavily fossil fuel-dependent energy to cleaner sources of energy in order to achieve its net-zero emissions by 2060. In addition to reducing fossil fuel dependency, as one of the countries with the most geothermal reserves, the optimization of geothermal energy in Indonesia could be key to facilitating the energy transition. The objective of this paper is to elaborate on the transition process, which incorporates the destabilization of fossil fuel and the growth of geothermal energy, by analyzing the impact of both exogenous and endogenous factors on the supply chain structures of both sectors. This study employs workshop involving geothermal stakeholders in Indonesia, combined with the application of the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) framework as the theoretical lens. The study found that energy demand, environmental awareness, energy regulations, energy supply chain, and geothermal potential breakthroughs are important aspects pertinent to the MLP components, namely the socio-technical landscape, socio-technical regime and niche innovations. The socio-technical landscapes are exogenous factors that pressurize the energy sector regime allowing the niche innovation, in the form of geothermal innovation, to penetrate the fossil fuel regime, allowing it to transition to a geothermal regime. The transition pathways include several measures that could break down the fossil fuel and build up geothermal energy, through a number of schemes and incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legislative efforts for renewables-based energy decarbonisation hinge upon the support and commitment from different stakeholders holding often conflicting positions regarding disruptive processes of socio-technical transformation. However, the evolving acceptance of market actors on the policy-driven promotion of renewables over time remains under-scrutinised. Simultaneously, despite growing attention to power and politics in sustainability transitions, limited efforts remain invested for elucidating the political-economic nature of the market-based selection environments they are operationalised through, highlighting the need for a more systematic comprehension of the "politics of selection". To address these shortcomings, this paper provides a more refined understanding of the role of policy-driven markets and its participating agents in facilitating/hindering innovation diffusion and broader (system-wide) sustainability transitions. To do so, it showcases a longitudinal case study of the politics underlying Germany's evolving feed-in policy support framework for orchestrating a market-mediated diffusion of renewables (1980s–2020). Based on policy analysis and semi-structured interviews, the study traces the changing acceptance and ensuing strategic (re)actions of market actors to the emergence and evolution of Germany's market for electricity from renewable energy sources. Results show how different market participants effectively shape the selection environments they operate in by proactively contesting/deluding the design features of the support policies organising their economised relations (e.g., market entry conditions, exchange rules, remuneration levels, pricing schemes, etc.). Such efforts are undertaken through legal means and market framing strategies targeting the affordability of policy support costs, coupled with the strategic use of policy instrumentation as a vehicle to further expand/retain their market shares to the detriment of competing actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community renewable energy (CRE) represents a growing empirical and academic turn towards community‐based sustainability and climate change interventions. This paper brings together postcolonial theory and CRE for the first time to outline fundamental tensions in the conceptualisation and application of the idea of community. The understanding of community within the CRE discourse is largely: (1) location‐based; and/or (2) a community of choice that is consciously opted into. Driven by postcolonial theory, this paper counterpoises both as a form of community as contract against an idea of community as solidarity. Its central thesis is that actually existing community, contrary to how the bulk of CRE literature commonly understands it, is a combination of bonds of solidarity and emergent purposes. The paper conceptualises community as fluid bonds of solidarity that align and realign differently around different purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy transition is attracting increasing attention in academic, activist and policy debate. Although there is a recognition of the urgency of achieving a more sustainable model, and a small body of scholars contend the need for a systemic transition, very little research has specifically been conducted on the changes and proposals promoted by grassroots innovations. This paper explores why energy grassroots initiatives are key spaces of interest in the process of energy transition, and proposes an exploratory characterisation of a "Transformative Energy Transition." To this end, a qualitative analysis is carried out and a framework developed that connects ideas from socio-technical transitions theory, grassroots innovation literature and the human development approach. The results suggest five broad arguments to justify why the initiatives studied are relevant, and the paper concludes that "Transformative Energy Transition" must be aligned with values of equity, sustainability, participation and diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tackles the process of energy transition from a transactional perspective. It addresses the governance of energy transition by studying its local actualizations, moving beyond purely technical and normative readings. The paper shows that through the local socio-technological energy systems, sustainability governance filters down to the level of individual, everyday behavior, thus questioning the link between public and private spaces, especially regarding the issue of housing. Going beyond the results commonly yielded by transition studies, which favor large-scale analysis, it details how the discourse of citizen involvement, which often boils down to a mere call to control one's individual energy consumption, conceals environmental inequalities, confirming the socioeconomic divide materialized in deprived areas such as public housing estates or remote rural areas. From a methodological standpoint, the analysis is based on four case studies in Northeast France, in more or less privileged areas, and in both urban and rural environments: the renovation of a heating network in the public housing estate of Cité de l'Ill, north of Strasbourg; the solar energy systems designed for property owners in Plobsheim, a residential suburb of Strasbourg; the energy-efficient equipment set up in a public housing estate in the city of Saint-Dié, in the Vosges; and citizen participation in a cooperative program to finance wind turbines in the small Alsacian city of Saâles, in a mountain rural area. The paper draws on the results of these sociological investigations, carried out using field observations, questionnaires and interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Analysis of electricity demand in neighbourhoods, districts and municipalities. • Data-driven classification of electricity demand profiles of nearly 15000 urban areas. • Three statistically different urban area types found: residential, business and mixed. • Urban area types differ in terms of demand profiles and energy user composition. • Often-used residential-type demand represents only a minority of analysed areas. Abstract Cities and communities worldwide are seeking to become more sustainable by transitioning to renewable energy resources, and by introducing electric transportation and heating. The impact and suitability of such technologies for a given area heavily depend on local conditions, such as characteristics of local demand. In particular, the shape of a local demand profile is an important determinant for how much renewable energy can be used directly, and how charging of electric vehicles and use of electric heating affect a local grid. Unfortunately, a systematic understanding of local demand characteristics on different urban scales (neighbourhoods, districts and municipalities) is currently lacking in literature. Most energy transition studies simplify local demand to household demand only. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by providing a novel data-driven classification and analysis of demand profiles and energy user compositions in nearly 15000 neighbourhoods, districts and municipalities, based on data from the Netherlands. The results show that on all urban scales, three types of areas can be distinguished. In this paper, these area types are termed "residential", "business" and "mixed", based on the most prevalent energy users in each. Statistic analysis of the results shows that area types are pairwise significantly different, both in terms of their profiles and in terms of their energy user composition. Moreover, residential-type demand profiles are found only in a small number of areas. These results emphasise the importance of using local detailed spatio-temporal demand profiles to support the transition of urban areas to sustainable energy generation, transportation and heating. To facilitate the implementation of the obtained insights in other models, a spreadsheet modelling tool is provided in an addendum to this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decline of carbon intensive technologies is a key element in the ongoing energy transition and our attempts to tackle climate change. At the same time, our understanding of technology decline and of the associated policies and politics is still limited. This paper builds on the sustainability transitions perspective, a novel approach to analyze socio‐technical transformation, including the complex interplay of policy and technology change. We study the decline of coal‐fired power generation in the United Kingdom from 2000 to 2017 by analyzing the discourse in The Guardian. We find scientists and environmental NGOs criticizing coal for climate and health reasons. Government and incumbent businesses tried to re‐legitimate coal but eventually, their resistance collapsed and coal was almost completely abandoned in just a few years. Particularly devastating for coal were failed promises around carbon capture and storage, rapid diffusion of wind energy, and pressure from various policies. This study contributes to better understanding the contested nature of decline, and the interplay of discursive struggles, technology change, and public policy in sustainability transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for global energy sustainability. It is affected by a country's policies, resources, financing opportunities, the attention given to it, and the degree to which other pressing issues, such as poverty and access to power, are addressed in each country. This paper used 28 indicators to assess a country's energy sustainability. These indicators ranged from CO 2 per capita emissions to the share of electricity production from wind. The indicators were adjusted so that the lower values were more sustainable. 31 countries were selected. Kohonen's self-organizing maps were used to present this 28-dimensional model in a 2D map. This algorithm is a type of artificial neural network trained by unsupervised learning. Eight clusters of countries were found through the analysis using the four-light traffic panel, where green is the most sustainable, followed by blue, yellow, and red. The closeness on the map does not guarantee that two countries will be in the same cluster. Three color matches and closeness were the criteria for the creation of clusters. The energy transition from the map's lower to upper sides is plainly visible. Red clusters make up the lower side, while green clusters make up the top. One blue cluster and two yellow clusters are located between them. The algorithm converged in the 133rd iteration; the quantization error reached 0 and the topological error reached a value of 25. This method can be used to visualize how far or close a country is to the best achievers. It shows which parameters can or should be improved and what the world trend is. If there is a trend, cost-effective solutions are frequently present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimenting and learning are increasingly considered as means to innovate governance approaches for pursuing a more sustainable society. Learning and experimenting can unfold in different formats, such as games or co-design processes. This paper investigates an experimental co-design process conducted in the Dutch Province of Groningen to collaboratively design a serious game called the ‘Energy Safari’. Serious games can mimic real-world issues and thus provide a safe and open environment that is inviting for exploring, experimenting and learning. Co-designing games is recognized for its capacity to support the integration of ‘real world’ components in games, which is also our first ambition with the experimental co-design process of the ‘Energy Safari. Little attention has been paid, however, to the role of the game-co-design process itself to instigate civic learning events. Our second ambition targets this research gap. The analysis illustrates that co-designers are very well capable to experiment with serious game components in a way that creates a meaningful and recognizable regional narrative that deeply embeds regional challenges. Linked to playful game prototyping learning events also occurred during the co-design practises and the debriefing cover a wide range of learning activities, ranging from single loop to triple loop learning Ambiguity and procedural gaps forced the co-designers to question practises and institutions by confronting them with their real-world experience. Our analysis suggests, that prototypes thus need a nuanced balance between generic and specific to generate an open experimentation and learning space that is however deeply rooted in a regional narrative. Doing so can subsequently trigger a rich variety of civic learning activities. Nevertheless, it is also clear that the promotion of more inquisitive triple loop learning effects will not easily emerge and likely require active promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy consumption is central to both a number of pressing environmental issues and to people's attempts to improve their well-being. Although typically understood as essential for people to thrive, this paper sketches a theoretical foundation for the possibility that the form and amount of energy consumption in modern society may inhibit rather than enable human flourishing. It achieves this goal by connecting and critically assessing the writings of Ivan Illich and Albert Borgmann, which offer a number of concepts that enable a qualitative discussion on energy practices. For different reasons, both authors are highly critical of the societal tendency to command ever-increasing amounts of energy. Illich focuses on negative effects of high energy consumption at the societal level, whereas in my particular re-reading of Borgmann, one finds reasons why high energy consumption fails to realize intended positive effects. It is argued that therefore, energy transition should involve a re-appreciation of the function of energy consumption: to support, rather than to be central to life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuel consumption, luxurious lifestyles, population and economic growths are drivers of climate change. Rampant rise in Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions drives the big wheel of climate change which affects human societies, animal habitats and woodlands by flash floods, glacial melts, acidic rains, droughts, famines, wildfires, epidemics, heat and cold waves. South Asia is one of the most severely affected regions on the planet due to its demographics. The per capita impact of climate change on the millions of Pakistanis is very high compared to their diminutive per capita share of global GHG emissions. Environmental issues of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries include deforestation, air pollution, desertification, glacial melts, sea level rise, water contamination and loss of biodiversity. Pakistan is among the top ten countries worst hit by climate change, where native populations of lions, leopards, dolphins, tortoise and vultures face extinction threat. Acacia and rosewood tree forests in Sindh, Punjab and Pak-Afghan precincts have already dried by dieback disease during 1998–2005. Hundreds of people succumb to death annually by heat waves in South during summer and cold waves in North during winter. Climate change is a global phenomenon; nevertheless, higher GHG emissions first affect local and regional territories and later impact worldwide. Pakistan's CO 2 emissions are greater than least developed SAARC countries but much lower than the nearby Himalayan slope countries. This paper reports impact of CO 2 emissions on society, forests, crops and wildlife in Pakistan recounting adaptation and mitigation strategies in SAARC countries. We present simulation results for a future super smart grid connecting Central Asian States (CAS) to SAARC countries for bilateral electricity trade, progress in carbon capture and storage technologies in SAARC countries, and original research on utilizing CO 2 (R744) for water heating in extremely cold regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Indigenous worldviews have much to offer regarding the sustainability debate. • Indigenous and modernist visions of sustainability in the energy transition are analyzed. • Different conceptualizations of sustainability must be recognized and integrated to ensure an inclusive and just energy transition. • "Pluriversal technologies" are needed for a fair and sustainable ecological transition. Little research exists on how alternative understandings of sustainability and societal well-being, such as those developed by marginalized Indigenous populations, can enrich and possibly challenge dominant visions of sustainability anchored in Western discourses on sustainable development and ecological modernization. This paper addresses this research gap in the context of the transition towards low-carbon energy sources by addressing the following question: how do Indigenous worldviews contrast with modernist visions of sustainability in the context of the energy transition? To do so, it first builds a conceptual framework contrasting modernist and Indigenous sustainability worldviews. Second, it applies this framework to the case of wind energy developments within the territory of three Zapotec communities located in southern Mexico, with the discussion relying on 103 interviews with key stakeholders, six focus groups and participant observation. Results show that the Zapotec sustainability worldview contrasts strikingly with wind developers' modernist propositions, which tend to reproduce the region's past colonial arrangements in terms of cultural domination, non-recognition of Indigenous identities and disrespect for local customs. This contrast has led to many conflicts and misunderstandings around wind energy projects. The paper concludes that different conceptualizations of sustainability must be recognized to ensure an inclusive and just energy transition, and advances the concept of "pluriversal technologies" to emphasize the need for technologies that embrace ontological and epistemological diversity by being co-designed, co-produced and co-owned by the inhabitants of the socio-cultural territory in which they are embedded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing concerns regarding environmental sustainability, energy transition has emerged as a vital subtopic in transition studies. Such socio-technical transition requires social learning, which, however, is poorly conceptualized and explained in transition research. This paper overviews transition research on social learning. It attempts to portray how social learning has been studied in the context of energy transition and how research could be advanced. Due to the underdevelopment of the field, this paper employs a narrative review method. The review indicates two clusters of studies, which portray both direct and indirect links concerning the phenomena. The overview reveals that social learning is a force in energy transition and may occur at different levels of analysis, i.e., micro, meso, and macro, as well as different orders of learning. The author proposes to develop the academic research on the topic through quantitative and mixed-methods research as well as contributions and insights from disciplines other than sociology and political science. Some relevant topics for further inquiry can be clustered around: orders of social learning and their antecedents in energy transition; boundary-spanning roles in social learning in the context of energy transition; social learning triggered by stories about energy transition; and other theoretical underpinnings of energy transition research on social learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paris Agreement and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals clearly demonstrate the need for global energy transitions. Evolving energy generation and the expansion of the renewable energy capacity and associated infrastructure contribute to changing and increasing demands for minerals and metals. The potential negative environmental, social and economic impacts of increased mineral resource production have been contested and are under increasing scrutiny by both academia and civil society. Responsible Sourcing (RS) has become a management approach for companies and policymakers to identify, monitor and address potential negative impacts along their raw materials' supply chains. Although RS might contribute to sustainability along the supply chain, this paper raises the question of whether it also contributes to Natural Resource Justice (NRJ) in energy transitions. Based on a bibliometric network analysis, this study investigated current narratives of RS literature and to what degree core aspects of NRJ (e.g., distribution of benefits and burdens, power asymmetries, property rights) are reflected in the RS debate following a deductive approach. The results obtained show that compared with other sectors (e.g., timber, food, biomass, textiles) debates on RS in renewable energy-related sectors are still scarce and fragmented. The analysis indicates that different foci are aligned with one or more of the traditional three sustainability dimensions (i.e., environmental, social, economic), while few addressed aspects of NRJ. The authors observed a distinct lack of holistic justice considerations in the current RS debate and only a few individual issues are discussed, such as the detection of burden shifting, accountability for supplier behavior, and sharing of financial benefits. This research contributes to the understanding of different RS approaches and extends the RS discussion to NRJ considerations in energy transitions. It also points out important paths for future research to contribute to just energy transitions. • A bibliometric network analysis of responsible sourcing literature was conducted. • For the analysis a natural resource justice lens was used. • Sustainable development is replaced by climate change and resource governance. • 'Justice' is not prominently reflected in responsible sourcing literature. • Further research is needed to ensure just energy transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrification of transportation in Germany has failed so far, but the disappointment has given way to more radical visions and new coalitions. Utilities, grid operators, and ICT companies have started to challenge the traditional image of the car. In their future scenarios, transportation, energy, and communication infrastructures must be aligned in order to achieve a sustainable society. This paper explores the co-production and enactment of this technological vision using the analytical framework of sociotechnical imaginaries. First, I describe how the idea of the electric vehicle as energy infrastructure was able to take hold within the German expert community. To understand how this approach might transform the existing mobility and energy practices, I examine two of the first R&D experiments that have enacted this vision in two radically different ways. Both reflect unarticulated assumptions about social life, including implicit cultural notions of selfdetermination, ownership, living arrangements, privacy, and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Society is going through transformations at a rate that is unprecedented in human history. One such transformation is the energy transition, which will affect almost every facet of our society. Gas turbine engines are state of the art machines, a backbone of modern society, and used in various applications, right from power generation to propelling aircraft and ships. This paper reviews the possibilities offered by the Inter-stage Turbine Burner (ITB) configuration for both aviation and power generation with a view on sustainability and fuel flexibility. First, the thermodynamic characteristics of a Brayton-Joule cycle with ITB is elaborated, followed by discussions on the design and the off-design performance characteristics of such a gas turbine architectural variation. Finally, the viability of ITB architecture in reducing emissions and enabling "Energy Mix" in aviation is elaborated. The paper concludes with an outlook on the technological readiness ladder that the engineering community will have to address in the future. • Using an ITB relaxes the design constraints imposed by off-design requirements, improving the engine mission performance. • Using an ITB reduces the turbine inlet temperature substantially and the associate cooling requirements and NO x emissions. • The working environment of ITB allows the application of the low NO x flameless combustion technique in aircraft engines. • Using an ITB enables the "energy mix" concept, allowing cryogenic fuels, like LH2, to be used for future aviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-scale deployment of renewable energy sources (RES) is an important aspect of decarbonising the energy supply, and represents a key part of the German Energiewende . However, significantly increasing the share of renewable power in the energy mix implies coping with the natural intermittency of RES like wind and solar. RES development also does not directly address non-electric energy needs such as fuels for transportation and industry feedstock, which are presently relying on fossil fuels. Therefore, the conversion of surplus renewable electricity (RES-E) into the more convenient form of a liquid or gas (power-to-liquid and power-to-gas) could help offset RES intermittency while providing a diverse mix of energy carriers. If recycled CO 2 is used in the fuel synthesis process, overall emissions can be greatly reduced. This paper aims to sketch the possible contribution of RES-E combined with power-to-gas (PtG) and power-to-liquid (PtL) schemes in the 2050 German energy system, by modelling an increase in installed renewable power. Different scenarios are laid out and compared, and the results are utilised in a basic economic assessment of the fuel production cost for an hypothetical power-to-liquid plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Energy trilemma objectives are not always conflicting in network design. • Stand-by fossil generators combined with batteries as backup for blackouts. • Required external grid capacity ranges between 43% and 228% of peak load. • Changes in capital expenditure and self-supply could affect business models. • No consensus between 4 multi-objective decision making methods. A significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions entails complex trade-offs among economic, environmental and security objectives of the energy trilemma. The associated proliferation of distributed energy resources in power distribution networks requires optimized planning to ensure economic efficiency and security, where security is defined as the ability to withstand outages (reliability) and imbalances between generation and load (flexibility). This paper investigates the trade-offs among active distribution network design solutions in the energy trilemma. Storage, renewable and dispatchable generators are installed to minimize cost, interruptions and emissions via epsilon-constraint mixed integer linear program. The ramping capability of distributed energy resources is harnessed to provide flexible capacity to the surrounding grid, and to enable the transition from active distribution networks into microgrids with islanding capability. Decision-making strategies for selecting the best design from a Pareto-optimal set are contrasted based on the economic, sustainability and security of the design and operations. Applying these strategies to a Californian distribution network shows nonlinear trade-offs between the trilemma objectives, reducing both emissions and interruption durations by up to 64%. Remarkably, energy supply is diversified with up to 47% of local generation entailing a strong reduction in operating expenditures. While the increase in local generation can reduce the peak imports from the surrounding grid by 56% compared to a network without distributed energy resources, enforcing strict emission limits can lead to renewable exports that exceed the peak load by 130%. Sensitivity analyses identify the performance indicators which strongly influence the selection of the best design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze the factors affecting hydrogen and Carbon Capture and Storage Technologies ("CCS") policies, taking into consideration Fossil Fuel Consumption, Oil Reserves, the Debt/GDP Ratio, the Trilemma Index and other variables with respect to OECD countries. STATA 17 was used for the analysis. The results confirm the hypothesis that countries with high fossil fuel consumption and oil reserves are investing in blue hydrogen and CCS towards a "zero-carbon-emission" perspective. Moreover, countries with a good Debt/GDP ratio act most favorably to green policies by raising their Public Debt, because Foreign Direct Investments are negatively correlated with those kinds of policies. Future research should exploit Green Finance policy decision criteria on green and blue hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve the goal of a carbon neutral EU by 2050 and meet the climate targets of the Paris Agreement, a sustainable, efficient, competitive and secure energy system needs to be developed. This paper presents the synthesis of sustainable renewable energy supply networks within the EU-27, proposing a stepwise energy transition in the transport and power sectors, achieving a carbon net neutral target by 2050. A multi-period mixed-integer programming model is developed, with the objective of maximizing sustainability net present value, considering different biomass and waste resources for the production of biofuels, renewable electricity, hydrogen, food and bioproducts, employing different types of technologies. The results show that, with further development of existing technologies, the goal of a carbon-neutral EU can be achieved without compromising food production. Wind farms have proven to be the most promising solution at present for the rapid expansion of electricity generation from renewable energy sources, while the importance of solar photovoltaics is increasing over the years, reaching the 43% share of electricity generation from RES in 2050. Moreover, the energy transition within the EU could have a significant positive impact on the economic, environmental and also social aspects of sustainability, with more than 1.5 million new job opportunities created across the EU over the next 30 years. [Display omitted] • Mathematical programming approach for the transition to carbon-neutral EU by 2050. • Critical review of technologies and synthesis of renewable energy supply networks. • Sustainable multi-period selection of locations, products and types of technologies. • Large economic, eco and social benefits if optimization is carried out at EU level. • Carbon-neutral EU can be achieved through further development of technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) aim to increase the share of non-fossil fuel, especially renewables, in power generation. But at the same time, it mentions that coal is likely to dominate the power generation in the short and medium term to meet the increase in demand and support the intermittency of renewable energy-based power generation. Thus, additional efforts to transform the thermal power generation to a more efficient and less emitting one in the near term by increasing the use of natural gas (a fossil fuel with a lower emission factor than coal) may be planned towards achieving India's additional mitigation commitments. The paper presents the implications of a proposed increase in the share of natural gas in thermal power generation of India by looking into the trade-off between emission mitigation and energy security. Along with a Reference Scenario, three alternative emission scenarios are proposed to understand the likely impacts of increased penetration of natural gas in power generation on India's projected emission profile up to 2050. Results suggest that higher mitigation potential can be achieved through fuel-switch in thermal generation and technological up-gradation to enhance energy use efficiency. The energy security due to the increased share of natural gas imports can be dealt with by diversifying import sources. Shifts can achieve this in the emphasis on long-term contracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Clean energy transitions based on the circular economy (CE) are analysed for a town in China. • This could reduce energy use, CO 2 emissions and PM 2.5 emissions compared to the BAU scenario. • COVID pandemic is a new opportunity to introduce circular economy measures. • Circular economy measures could accelerate clean energy transitions. This paper models the energy and emissions scenarios for a circular economy based clean energy transitions in a 140,000-population town in China, taking into account the new situation encountered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The modelled scenarios propose new clean energy transition roadmaps towards a sustainable urban system through the implementation of circular economy strategies. This is represented by the cascading use of industrial excess heat to form symbiosis between factories and to cover the growing building heat demand, as well as by the electrification of the transport sector and reusing the batteries for a second life as energy storage devices. The results show that for a circular economy scenario, during 2020–2040, an accumulated saving of 7.1 Mtoe final energy use (34%), a decline in 14.5 Mt CO 2 emissions (40%) and 592 t PM 2.5 emissions (43%) could be achieved compared with the business-as-usual scenario. The outcomes of the circular economy strategies are at least 7% better than the new policy scenario which simply has energy efficiency improvements. The outbreak of the COVID-19 tremendously impacts the socio-economic activities in the town. If taking the pandemic as an opportunity to enhance the circular economy, by 2040, compared with the scenario without introducing circular economy measures, the extra avoided final energy use, CO 2 emissions and PM 2.5 emissions could be 1.6 Mtoe (8%), 3.8 Mt (11%) and 229 t (17%) respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge of worldwide energy decarbonization is crucial to ensure sustainable development. The achievement of decarbonization encompasses not only a considerable exploitation of renewable energy sources, but also a paradigm shift in final energy uses towards their massive electrification. Electrification based on Global Energy Interconnections (GEI) is one of the possible pathways towards decarbonization in energy systems. In this paper, we critically discuss the idea of decarbonization through global interconnections in an ‘electricity based’ world, contrasting it against the typically desirable attributes for energy in terms of security, efficiency, sustainability, and affordability. We provide a comparative analysis of global interconnection with other internationally proposed visions of future energy scenarios. The analysis shows that the GEI option could be particularly beneficial from an environmental point of view; however, it requests deep and relevant modifications in the energy markets and regulations, in which a common framework based on the cooperation among different countries is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]