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Ground-mounted photovoltaic systems have the potential to become one of the central elements of the coming energy system. The German federal government is now planning a significant and rapid expansion. However, the extent to which appropriate planning and measures take place in regions and municipalities will also depend on the spatial planning regulations of the federal and state governments. This paper explains that considerable support and control options are available to accompany expansion efforts. Cross-references to the Renewable Energy Sources Act and the Building Code are also shown and it is explained that the different types of ground-mounted photovoltaic systems may partially require a differentiated approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to solve the state's hydropower dependence, build energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a hybrid renewable energy system and its implementation in Willingdon Island. Hybrid Optimisation of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) is used to find the optimal solution for two grid-connected and off-grid scenarios. Of the 19 solutions, an optimal off-grid, an optimal grid-connected, a 100% variable renewable energy, and a diversified energy portfolio option are selected, analyzed, and ranked based on their techno-economic and emissions characteristics. The results suggest the combination of PV/Wind/Grid with a cost of energy of $0.044 as an optimal solution for the Island. The diversified energy solution takes the second position, having 51.4% and 38.8% solar and wind, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is one of the global issues being combatted in recent times. One of the measures is a worldwide cutdown on carbon emissions. This has brought about the rapid development of technologies that can best actualise this goal. The decentralised energy system is designed to harness the strengths of small power-generating sources such as renewable energy sources in a noncentralised manner to help meet the global need for clean energy. Renewable energy sources are faced with the challenge of intermittency, which brings about instability in the grid. Another source of clean energy is nuclear energy, which is traditionally large and not flexible; however, the recent development of technology has resulted in a scaled-down version of the large nuclear plants that are more flexible yet provide clean and stable electricity. This paper explores the possibility of deploying nuclear microreactors in the decentralised energy system and describes the features and the challenges of a decentralised energy system. The features of the small modular reactor that make it a viable candidate for the generating source in the decentralised energy system are explored. A case study for a DES system with a microreactor was conducted for a rural area in Nigeria. The HOMER software was used in simulating the optimum system, while TOPSIS was used in ranking the systems. The result showed that the PV/nuclear/battery system ranked first, followed by the PV/nuclear/wind and battery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass use for energy and materials is, on the one hand, one of the key mitigation options to reach the 1.5 °C GMT target set in the Paris Agreement, as highlighted by the IPCC and many other key analyses. On the other hand, particularly in parts of the EU, a strong negative connotation has emerged in public debate and EC policy, with a particular emphasis on the (presumed) displacement effect in markets and land use. This is a remarkable contrast because the reasons to use sustainable biomass, on the one hand, and the possibilities and synergies for supplying sustainable biomass, on the other, are underpinned with strong evidence, also providing insights on how displacement issues can be avoided. Sustainable biomass supplies can contribute 20–30% of the future global and European energy supply, leading to reduced overall mitigation costs, including realizing the net CO2 removal from the atmosphere using BECCS concepts. This paper highlights which options, pathways and preconditions are key to achieving such a substantial contribution of sustainable biomass in future (2050) energy and material supply (with a focus on the European setting). By pinpointing how "biomass can be done right" and how important synergies can be achieved via better agricultural methods, the restoration of marginal and degraded lands and the adaptation of climate change, a different policy agenda emerges in sharp contrast to how a biobased economy has been framed in recent years. It is recommended that future policy priorities, particularly at the EU level, take a more integral view on the synergy between the role of biomass in the energy transition, climate adaptation and mitigation, better agriculture and the better use of land in general. Strategies to achieve such positive results typically require an alignment between renewable energy, and agricultural, environmental, mitigation and adaptation policies, which is a largely missing nexus in different policy arenas. Resolving this lack of alignment offers a major opportunity, globally, to contribute to the European Green deal and improve energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In the modern world, only conventional energy resources cannot fulfil the growing energy demand. Electricity is a fundamental building block of a technological revolution. Today, most of the electricity demand is met by the burning of fossil fuels but at the cost of adverse environmental impact. In order to bridge the gap between electricity demand and supply, nonconventional and eco‐friendly means of energy generation are considered. Renewable energy systems (RESs) offer an adequate solution to mitigate the challenges originated due to greenhouse gasses (GHG). However, they have an unpredictable power generation with specific site requirements. Grid integration of RESs may lead to new challenges related to power quality, reliability, power system stability, harmonics, subsynchronous oscillations (SSOs), power quality, and reactive power compensation. The integration with energy storage systems (ESSs) can reduce these complexities that arise due to the intermittent nature of RESs. In this paper, a comprehensive review of renewable energy sources has been presented. Application of ESSs in RESs and their development phase has been discussed. Role of ESSs in increasing lifetime, efficiency, and energy density of power system having RESs has been reviewed. Moreover, different techniques to solve the critical issues like low efficiency, harmonics, and inertia reduction in photovoltaic (PV) systems have been presented. Unlike most of the available review papers, this article also investigates the impact of FACTS technology in RESs‐based power system using multitype flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) controllers. Three simulation models have been developed in MATLAB/Simulink. The results show that FACTS devices help to maintain the stability of RESs integrated power system. This review paper is believed to be of potential benefit for researchers from both the industry and academia to develop better understanding of challenges and solution techniques for REs‐based power systems and future research dimensions in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper is concerned with innovative approaches to renewable energy sources computation methodologies, which provide more refined results than the classical alternatives. Such refinements provide additional improvements especially for replacement of fossil energy usages that emit greenhouse gas (GHG) into the atmosphere leading to climate change impact. Current knowledge gap among each renewable energy source calculation is rather missing fundamentals of plausible, rational, and logical explanations for the interpretation of results. In the literature, there are rather complicated and mechanically applicable methodologies, which require input and output measurement data match with missing physical explanations. The view taken in this review paper is to concentrate on quite plausible, logical, rational, and effectively applicable innovative energy calculation methodologies with simplistic fundamentals. For this purpose, a set of renewable energy methodological approaches is revisited with their innovative structures concerning solar, wind, hydro, current, and geothermal energy resources. With the increase in the renewable energy utilizations to combat the undesirable impacts of global warming and climate change, there is a need for better models that will include physical environmental conditions and data properties in the probabilistic, statistical, stochastic, logical, and rational senses leading to refined and more reliable estimations with application examples in the text. Finally, new research directions are also recommended for more refined innovative energy system calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates changes in future energy demand and supply for Indiana due to projected climate change impacts. We first estimate demand changes under both the business-as-usual emissions scenario (RCP 8.5) and a scenario based on reduced emissions consistent with a 2-degree increase in global mean temperature (RCP 4.5), on both a statewide basis and for major urban areas. We then use our adjusted statewide energy demand projections as an input to a comprehensive model of Indiana's energy system, to project expected changes in the state's energy supply under both scenarios. Finally, we consider the potential impacts of two policy scenarios—a carbon pricing scheme and a renewable energy investment tax credit—on emissions and future energy supply choices. Our results suggest that climate change will have a relatively modest effect on energy demand and supply in Indiana, slightly increasing commercial demand and decreasing residential demand but having little effect on energy supply choices. In addition, our results suggest the potential for policy proposals currently being adopted in other states, such as a relatively small carbon price or investment credits for renewable energy sources, to have a larger impact on the state's future energy mix, increasing production from low or zero carbon energy sources and reducing emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the editorial for the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews joint special issue devoted to the research work discussed and presented at the 11th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES), held from the 4th September to the 9th September 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal and the 2nd South East European (SEE) SDEWES Conference held from June 15th to June 18th, 2016 in Piran, Slovenia. This special issue is in line with the journal's aim of publishing research from across the ever-broadening field of renewable and sustainable energy with a strong review element. Previous SDEWES conference special issues have gathered a significant knowledge base in the field of sustainable development that reflects the continuous research efforts of the SDEWES research community. Therefore, this editorial provides not only an overview of the papers published in this particular special issue, but also a wider overview of the current trends in the domain of sustainable and renewable energy. This year's special issue focuses particularly on the benefits of the bio-based economy, energy security issues, fossil fuel thermal plant alternatives and environmental constraints, district heating and cooling together with cross sector energy efficiency and energy conservation issues. Sustainable transport systems, the issue of fuel poverty in urban neighbourhoods and renewable energy to support development of peripheral rural areas, optimising passive building design for hot climates and solar-powered heating and cooling are further topics featured in this special issue. In the process of selecting papers for this special issue, the guest editors invited in total 23 extended manuscripts for consideration for publication. After a rigorous review process by expert reviewers overseen by the guest editors a total of 16 articles were accepted for publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers key drivers to climate policy development with an emphasis on the role of a jurisdiction's underlying energy resource. The states of Hawaii in the United States and Victoria in Australia provide an insightful comparative case study given their differing energy resources: Hawaii has no native fossil fuel resources but abundant renewable energy options while Victoria has an economy traditionally reliant on cheap, plentiful coal. The Advocacy Coalition Framework is applied to analyze why the two states, despite the different incentives provided by their energy resources, developed similar climate policies in the earlier period of policy response to global warming. Analysis finds the stable parameter of energy resources is counterbalanced by other policy drivers including public opinion, leadership and, in particular, features of policy-making particular to the subnational level that provide a different context for climate policy development to that offered at the national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The study investigates HRES sizes to achieve NZEB status for a hotel building. • An optimization analysis of a hotel's grid-connected HRES is presented. • The PV/wind grid-connected system has the lowest NPC and LCOE. • The electricity price of the proposed HRES, at 2.1 ¢/kWh. • The Egypt's retail electricity prices of 6.9 ¢/kWh. The tourism sector is a key source of national income, and the use of renewable energy resources promotes green and sustainable tourism. In addition, ensuring a reliable supply and efficient use of clean energy is a primary objective of Egypt's Vision 2030, as it has a significant impact on the sustainable development and growth of the tourism sector in Egypt. Net-zero energy buildings (NZEBs) are a promising decarbonization effort as they reduce energy consumption while increasing the share of renewable energy. Therefore, it is worth investigating the opportunities for NZEBs applications in tourism sector. This paper presents an optimization analysis of a hotel's grid-connected hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) based on its technical, economical, and environmental prospects. Seven scenarios are considered for on-site generation to match the energy requirements of the specific hotel building. The proposed hybrid systems incorporate photovoltaic (PV), wind turbine (WT), and biogas generators into a grid-connected system for supplying power to a tourist hotel. The size of the microgrid system is optimized to decrease the net present cost (NPC) and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). The results reveal that the PV/wind grid-connected system, with renewable energy generators consisting of 143 kW of photovoltaic modules and one 20 kW wind turbine with a hub height of 18 m, has the lowest NPC and LCOE. This hybrid energy system has a net present cost of 388 k$, which is significantly lower compared to the electricity grid's cost of 873 k$. The electricity price of the proposed HRES, at 2.1 ¢/kWh, is highly competitive with Egypt's retail electricity prices of 6.9 ¢/kWh. Moreover, grid-connected HRES can lower the pressure on the electricity grid arising from the feed-in of electricity from HRES. Furthermore, the proposed HRES will help slow climate change by reducing GHG emissions and fossil fuel usage. Finally, this study will provide valuable guidance for the practical application of NZEBs in Egypt as well as similar global zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, there has been a growing global consensus related to the importance of renewable energy to minimize the emission of greenhouse gases. The solution is an increase in the number of renewable power plants but unfortunately, this leads to a high dependence on climate variables which are already affected by climate change. Brazil is one of the largest producers of electricity by renewables through its hydro-dominant power generation system. However, hydro-generation depends on water inflows that are directly affected by climate change that consequently affect the electricity production. Therefore, these changes need to be considered in the operation and planning of a hydro-dominant power system. In this paper, we present the effects of different climate scenarios in the water inflows produced by the regional Eta climate model. Normally, studies use an optimization model to make decisions in case of a hydro-thermal scheduling problem and use the assured energy to evaluate the hydro-production. In this analysis, water inflows used in the optimization process consider different trends according to its associated climate scenario. Our paper shows that climate change may drastically impact the system assured energy and consequently, the system's capability to supply load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Biomass has often been regarded as a promising renewable energy resource to mitigate climate change. However, what will be the impact on global surface temperature if biomass replace fossil fuel remain unclear. This paper, through a case study in Uttar Pradesh, India address this issue by assessing biomass resource potential to reduce fossil fuel demand and mitigate climate change. Impact of biomass power related GHG emissions on global surface temperature is estimated using the Absolute Global Temperature change Potential (AGTP) climate metric. Uttar Pradesh can produce 71 Mt surplus biomass annually, equivalent to 7298 MW power. Power density of biomass range between 0.10 and 0.25 Wm-2. Significant amount of GHG emissions reduction is possible if biomass replace fossil fuel as a power source in the region. Annual GHG emissions associated with 1 MWh of power derived from coal, natural gas and biomass would cause 4.10 × 10−7, 2.40 × 10−7 and 1.25 × 10−7 mK rise in global surface temperature, 100 years after an initial emission, indicating potential of biomass power to mitigate climate change. Variation in spatio-temporal distribution and low power density could be delimiting factors in large-scale deployment of biomass power. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Biomass resources and power potentials are assessed for Uttar Pradesh, India. • GHG emissions from biomass power is assessed and compared with fossil fuels. • Climatic impact of power generation is assessed via novel climate metric. • Biomass power can mitigate climate change by replacing fossil fuels. • Spatio-temporal variability and low power density are limitations of biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar cells are considered as one of the prominent sources of renewable energy suitable for large-scale adoption in a carbon-constrained world and can contribute to reduced reliance on energy imports, whilst improving the security of energy supply. A new arrival in the family of solar cells technologies is the organic-inorganic halide perovskite. The major thrust for endorsing these new solar cells pertains to their potential as an economically and environmentally viable option to traditional silicon-based technology. To verify this assertion, this paper presents a critical review of some existing photovoltaic (PV) technologies in comparison with perovskite-structured solar cells (PSCs), including material and performance parameters, production processes and manufacturing complexity, economics, key technological challenges for further developments and current research efforts. At present, there is limited environmental assessment of PSCs and consequently, a methodologically robust and environmentally expansive lifecycle supply chain assessment of two types of PSC modules A and B is also undertaken within the context of other PV technologies, to assess their potential for environmentally friendly innovation in the energy sector. Module A is based on MAPbX 3 perovskite structure while module B is based on CsFAPbX 3 with improved stability, reproducibility and high performance efficiency. The main outcomes, presented along with sensitivity analysis, show that PSCs offer more environmentally friendly and sustainable option, with the least energy payback period, as compared to other PV technologies. The review and analysis presented provide valuable insight and guidance in identifying pathways and windows of opportunity for future PV designs towards cleaner and sustainable energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses how 10 localities in the USA and England, recognised as leaders in clean energy and climate action, have used collaborative approaches to develop local climate change plans and energy conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy initiatives. It examines these planning and policy-making processes in the context of Margerum's [2008. A typology of collaboration efforts in environmental management.Environmental Management, 41 (4), 487–500] typology of “action”, “organizational”, and “policy-level” collaborations, as well as Gray's [1989.Collaborating: finding common ground for multiparty problems. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass] classification of collaboration in the “problem-setting”, “direction-setting”, and “implementation” phases. We conducted interviews with local elected officials, municipal staff, energy professionals, and citizen volunteers in each community, supplemented with an analysis of their adopted energy, climate change, and land-use plans. We find that despite the different government structures and political contexts between the two countries, there was a surprising amount of commonality in how the case study localities used collaborative planning to develop local climate plans and clean energy initiatives. These processes were most often initiated by local elected officials and/or high-level staff members, and then carried out in collaboration with local third-sector organisations and other community stakeholders. In the USA, collaboration was strongest at the policy level and in the direction-setting phase, with the distinguishing feature that citizen advisory boards or stakeholder working groups often took a more active role in shaping local plans and policies. The English localities had some of those same types of collaborations, but were more likely to also employ action collaboration, in the implementation phase, in which third-sector organisations coordinated with the locality to directly provide clean energy services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central strategy for climate change mitigation is expanding electricity generation from renewable energy sources, with an increasing share of decentralized generation. Some of these sources are variable renewable energy (VRE) sources, such as wind and solar resources. Measures have to be enacted to integrate VRE into an existing power supply system. One approach is switching from grid electricity supply towards direct demand of VRE generation to reduce grid transportation requirements and variable electricity grid feed-in. Within this context, energy flexibility control of manufacturing systems can be used to match energy demand of manufacturing systems with on-site VRE generation. Nonetheless, due to their inherent dynamic behavior, interlinked manufacturing systems provide additional operational and technical challenges such as maintaining throughput when energy control actions are executed. Further, stochastic influences from, for example, VRE generation and manufacturing system behavior constitute the requirement for a real-time approach on the level of manufacturing execution systems. Consequently, this paper presents a method for real-time control of manufacturing systems with several processes and intermediate buffers to increase utilization of (on-site) generated VRE without compromising system throughput. An initial method for an energy flexibility control logic is presented and a simulation prototype to evaluate its effectiveness is implemented. A case study is used to demonstrate the effectiveness and to test sensitivities to system parameter changes. Impact on direct VRE demand and additional operational indicators is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper will summarise the European Strategy for Energy and Climate Change. In current international negotiations Europe has proposed a 20% reduction in GHG (greenhouse gases) in the developed countries by 2020 or 30% should there be an international agreement in the domain. However it is important to define measures to achieve the targets. One of the principal tools is to improve energy efficiency under the energy efficiency action plan, which will help to achieve a 20% energy saving by 2020. On the other hand, the amount of energy from renewable sources consumed in Europe will have to rise from its current level of 8.5%–20% by 2020. These are ambitious but achievable targets. Nonetheless, these can only be achieved through strong investment in areas of the knowledge triangle which strengthens research and innovation in the energy sector in Europe. The paper covers European Energy and Climate Change Policy, the European Strategic Energy Technology plan, the consequences of the Lisbon Treaty, European and national Road maps to a low carbon economy, the Energy Efficiency Plan for 2011 and finishes with a brief consideration of the EU’s energy infrastructure priorities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Though in last four decades various alternate energy sources have come into the limelight, the hyperbolic use of coal as a prime energy source cannot be counterbalanced. Disposal of high amount of fly-ash from thermal power plants absorbs huge amount of water, energy and land area by ash ponds. In order to meet the growing energy demand, various environmental, economic and social problems associated with the disposal of fly-ash would continue to increase. Therefore, fly-ash management would remain a great concern of the century. Fly-ash has great potentiality in agriculture due to its efficacy in modification of soil health and crop performance. The high concentration of elements (K, Na, Zn, Ca, Mg and Fe) in fly-ash increases the yield of many agricultural crops. But compared to other sectors, the use of fly-ash in agriculture is limited. An exhaustive review of numerous studies of last four decades took place in this paper, which systematically covers the importance, scope and apprehension regarding utilization of fly-ash in agriculture. The authors concluded that though studies have established some solutions to handle the problems of radioactivity and heavy metal content in fly-ash, long-term confirmatory research and demonstration are necessary. This paper also identified some areas, like proper handling of dry ash in plants as well as in fields, ash pond management (i.e., faster decantation, recycling of water, vertical expansion rather than horizontal), monitoring of soil health, crop quality, and fate of fly-ash in time domain, where research thrust is required. Agricultural lime application contributes to global warming as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assumes that all the carbon in agricultural lime is finally released as CO2 to the atmosphere. It is expected that use of fly-ash instead of lime in agriculture can reduce net CO2 emission, thus reduce global warming also. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports the outcome of the project on “Capacity building in formulating harmonized policy instruments for the promotion of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in the ASEAN member countries”. With the growing concerns about green house gas (GHG) emission and consequent climate change, renewable energy sources have become more attractive option for electricity generation around the world. Studies have been made on the status of renewable energy potential and utilization, major barriers in promoting renewable energy in ASEAN countries, major energy policies to overcome barriers, and existing renewable energy and energy efficiency policies in ASEAN countries. Paper concludes that ASEAN has not utilized its renewable energy resources anywhere near to the potential. Analysis found that the key factor that has to be amended is “policies and regulations in renewable energy and energy efficiency” at both country level and regional level. But, ASEAN is not yet ready for the full harmonization of the policies. However, it recommends that, with the project outputs it is possible to focus on the specific policy instruments common to most of the member countries, such that it could use to augment ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) initiatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The evidence of relationships between climate change induced by greenhouse gases of anthropogenic origin, and energy-economic issues (inappropriate use of fossil fuels and technologies, uncertainty in fuels price and demand trends, etc.) asks for the adoption of a holistic approach in order to re-orient the anthropogenic activities’ system towards a configuration that harmonizes environmental protection, economic growth and security of energy supply. In this framework, energy system sustainability represents one of the major challenge the EU is facing and its implementation passes through a path of coordinate actions carried out by local governments in which objectives of sustainable development become integral part of strategic programming. The aim of this research is to provide local administrations with an analytical support tool to guide key strategic decisions in energy and climate planning on the medium-long term, assessing the possible role of local energy systems in the achievement of sustainable objectives at national/European scale. This paper focuses on the implementation of a partial equilibrium TIMES-generated model in a real case study, the regional energy system of Basilicata region (Southern Italy). First, it describes the adopted methodology. Second, it is provided a step-by-step description and characterisation of the reference energy system and the model’s data input which represents the first step for an in-depth knowledge of the present energy system on which to build effective and sustainable local energy and climate plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy crisis and climate change are being the global challenge for the present debate since the world is in need of a green, efficient, carbon-neutral energy source to replace fossil fuels. Bio- gas, produced by biomethanation from organic materials, contributes to durable, reliable and renewable energy. Production of bio methane from vegetable wastes provides a flexible carrier for renewable energy; methane can be used as a substitute fuel for both heat and power production. In this context, the Indian Government invited the support of the private sectors as before, for the development and utilization of Eco-friendly new and renewable sources of energy to cover the demand. The paper also reviews the current state of vegetables purposes for bio methane production, including their preparation methods and performance. The vegetable wastes for bio methane production are presented and their main advantages described in comparison with the other available method of mixture of vegetable wastes for methane production. The waste generated may cause health hazards, so, setting up a waste treatment plant based on biomethanation process is the solution to use the technology to generate electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed energy resources (DER) are emerging rapidly. New engineering technologies, materials, and designs improve the performance and extend the range of locations for DER. In contrast, constructing new or modernizing existing high voltage transmission lines for centralized generation are expensive and challenging. In addition, customer demand for reliability has increased and concerns about climate change have created a pull for swift renewable energy penetration. In this context, DER policy makers, developers, and users are interested in determining which energy technologies to use to accommodate different end-use energy demands. In this paper, we present a two-stage multi-objective strategic technology-policy framework for determining the optimal energy technology allocation for DER. The framework simultaneously considers economic, technical, and environmental objectives. The first stage utilizes a production frontier estimation model for each end-use to evaluate the performance of each energy technology based on the three objectives. The second stage incorporates factor efficiencies determined in the first stage, capacity limitations, dispatchability, and renewable penetration for each technology, and demand for each end-use into a bottleneck multi-criteria decision model which provides the Pareto-optimal energy resource allocation. For demonstration purposes, we apply the framework to a dataset constructed for a typical commercial building located in the Northeastern United States and discuss the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns with climate change, requirements for the renewable portfolio standards, government incentives, and lowering cost of renewable and distributed energy resources (DERs) are some of the driving forces for the steeper growth in DER installations. DERs are commonly connected near the load in electric power distribution systems and include renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, fossil-fuel-based generation such as microturbines, and other distributed energy storage elements. A novel methodology is developed in this paper that optimizes the sizing and placement of DER on electrical distribution feeders based on both technical and economic considerations and tested on the IEEE 34-bus system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In today's energy system, the diffusion of renewable-based technologies is accelerating rapidly. Development of mechanisms that support the large-scale deployment of renewables towards global warming and climate change mitigation continues to remain an issue of utter importance. The most important challenges the energy system of Kosovo faces today is the difficulty to meet all the demand for electricity, low operating efficiency and high release of greenhouse gas emissions, but specifically a large source of carbon dioxide (CO2). Consequently, this influences not only the stability of the system but the society as a whole. This paper addresses several possibilities for designing an adaptable energy system in Kosovo with the ability to balance electricity supply and demand which will meet the requirements for a more efficient, reliable and secure system. A new way of energy generating through integration of new renewable and non-renewable technologies is developed using the EnergyPLAN model. The system is based on available technologies: existing hydro, wind, photovoltaic (PV), combined heat and power (CHP) and new solar thermal, heat pumps and biomass. The baseline scenario 2015 was expanded by four additional scenarios, two for the year 2030 and two for the year 2050. The contribution of renewable sources in the primary energy supply (PES) in the performed scenarios was 14.8%, 34.1%, 38.4%, 69.7% and 68.3% respectively. Further, a very important component of this paper is the investigation of integrating carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology in the coal-based power plant as part of the analysis in the second scenario for 2050. The shift to zero-carbon energy system in Kosovo requires additional research and assessment in order to identify the untapped potential of renewable sources. However, from the results obtained it can be concluded that the goal of a secure, competitive and sustainable energy system in Kosovo state which will meet its long-term energy needs can be certainly achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper analyzes the concept of a decentralized power system based on wind energy and a pumped hydro storage system in a tall building. The system reacts to the current paradigm of power outage in Latin American countries caused by infrastructure limitations and climate change, while it fosters the penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) for a more diversified and secure electricity supply. An explicit methodology describes the assessment of technical, operational and economic potentials in a specific urban setting in Caracas/Venezuela. The suitability, applicability and the impacts generated by such power system are furthermore discussed at economic, social and technical level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

For many decades, the production of industrial goods was concentrated in the Northern hemisphere, while energy resources were abundantly available in a limited number of developing countries and those with centrally planned economies. In this context, the security of energy supply was mainly understood as a secure procurement of cheap energy resources to the industrialised world. Military forces have been constantly upgraded and deployed to ensure geopolitical interests, including the control of energy resources. Nowadays, the depletion of oil and gas reserves, the growing concerns about global climate change along with the emergence of new energy demand centres in South and East Asia and the continuing political tensions in several major energy-exporting and -transit countries raise the question of possible alternative strategies to safeguard global energy security. It is vital to change the old paradigm. But what could be the new paradigm? This paper attempts to contribute to this debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The use of renewable energy has a long history. Biomass, for instance, has been used for heating and cooking, while wind has been used in the irrigation of fields and to drive windmills for centuries. Although Turkey has many energy resources, all of these with the exception of coal and hydropower, cannot meet the total energy demand. Turkey has been importing resources to meet this deficit. These resources have become increasingly expensive and also have undesirably high emissions ratings. Turkey has an extensive shoreline and mountains and is rich in renewable energy potential. The share of renewables on total electricity generation is 29.63% while that of natural gas is 45% for the year 2006. The projection prepared for the period between 2006 and 2020 aims an annual growth of 8% for the total electricity generation. According to this projection, it is expected that renewables will have a share about 23.68% with a decrease of 5.95% while natural gas will have a share about 33.38% for 2020. This paper presents the present state of world renewable energy sources and then looks in detail at the potential resources available in Turkey. Energy politics are also considered. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is considerable interest in the potential impact of climate change on the feasibility and predictability of renewable energy sources including wind energy. This paper presents dynamically downscaled near-surface wind fields and examines the impact of climate change on near-surface flow and hence wind energy density across northern Europe. It is shown that: Simulated wind fields from the Rossby Centre coupled Regional Climate Model (RCM) (RCAO) with boundary conditions derived from ECHAM4/OPYC3 AOGCM and the HadAM3H atmosphere-only GCM exhibit reasonable and realistic features as documented in reanalysis data products during the control period (1961–1990). The near-surface wind speeds calculated for a climate change projection period of 2071–2100 are higher than during the control run for two IPCC emission scenarios (A2, B2) for simulations conducted using boundary conditions from ECHAM4/OPYC3. The RCAO simulations conducted using boundary conditions from ECHAM4/OPYC3 indicate evidence for a small increase in the annual wind energy resource over northern Europe between the control run and climate change projection period and for more substantial increases in energy density during the winter season. However, the differences between the RCAO simulations for the climate projection period and the control run are of similar magnitude to differences between the RCAO fields in the control period and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. Additionally, the simulations show a high degree of sensitivity to the boundary conditions, and simulations conducted using boundary conditions from HadAM3H exhibit evidence of slight declines or no change in wind speed and energy density between 1961–1990 and 2071–2100. Hence, the uncertainty of the projected wind changes is relatively high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the discourse on global environmental change in Iceland in official reports and newspaper discussions around the turn of the millennium. Three competing discursive positions were found. First, Iceland can provide clean energy for the world so that aluminium smelters do not need to burn as much fossil fuels as they would have to do otherwise. Second, Iceland is responsible to the world for the protection of its environment because Icelanders have a unique land to protect – the largest unpopulated and untouched area in western Europe. Third, Iceland can help the world by contributing its vast land areas to grow grass and forests and fix carbon dioxide, in part because some of these areas are especially well suited to soil reclamation and afforestation. The study focuses on the use of nationalistic arguments for the global role and responsibility of Iceland in environmental matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Avoiding dangerous climate change is likely to require policies to mitigate CO2 emissions that are substantially more ambitious than those currently being considered. For such policies, the issue of endogenous technological change becomes important, both to estimate the overall costs and to identify the intertemporally cost-effective combination of mitigation options. In this paper, we first discuss the recent literature that evaluates the potential for endogenous technological change to reduce mitigation costs, and the efforts to incorporate endogenous technological change into pre-existing integrated assessment models. Then we formulate our own integrated assessment model, the Model of INvestment and Technological Development (MIND), which allows analysis of the relationship between specific mitigation options and the costs of ambitious climate protection objectives. Our model reveals two important results. First, the incorporation of technological change in a portfolio of mitigation options can reduce the costs of climate policies substantially. Achieving the ambitious policy goals necessary to avoid dangerous climate change becomes feasible without significant welfare losses. Second, the different mitigation options are of different importance in achieving climate protection goals: improving energy efficiency becomes too costly as a major mitigation option in the long run. In the long run, fossil fuels have to be substituted by renewable energy sources because a backstop technology with the potential of learning-by-doing has the strongest impact on reducing the welfare losses due to climate protection. Furthermore, Carbon Capturing and Sequestration can allow for further reduction in the costs of climate protection and can postpone the need to transform the energy system from a fossil-fuel-based one to a renewables one. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To achieve the CO2 reductions deemed necessary to limit the impact of adverse climate change will require real changes in the way we both use and supply energy. Although explicit international and national frameworks are necessary to facilitate reduction strategies, regional implementation and local initiatives are increasingly seen as having an important role to play, both in meeting national CO2 reduction targets and improving the local environment. This paper deals with the supply side of the energy equation for Greater Manchester in the U.K., examining the potential for ‘regional’ energy supply options to contribute to a reduction in carbon intensity. By assessing actual and latent regional opportunities, the potential for achieving a more sustainable energy supply system is evaluated. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for energy and the impacts generated by CO2 emissions make it necessary to harness all possible renewable sources of energy, like wave power. Nevertheless, climate change may generate significant variations in the amount of wave energy available in a certain area. The aim of this paper is to study potential changes in the wave energy resource in the Mediterranean coast of Morocco due to climate change. To do this, wave datasets obtained by four institutes during the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment in the Mediterranean Region (Med-CORDEX) project are used. The future conditions correspond to the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios from the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The results show that projected future wave power is very similar to that of the present considering the whole area, although at some specific points there are slight changes that are more evident for the RCP8.5 scenario. Another remarkable result of this study is the significant increase of the temporal variability of wave power in future scenarios, in particular for RCP8.5. This will be detrimental for the deployment of wave energy converters in this area since their energy output will be more unevenly distributed over time, thus decreasing their efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the world-wide attention that global climate change is receiving, laudable attempts are made to increase the share of renewable energies in electricity production around the globe. In addition to climate change issue, the need for bringing electricity to millions of people who live in the least-developed parts of the world act as a stimulus to the development of renewable energy share of electricity generation. Despite all efforts, a considerable number of people in rural and remote areas of Africa are still striving to gain access to energy. This issue has been partly addressed by the introduction and development of off-the-grids (stand-alone power systems) using renewable energy sources, including wind. The key aim of this research is to study wind power as a source of electrification in Africa. Renewable energy supply is very vulnerable to hydro-climatic variability and extreme hydro-meteorological events, and wind energy is no exception. In particular, low wind speeds throughout Africa pose a real challenge to electricity generation from wind. Using hourly estimates of wind speed provided by ERA5 (the latest climate reanalysis produced by ECMWF), this paper evaluates spatial and temporal variability in daily wind power production across Africa, for a 18-year period (from 2000 to 2017), in terms of the capacity factor of wind (the average wind power generated each day divided by the rated peak power), and the minimum required wind speed for power production (useable wind speed). Furthermore, by calculating the low percentile values of daily capacity factors, we gain understanding of the ability of wind turbines to achieve a given level of service quality, and put an economic perspective on wind power production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]