Search

The transformation of the energy sector, based on the development of low-carbon technologies, is essential to achieve climate neutrality. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a powerful methodology for assessing the environmental impact of energy technologies, which proves to be a useful tool for policy makers. The paper is a review of the main LCA studies of power generation systems performed over the past ten years aiming at comparing the energy technologies to identify those with the lowest impact on the environment, evaluated in terms of gCO2eq/kWh emissions. Screening criteria were established to include only studies of the highest qualitative significance. The authors decided to assign greater weight to emission values reported in more recent studies. For nuclear and renewable energy technologies, most of the emissions are related to the pre-operational phases. Notably, both nuclear and wind technologies, along with other renewable sources throughout their entire life cycle, exhibit significantly lower and less variable emissions compared with conventional gas- and coal-fired technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In light of the increasing share of renewable energy sources (RES) in electricity generation, the research community is directing their attention toward developing highly efficient DC‐DC high‐gain step‐up converters. These converters are designed to exhibit reduced voltage stress on the switching devices (semiconductors). This paper presents a comprehensive study of a switch voltage stress‐reduced step‐up converter that offers a range of additional features, including the availability of a common ground point, continuous input current, simple two‐mode continuous conduction mode (CCM) operation, wide duty cycle range, and quadratic boosting factor. To achieve the aforementioned features, the converter utilizes two switches with the same operating modes, eliminating the need for complex switching circuitry. Operational modes, steady‐state analysis, and design considerations have been presented in detail. Comparative analysis indicates that the voltage conversion ratio per number of devices in the proposed topology is significantly higher than that of similar topologies. In addition, the voltage stress of switches is considerably less than the topologies addressed in the literature. The study further includes detailed mathematical and experimental analyses, small signal analysis, and hardware implementation to support the theoretical findings. The converter's efficiency has been thoroughly analyzed along with thermal analysis to ensure its reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome its reliance on burning fossil fuels for energy generation and water desalination, Kuwait has pioneered research and cutting-edge projects in renewable energy since the 1980s. This paper examines the power sector in Kuwait and emphasizes the government’s keenness to diversify the country’s electric power supply. It provides a comprehensive overview of Kuwait’s efforts, to emerge as a leading example in the region, fostering collaboration and matchmaking within renewable energy industries. The country’s goal is to meet 15% of the demand for power from renewable energy by 2030, including a reduction in energy use in the building sector by 12% and a decrease in CO2 emissions by 33%. The country’s initiatives revolve around harnessing renewable sources, particularly emphasizing the exploration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Challenges and opportunities are presented to provide information for international institutions, technology companies, designers, researchers, and decision makers, aiming to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of PV project implementation in the country and the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dependable and cost-effective energy distribution scheme is the need in the current scenario of distributed generation of electricity. In the recent past, different economic dispatch techniques are proposed to address this challenge of cost-effectiveness. The fossil fuels issue of pollutant emission and the limited stock has pushed the research community to focus on the direction of renewable energy generation. The aim of this paper is to present a multi-objective cost-emission-based dynamic economic dispatch (MOCEDED) algorithm, which includes thermal, solar, and wind-based power plants. Moreover, the uncertainty of solar and wind power in terms of curtailment is also included in the formulation of the algorithm. The formulated objective function is quadratic constrained programming, which is implemented in General Algebraic Modeling System software. Two paradigms, i.e. only cost-based DED and MOCEDED algorithm, have been analyzed. The outcome of the proposed MOCEDED algorithm shows more promising results than cost-based DED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar power occupies a significant position among global renewable energy sources due to its abundant energy potential. Consequently, its contribution to electricity generation is steadily increasing. However, obtaining peak efficiency from fixed solar photovoltaic (PV) panels is a formidable task due to their limited ability to consistently tap into solar energy. To tackle this issue and mitigate energy efficiency losses, the utilization of solar tracking systems has emerged as an exceptionally effective solution. These systems enable continuous adjustment of the panels' position to align with the sun's trajectory, optimizing energy absorption and enhancing overall performance. This paper presents the performance and cost analysis of three distinct solar panel tracking systems, namely, a fixed system, a single-axis system, and a dual-axis system. The systems are operated under identical coordinates and conditions. The production data are collected over a period of 15 days for comparative analysis. The tracking movements of the systems are controlled using Arduino. The mechanical components are specifically designed for the establishment of each system. The findings of this study indicate that both single-axis and dual-axis solar tracking systems outperformed fixed systems in terms of power generation. The single-axis system demonstrated a 24.367% increase in power production, while the dual-axis system showed a 32.247% increase compared to the fixed system. Moreover, a cost analysis was carried out considering the installation expenses and power production data of the three systems. It was determined that the single-axis tracking system achieved payback in 0.39 years less compared to the fixed system, while the dual-axis system achieved payback in 1.48 years less compared to the fixed system. Overall, this study underscores the advantages of implementing solar tracking systems, particularly in the single-axis and dual-axis configurations, as they contribute to higher power generation and cost-effectiveness compared to fixed systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) are emerging as an effective concept and model to empower the active participation of citizens in the energy transition, not only as energy consumers but also as promoters of environmentally friendly energy generation solutions, particularly through the use of photovoltaic panels. This paper aims to contribute to the management and optimization of individual and community Distributed Energy Resources (DER). The solution follows a price and source-based REC management program, in which consumers' day-ahead flexible loads (Flex Offers) are shifted according to electricity generation availability, prices, and personal preferences, to balance the grid and incentivize user participation. The heuristic approach used in the proposed algorithms allows for the optimization of energy resources in a distributed edge-and-fog approach with a low computational overhead. The simulations performed using real-world energy consumption and flexibility data of a REC with 50 dwellings show an average cost reduction, taking into consideration all the seasons of the year, of 6.5%, with a peak of 12.2% reduction in the summer, and an average increase of 32.6% in individual self-consumption. In addition, the case study demonstrates promising results regarding grid load balancing and the introduction of intra-community energy trading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, energy represents a key element in the social and economic development of a territory. This is particularly true for fragile territories that are not interconnected, such as small island states. As is true for many of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) worldwide, the energy situation of the Comoros is substantially based on fossil fuel imports. The socioeconomic development of this archipelago is overwhelmingly dependent on energy security from sustainability, availability and affordability perspectives. As a forward-looking response to energy vulnerability, the deployment of renewables to diversify the generation of electricity appears to be an essential prerequisite for guaranteeing a sustainable future. Nevertheless, despite a high potential for renewable energy, only 3.8% of the electricity supply in the Comoros is provided by hydropower. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the energy situation throughout the Comoros and focuses on renewable energy opportunities to facilitate the supply of green power. This study ultimately shows that renewable energies are rarely exploited despite the powerful potential of different resources. Finally, this paper attempts to provide recommendations for the Comoros to pursue a more sustainable future. • Analysis of the current energy situation of Comoros. • Defining renewable potential and ongoing actions. • Analysis of the specific barriers and policy to the development of RES in the Comoros. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, one of the key postulates in the European Union's policy has become the development of renewable energy sources. In order to achieve the desired synergy effect, the idea of combining two selected sources of energy appeared. This article presents a technical and economic analysis of a hybrid connection of a ground source heat pump with a photovoltaic installation. Taking into account the heat demand of the building, a ground heat pump with a catalog nominal heating power of 25 kW was selected. This article presents the problem of the economic profitability of using a hybrid combination of a heat pump and photovoltaic panels in domestic hot water and central heating systems. The justification for the use of such heat sources in these installations is due to global trends and the gradual departure from conventional energy sources such as oil or gas boilers. This paper presents the economic and ecological results of using the pump heat connected together with photovoltaic panels. In the economic analysis, with the assumed installation costs related to the use of the considered heat pump and PV, two parameters commonly used in the investment analysis (static and dynamic) were used, namely, the simple payback period and the net present value of the investment. For the adopted assumptions, the usable area of the facility and the number of years of use were indicated, at which the investment in question is competitive with other alternative investment interest methods and will start to bring tangible benefits. The performed analysis also has measurable environmental benefits in the form of a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions at the level of 2893 kg/year into the atmosphere. The presented solution will help future investors understand the investment profitability mechanism for their households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional petrol vehicles emit a substantial quantity of greenhouse gases, leading to increasingly serious global warming problems. The expansion and development of renewable power generation technologies is conducive in promoting the use of electric vehicles, which are more environmentally friendly. This paper proposes a multi-objective power expansion model considering renewable energy policy objectives. The model regards the problem as a multi-period optimisation task, taking the newly installed capacity and the power generation capacity of each power generation technology as decision variables, and simulating the uncertain factors in the planning process using Geometric Brownian Motion and Monte Carlo approaches. The optimisation objective of the model is to minimise expected costs, reduce risk and environmental impacts, and incorporate changing policy objectives into the constraints to meet policy makers' expectations for renewable energy development. Then, a decentralised target search-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm is proposed to solve the model. Its effectiveness is verified by a numerical example using real data from the Chinese power system. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm exhibits improved performance compared with benchmark algorithms and provides high quality and diverse Pareto-optimal solutions to decision makers. Finally, the optimal plans for power expansion and generation mix under different preferences and policy objectives are discussed and corresponding recommendations are made. [Display omitted] • Planning for the expansion of power generation under uncertainties is determined. • Strategies for the expansion of power generation towards renewable energy are optimised. • A novel multi-objective evolutionary algorithm with a constraint handling method is developed. • The impact of multiple renewable energy policies on power generation expansion planning is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the challenges isolated islands face in transitioning from fossil fuel-based electricity generation to renewable energy sources. The Canary Islands serve as a case study, where photovoltaic and wind power are the primary renewables, but their variability requires a deep techno-economic analysis. The island's energy demand is predicted to rise by 100% due to economic growth, electrification and electric vehicles. However, implementing renewable systems encounters obstacles, such as limited suitable sites and protected areas. The study uses Wilks' methodology and Monte Carlo sampling to explore 59 combinations of randomly selected inputs of the uncertain variables, aiming for a 95/95% coverage and confidence level in the results. In most cases, they experience energy shortages, failing to meet electric demand. Even though a new generation mix appears to cover demand under all circumstances, the uncertainty unveils a different reality, leading to an approximate 25% increase in system costs. Surpluses in energy generation, while seemingly positive, can pose challenges. The new system's Levelized Cost of Energy increases from around 14 to 17c€/kWh. These cost increases are contingent upon future performance and the variability of uncertain parameters, leading to excesses ranging from slightly below 25% to over 40%. • Demand coverage scenario designed to meet electric demand through renewable sources. • Uncertainty analysis of a scenario for the complete electrification of the economy. • Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty analysis implementing the Wilks' methodology. • Resizing the system to cover the demand with 95% coverage and confidence levels. • Differences in using deterministic and stochastic methods for electric demand coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change motivated by human activities constitutes one of the main challenges of this century. To cut carbon emissions in order to mitigate carbon's dangerous effects, the current energy generation mix should be shifted to renewable sources. The main drawback of these technologies is their intermittency, which will require energy storage systems to be fully integrated into the generation mix, allowing them to be more controllable. In recent years, great progress to develop an effective and economically feasible energy storage systems, particularly motivated by the recent rise of demand for electric transportation, has been made. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery prices have fallen near 90% over the past decade, making possible the affordability of electric vehicles and transforming the economics of renewable energy. In this work, a study on storage capacity demand previously presented as conference paper is expanded, including a deep analysis of the Spanish generation mix, the evaluation of the energy storage requirements for different low-carbon and carbon-free scenarios in Mainland Spain, and the calculation of the CO2 emissions' reduction and the associated storage costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-term forecasting of electricity generation from variable renewable energy sources is not an end in itself but should provide some net benefit to its user. In the case of electricity trading, which is in the focus of this paper, the benefit can be quantified in terms of an improved economic outcome. Although some effort has been made to evaluate and to improve the profitability of electricity forecasts, the understanding of the underlying effects has remained incomplete so far. In this paper, we develop a more comprehensive theoretical framework of the connection between the statistical and the economic properties of day-ahead electricity forecasts. We find that, apart from the accuracy and the bias, which have already been extensively researched, the correlation between the forecast errors and the market price spread determines the economic implications - a phenomenon which we refer to as 'correlation effect'. Our analysis is completed by a case study on solar electricity forecasting in Germany which illustrates the relevance and the limits of both our theoretical framework and the correlation effect. • The economics of short-term electricity forecasts are studied analytically and empirically. • The value and the risk of forecast-based electricity trading are evaluated. • We find that the economics depend on the correlation of forecast errors with prices. • Hence, the most accurate forecast is not necessarily the most accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penetration of renewable energy resources into grid is necessary to meet the elevated demand of electricity. In view of this penetration of solar and wind power increasing immensely across the globe. Solar energy is widely expanding in terms of generation and capacity addition due its better predictability over wind energy. Electricity pricing is one of the important aspects for power system planning and it felicitates information for the electricity bidder for accurate electricity generation and resource allocation. The important task is to forecast the electricity price accurately in grid interactive environment. This task is tedious in renewable integrated market due to intermittency issue. In this paper, investigation has been done on the effect of solar energy generation on electricity price forecasting. Different state of the art Machine learning (ML) models have been applied and compared with LSTM model for electricity price forecasting and the evaluation of the impact of solar energy generation on electricity price has been done. During the investigation it was found from the results that the LSTM model outperform all other models and impact of solar energy generation on electricity price is evaluated using forecasting metrics. The forecasted electricity price considering the factor of solar energy generation was lower as compared with the forecast without solar energy generation. The reliability test of the MAPE values has been performed by calculating confidence interval for proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper performs a concept on a new exploration of electricity generation by harvesting the kinetic energy from landing aircraft. Firstly, this paper analyzes and tabulates the current status of renewable energy sources and the conventional power generations in Malaysia's electric supply until 2017. It has been reviewed based on the demand, availability, and power production of the sources. At the same time, the locations and providers for several energy supplies have been identified with the evidence of its rated power being generated. Next, this paper also highlights the plan for achieving a low-carbon country based on the plans which have been in place between 1970 until 2017 in order to create a zero-carbon generation by 2030 for Malaysia's energy sector. Toward the end of this paper, the authors suggest a new method on decarbonization technologies for clean energy in order to reach zero-carbon generation earlier than 2030. It is by introducing a new topology of electrical power generation system using waste energy, which is kinetic energy based on landing aircraft, for the possibility of power generation for a new Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy production is constantly growing worldwide, and some countries produce a relevant percentage of their daily electricity consumption through wind energy. Therefore, decision support systems that can make accurate predictions of wind-based power production are of paramount importance for the traders operating in the energy market and for the managers in charge of planning the nonrenewable energy production. In this paper, we present a decision support system that can predict electric power production, estimate a variability index for the prediction, and analyze the wind farm (WF) production characteristics. The main contribution of this paper is a novel system for long-term electric power prediction based solely on the weather forecasts; thus, it is suitable for the WFs that cannot collect or manage the real-time data acquired by the sensors. Our system is based on neural networks and on novel techniques for calibrating and thresholding the weather forecasts based on the distinctive characteristics of the WF orography. We tuned and evaluated the proposed system using the data collected from two WFs over a two-year period and achieved satisfactory results. We studied different feature sets, training strategies, and system configurations before implementing this system for a player in the energy market. This company evaluated the power production prediction performance and the impact of our system at ten different WFs under real-world conditions and achieved a significant improvement with respect to their previous approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper presents the Survey of AI Methods for Renewable Energy Forecasting. • Taxonomy of AI for solar and wind renewable energy is presented. • Combinations of ML and metaheuristic methods for renewable energy are discussed. • Prospects of improved metaheuristic algorithms for renewable energy forecasting are presented. The efforts to revolutionize electric power generation and produce clean and sustainable electricity have led to the exploration of renewable energy systems (RES). This form of energy is replenished and cost-effective in terms of production and maintenance. However, RES, such as solar and wind energies, is intermittent; this is one of the drawbacks of its usage. In order to overcome this limitation, studies have been undertaken to forecast its availability and power output. The current trending method of forecasting availability and the power generated by the RES is the artificial intelligence (AI) method. However, with all its potential, traditional AI, such as Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and many more, does not have it all. Because of this, metaheuristic algorithms are being explored as optimization techniques to increase the performance accuracy of these AI forecasting methods and overcome some challenges of traditional AI models. This study presents an insightful survey of AI (traditional AI and metaheuristic) methods explored to forecast the availability of solar and wind renewable energy systems. A survey of the existing surveyed literature was presented. The taxonomy of the explored AI in RES was formulated, and the theoretical backgrounds of some of the traditional AI algorithms were presented. Also, the various forms of metaheuristic algorithms and the improved versions applied to optimize classical AI methods to forecast RES systems' availability and power output were surveyed. A conceptual framework of the hybrid AI application in RES was formulated. Finally, the survey discussion, insight, challenges of the existing models and future directions were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the importance of cost of capital and expected returns from investing on renewable electricity generation in Africa on one hand and the implications of such investments on economic, social and environmental factors on the other. These concepts are not well understood by non-finance and finance actors respectively. Studies that analyze renewable energy-growth nexus at regional and global level are lacking. Instead, existing studies emphasize on individual countries or panel of countries. The paper undertakes comparisons of costs and returns of selected renewable energy technologies in Africa and presents estimates of its impact on Africa's economic growth between 1990 and 2014. Even with abundant renewable resources and well performing technologies measured using levelized cost of electricity and expected internal rate of return, investment on renewable electricity generation is quite low. Findings from Autoregressive Distributed Lag approach and cointegration established a long run relationship among hydro power generation, carbon emissions and electricity consumption. Error Correction Model results suggest that investment in renewable generations excluding hydro power generation is boosted by economic growth, so long as development of such renewables corresponds with lesser carbon emissions. To accelerate renewable development, SSA countries will need to deploy initiatives that enhances national economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to statistical reports, thermal power plants have long played a critical role in supplying electricity using fossil fuels. However, due to the high investment and operation costs of these power plants and their destructive effects on the environment, renewable energy sources (RESs) in power networks have been considered an effective alternative to traditional power plants. Optimal scheduling of microgrid in smart grids has a significant impact on reducing energy consumption, environmental pollutants and end-user's energy prices. In this paper, the influence of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) charging on microgrids' optimal operation is evaluated. To assess the behaviour of PHEVs, three various charging patterns consisting of uncontrolled, controlled and smart charging methods are considered. Uncertainties due to forecast error in the PHEVs, loads, prices and renewable source output power are also considered in microgrid modelling energy management. To deal with the optimisation scheduling of microgrid considering uncertainty, a modified harmony search (MHS) algorithm is used. The suggested scheme is validated using simulations and without the PHEV charging effects compared with the conventional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the broad range of applications, efficient retrieval and storing electrical energy methods are still challenging. Besides the load variations, the ever‐increasing intermittent renewable energy penetration into the grid system has witnessed the system complexities. In off‐grid applications, energy storage can balance electricity consumption and electricity generation to avoid voltage and frequency deviations. This research paper focuses on the energy management of an off‐grid climate refuge system used for hot and arid locations with a system comparison for two routes of different storage techniques, namely flywheels and a lithium‐ion battery. The proposed system can generate its power from photovoltaics and provide cooling and other auxiliaries through vapor compression cycle and water misting units with an operation of about 16 hours (ie, from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm) on the weekdays and 12 hours on the weekends. A comparison of levelized costs is conducted for the evaluation using HOMER software. The annual energy production by solar photovoltaics for the proposed system is 20 MWh, and the annual consumption is 16 MWh. The photovoltaic‐battery storage system has shown the lowest cost of electricity, corresponding to 0.761 $/kWh, and net present cost of $66 238 and is optimum in all sensitivity analysis cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To moderate global warming, conventional fossil fuels are depleted. As the population increased with the rising standard of living and industrial growth, the global environment is affected and cause the greenhouse gases occurrence, which are frequently increased by unlimited use of fossil fuels. The generation of electric power loads increases the power demand on the basics of modern power technology development. Several benefits can be attained by installing the distribution generation with the quality and reliability of power delivered. However, the global energy problem can be resolved by renewable energy sources as an alternative energy generation. Technological developments in the last decade have increased the use of renewable energy sources. In worldwide, several renewable energy sources are used to attain their own power demand. The photovoltaic (PV) generation is the essential renewable energy source to serve the increasing electrical loads. The fastest-growing PV system has the naturally available energy sources of robust evolution with elegant benefits. The foremost objective of this paper is to examine the performance of the PV system with various Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithms. The solar irradiance and temperature make it complex to track the MPPT of PV systems. This review is about various MPPT algorithms like online, offline, and hybrid methods. The selected algorithms from each discussion are simulated in MATLAB/Simulink environment to match their performance in footings of the dynamic response and efficiency of the PV system under the variations of solar irradiance and temperature. An explanation and discussion of the PV system are achieved with the study of different types of MPPT algorithms of PV systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The use of renewable energy resources, especially wind power, is receiving strong attention from governments and private institutions, since it is considered one of the best and most competitive alternative energy sources in the current energy transition that many countries around the world are adopting. Wind power also plays an important role by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thus attenuating global warming. Another contribution of wind power generation is that it allows countries to diversify their energy mix, which is especially important in countries where hydropower is a large component. The expansion of wind power generation requires a robust understanding of its variability and thus how to reduce uncertainties associated with wind power output. Technical approaches such as simulation and forecasting provide better information to support the decision-making process. This paper provides an overview of how the analysis of wind speed/energy has evolved over the last 30 years for decision-making processes. For this, we employed an innovative and reproducible literature review approach called Systematic Literature Network Analysis (SLNA). The SLNA was performed considering 145 selected articles from peer-reviewed journals and through them it was possible to identify the most representative approaches and future trends. Through this analysis, we identified that in the past 10 years, studies have focused on the use of Measure-Correlate-Predict (MCP) models, first using linear models and then improving them by applying density or kernel functions, as well as studies with alternative techniques, like neural networks or other hybrid models. An important finding is that most of the methods aim to assess wind power generation potential of target sites, and, in recent years the most used approaches are MCP and artificial neural network methods. Graphical abstract Image 1005 Highlights • This paper provides an overview of how the analysis of wind energy has evolved over the last years. • We employed an innovative and reproducible literature review approach called Systematic Literature Network Analysis. • From 145 articles was possible to identify the most representative approaches and future trends. • Developing countries will reach the same level of investment in the field of wind energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract African countries are in a unique position to reap the socio-economic and environmental benefits of renewable resources as a means for meeting increasing energy demand in a sustainable way. A critical obstacle for the deployment of renewable energy technologies in Africa is the difficulty of attracting sufficient and affordable finance. This paper compares the impact of financial conditions on the cost of electricity generation across six renewable and three fossil-based technologies in 46 African countries. The results show large cost variations and highlight the extent to which renewables are disadvantaged by current financial practices. The energy-economy-environment model TIAM-ECN is used to show how lowering financing costs results in a much higher deployment of renewables. For example, solar PV could account for 10–15% of total electricity generation by 2050, even without explicit climate policy, thanks to financial de-risking programmes. The results demonstrate that changes in financing schemes could outweigh the impact of technology learning. This paper also demonstrates that, once ambitious climate policies are in place, reducing financing costs for renewables could be an efficient way to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Financial de-risking is thus a key ingredient for unlocking the renewable energy potential in Africa. Highlights • We show how renewables are disadvantaged by today's financial practices in Africa. • We show how lower financing costs result in a higher deployment of renewables. • PV can account for 10–15% of electricity generation by 2050 without climate policy. • Changes in financing schemes could outweigh the impact of technology learning. • Financial de-risking is key for unlocking the renewable energy potential in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Tidal energy is one of the most abundant renewable energy sources. Due to its intermittent nature, the integration of tidal energy within a Microgrid (MG) requires appropriate energy management strategies. Some important considerations are tidal energy generation prediction, energy storage requirements, load profile and demand within the Microgrid, and energy pricing structures. This paper considers an MG scenario that includes a small scale tidal farm near Darwin in north of Australia. A tidal power prediction model is introduced using tidal current speed data. Then, for a fixed-size energy storage system (ESS), an optimal scheduling strategy is devised using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to achieve minimum operating costs in the MG. The work presented in this paper provides a framework for the planning of MGs that include tidal generation in their energy mix. Highlights • Visibility of tidal power in the North of Australia. • Tidal power prediction based on tidal current speed observation. • Optimal scheduling for a tidal Micro-grid using Particle Swarm Optimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although FRT capability is claimed in Japanese grid code for RE, DVS capability is not. In some European countries, not only FRT but also DVS is claimed. Whether this choice of our grid code is pragmatically adequate or not? To answer the question, it is necessary to evaluate FRT and DVS capabilities. But the past studies only evaluated qualitative merit of FRT and DVS, or evaluated quantitative merit on fictional system models. Since the authors intend to evaluate FRT and DVS capabilities in existing power system of Japan, some method for the evaluation must be invented. For the evaluation, values of FRT and DVS capabilities are evaluated by reduction amount of stabilizing equipment (i.e. SVC in the paper). The evaluation based on strict optimal SVC disposition is quite difficult, because existing power system must be adequately modeled, because number of SVCs is large and because every power flow conditions must be considered. However, semi‐optimal SVC disposition can be calculated as shown in the paper. As the result, value of FRT is quite larger than value of DVS. And then, our grid code is proved as pragmatically adequate, except some flaw in claimed FRT design that is introduced in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transitioning electricity generation sectors to renewable energy is a necessary element of climate change mitigation but a challenging one with years of technical and social lock-in creating considerable inertia and a pace of change insufficient to meet the task. Transition management has emerged as a promising approach to proactively manage and accelerate transitions in sectors like energy and water and has the potential to do so in manner that would help secure energy justice. However, the approach has been criticised for ignoring the political dynamics of transitions, risking procedural and recognition injustice for traditional energy production regions while increasing opposition to a transition. This paper uses a qualitative case study approach to understand how a transition to renewable energy generation could be achieved in a way that secures energy justice for traditional energy production regions like those of Gladstone in the Australian state of Queensland. The paper augments the transition management approach with the “just transitions” concept, which has emerged from labour movements as a means to mitigate negative impacts on workers and communities in traditional energy production regions, to create a “Just Transition Management” framework that is applied as a diagnostic tool to the case study. While results suggest a transition is imminent within Queensland, a lack of: consistent, supportive federal policy; long-term visions, and a clear process leaves it at risk of being captured by the powerful incumbent resources sector utilising an “environment vs. jobs” narrative. Yet, the results also suggest that adopting a just transition management approach has the potential to successfully resist the influence of the resources sector, by providing cheap, secure renewable energy and supporting affected workers into roles in the renewable energy sector using a reflexive, representative network governance approach. Data analysis reveals how the application of just transition principles has already engaged communities and unions that were previously sceptical of renewable energy. Overall, this study suggests that the just transition management framework assists in identifying the political barriers to transitions and energy justice more broadly, while also providing a management approach which creates powerful niche actor-networks to counter the narratives and influence of the incumbent resource sector. Thus it could support successful transitions that achieve the distributional, recognition and procedural justice needed for energy justice globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical energy becomes necessary for human being. Generation of electrical energy mostly depends on fossils fuel, they are limited in nature and also responsible for environmental pollution. Renewable energy resources provides a better alternative for future,In comparison to conventional energy resources economical aspect is a major issue of renewable energy sources with the feasibility and efficiency. These limitations are tried to overcome by deployment hybrid renewable energy resources. There are certain criteria to analyze and implement the sized, optimized and cost efficient system. This paper focus on hybrid energy systems based on solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind resources. This paper shed lights on various parameters of economic feasibility, sizing strategies with logical advancements to enhance their utilization, future prospects, and their arrangement. Strategies to develop an effective storage system is also presented here.A brief review on developments in optimization techniques, reliability index and cost analyzing techniques for hybrid renewable energy systems are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy situation of the African island states which include Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles are overwhelmingly dependent on fossil fuels with paradoxically high potential of renewable energy which are sparsely developed. This paper lay emphasis on the present electricity situation in these countries and highlights the potential of renewable energy resources on their territories. Among Africa islands, demographic and economic features are dissimilar and their power sector is complex by unique challenges. It is seen that there is a critical lack of electricity in Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar, which are 21% and 13% respectively, due to political instability and high spending on diesel. Moreover, the electricity consumption per capita is alarming in Guinea-Bissau, Comoros and Madagascar where it is below the average consumption for low income countries. Sustainable energy supply can be achieved by renewable energy sources, however, not all renewable resources are technically and economically feasible for development in these countries, for example wind in Comoros and hydro in Mauritius have little potential – which this paper elaborated further. Based on these analysis, a roadmap was developed, on to how to address some of the energy issues in these countries and accelerate the uptake of renewable energy. Through energy governance reform, political decision makers can drive change within their government, especially when a reform entails opening market opportunities and stimulating private participation and exerting pressure on existing government agencies to work efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power production by conversion of salt gradient energy (osmotic power production) has the potential for global commercialization. Research on the net-power output and osmotic power plant configurations could result in viable methods for improvement of plant efficiency. In this paper, a novel equivalent electric-circuit model of the pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) process is described and is used to develop a power-hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) emulator to represent the osmotic power plant. The model considers many dynamics involved with PRO including reverse salt leakage, concentration polarization, and the salt storage capacity of water. The proposed model facilitates real-time dynamic simulation and analysis of the PRO power plant, and its interaction with the rest of the PRO power system, namely the impulse turbine and the synchronous generator supplying power to off-grid or isolated loads. The response of the multidomain system including hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical components of the system is observed, given changes in the input parameters such as source flow rate. The proposed PHIL emulator provides insight into the operational dynamics and behavior of the PRO system. The proposed real-time emulator serves as a powerful tool that can advance research and development of PRO power generation systems. Simulation and experimental results are presented in this paper to validate the PRO plant model and the operation of the proposed real-time PHIL PRO emulator. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Energy insufficiency is obstructing the socio-economic and industrial improvement of Bangladesh. Renewable energy contributes about 560 Megawatt (MW) of the total electricity production of 20,430 MW, which can be a sustainable solution to the demand-supply crisis. This paper, summarises the current energy situation of Bangladesh and examines the available renewable energy resources and their future prospect. It has been revealed that Bangladesh is heavily (62%) relying on natural gas although government has already taken steps to generate electricity from renewable energy sources. Current policies and legislations related to generation of renewable energy in Bangladesh have been discussed explicitly. Finally, some suggestions have been made to tackle the ongoing energy crisis in the country, in addition to the renewable energy.Abbreviations: GDP: Gross domestic product; RNPP: Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant; Tcf: Trillion cubic feet; IDCOL: Infrastructure development company limited; BPDB: Bangladesh Power Development Board: GS: Grameen Shakti; BWDB: Bangladesh Water Development Board: USD: United States Dollar; IPP: Independent power producer: BCAS: Bangladesh center for advanced studies; NWPGCL: North West Power Generation Company Limited: BCSIR: Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research; EGCB: Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh: WRA: Wind Resource Assessment; REB: Rural Electrification Board: BRAC: Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee; kW: Kilowatt: PJ: Petajoules; MW: Megawatt: IFRAD: Institute for fuel research and Development; GWh: Gigawatt hours: ICS: Improved Cooking Stoves; MWh: Megawatt hours: DoE: Department of Environment; TWh: Trillion-watt hour: DLS: Department of Livestock Services; RPCL: Rural Power Company Limited: mmcfd: million cubic feet per day; APSCL: Ashugang Power Station Company Limited: BSCIC: Bangladesh Small & Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC); GOB: Government of Bangladesh: BADC: Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation; SREDA: Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority: DIDA: Danish International Development Agency; LGED: Local Government Engineering Directorate: BAU: Bangladesh Agricultural University; NGO: Non-Governmental Organization: HBRI: Housing & Building Research Institute; IRENA: International Renewable energy Agency: : BARD: Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development; ETP: Electronic Traffic Pricing: BCCD: Bangladesh Commission for Christian Development; PV: Photovoltaic: BRRI: Bangladesh Rice Research Institute; SHS: Solar Home Systems: NDBMP: National Domestic Biogas and Manure Program; TOE: Tonne of oil equivalent: K/km: Kelvin/kilometer; LEAP: Long range Energy Alternative Planning [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh is a hugely populated country in South Asia. The country produces its electricity mainly from natural gas followed by liquid fuels. Although the installed electricity generation capacity of the country has been increased to 12,261 MW, there is scarcity of electricity in the hot summer season which is a barrier to industrial development as well as socio-economic development. Combustion of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere which causes global warming. Bangladesh can be badly affected by greenhouse effect and global warming. These problems can be mitigated by incorporating renewable energy sources (e.g., solar, wind, hydro, biomass, etc.) to the country's electricity generation. Renewable energy resources are considered as clean and can serve the electricity demand in the remote areas where grid connection is not possible. The potential of solar energy and biomass is enormous in Bangladesh and people have already started to harness energy from these sources. The government and the policy makers should come forward to encourage the people of rural areas as well as urban areas to use renewable based electricity. The government of Bangladesh has set up a plan to generate 5% of the country's total electricity from renewable sources within 2015 and 10% within 2020. However, within 2015 the country has been able to generate only 3.5% of the total electricity from renewable sources. This paper presents a thorough review of the current status and future potentials of renewable energy sector in Bangladesh. In this paper the updated information is provided for the overall renewable energy sector of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unit Commitment (UC) is an optimization problem used to determine the operation schedule of the generating units at every hour interval with varying loads and generations under different generational, environmental and technical constraints. With the significant increase of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) integration into the power networks, effects posed by these system changes to the UC are actively being studied and investigated by global researchers and operation engineers. To this end, this paper firstly provides a literature survey of UC concept, objectives and constraints. Different UC models developed for addressing RES impacts are also reviewed. Moreover, many algorithms have been proposed in the past few decades to optimize the UC problem. This work explores the necessity for alternative optimization approaches for UC solution. In doing that, the work uncovers the advantages and disadvantages of the existing methodologies so that future algorithms could be designed in retaining the advantages of the existing methodologies while avoiding the presented weaknesses. In addition, installation of energy storage devices to balance the fluctuation in power generation and their associated impacts on UC models are reviewed. The contents of this paper provide ready-to-refer and ready-to-use information for the researchers working in the field of UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present context, energy access to remote rural households through local energy generating systems has been recognized as a cost effective and extent efficient option. With increased emphasis on eco-friendly technologies and high fuel cost associated with conventional energy generation, the use of renewable energy resources (small hydro, biomass, solar, wind energy etc.) are being explored. The present paper is focused on the optimal sizing of a stand-alone Integrated Renewable Energy System (IRES) which comprises the resources of micro hydro power (MHP), biogas, biomass, solar and wind energy. Initially, a demand response (DR) strategy based on energy consumption scheduling of appliances has been suggested and modelled in the paper. This strategy aims to minimize the peak hourly energy consumption of the study area. Further, different combinations of system components without and with DR strategy were considered and optimized for power reliability criteria of 0% and 5% unmet load. It has been found that significant amount of savings in system sizes and costs are obtained with DR strategy compared to system without DR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of renewable energy sources is one of the most relevant goals to be achieved in order to match the climate protection targets. As a case study, the paper shows the current electrical energy production by sources in the Sicilian context. Among the renewable energy sources, the paper investigates the wave energy potential along the Sicilian coasts, because of the favorable climate around the island. A point absorber is present in order to exploit this source. Two scenarios are presented, with two different levels of energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The penetration of photovoltaics (PV’s) in electric power generation is continually increasing. Tracking maximum power point in PV systems is an important task and represents a challenging problem. In maximum power point tracking (MPPT), the duty cycle of DC-DC converter is adjusted in a way that maximum achievable power is extracted from PV system. In this paper, the existing MPPT strategies are classified into two main categories and the strategies of each category are reviewed. Based on the conducted review, some directions for future research are recommended. The author strongly believes that this paper will be helpful for researchers and engineers in the field of PV systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Majority of the power generation in India is carried out by conventional energy sources, coal and fossil fuels being the primary ones, which contribute heavily to greenhouse gas emission and global warming. The Indian power sector is witnessing a revolution as excitement grips the nation about harnessing electricity from various renewable energy sources. Electricity generation from renewable sources is increasingly recognized to play an important role for the achievement of a variety of primary and secondary energy policy goals, such as improved diversity and security of energy supply, reduction of local pollutant and global greenhouse gas emissions, regional and rural development, and exploitation of opportunities for fostering social cohesion, value addition and employment generation at the local and regional level. This focuses the solution of the energy crisis on judicious utilization of abundant the renewable energy resources, such as biomass, solar, wind, geothermal and ocean tidal energy. This paper reviews the renewable energy scenario of India as well as extrapolates the future developments keeping in view the consumption, production and supply of power. Research, development, production and demonstration have been carried out enthusiastically in India to find a feasible solution to the perennial problem of power shortage for the past three decades. India has obtained application of a variety of renewable energy technologies for use in different sectors too. There are ample opportunities with favorable geology and geography with huge customer base and widening gap between demand and supply. Technological advancement, suitable regulatory policies, tax rebates, efficiency improvement in consequence to R&D efforts are the few pathways to energy and environment conservation and it will ensure that these large, clean resource bases are exploited as quickly and cost effectively as possible. This paper gives an overview of the potential renewable energy resources in Indian context while evaluating the present status, the energy demand of the country and forecast consumption and production, with the objective to evaluate and assess whether India can sustain its growth and its society with renewable resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variability and intermittency are some of the main features that characterize renewable energy sources. Intermittency usually includes both predictable and unpredictable variations. The many drawbacks of intermittency of renewable sources can be overcome by considering some special design considerations. Integrating more than one renewable energy source and including backup sources and storage systems are among the few measures to overcome these drawbacks. These additional design considerations usually increase the overall cost of the renewable system. Furthermore, the presence of more than one energy supply/storage system requires the control of energy flow among the various sources. Therefore, optimizing the size of the components and adopting an energy management strategy (EMS) are essential to decreasing the cost of the system and limiting its negative effects. The energy management strategy is commonly integrated with optimization to ensure the continuity of load supply and to decrease the cost of energy production. Therefore, energy management is a term that collects all the systematic procedures to control and minimize the quantity and the cost of energy used to provide a certain application with its requirements. The energy management strategy usually depends on the type of energy system and its components. Various approaches and techniques have been used to develop a successful energy management strategy. In this paper, a comprehensive review of the approaches proposed and used by authors of many papers is conducted. These approaches include both the standalone hybrid renewable energy systems and the grid-connected hybrid renewable systems. More attention is focused on popularly used techniques to address the features of each system. The selected papers in this review cover the various configurations of the hybrid renewable energy systems for electric power generation only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewables around the globe, provide fuel diversification, energy security and produce little or no emissions during the electricity generation. The unavailability of rotating masses prohibits on-grid renewable energy generation systems from providing inertia during a frequency disruption. This would be extremely unsettling and impactful when the proportion of energy in the grid due to renewables is high. India currently, has a 28.04% share of on-grid renewable energy. The grid infrastructure systems of India would face severe challenges when the share of on-grid renewables leaps past 50% in the future. Thus, this paper primarily addresses the repercussions of increasing share of on-grid renewables in terms of inertia and frequency response in India. The energy scenario of 2040 in India under 80% proliferation of on-grid renewables has been well reviewed in this paper. The novelty of this paper is the narrative literature review of the Indian Electricity Grid Code (IEGC) on frequency response which is unique and exclusive to this manuscript. It demonstrates the current strategies prevalent in the grid system of India towards frequency response and inertia support. This paper also explains the diverse control strategies and energy storage technologies required for adoption with the on-grid renewables in India for frequency response. The other novelty in this paper is the insight about the inertia lost due to an on-grid 100-kW p solar photovoltaic system to explain the readers about the impact when the integration is hundreds to thousands of kilowatts. • Share of renewables in the Indian grid network is 28.04% (113.226 GW) as of 2022. • India aspires to achieve 54% share of on-grid renewables by 2030 and 80% by 2040. • Indian Electricity Grid Code indicates need for expansion in active power reserves. • India requires diverse control strategies and energy storages for inertia support. • On-grid 100-kW p solar photovoltaic system loses inertia of 100-kW for 4.44 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Some Grid Codes impose restrictions on the ramp rate of PV plants. • Hybrid energy storage systems can be more cost efficient for ramp-rate control. • Hybridizing batteries with ultracapacitors expands their lifetime. • The proposed methodology can be used to size the components of the storage. • The total Net Present Cost of controlling ramp rate in a PV plant is optimized. Abstract This paper proposes a methodology for optimal sizing of a Hybrid (battery and ultracapacitors) Energy Storage system for ramp-rate control in PV plants. Frequency stability events can appear in power systems high non-dispatchable renewable energy generation due to sharp power output fluctuations. This has caused TSOs in several countries to require PV and wind plants to implement some method for limiting the pace at which the power injection to the grid is allowed to vary (ramp-rate control). Due to its quick response, properly controlled energy storage consisting of batteries and ultracapacitors can perform this task by dampening quick increases/decreases in the power injection to the grid by absorbing/injecting power at the point of common coupling. In this work, a techno-economic model is presented that can be used to calculate the Net Present Cost over the project life of different energy storage devices used for ramp-rate control by simulating their operation. A real case is studied for a PV power plant is presented. Results are reported comparing different configurations of the energy storage system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on a review of the state of the art of future power grids, where new and modern technologies will be integrated into the power distribution grid, and will become the future key players for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. The current power grids are undergoing an unprecedented transformation from the original design, changing the way how energy has been produced, delivered, and consumed over the past century. This new energy era includes the integration of renewable sources such as wind and solar, supported by the distributed or community energy storage, to power distribution grids through innovative high-frequency magnetic links and power-electronic converters. The use of emission free transportation, such as electric vehicles, and energy efficient technologies, such as superconducting generators and storage systems, are also rapidly emerging and will be integrated into the power grids in the foreseeable future. However, it is necessary to reconsider the current paradigms of system analysis and plan with a focus on how to achieve the most flexible, efficient, and reliable power grid for the future––the one that enables operation in a domain which is very different than the current one to deliver the services to consumers at an affordable cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oman, like other Arabian Gulf countries, depends on oil and gas to produce electricity. However, these resources are not guaranteed to last forever and constitute one of the energy security issues in the country. This paper explores the potential of using biomass energy resources for electricity generation in Oman. Energy from biomass resources is counted as a type of renewable energy, which means that its availability is not affected by the lack of sources and the increasing price of fossil oil. The review of biomass energy shows that waste from different sources such as wood and woody plants and their wastes, agricultural crops and residues, municipal solid organic wastes, animal wastes, sewage, waste from organic industrial processing and food processing, and aquatic plants and algae can be used for electricity generation. Biomass from animal manure and waste water are reported as having potential for electricity generation. The results show that a total of 2651·81 GWh/year electricity can be produced from animal manure and waste water, which corresponds to 10% of the total electricity consumption in Oman. Although there is potential to use biomass for sustainable electricity generation, several environmental, social and technological factors associated with biomass energy need to be considered before adopting such resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Brazilian electricity system is an important example of a large country relying on a high renewable energy matrix with a major focus on hydropower, which has historically allowed for low carbon electricity production. However, the increase in the demand and climate change impacts on the availability of these renewable resources represent important challenges for long-term power planning. The contribution of this paper is twofold: Firstly, a first attempt to use the EnergyPLAN model for the analysis of the Brazilian electricity sector and in particular to study future scenarios is presented. Secondly, the possibility of achieving a 100% RES system is also addressed. The 100% RES scenario is found to be theoretically possible but a substantial increase in the overall installed capacity would be required, to support the grid mainly during the spring and summer season. The results underline the importance of seasonal complementarity of hydro and wind power and reveal how an increase in RES would add exportation potential, reducing also the Brazilian external energy dependency. The study identifies risk factors for these high RES scenarios and outlines several avenues for future research to address cost, environmental and technical uncertainties of the system. Highlights • The Brazilian power sector is analysed with EnergyPLAN computer model. • Renewable scenarios are compared for technical, cost, emissions and risk parameters. • The importance of seasonal complementarity of hydro and wind power is outlined. • The 100% RES scenario results in full decarbonization of the system at higher cost. • The 100% RES scenario results in higher exportation and lower importation potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a real‐time generation regulation system named as "on‐demand generation regulation control" system, which is suitable for small independent power grids with unstable renewable energy generators. It has been developed as a part of "robust demand and supply control manager" and plays an important role of flexible frequency control that includes vehicle to grid and generation restriction when necessary. The main feature of the system is the integrated framework to effectively deal with hard‐to‐predict control options in a flexible way by observing the unstable generator outputs and all generators/batteries status including electric vehicles. In addition, a feedback system is also proposed to flexibly adjust the regulation capacity in case unexpected disturbances occur. The performance of the proposed system is verified through numerical simulations based on an actual test site with successful results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed generation (DG) has been rapidly integrated into microgrids. However, uncertain power generation of intermittent DG such as wind turbines brings challenges to the DG planning problem. This paper proposes a novel probability-weighted robust optimization (PRO) method to allocate DG units including microturbines and wind turbines in microgrids, aiming to maximize the total profit over a long-term planning horizon. First, probability-weighted uncertainty sets are proposed to model uncertainties including wind turbine output and load demand during a long-term planning horizon which can fully cover the uncertainty spectrum and accurately represent the uncertainty probability distribution. Then, the PRO method optimizes DG sizing and locating under the worst uncertainty cases considering their occurrence probabilities. Therefore, the planning decision is robust against any possible uncertainty realization. Besides, a modified column-and-constraint generation algorithm is developed to solve the PRO problem. Simulation results show that the DG planning obtained by the proposed method can achieve full operating robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to relate total greenhouse gas emissions footprint with Energy Return on Energy Invested for Coal, Natural Gas, Hydro, Geothermal, Wind and Solar PV electricity generation methods. Emissions from construction, decommissioning, operations and maintenance, and fuel, are all included in the analysis. Often the generation equipment is imported so much of the emissions associated with construction are “virtual” emissions (i.e. imported). These virtual emissions contribute to a peak emission as renewable generation is installed at the start to ultimately lead to a lower emissions factor for a countries’ electricity system over time. The peak occurs due to the short-term emissions resulting from construction and a long-term emissions reduction due to the low/zero carbon renewable generation installed. The electricity sector in New Zealand is used as a case study for projected new generation through to 2050 for four scenarios (a) Global Low Carbon, (b) Mixed Renewables, (c) High Grid and (d) High Solar. The study demonstrates that as total greenhouse gas footprints are included an emissions peak occurs due to new construction, mainly because of renewable generation, especially solar and high energy emissions factors in countries manufacturing generation equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia's framework for energy development was established in the early 1970s. Henceforth, many successive policies were introduced as potential resources for electricity generation and utilization. Currently, as a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Malaysia is sparing a number of effort to comply with the policy to meet the challenges of mitigating over-dependence on fossil fuels, reducing carbon levels, and achieving sustainable national development. This paper reviews the baseline studies on electrical energy policies and the measurement indicators used in Malaysia's electric power system. This research involves a comprehensive survey of electrical energy policies in Malaysia that focus on issues pertaining to energy supply, utilization, its environmental impact and considerations, renewable energy (RE) policies, production and consumption, energy efficiency, and feed-in tariffs. Fourteen energy indicators for sustainable development in Malaysia were investigated through the identification of energy policies in significant areas, such as reliability, safety, adequacy and cost-effectiveness of energy supply; increasing energy efficiency; minimizing environmental impact; and enhancing quality of life in terms of social well-being. The policies and the indicators are classified into different sustainable dimensions and summarized in tables along with the corresponding key references. In this study, future energy planning and options, especially in nuclear and RE programs, as well as the conflict between them, are illustrated through the overall performance relative to targets and benchmarks for past and future projections up to the year 2030. This review seeks to examine the past, present, and future policies and indicators to provide a sufficient overview of Malaysian energy policies for optimizing sustainable development. The goal is for this review to lead to increased efforts to accommodate the increasing demand for the management and utilization of RE, promote energy efficiency, and improve performance in achieving sustainable national development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable Energy Sources have been growing rapidly over the last few years. The spreading of renewables has become stronger due to the increased air pollution, which is largely believed to be irreversible for the environment. On the other hand, the penetration of renewable energy technologies causes major problems to the stability of the grid. Along with the fluctuations of the renewable energy technologies production, storage is important for power and voltage smoothing. Energy storage is also important for energy management, frequency regulation, peak shaving, load leveling, seasonal storage and standby generation during a fault. Thus, storage technologies have gained an increased attention and have become more than a necessity nowadays. This paper presents an up to date comprehensive overview of energy storage technologies. It incorporates characteristics and functionalities of each storage technology, as well as their advantages and disadvantages compared with other storage technologies. Comparison tables with several characteristics of each storage method are included, while different applications of energy storage technologies are described as well. Finally, several hybrid energy storage applications are analyzed and different combinations of energy storage technologies are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]