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The evolution of the national development path has gravity in determining the future emissions outcomes of all nations. Deep reductions in emissions require a focus not just on energy and mitigation policy but on factors underlying this development. The Kaya identity has been recommended to track national progress with respect to sustainability and carbon emissions in the development path. This study applies an extended Kaya identity to the energy-related carbon emissions of Spain. Implemented through a divisia index decomposition annually from 1990 to 2011, it highlights the impact of factors such as affluence and energy intensity. A marked departure from previous studies is the separation of the effects of the carbon-free energy sources; both renewables and nuclear as fundamental mitigation measures. The results show that affluence and population have acted to increase emissions and energy intensity was increasing until recent years. Fuel substitution has acted to decrease emissions but while renewable energy has reduced emissions with the increasing importance of biomass, wind and solar, the decline in share of nuclear has acted to increase emissions. Implications for the development path and policy are discussed and lessons are relevant both for industrialised and industrialising nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The combined use of Life Cycle Assessment and Data Envelopment Analysis (LCA + DEA methodology) facilitates the identification and quantification of the environmental consequences of operational inefficiencies when assessing multiple similar facilities. In this work, the LCA + DEA methodology was used to benchmark the operational and environmental performance of a sample of 25 wind farms located in Spain. Only four of the evaluated farms were found to be comparatively efficient. Input consumption levels that would turn inefficient wind farms into efficient facilities (i.e., target wind farms) were benchmarked. The environmental impacts linked to these target facilities were also benchmarked. Average reductions of 19–45% in the consumption of selected inputs were calculated, which resulted in average impact reductions of 18–29% for a selection of environmental impact categories. The potential economic savings associated with the target wind farms were also estimated. Finally, potential relationships between efficiency and annual power generation, location or average wind speed were discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Techno-economic and environmental optimisation of the hydrogen production mix in Spain. • Analysis of scenarios using energy systems modelling and carbon footprint restrictions. • Steam reforming of natural gas as the main production technology in the short term. • Key role of water electrolysis and biomass gasification in the medium-to-long term. • Savings >50 Mt CO 2 eq in 2050 for the scenarios with carbon footprint restrictions. Fuel cell electric vehicles arise as an alternative to conventional vehicles in the road transport sector. They could contribute to decarbonising the transport system because they have no direct CO 2 emissions during the use phase. In fact, the life-cycle environmental performance of hydrogen as a transportation fuel focuses on its production. In this sense, through the case study of Spain, this article prospectively assesses the techno-economic and environmental performance of a national hydrogen production mix by following a methodological framework based on energy systems modelling enriched with endogenous carbon footprint indicators. Taking into account the need for a hydrogen economy based on clean options, alternative scenarios characterised by carbon footprint restrictions with respect to a fossil-based scenario dominated by steam methane reforming are evaluated. In these scenarios, the steam reforming of natural gas still arises as the key hydrogen production technology in the short term, whereas water electrolysis is the main technology in the medium and long term. Furthermore, in scenarios with very restrictive carbon footprint limits, biomass gasification also appears as a key hydrogen production technology in the long term. In the alternative scenarios assessed, the functional substitution of hydrogen for conventional fossil fuels in the road transport sector could lead to high greenhouse gas emission savings, ranging from 36 to 58 Mt CO 2 eq in 2050. Overall, these findings and the model structure and characterisation developed for the assessment of hydrogen energy scenarios are expected to be relevant not only to the specific case study of Spain but also to analysts and decision-makers in a large number of countries facing similar concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Many countries are implementing energy policies that focus on the transformation of national power generation mixes into highly efficient and sustainable systems. In the case of the Spanish electricity sector, regulations applicable to existing coal thermal plants and the proximity to the end of the lifetime of nuclear power plants arise as critical concerns to be addressed. In this respect, a sensible energy strategy is required in order to fill the future gap of coal and nuclear power plants. Within this context, this work applies a novel methodological framework for the prioritisation of 15 energy scenarios formulated for power generation in Spain. In addition to a business-as-usual scenario, alternative ones are built based on potential restrictions on fossil-based technologies and lifetime extensions of coal and nuclear power plants. The novel multi-criteria decision analysis approach for enhanced, sustainability-oriented energy planning is based on the combined use of energy systems modelling, life cycle assessment, and data envelopment analysis. Besides conventional techno-economic results, the evolution of life-cycle indicators endogenously integrated into the energy system model of Spain is provided. The subsequent use of a dynamic data envelopment analysis model leads to identify and rank the most suitable energy scenarios according to sustainability criteria. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Joint Life Cycle Assessment, Energy Systems Modelling and Data Envelopment Analysis. • 15 scenarios on coal and nuclear extension and penetration of CO 2 capture systems. • Thorough prioritisation of 15 prospective scenarios for power generation in Spain. • Modification of the original ranking according to short/long-term prioritisation. • Proven feasibility of the methodological framework for enhanced energy planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of public perception and social acceptance of hydrogen energy systems is crucial to avoid reluctance to the deployment of hydrogen technology and infrastructure. However, the number of regional studies evaluating these aspects is scarce. This work aims at assessing the attitude of the Spanish society towards the potential role of hydrogen for transportation. A quantitative approach was followed through the design and open electronic distribution of a survey with 12 closed-ended questions. The final size of the sample involved 1005 respondents. The analysis of the responses provided relevant information under three main aspects: perception of the concept “hydrogen”; supporting attitude towards the implementation of hydrogen technologies and infrastructure; and determining factors for the purchase of a hydrogen vehicle. Overall, the respondents are willing to accept hydrogen as a key energy carrier within the energy and transport sector. Nevertheless, further policy, industry and research efforts are required in order to overcome current obstacles hampering the success of hydrogen. The results of this study may be relevant not only to hydrogen stakeholders and decision-makers in Spain but also to counterparts in other regions without strong initiatives towards a well-established hydrogen economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of externalities in energy policies is a potential measure for sustainability-oriented energy planning. Furthermore, decisions on energy policies and plans should be based on the analysis of a number of potential energy scenarios, considering the evolution of key techno-economic and life-cycle sustainability indicators. The joint interpretation of these multiple criteria should drive the choice of appropriate decisions for energy planning. Within this context, this work proposes –for the first time– the combined use of Life Cycle Assessment, externalities calculation, Energy Systems Modelling and dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis to prioritise prospective energy scenarios. For demonstration and illustrative purposes, the application of this methodological framework to the case study of electricity production in Spain leads to quantitatively discriminate between 15 prospective energy scenarios by taking into account the life-cycle profile of the transformation path of the power generation system with time horizon 2050. When compared to the application of the framework without implementation of external costs, the internalisation of climate change externalities is found to affect the ranking of energy scenarios but still showing the rejection of those scenarios based on the lifetime extension of coal power plants, as well as the preference for those scenarios leading to a high penetration of renewable technologies. • Energy modelling enriched with climate change externalities and life-cycle indicators. • Dynamic data envelopment analysis to prioritise prospective energy scenarios. • Case study of 15 prospective scenarios for power generation in Spain. • Ranking of scenarios moderately affected by climate change external costs. • Preference for scenarios leading to high penetration of renewables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]