Sustainable development of energy, water and environment systems as a key opportunity for decarbonisation

Abstract

Visionary action for integrating across systems towards decarbonisation is a crucial need for better respecting the life-support systems of the planet and providing benefits for humanity. Upholding this guiding vision, the 18th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems has provided new insights to inform an integrated approach for mitigating climate change. The thematic review of this editorial contextualises the main scientific findings of the 24 original research articles in this special issue across important opportunities within the scope of six themes. Accelerating the transition to renewable energy is supported by new advances for enabling large-scale electrification effectively and layouts for decarbonisation in renewable energy communities. Energy affordability and access to clean energy with a view of energy poverty and pathways for defossiling with electricity based chemicals are among other advances. Optimisation of the energy-water nexus receives new insight from transitioning energy use in ports, including through marine energy, cleaner maritime transport and shipping vessels, and plasma gasification of wastewater treatment residues. Cross-sectoral integration with green hydrogen involves power-to-gas systems, polygeneration from lignocellulosic biomass, and optimised hydrogen supply chains and components. Innovations in energy storage and applications span solar photovoltaic systems with hybrid energy storage, cooling for optimised and extended battery performance, and new energy storage designs for sector coupling. Upgrading and circularity in energy and materials based on hydrothermal carbonisation of organic residues, upgrading processes for bio-aviation fuels, and advances in pyrolysis for fossil fuel replacement are other advances, alongside those in heat transfer and technologies. These advances provide critical insights in a time that calls for an important turning point for tripling global renewable power capacity and doubling the energy efficiency improvement rate by 2030. An effective energy transition that is faster, reaches higher, and can strengthen implementation by being stronger together requires insights from research findings to inform climate mitigation action.