Energy, Sustainability and Society最新文献

Background

Transport policy has regained political relevance in Germany. The successful realization of the Verkehrswende,—the extensive transition toward sustainable transport and mobility—is central to reaching climate neutrality. In 2020, the Federal Government proposed the reform of two key ordinances that have regulated road traffic so far. The amendment was aimed at implementing several provisions at the expense of car drivers and, at the same time, in favor of cyclists and pedestrians. Due to cooperative federalism, the governments of the 16 constituent units (Länder) had to adopt the amendment in the Bundesrat, Germany’s second chamber. In the legislative process, however, the reform ultimately failed in its original scope. Using it as a particularly instructive case study, we show how and why party competition and cooperative federalism hamper comprehensive transport policy reforms in Germany.

Results

In the German political system, political interests interact within a complex web of cooperative federalism. To understand partisan encroachment on the federal decision-making processes, this paper uses a process-tracing approach. To investigate decision-making in the Bundesrat and its outcomes, the empirical analysis combines qualitative analyses of several publicly available sources. We can empirically demonstrate that political parties influenced legislative procedures. The reform failed in its original scope because the three political parties with veto power in the Bundesrat insisted on their positions and were not willing to agree on a compromise.

Conclusions

For the implementation of the Verkehrswende, the German federal system proves to be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, the institutional design of the Bundesrat constrains extreme positions and helps promote decisions most citizens may agree with. The Länder governments and administrations can also contribute their expertise and local experience to federal legislation via the Bundesrat. On the other hand, veto powers are ubiquitous in the German system of cooperative federalism. Therefore, it is prone to blockades. The actions of the political parties in the Bundesrat have hampered the comprehensive reform of road traffic regulations that was originally envisaged. Policymaking took two steps forward toward implementing the Verkehrswende, only to immediately take one step back again.

Background

Pulp refining is an energy consuming, but integral part of paper production with the aim to increase tensile strength and smoothness of paper sheets. Commercial enzyme formulations are used to lower the energy requirements by pre-treatment of pulp before refining. However, a high number of different commercial enzyme products are available on the market containing enzymes of varying origin and composition, which complicates the prediction of their behavior, especially using different pulp types.

Results

Endoglucanase-rich enzyme formulations were characterized regarding enzyme activity at different temperatures, resulting in a significant decrease of activity above 70 °C. Some enzyme preparations additionally contained arabinosidase, xylanase and β-glucosidase activity consequently resulting in a release of xylose and glucose from pulp as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Interestingly, one enzyme formulation even showed lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO) activity of 3.05 nkat mg⁻¹. A correlation between enzyme activity using the endoglucanase specific derivatized cellopentaose (CellG5) substrate and enzyme performance in laboratory PFI (Papirindustriens forskningsinstitut) refining trials was observed on softwood pulp resulting in a maximum increase in the degree of refining values from 27.7°SR to 32.7°SR. When added to a purified endoglucanase enzyme (31.6°SR), synergistic effects were found for cellobiohydrolase II (34.7°SR) or β-glucosidase enzymes (35.7°SR) in laboratory refining. Comparison with previously obtained laboratory refining results on hardwood pulp allowed differences in enzyme performance based on varying pulp types to be elucidated.

Conclusions

Interestingly, the individual enzymes indeed showed different refining effects on softwood and hardwood pulp. This difference could be predicted after development of an adapted enzyme activity assay by combination of the derivatized cellopentaose CellG5 substrate with either softwood or hardwood sulfate pulp.

Background

Energy communities (ECs) have emerged as a solution to support governments mitigating climate change and comply with decarbonization goals, while introducing end-users on the energy value chain. In this paradigm, citizens have an active role in reducing electricity demand from the utility grid, by generating, sharing and/or trading locally generated renewable energy, such as solar energy. However, the economic and environmental outputs of energy communities are dependent on a variety of factors, such as technology features (renewable energy generation, existence of flexible equipment and/or energy storage systems), types of participants (consumers and prosumers with different electricity intensity and load profiles), and electricity sharing/trading agreements. As such, assessing the impact these will have on delivering benefits to the energy community and its participants is of paramount importance.

Methods

This work models different energy communities’ design typologies in Lisbon, Portugal considering different types of consumers with heterogenous electricity demand profiles and willingness to participate, multiple technology deployment scenarios (solar systems installation, batteries, and electric vehicles), and electricity trading (collective self-consumption versus peer-to-peer trading).

Results

Results demonstrate community electricity cost savings are up to 42%, with self-sufficiency rate up to 12.5%, which is considerably low due to the participation of high demanding sectors (such as industry or retail). At participants’ individual level, electricity costs savings can reach 48% and 53%, for residential consumers and prosumers, respectively, while for high-demanding participants are slightly lower: 43% for hotel, 44% for retail, 13% for industry and 5% for university. Individual self-sufficiency rates register highest results for the residential prosumers (35% for PV prosumers, 28% for PV + electric vehicles and 54% with PV + batteries) while for other participants results fall between 6% (retail) and 26% (industry).

Conclusions

We conclude that for ECs deployment, individual PV self-consumption assets are not sufficient, thus greater PV sizes and higher adoption rates should be considered, according to consumer and prosumers shares. The share/trade of PV surplus, paired with competitive aggregation tariffs results in positive economic and environmental outputs, for the majority of both consumers and prosumers.

Background

Since the 1960s, women’s social and political engagement in Japan has been closely tied to the roles of mothers and housewives. On the other hand, the country is undergoing considerable demographic changes and has come to be considered an aging society, where an increasing number of women are opting out of marriage and child-rearing. Drawing from qualitative research with women in managerial positions in solar energy communities, this article explores the complex maneuvers informants conducted to fulfill their goal: the expansion of renewable energy in Japan.

Results

The empirical findings point to a new, and underexplored perspective: of aging as a catalyzer for transgressing certain norms and expectations on female behavior in the context of grassroots mobilization. Aging tends to be axiomatically represented as a time of decline, and unidirectional consumption of communal resources. I examine how transitioning from life stages centered on careers and child-rearing offers resources that my informants draw on to sustain their engagement in solar energy communities. I further examine how my informants carefully, and paradoxically, navigate gendered expectations by actively appealing to dominant narratives on women: as attentive communicators attuned to the needs of others.

Conclusions

The article provides suggestions for further diversifying Japan’s community energy landscape, such as (a) increasing awareness of inequalities through open discussion on the topic; (b) gender-inclusive quotas on boards; (c) creating peer-mentoring networks; (d) stimulating a culture of dialogue open to dissensus; (e) shifting the focus away from women needing to make behavioral changes; and (f) not idealizing how much can be achieved without generating discomfort.

Background

Transport and mobility contribute a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions, and fossil fuel consumption must be reduced for mobility to meet sustainable development goals. Strengthening public transport is a key element of the required mobility transition, including technological innovation. To address the related institutionalisation processes, we analyse the interplay between technological development and the intensifying mobility transition debate. We focus on the challenges for the roles of public transport professionals, who are essential for the implementation of sustainable mobility measures at the local level.

Case selection and methods

We present two cases: First, we address urban ropeways as an incremental option to extend public transport networks. In a series of three expert workshops (23 participants in total), local public transport professionals discussed the potential of urban ropeways, and challenges concerning the related institutional framework. Second, we chose an exploratory approach to understand how public transport professionals engage in the debate on the potentially disruptive role of automated driving in the future of public transport. This included an analysis of strategy documents and experimentation, as well as observations at sectoral events and stakeholder forums. In both cases, we focus on the specific context in Germany, which ensures a coherent institutional framework and a consistent analysis.

Results

We found a general openness among public transport professionals to consider the potential of mature urban ropeway technology. However, critical gaps remain in planning instruments and the densely regulated public transport planning regime. Concerning automated driving, a strong technological focus can be observed in the related transport policy debate. At the local level, despite numerous technical tests, there is hardly any discussion of more far-reaching requirements regarding integration of the technology into the mobility system in a way that ensures sustainability-oriented goals are met.

Conclusions

Beyond both incremental and potentially disruptive technological drivers, the proactive and targeted design of corresponding institutionalisation processes proves to be a key challenge for achieving a sustainable mobility transition. Institutionalisation and the related roles of public transport professionals must be considered in relation to the mobility transition’s substantive goals and the associated political discourse.

Background

Energy communities provide access to energy services, such as affordable clean energy and energy-efficiency measures. Some of these services are of particular benefit for vulnerable households struggling with high energy prices and low incomes. European energy policy stipulates an enabling framework to support energy communities offering such services to all households, explicitly soliciting the inclusion of vulnerable and low-income groups enhancing energy justice and democracy. With transposition still pending in Germany, the question remains as to what extent vulnerable groups benefit in practice.

Results

Based on the data from an online survey among 113 German energy communities, this paper investigates the extent to which energy communities enhance energy justice and democracy in the German energy transition. We have therefore to ask how energy communities reach out to vulnerable groups and describe the hurdles energy communities face. Even though some energy communities successfully reach vulnerable households, we show that the majority struggle to truely reach out to these groups. In the absence of regulatory support for engaging with vulnerable groups and confronted with a competitive energy market, energy communities are focussing on remaining in business. In this context, it should also be mentioned that some energy communities do not reach out to vulnerable groups to offer beneficial services that are of particular interest for the majority of them.

Conclusion

Based on these findings, we would like to underline the need for enabling regulations to support energy communities’ contribution to justice and democracy. An ‘enabling framework’ demands a clear taxonomy, which distinguishes different organisational and social energy community characteristics to acknowledge their social welfare-enhancing role and avoid misinterpretations and potential misuse.

Background

To transition our energy system toward sustainable production and consumption, it is important to successfully engage consumers to become active participants in this process. One form this can take is manual demand response, where end users respond to fluctuations in energy production and help balance the grid through adjustment of their consumption. This paper presents a trial of such a system that took place with tenants in subsidized housing in Catalonia, Spain. The aim of the trial was to motivate the load shifting behavior of the participants by forecasting expected consumption curves and tailoring suggestions for optimized behavior. The forecasts and suggestions were based on the users’ past consumption patterns and the hourly day-ahead electricity prices. This information was made available to the users on a web-based platform, and participants were actively informed with text messages sent to their mobile phones in case of attractive saving potentials for the following day. The trial was carried out in 2 phases from November 2019 to May 2020 (Phase 1) and from August to October 2020 (Phase 2). Data were collected on interaction with the platform, the perceived user experience of the platform and text messages, and the perceived energy saving success.

Results

Our results showed that there is a general interest of the participants in the concept, but that there are also important barriers to integrating load shifting behavior into everyday life. The biggest barriers here are limitations in the flexibility potential of households and limited perceived benefits. Feedback from our participants also suggests high acceptance and relevance of more automated demand-side management (DSM) concepts.

Conclusions

Based on this, we recommend paying special attention to the accommodation of varying flexibility potential in manual demand response (DR) programs, ensuring that communicated benefits are sufficiently attractive to motivate behavior change, and consideration of a phase of manual DR as an entry point to automated DSM.

Background

Active citizen participation, especially as collective prosumers in energy communities or as individual prosumers, is vital for a sustainable energy transition. As such, it is explicitly supported by European Union policy. It is the aim of policy-makers that a large proportion of the residential energy demand will be met in this way. At present, there is limited analysis on the macroeconomic impacts of such an increase in prosumers. In this study, we develop and apply an approach for assessing the macroeconomic impacts of transformation pathways, which depict potential developments of individual and collective prosumers.

Results

The paper methodologically demonstrates how to macroeconomically assess scenarios and transformation pathways originating from cross-impact balance analyses by means of an input–output analysis. In particular, it is shown how qualitative data on future developments can be transformed into financial flows so as to enable an input–output analysis. Based on the assessment of two transformation pathways, our main findings suggest that there might be positive regional and national effects on net value added and employment as well as reductions in CO₂ emissions. We find that the scale of the effects strongly depends on the spatial distribution of heterogeneous households and the underlying economic structure.

Conclusions

Our study represents a methodological advancement by showing how scenarios and transformation pathways can be assessed in terms of their macroeconomic consequences. This study shows that energy communities and individual prosumers might generate positive effects on value added and on employment. Given that households fix their energy supply options for decades, political decisions to support the energy transition in the residential sector should be taken as soon as possible.

Background

Germany is highly dependent on natural gas, the availability of which has become uncertain due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Biogas provision in Germany is realized by more than 9500 mainly farm-side biogas plants that have the potential to increase the security of gas supply.

Main text

To assess the potential contribution of biogas to a secure gas supply in Germany, we combine a literature-based analysis of the current status and potentials of the biogas supply chain with calculations of the marginal costs for producing biogas under the current market conditions. Biogas provided 50 TWh of final energy in Germany in 2021, primarily in the form of power and heat. The production of biomethane, which can in principle replace natural gas when fed into the gas grid, amounted to 10 TWh in terms of the lower heating value, which corresponds to a share of about 1% of the German gas market in 2021. However, at the end of 2021, biogas significantly contributed to the provided power (13 TWh or 22% of power supply from natural gas) combined with co-generated heat (13 TWh or 2% of heat supply from natural gas). Increasing flexible power provision from biogas is promising under the current power market conditions. In contrast, the current biogas substrate mix will lead to crucial limitations: 75% of the input into German biogas are energy crops, which are limited in availability under rising agricultural prices.

Conclusions and recommendations

In conclusion, biogas can only make up a small share of the current natural gas consumption. An immediate programme to mobilize the use of biogenic by-products, waste, and cultivated biomass without requiring additional land is recommended. We also propose measures to increase the flexibility of power production and heat use and more greenhouse gas-related incentives of biogas supply for the medium term. Finally, we see the need for additional efforts for non-food feedstock mobilization on a European scale by realizing the envisaged tenfold increase in the contribution of biomethane to a production goal of 35 billion cubic metres by 2030 in the REPower EU Plan of the European Commission.

Background

Energy citizenship has emerged as a concept which attempts to capture the new role envisaged for urban citizens as engaged and active in the energy transition. However, exactly how to successfully engage energy citizens requires more research and this article aims to contribute to this knowledge gap. The article presents a new methodology, ‘Walking with Energy’, which seeks to (re)connect citizens with where their energy is coming from. By experimenting with the application of this method in the UK and Sweden, we consider how viewing and talking about heating provision, while in the energy landscape, can encourage participants to reflect upon their local, mundane energy experiences and foster a greater sense of energy citizenship and greater motivation to engage with debates around heating transition.

Results

The article presents four different events: (1) a physical walk to an energy recovery facility, (2) a walk to view a building’s heat exchanger, (3) a round-table discussion using pictures to communicate in a language café, and (4) a virtual tour around an Energy Recovery Facility. The way we conducted the events influenced who engaged, for example: the walk through a heat facility and the walk to visit a heat exchanger in the basement of a University building tended to attract white middle-class people, while the virtual tour attracted a more mixed audience in terms of age and background, but most had a strong environmental interest. The language café targeted immigrants. The different events resulted in many similar reflections, but there was also variation. For example, the walk through the heat facility generated the most focused and least diverse reflections, while the event focussed on the heat exchanger opened up a wide range of issues for discussion.

Conclusions

We find that the method encouraged the sharing of personal experiences, storytelling, and deepened the engagement of participants with debates about energy. The method can help promote energy democracy and boost a deliberative dialogue about present and future energy systems among citizens. We also learnt that promotion of energy citizenship requires not only active citizens but also active facilitation to create opportunities for citizens to engage and reflect.