Energy, Sustainability and Society最新文献

Background

An ’energy community’ can add socioeconomic components to microgrids and has recently been solidified as the regulatory concept of a ’Citizen Energy Community’ by the European Union. Such energy communities can further be supplemented with digital capabilities. This paper provides insights from a 13-month case study on a digitally enabled energy community with prosumers with limited ability to provide manual demand response, who were enabled to engage in peer-to-peer trading of local energy generation.

Results

Long-term willingness to pay for local sustainable electricity in the market environment was lower than expected. Overall willingness and ability to provide manual demand response might be low. Participants’ use of the provided digital tools were at least partly driven by their desire to control energy costs.

Conclusions

Repeat interaction with the energy community’s market and its inherent complexities might limit the ability of energy communities to provide technical and economic benefits. This diminishes the appeal of corresponding business models. One direction to make energy communities more attractive to regulators and utilities is the conceptualization, design, and empirical evaluation of systems that lead to low perceived complexity for participants while enabling high levels of external automated control.

Background

While energy communities working on electricity provision have been extensively studied, thermal energy communities (TECs) focusing on bringing district heating (DH) systems to decarbonise heat systems in buildings have been relatively under-researched. This study addresses this gap by presenting the first comprehensive examination of key factors influencing the emergence and development of TEC projects in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. The study uses an established analytical framework from previous research encompassing seven dimensions: market structure, hard- and soft institutions, financing, physical infrastructure, capacity, and interactions with other stakeholders. Data are gathered through a literature review and interviews.

Results

TECs have emerged at different times in each country, shaped by contextual circumstances and diverse forms of institutional support. Elements that have supported the development of TECs are regulatory frameworks promoting DH growth, heat decarbonisation policies, economic incentives to use waste heat in plants, targeted financing mechanisms, and assistance to enhance the capacity of TECs. External factors such as high oil prices, seismic events, and recent rising energy prices have also spurred project initiation. TECs also rely on additional factors for success, including organisational and entrepreneurial abilities to engage with stakeholders, gain social acceptance, and secure commitment from community members. Involvement from local government, intermediary organisations, and private companies is crucial for TEC implementation.

Among the studied countries, Danish TECs stand out as the most developed, benefiting from a stable policy environment, decades of experience with DH and TEC, and positive societal perceptions. Conversely, Dutch and German TECs face challenges because of the early stage of their heat transition, dealing with financial obstacles, underdeveloped policies, unfamiliarity with DH technology and with TECs, as well as the need for expensive infrastructure changes. Shared challenges across regions include capacity limitations in small projects and implementing cost-effective, local, and sustainable heat sources.

Conclusions

In light of the study's findings, policymakers must consider establishing stable, integral and flexible policies supporting heat decarbonisation and TECs, addressing TECs' reliance on limited capacities, involving TECs in local heat municipal plans, and facilitating high DH connection rates where DH is the most cost-effective solution from a socio-economic perspective.

Background

Many countries agreed to reduce CO₂ emissions to limit global warming under the terms of the Paris Agreement. In Europe, this agreement is supported by the climate targets introduced under the European Green Deal and the Fit for 55 package. Although Germany has made substantial progress in reducing emissions across various sectors, the transport sector remains a notable exception, showing little improvement. It is therefore essential to reevaluate the transport sector to strengthen its contribution to achieving the emission reduction targets. The aim of this study is to identify and propose strategies for shifting from fossil fuel-based transport to a more sustainable mode centred on alternative fuels. To investigate the potential pathways, an integrated approach is developed using a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA).

Results

A two-step survey was used to collect data from different stakeholders in order to derive the key factors for the implementation of alternative fuels and devise transition strategies. The findings show that reducing GHG emissions, resource competition, and the impacts of environmental regulations are the most important factors for evaluating the transition strategies. On the other hand, reducing the competitiveness of fossil fuels through increased prices, as well as technical and infrastructural support, are the most promising strategies.

Conclusions

The sustainable transition in the transport sector is fundamentally driven by the use of renewable fuel alternatives as sustainable energy carriers to replace fossil fuels. The use and deployment of renewable fuel alternatives will play the most significant role in the defossilization of the transport sector, on course to achieve a 55% reduction by 2030 and reaching climate-neutrality by 2050. However, identification of the proper transition strategies in the phase-out of fossil fuels and their replacement with renewable fuel alternatives necessitates a comprehensive evaluation framework. This work contributes to this by developing a holistic evaluation framework, enabling the incorporation of multiple stakeholders within the identification and evaluation of the transition strategies. While several strategies are identified, stakeholders agree that reducing the competitiveness of fossil fuels through increased prices and lower subsidies would be the best strategy.

Background

One major question of climate and energy policy is how to act under conditions of great uncertainty. This contribution relates to the literature that studies how various actors draft regional energy scenarios and pathways in so-called serious games. Serious gaming aims to foster contextual knowledge generation about complex problems and spatial solutions associated with sustainability transitions.

Little attention has thus far been paid to the question of how to design a serious game that enables desired game results through different player constellations. Shortcomings in the literature regarding the inclusion of relevant players and secure game experience through player interaction are covered by stakeholder theory. Our approach assigns different attributes to individual players which secures that the game is played from various perspectives and by actual stakeholders.

Results and conclusions

Our empirical study shows the impact of players with different stakeholder attributes on two game results: the first game result is a spatial energy scenario (output) and the second result is the collective and place-based learning experience during the game (outcome). The paper closes with three concluding recommendations:

• It is important to pay attention to player’s attributes as well as to constellations of players since they influence game experience (outcome) and achieved scenario (output).

• Player’s attributes and constellations can partly explain differences in game results, but more empirical work on the influence of players and games on the results is necessary. In the future, more attention should be paid to the interaction, discussions and dynamics within the player teams.

• The optimization of player teams needs to be strongly considered in game design. Also, we note that if the game is played in a regional context, the spatial orientation (the region) could be taken into greater account when applying stakeholder theory.

Background

Although some socioeconomic, environmental, and political factors could impact life expectancy, the economic literature loses sight of the relationship between the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies and their potential effect on global life expectancy. An insightful analysis of the socio-economic and environmental benefits associated with renewable sources forms the foundation for investigating the broader implications for public health and well-being. Using panel data from 27 European countries over the period 2000–2020, this study examines the effects of renewable energy consumption on human life expectancy as well as how institutional quality and investment in renewable energy projects might promote better health outcomes.

Methods

The methodological approach is carefully selected to address salient estimation issues and includes a qualitative sequential methodology involving empiric analysis that provides coherence and viability for our study, but also quantitative methods, including factor analysis, panel fully modified least squares (FMOLS), unit root tests, and cointegration techniques.

Results

We find that renewable energy consumption and institutional quality can improve life expectancy in EU countries. Furthermore, the empirical evidence indicates that sustaining longevity as a new government strategy requires strong institutional quality, capable of influencing the status of renewable energy and promoting long-term sustainability.

Conclusions

Our findings bear essential policy implications regarding sustaining longevity as new government strategies and exploring the scale of the target to increase healthy life expectancy. The entire EU health policy and the government's recommitment to narrowing the gap in healthy life expectancy should be focused on improving institutional quality and reducing carbon emissions through promoting projects capable of increasing renewable energy consumption. The results suggest that, on average, a 1% change in renewable energy consumption leads to a 0.331 change in life expectancy, and a 1% change in institutional quality leads to a 0.316 change in life expectancy.

Background

Smart home technologies (SHT) make it easier than ever to track energy demands and are expected to contribute to the implementation of sustainability strategies. In particular, they are supposed to enable promising demand side management strategies by altering user behaviour towards sustainability while ensuring the balance of energy supply and demand.

For determining environmental impacts of products and technologies, the methodology of life cycle assessment (LCA) is an established tool. While large parts of LCAs are standardised, the consideration of user behaviour related effects has not been specified. By adopting an interdisciplinary perspective, this literature study contributes to the future development of a standardized methodology for the operationalisation of behaviour in LCAs.

Results

Three main strategies for operationalising behaviour in LCA studies were identified: (1) behaviour theory-based approaches, (2) model-based behaviour predictions and (literature-based) deductions, and (3) averages and assumptions. The results of this literature study show that the selection of the strategy is crucial as the user behaviour and methods used for LCAs have a significant impact on the environmental and economic payback periods and calculated overall impact of SHTs. Findings from the social sciences on practices and household activities that can be influenced by SHTs, are not systematically applied.

Conclusions

Our literature analysis makes it clear that LCA results depend on various factors. Selected operationalisation and methodological approaches, respectively, can play a key role. Depending on the method chosen the results can vary by several orders of magnitude and are not always comparable. Simplified approaches for integrating user behaviour into LCAs like assumptions and average values can be a first step in accounting for the relevance of behaviour. However, it is important to bear in mind that these approaches may not reflect actual user behaviour, as this can be subjected to a limited changeability of certain household practices and habits. On the basis of the results, the authors recommend greater interdisciplinary co-operation in the conduction of LCAs on SHTs, ranging from a common definition of the scope, to the implementation of socio-scientific research and survey methods, to the derivation of policies.

Background

While discussions on nuclear energy mostly took place at the national level and the respective media arenas in the past, the questions of regulating sustainability and financing have now moved up to the supranational EU level. In this light, this article analyses the discussions and processes around the inclusion of nuclear energy into the EU Taxonomy, which aims at guiding financial means towards sustainable economic activities.

Results

The research question as to why nuclear energy has become sustainable is examined by applying a narrative discourse analysis. To account for the identified challenges for media-based discourse analysis regarding nuclear energy, an analysis was conducted alongside key events relying on media articles and expert interviews, following the institutional structure of the implementation process. The article contributes to the limited body of literature on sustainability regulation, particularly from a social science perspective. By delving into the specific dimensions of the regulatory process on nuclear energy, it provides a nuanced understanding that enriches existing academic discourse in this emerging field.

Conclusions

In the article, it is argued that four factors contributed mainly to the decision to label nuclear energy sustainable: the delegated act, combined with the decision to connect nuclear energy and gas (1), the publication of the report by the Joint Research Centre (2), the implicit compromise between Germany (gas) and France (nuclear energy) (3) and finally, the Russian war against Ukraine (4). Although narrative discourse analysis still offers valuable insights into ongoing policy processes at the EU level, the different implementation process in the EU by means of the delegated act shapes its explanatory power compared to the national context.

Background

Solar photovoltaic technology is one of the promising renewable energy solutions of the twenty-first century. It successfully provides electricity to industries, homes and even the transport sector. The decreasing prices of solar modules from 2010 have made Solar Home Systems Technology (SHST) increasingly attractive compared to other renewable energy technologies. Paradoxically, in rural communities of South Africa the usage of SHS remains low. Households continue to rely on unclean energy sources such as firewood for cooking and water heating. Previous efforts to electrify rural communities with SHS have failed considerably. Thus, a comprehensive study was conducted in the Vhembe District, encompassing three villages, to explore this issue and develop a contextualised solution using a behavioural change model. A 35-item questionnaire was randomly administered to 310 households to understand the factors that contribute to the low adoption rate of SHS technology. The data gathered were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics and Amos version 28. Confirmatory factor analysis and hypothesis testing were employed as the principal statistical methods.

Results

A 12-item model with five distinct factors consolidated into a single measurement model was revealed. All standardised factor loadings exceeded 0.7. Composite reliability values (CR) were above 0.8 and higher than MaxR(H) values, indicating the model’s reliability. Among the five factors influencing SHS adoption (perceived behavioural control, attitude, intention, trust, and subjective norms), only trust and attitude significantly impacted the intention to adopt SHS in the district (P < 0.05). Based on these findings, the conceptualised structural model reflected SHS adoption as determined by the integration of the technology’s social, technical and policy factors. Because of this, this should be regarded as a true reflection of the practical and behavioural intentions of local communities. Moreover, in this paper the barriers hindering SHS adoption are explained, emphasising the significance of attitude and trust. Highlights of policy imperatives are included together with a proposal for a contextual framework, and the way of promoting sustainable solutions. Emphasis is placed on the importance of scaling up renewable energy access.

Conclusions

This research provides a compelling academic exploration of the barriers to the adoption of SHS, the influential role of attitudes and trust, policy considerations, a contextual framework, and the need for promoting sustainable solutions and expanding access to renewable energy. The South African government should lead a change in how solar PV is deployed, considering its social impact, associated technical skills and policy support.

Background

While the energy system is recognized as the largest contributor to climate disruption, the bulk of the sustainability-oriented interventions are made through technologies rather than employment equity and social justice issues. Emergent research points to the critical role of increasing the number of women and other minoritized groups in the energy sector, which could have a cultural, economic, and environmental impact. Nevertheless, how inclusion and diversity in the sector are to be achieved is not clear.

Main text

This article is a result of a structured literature review of earlier research focusing on gender in professional networks and mentoring programs within the energy sector. Professional networks and mentoring have been identified as some of the tools employed for increasing gender diversity in the sector. We seek to understand how gender has been integrated, what the main barriers and enablers for women are, and what strategies organizations have applied to achieve gender balance so that men and women face equal opportunities to partake in and influence decisions concerning the energy system.

Conclusion

We found that women’s exclusion is not recognized as a problem that needs to be acknowledged, monitored, or addressed by the energy sector or policymakers. Professional mentoring and networking have largely been employed to fill the career advancement and diversity gaps left untackled by the energy sector or policymakers. Opportunities for women to be meaningfully included in energy systems decision-making are still limited and fragmented. Furthermore, this lack of recognition is mirrored in energy research. We identified a concerning lack of evidence-based findings on the topic of women’s networking and mentoring in the energy sector. We thus call for in-depth, qualitative, and critical examinations of how opportunities for women and other minoritized groups are generated on both the policy and practice level.