Energy, Sustainability and Society最新文献

Background

The role of geothermal technology in the context of global efforts toward carbon-free and clean energy production is becoming increasingly important. Social acceptance is a decisive factor in the successful implementation of geothermal projects.

Main text

This systematic review summarizes the major aspects and evaluates the crucial outcomes of recent research on community acceptance as a dimension of social acceptance of geothermal technology since 2011, on a global scale. From the literature, we identified and grouped researched acceptance factors into five main acceptance categories, namely ‘project organization and process’, ‘environment’, ‘municipality’, ‘technology’, and ‘governance’. Each category comprises a number of specific acceptance factors addressed by different survey methods (e.g., interviews, questionnaires, content analyses) in the relevant publications. The acceptance factor categories ‘technology’ and ‘governance’ are remarkably underrepresented, whereas the acceptance factors combined in the categories ‘project organization’ and ‘municipality’ are frequently mentioned in the literature. Acceptance factors combined within the category ‘environment’, ‘trust in key actors’, and ‘information about the project’ are expectedly the most dominant ones in the papers studied. Interestingly, acceptance categories and number of mentions of acceptance factors are comparable in all survey methods applied in the various studies. Besides the acceptance factors combined in the categories ‘environment’ and ‘project organization and process’, ‘knowledge about geothermal technology’ (an acceptance factor from the category ‘municipality’) represents the predominant acceptance factor of geothermal technology.

Conclusions

Deeper knowledge, in particular about the technical aspects of geothermal energy generation, might enable a more comprehensive and holistic view on geothermal technology. Furthermore, the integration of all relevant groups of stakeholders in the process of implementation of geothermal projects strongly influences their social acceptance. Following the results of our systematic literature review, we propose these aspects should be addressed in more detail in future research on the community acceptance of geothermal technology and energy production.

Background

UN defined Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promotes international relations as a platform of cooperation between all stakeholders to achieve peace, stability, and prosperity but faces significant challenges in the post-2022 period. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis, the prospects for sustainable development as a component of international relations are one of the challenges. The main objective of this paper is the conceptualization of a model for sustainable development risk analysis, intended for developing countries with underdeveloped or nonexistent monitoring systems.

Methods

Theory synthesis, adaption, and model development were used in the conceptual method due to empirical research limitations. Analysis, induction, and modeling were utilized to evaluate qualitative and quantitative sustainable development risk assessment approaches and anticipate their advantages and disadvantages.

Results

The theoretical part of the research points to the need to consider the risks to implementing sustainable development (primarily future energy development and climate change) that arise from changes in international security. The novel result of the paper is the proposal of the concept Model for sustainable development implementation risk assessment in developing countries, derived from the following inputs: (a) an overview of the development of international relations and attitudes towards sustainable development; (b) a proposal of a generic model for risk assessment; (c) a prediction of the sustainable development future from the perspective of international relations and defined risks for its implementation. A set of indicators is proposed by dimensions: social, economic–political, and energy-environment.

Conclusions

The future of sustainable development can be considered at a certain degree of risk in light of the global crisis after 2022. Changes in geopolitical constellations, armed conflicts, population growth, climate change, and the reallocation of financial resources are the factors that will largely determine the commitment of individual countries to implementing sustainable development. Therefore, sustainable development risk assessment must be revisited, improved, and closely monitored. The development of models based on the specificities of each country is highly recommended. Methodological notes are presented.

Background

Development finance is vital for low- and middle-income countries to enhance their sustainability agendas, as it provides essential funding necessary to close domestic financing gaps, including in the energy sector. Coal is still a vital power source for the energy sectors in the Western Balkans (i.e., Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). The energy sector is a critical component in the five countries’ pursuit to decarbonize (i.e., follow the net zero pathways) due to its central role as a primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and a critical enabler of sustainability transition. This article presents a mapping exercise of development finance for five Western Balkan countries’ energy sectors. The study conducted a scoping literature review and detailed analysis of the five countries’ energy sector-related development finance flows from 2008 to 2020. This aimed to provide insights into the development finance flows for renewable and non-renewable energy sources in five Western Balkan countries.

Results

The scoping literature review indicated a significant gap in knowledge about the effects and effectiveness of development finance in the Western Balkans. Data analysis identified US$3.2 billion in energy development finance in the examined countries. The disbursement ratios were above the global average of 63%. Serbia received the highest proportion of the total funding, while Montenegro obtained the highest funding per capita. The data analysis did not establish a connection between adopting the Paris Agreement in 2016 and increasing development finance flows for renewable energy projects. Around one-third of the disbursed development finance was invested in projects for energy supply using non-renewable sources. Official Development Aid loans represented 37% (US$1.2 billion) of the total funding, contributing to the increase in indebtedness in the five countries. European-based bilateral and multilateral development finance providers were the most important actors in the five examined countries.

Conclusions

The amount of the disbursed development finance was insufficient to cover a significant percentage of the needs of the surveyed countries. Although carbon-intensive energy infrastructure received considerable funding, the total amount of disbursed energy development finance ranged between 0.15 and 0.62% of the average gross domestic product for the analyzed countries during the study period. Based on the research findings, we recommend that development finance providers and recipient countries pay greater attention to planning for strategic funding disbursement.

Background

To be socially robust, renewable energy policies aiming at achieving a low-carbon society require public support. Woody biomass is an important renewable energy source. It accounts for a large share of the renewable energy consumption in several EU countries. However, its sustainability credentials are contested. Little is known as yet about how the public perceives woody biomass. This paper aims to examine the public’s intention to vote for continued use of woody biomass, and to find out whether this voting intention can be explained using the cognitive hierarchy model. This model posits that values, attitudes and beliefs predict higher order cognitions like intention. We extend the model by including an additional variable (perceived benefit). Although the model is widely used in connection with natural resource management issues, it has not yet been applied to the case of increasingly contested energy sources like woody biomass. We use Denmark as a case study given that woody biomass makes up the largest share of the renewable energy mix in the country.

Results

Results of a nationwide questionnaire-based survey of the general public show that a large proportion of Danes are undecided about their attitudes towards, and their intention to vote for, woody biomass. Structural equation modeling results show that belief in the mitigation potential of woody biomass has a significant positive effect on both attitudes and voting intention. Altruistic and egoistic values have a significant positive effect on attitudes, which in turn have a significant positive influence on voting intention. We also confirm the mediating role of attitudes.

Conclusions

Understanding public opinion-making processes can help to promote environmental decision-making that takes due account of public perceptions of the ways in which energy transitions come about. The cognitive hierarchy model is an apt framework with which to predict voting intention in the context of contested energy sources.

Background

Transforming power production systems to achieve net zero emissions and address climate change will require deep structural changes, partially dependent on community perceptions of the necessary energy transition. The article presents results from 2-day citizen juries held in four communities of Saskatchewan, Canada: Estevan, Swift Current, Regina, and Saskatoon in 2021/22 whose purpose was to determine if place attachment impacts future power production preferences and whether social learning can be achieved. Mixed research methods included a survey before and after the citizen juries and a qualitative analysis of the discussions and outputs.

Results

Research results confirm that while there are common concerns across communities about unbiased information, transparent decision-making, justice/equity concerns, and people's involvement, community-imagined energy futures can be very divergent. Not only place-based attachment, the existent industry and infrastructure surrounding the community impact preferences but also openness to learning and group dynamics contribute. Focused deliberations on the complex problem of climate change advance social learning.

The coal, oil, and gas community of Estevan supported coal, natural gas, and carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) to a substantially larger extent than other communities, even increasing their preference for coal after the citizen jury. Saskatoon chose Small Modular Reactors (SMR) as their top choice, whereas Swift Current switched from preferring natural gas to solar and SMRs.

Conclusions

The findings from the jury sessions suggest changing attitudes toward SMRs as a potential source of energy, as well as a shift from cost considerations to environmental. Future research implications could include differing methodologies and potentially partnering beyond academia. Jurors all expressed the desire for greater government leadership, urging the government to demonstrate accountability, hold large enterprises accountable, and be more proactive in bringing parties together.

Background

Hydrogen energy, a type of renewable energy if produced without fossil fuel, has a critical issue in that most of it is still produced from carbon footprint heavy industries such as the fossil fuel industry. It is imperative to produce hydrogen from renewable sources on a global level so that the carbon footprint can be curbed. South Korea, along with other global economies such as the US, the EU, Japan and China, has shown its resolution to build a hydrogen economy with green hydrogen produced only from renewable sources. Since 2017, South Korea has been actively shaping its political actions and policies to develop the necessary technology for this transition. This study focuses on South Korea's actions and policies, using a political system model to better understand the shift towards a green hydrogen economy.

Results

The analysis shows that budgeting for R&D projects has had a significant impact on scientific breakthroughs, advancements, and product development in the field of green hydrogen in South Korea. These actions have also affected market performance, resulting in increased interest and investment in green hydrogen. Although there have been significant advancements in the field of green hydrogen in South Korea, the current state of technology remains in its early stages of development. Most of the breakthroughs have been in water-to-hydrogen and biomass-to-hydrogen technologies. However, these technologies show promise as the foundation of a thriving hydrogen economy in South Korea. The analysis also indicates a strong market demand for green hydrogen technology. To support these efforts, the political system has focused its financial support on water-to-hydrogen technology and projects at the TRL 1–3 stage.

Conclusions

The study concludes that ongoing financial and political support is necessary for areas showing outstanding performance to vitalize the hydrogen economy and facilitate the transition to a green hydrogen society in the future. Additionally, a robust legal framework is crucial to ensure steady growth of the green hydrogen economy, similar to those in other major hydrogen economies such as the US and Germany. This study serves as a case study of South Korea, showcasing the impact of political actions on the advancement of scientific technology.

Background

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 calls for “universal access to affordable, reliable, modern energy services” for the 2.6 billion individuals lacking access to clean cooking fuels and stoves. Low- and middle-income countries are designing policies towards clean fuels, but often prioritize World Health Organization defined ‘clean’ fuels and stoves to urban areas. As clean solutions are explored, it remains unclear what rural households prefer as their clean alternative.

Methods

This study conducted household energy surveys with main cooks across four villages in Shirati, Tanzania to understand rural household preferences within the viable clean fuels. Data analysis includes descriptive statistics and a generalized linear model with the Poisson family and log link to estimate prevalence ratios, all of which were conducted in Microsoft Excel and STATA 16.1.

Results

The results revealed that while 83% of households (n = 187) stacked a combination of firewood, charcoal, liquified petroleum gas (LPG), and/or kerosene, 82% [95% Confidence Interval: 74%, 89%] of households stated a preference to use LPG. We found that aggregate expenditure on LPG was less than daily purchases of charcoal and firewood. Our analysis found that all villages had a higher prevalence of stacking firewood, charcoal, and LPG, than areas further from the main trading center. Both areas with trading posts had a lower prevalence of using only firewood.

Conclusions

Household preference should be systematically incorporated into clean cooking policy decisions. Our results imply that LPG should not be pursued only in urban contexts. We discuss how preference affect adoption and the need to include user preferences to meet universal clean cooking access (SDG 7).

Background

Approximately 90% of the global human population have access to a supply of electrical energy. Existing national electrical energy supply systems possess good technical availability but with significant system-inherent risks. The latter show their effects in the systems’ operational behaviour, their impact on the national economy and on the global climate. National electrical energy supply systems in their current state can therefore not be considered sustainable. This invites the question, “can there be a national electrical energy supply system that is simultaneously technologically, economically and environmentally sustainable?”.

Main text

The contents of this article are of a fundamental nature. They start from a newly established axiomatic system for multiple-sustainable electric energy systems. The axioms contain no dependencies on individual users, nation states or technologies. For the transition into a sustainable energy system, core challenges faced by existing systems are synthesized, the fulfillment of which determines the feasibility of future systems. We state that anthropogenically generated electrical energy is a product possessing a cultural-technical significance. In this article, the possibilities arising from the physical fundamentals are considered. In addition, a new control system is developed that integrates user impact, quality assurance and cost developments in order to show a means to multiple-sustainable energy supply systems. An essential component of the control system is a unified view of energy production and energy transport. This also includes a transition from the previous, technology-dominated energy supply system into a new system for which the relevant social concerns are primary. One axiom deals with the economic concerns of management organizations of national electrical energy systems. At first, only the monetary working hypothesis is formulated, whereby organizations within the energy economy must be decoupled from basic business principles. Detailed discussions will be dealt with in a further article.

Conclusions

Through the transition from a technology-defined to a user-defined electrical energy supply system, the system-immanent risks in the operational behaviour, the national economy and the climate can be avoided simultaneously in an ideal complementary combination. Building upon the physical solution space, the quality-assured control process, which contains a systematic cost-reversal and a central focus upon the cultural-technical product of electrical energy, ensures such a transition is achievable by means of fulfillment of the core challenges. For these fundamental statements, which refer to the transformation into a future system, detailed explanations of organizational units are not yet necessary since they are not subject to any natural-scientific restrictions. However, they are essential for the post-transformation process.

Background

Innovations and new supply chain concepts are crucial for establishing a sustainable and circular bio-economy that reduces carbon emissions and lowers negative environmental impacts. PESTEL-based concept development provides information about positive, negative and neutral external factors of the macro-environment and their influence on supply chains. The primary data were collected at a stakeholder workshop and gaps in understanding the critical details were closed through expert interviews. The information gathered was organised using a data management software and coded by following a deductively formed system based on predefined PESTEL categories (political, economic, social, technological, ecological, legal). Stakeholders that used the method on intermediate carbon carriers (ICC) grappled with identifying the obstacles that hinder the market uptake of innovations. The workshop revealed a substantial demand for additional information. Infrastructural aspects were considered key to adequately understanding all of the segments along a supply chain. Using PESTEL alone, without taking infrastructural aspects into consideration, meant that the macro-environment that surrounds and affects the ICC supply chain remained a black box. This paper developed docking-related approaches to the basic PESTEL method in order to improve its output for the development of strategic concepts and to improve the market uptake of bio-economy-centred innovations.

Results

The expanded PESTEL method (hereinafter PESTEL + I) significantly shifted the emphasis of strategic decisions to the marketing of individual innovations compared to the basic method. Docking information gathering onto infrastructure (+ I) should be considered in order to expand existing strategy development concepts for bio-economy value chains. Testing the market uptake of innovations was beyond the scope of this study.

Conclusions

PESTEL + I not only increased the utility, but also the complexity and the time needed to analyse an entire supply chain. The expanded method, however, provides stakeholders and strategy developers with a more useful tool to support and optimise market uptake strategies in the bio-economy. Beyond this, there is a knowledge gap with regard to reducing the effort needed to collect data and evaluate such studies. Hence, follow-up research needs to find ways to digitalise major steps in the overall process to make it more efficient.