scholarly journals Impactful engineering education through sustainable energy collaborations with public and private entities

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 393-407
Author(s):  
Lluís Pacheco ◽  
Luo Ningsu ◽  
Toni Pujol ◽  
Jose Ramon Gonzalez ◽  
Inès Ferrer
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to report on a case study concerning the development of sustainable energy partnerships involving engineering faculty and undergraduate students at the University of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Design/methodology/approach Faculty were motivated to seek partnerships with public and private entities in the local area for the purposes of realising mutually beneficial outcomes. The educational programmes of future engineers, when sustainability is considered, are analysed. Education for sustainable development has to include multidisciplinary active learning as a desirable competence. Active learning can be obtained when problems are based on real life because they are most motivating for students. Constructive alignment component is obtained because learning objectives are linked with learning activities related to the needs of public and private entities. Findings Through the provision of technical expertise, the adoption and success of renewable energy projects was facilitated on the one hand, while final year undergraduate students benefited in terms of hands-on experience in helping to bring these projects to life, drawing on the knowledge and skills they had acquired throughout their degree programmes. These works are addressed to students by faculty members with the aim of developing and promoting renewable energies. Outcomes from partnerships surpassed expectations; not only were different benefits realised as were initially hoped for, but this success led to partnerships being sustained over time. Originality/value Fossil fuel-based energy systems are associated with a myriad of negative environmental and social externalities. It is difficult to overstate the importance of transitioning towards alternative low carbon energy sources for climate change mitigation which are less centralised compared to the status-quo for energy security and energy independence. By actively facilitating the development of decentralised renewable energy sources in Catalonia, the projects reported herein are of significant value in social environmental and educational terms.

scholarly journals Linking renewables and fossil fuels with carbon capture via energy storage for a sustainable energy future

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-459
Author(s):  
Dawid P. Hanak ◽  
Vasilije Manovic
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
The Future ◽  
Power Generation Systems

AbstractRenewable energy sources and low-carbon power generation systems with carbon capture and storage (CCS) are expected to be key contributors towards the decarbonisation of the energy sector and to ensure sustainable energy supply in the future. However, the variable nature of wind and solar power generation systems may affect the operation of the electricity system grid. Deployment of energy storage is expected to increase grid stability and renewable energy utilisation. The power sector of the future, therefore, needs to seek a synergy between renewable energy sources and low-carbon fossil fuel power generation. This can be achieved via wide deployment of CCS linked with energy storage. Interestingly, recent progress in both the CCS and energy storage fields reveals that technologies such as calcium looping are technically viable and promising options in both cases. Novel integrated systems can be achieved by integrating these applications into CCS with inherent energy storage capacity, as well as linking other CCS technologies with renewable energy sources via energy storage technologies, which will maximise the profit from electricity production, mitigate efficiency and economic penalties related to CCS, and improve renewable energy utilisation.

Renewable Energy Sources Development in Rural Areas of African Countries

2019 ◽  
pp. 154-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liudmila V. Nefedova ◽  
Alexander Alexsvitch Solovyev ◽  
Olena Popova
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Energy Supply ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Development ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Decentralized Energy

The prospects of increasing access to electricity for the population of rural areas of Africa are considered. The main international funds and organizations aimed at sustainable energy development in Africa are described. An analysis of the state and possible options for using renewable energy sources for this purpose in decentralized energy supply through the creation of mini-grids or stand-alone systems is given. The risks by developing renewable energy sources in rural areas and modern mechanisms for financing in solar energy are presented.

Renewable Energy Sources Development in Rural Areas of African Countries

2021 ◽  
pp. 1691-1704
Author(s):  
Liudmila V. Nefedova ◽  
Alexander Alexsvitch Solovyev ◽  
Olena Popova
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Energy Supply ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Development ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Decentralized Energy

The prospects of increasing access to electricity for the population of rural areas of Africa are considered. The main international funds and organizations aimed at sustainable energy development in Africa are described. An analysis of the state and possible options for using renewable energy sources for this purpose in decentralized energy supply through the creation of mini-grids or stand-alone systems is given. The risks by developing renewable energy sources in rural areas and modern mechanisms for financing in solar energy are presented.

scholarly journals Assessing Renewable Energy Sources for Electricity (RES-E) Potential using a CAPM-Analogous Multi-Stage Model

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martinez-Fernandez ◽  
deLlano-Paz ◽  
Calvo-Silvosa ◽  
Soares
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Carbon Capture And Storage ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
The Cost

Carbon mitigation is a major aim of the power-generation regulation. Renewable energy sources for electricity are essential to design a future low-carbon mix. In this work, financial Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) is implemented to optimize the power-generation technologies portfolio. We include technological and environmental restrictions in the model. The optimization is carried out in two stages. Firstly, we minimize the cost and risk of the generation portfolio, and afterwards, we minimize its emission factor and risk. By combining these two results, we are able to draw an area which can be considered analogous to the Capital Market Line (CML) used by the Capital Asset Pricing model (CAPM). This area delimits the set of long-term power-generation portfolios that can be selected to achieve a progressive decarbonisation of the mix. This work confirms the relevant role of small hydro, offshore wind, and large hydro as preferential technologies in efficient portfolios. It is necessary to include all available renewable technologies in order to reduce the cost and the risk of the portfolio, benefiting from the diversification effect. Additionally, carbon capture and storage technologies must be available and deployed if fossil fuel technologies remain in the portfolio in a low-carbon approach.

scholarly journals Development of Renewable Energy Sources in the Context of Threats Resulting from Low-Altitude Emissions in Rural Areas in Poland: A Review

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 3558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arkadiusz Piwowar ◽  
Maciej Dzikuć
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency ◽  
Low Altitude ◽  
Polish Economy

The process of transformation of the Polish economy, traditionally based on coal, into an economy that uses low-carbon technologies, faces a problem associated with the diversification of energy sources, especially in rural areas. The scale of the use of conventional energy carriers in households located in rural areas in Poland has a very negative impact on the natural environment. The aim of the paper is to indicate possibilities of reducing low-altitude emissions (with emitters not exceeding 40 m in height) in rural areas in Poland, through the development of renewable energy sources. This paper provides an overview of the specific character of rural areas in Poland and the development challenges faced in these areas in the investigated scope. In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency, it is necessary to dynamize pro-ecological activities in agriculture and in rural areas, including the development of agricultural biogas plants, wind and photovoltaic farms. The use of renewable energy sources can be an important factor in the development and sustainable growth of rural areas in Poland.

Evaluating renewable energy choices among rural communities in Nigeria. An insight for energy policy

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Innocent Okwanya ◽  
Abdulkareem Alhassan ◽  
Job Pristine Migap ◽  
Simon Adeka Sunday
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Energy Policy ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
North Central ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Policy Incentives

Purpose This study aims to examine the effects of policy incentives and cost on the choice and use of renewable energy in North-Central Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The data for this study are collected from a sample of 290 respondents drawn from across 6 states in North-Central Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory. This study uses descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression to analyze the data. Findings The findings reveal that there is a huge potential demand for renewable energy sources (particularly solar photovoltaic) in the rural communities in Nigeria. It also indicates a positive and highly significant relationship between the level of awareness, availability and income and the use (consumption) of renewable energy sources among the rural communities. Furthermore, the cost of installation and maintenance of renewable energy, its reliability and availability are significant determinants of renewable energy choices among rural inhabitants in Nigeria. Practical implications The authors submit that inefficient policy strategies, high cost of installation and lack of awareness remain the major hindrances to the use of more efficient renewable energy sources. From a policy point of view, a viable strategy for effective use of renewable energy sources is the involvement of government, development partners and agencies for the funding of renewable energy technology in the rural sector of the country. The usage of modern renewable energy would increase if policy incentives are aimed at covering parts of the maintenance and installation cost of renewable energy users. The authors recommend that apart from creating awareness on the benefits of renewable energy, policymakers should provide a desirable policy environment for private energy firms to supply renewable energy at an affordable cost to the rural communities in Nigeria. Social implications A majority of the rural households in Nigeria, as shown in this article, are poor and therefore use firewood as their main source of cooking energy because of the cost of renewable energy. Originality/value Despite the abundance of renewable energy sources and government effort at improving renewable energy use, more than 15 million people live without access to electricity and 54 million are without modern energy services for cooking and lightening in Nigeria. A total of 61% of these people live in rural areas. Therefore, this study is novel in providing energy policy insights for rural communities in North-Central Nigeria.

scholarly journals Renewable and Sustainable Energy Transitions for Countries with Different Climates and Renewable Energy Sources Potentials

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haichao Wang ◽  
Giulia Di Pietro ◽  
Xiaozhou Wu ◽  
Risto Lahdelma ◽  
Vittorio Verda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Energy System Model ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Energy Transitions ◽  
The Future

Renewable energy sources (RES) are playing an increasingly important role in energy markets around the world. It is necessary to evaluate the benefits from a higher level of RES integration with respect to a more active cross-border transmission system. In particular, this paper focuses on the sustainable energy transitions for Finland and Italy, since they have two extreme climate conditions in Europe and quite different profiles in terms of energy production and demand. We developed a comprehensive energy system model using EnergyPLAN with hourly resolution for a reference year for both countries. The models include electricity, heat and transportation sectors. According to the current base models, new scenarios reflecting an RES increase in total fuel consumption have been proposed. The future shares of renewables are based on each nation’s potential. The outcomes of the new scenarios support the future national plans, showing how decarburization in an energy system can occur in relation to the European Roadmap 2030 and 2050. In addition, possible power transmission between Italy and Finland were investigated according to the vision of an integrated European energy system with more efficient cross-border activities.

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