The renewable energy landscape in Benin: an analysis and review of barriers, targets, policies and actions for a clean energy transition

AbstractCurrent development of renewable energy systems (RES) is characterised by an increasing participation of citizens in the upstream decision-making process. These citizens can be future users of the RES but also members of a Renewable Energy Community that develop RES. They can be at the same time Renewable Energy producer, investor and consumer. Moreover, several type of businesses and terms are used to cope with social innovations within the energy sector: local renewable projects, sustainable energy communities or community of renewable energy production. So, actors' engagement opens new solutions for designers who are induced to share alternatives before making decisions. They usually impose constraints since the early phases of the design process. This approach implies for designers to consider new criteria related to citizens motivations and barriers. This paper presents a study to define the main factors that drive people to contribute in social innovation schemes for clean-energy transition. After a state of the art, a survey about 6 main factors and 18 criteria is presented. The analysis based on the responses from 34 participants (i.e. experts) reveals 2 most important factors of motivation and 2 principal barrier sources.

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Territorial Governance of EU Cross-Border Renewable Energy Cooperation: A Soluble or Turbulent Model in the Current Framework?

Global Energy Law and Sustainability ◽

10.3366/gels.2021.0048 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 79-97

Author(s):

Melis Aras

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Large Scale ◽

Planning Process ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Local Level ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Clean Energy ◽

Legal Framework ◽

Development Planning ◽

Cross Border

The energy transition in Europe requires not only the implementation of technological innovations to reduce carbon emissions but also the decentralised extension of these innovations throughout the continent, as demonstrated by the ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’ package. However, decentralised energy generation, and specifically electricity generation, as it gives rise to new players and interactions, also requires a review of the energy planning process. In this sense, governance becomes the key concept for understanding the implementation of the energy transition in a territory. This is particularly visible in a cross-border setting, especially considering cross-border cooperation in the development of renewable energy sources (RES) provides the necessary elements to determine the criteria of local regulation between the different levels of governance. In light of the current legal framework in France, this paper presents the institutional framework of the multi-level governance of the RES development planning process. It concludes that it is quite conceivable for the rationales of governance at the local level (decentralisation) and the large-scale operation of a large interconnected network (Europeanisation) to coexist.

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The Impact of Financial Development On The Clean Energy Transition In MENA Region: The Role of Institutional And Political Factors.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1090260/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Haifa Saadaoui

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Financial Development ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Transition Process ◽

Clean Energy ◽

Mena Region ◽

Political Factors ◽

Long Run ◽

The Impact

Abstract This study focuses on the role of institutional factors as well as financial development in renewable energy transition in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region over the period 1990-2018 using the ARDL PMG method. The investigation of long-run and short-run analysis confirms that institutional and political factors play a key role in promoting the transition to renewable energy, and shows that improving these factors can lead to decarbonization of the energy sector in the long run. Another important finding is that global financial development does not have a significant effect on the transition process in the long run, implying that the whole financial system needs a fundamental structural change to accelerate the substitution between polluting and clean energies. However, in the short term, the impact appears to be negative and significant, highlighting the inadequacy of financial institutions and financial markets in promoting the region’s sustainable path. Moreover, income drives the transition to renewable energy in both short and long term. The causality results show that both financial development and institutional quality lead to renewable energy transition, while there is a bidirectional link between income and renewable energy.This study can provide a very useful recommendation to promote a clean transition in the MENA region.

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The EU Emissions Trading System and Renewable Energy Policies: Friends or Foes in the European Policy Mix?

Politics and Governance ◽

10.17645/pag.v7i1.1800 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 105-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marie Byskov Lindberg

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Emissions Trading ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Clean Energy ◽

Electricity Sector ◽

Policy Position ◽

Policy Mix ◽

Trading System ◽

Industry Group ◽

Emissions Trading System

The EU’s energy transition has advanced rapidly over the last decade, with important implications for the policy landscape. Scholars have characterized the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Renewable Energy Directive as the most important policies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity sector. However, since the early 2010s, non-governmental and industrial actors have debated whether renewable energy (RE) support and targets are compatible with the ETS. This article systematically assesses the policy preferences of five groups of non-governmental actors with respect to the role of the ETS versus RE policies in three policy processes. For most groups, preferences remain stable across the policy processes. In the electricity industry group, preferences vary from one policy process to another. During the ETS-reform, this group of actors argues that the ETS should be the main climate policy, whereas, in the Clean Energy Package-process, almost half of the utilities endorse continued RE support. This represents a shift in their line of reasoning and policy position: from asserting that RE policies ‘destroy’ the ETS, towards a position which recognizes the value of having both the ETS and RE policies as complementary instruments in the policy mix. The findings point to increasing support for RE policies, which is important for policy makers and scholars involved in designing and implementing the EU’s decarbonization policies.

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Weaving an Innovation Network from the Middle Out: the Case of the Renewable Energy Ecosystem

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1106779/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Tali Zohar ◽

Yael Parag ◽

Ofira Ayalon

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Clean Energy ◽

Central Component ◽

Innovation Network ◽

Low Carbon ◽

Innovation Ecosystem ◽

Sequence Of Events ◽

Energy Innovation ◽

Push And Pull

Abstract BackgroundRenewable energy (RE) systems are becoming a central component of the clean energy transition and often seen as the way to combat climate change. Their establishment requires innovation, investments, and deployment policies for emerging technologies. Governments around the world are increasingly trying to create and support the energy-tech and climate-tech innovation ecosystems in their attempt to promote an innovation-supporting environment. However, energy innovation policies are often aligned with the dichotomous notion of technology-push and market-pull, and overlook the social, political, and cultural contexts in which RE innovative technologies are embedded, and the multiple actors and interactions that are associated with their development. By combining the Middle-Out Perspective (MOP) and innovation literature, this paper argues that an innovation ecosystem could be weaved from the middle-out.MethodsThis paper analyses the case of Israel’s RE innovation ecosystem creation through the lens of the MOP and applies a socio-technical interpretation to the push and pull terminology. Process tracing methodology was applied to trace a sequence of events to determines whether an actor was pushed or pulled, the formation of a network of actors, and its evolvement to an energy innovation ecosystem from the middle-out. Data for the analysis was collected from interviews, policy papers, media articles and Governmental decisions.ResultsThe analysis demonstrates how middle actors push the implementation of RE technologies in Israel, and at the same time pull decision-makers and other middle actors to promote the low carbon transition. The push and pull forces and the interactions between actors lead to the engagement of new stakeholders in the innovation network, the adoption of more ambitious RE targets and supporting policies, and to the creation of an effective RE innovation ecosystem.ConclusionsThis paper uses the MOP as an analytical framework and the push and pull terminology to demonstrate how a middle actor initiates and develops an actor-network by interacting with other actors. As this network broadens, it forms an effective innovation ecosystem. Network of actors have the potential to lead change, provide innovative ideas, initiate research, encourage investments, create employment possibilities, and promote regional sustainable development.

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Are We on the Right Track? Collective Self-Consumption and Energy Communities in the European Union

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su132212494 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (22) ◽

pp. 12494

Author(s):

Dorian Frieden ◽

Andreas Tuerk ◽

Ana Rita Antunes ◽

Vasilakis Athanasios ◽

Alexandros-Georgios Chronis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Electricity Market ◽

National Level ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Clean Energy ◽

Energy System ◽

The European Union ◽

High Expectations ◽

The Right ◽

The Eu

To accelerate the energy transition, the EU “Clean Energy for all Europeans” package aims to strengthen the involvement of end consumers in the energy market. To this end, together with so-called “active consumers” and provisions for individual and collective renewable energy self-consumption, two types of energy communities were introduced. The EU framework, however, leaves many details of the transposition process to the national level. The corresponding directives were supposed to be transposed by the end of December 2020 (recast Electricity Market Directive, defining active consumers and citizen energy communities) and by the end of June 2021 (Renewable Energy Directive, defining renewables self-consumption and renewable energy communities). In this paper, we critically discuss major developments of the transposition, including questions of the general distinction of the different concepts, governance and ownership, physical expansion, administrative barriers and the overall integration of energy communities into the energy system. The analysis builds on country case studies as well as on previous work by the authors on the status of the transposition process throughout the EU. The paper shows that the national approaches differ greatly and are at very different stages. While basic provisions are in place in most Member States to meet the fundamental EU requirements, the overall integration into the energy system and market is only partly addressed. This concerns, for instance, the analysis of system impacts of energy communities and measures that would allow and support energy system-friendly behaviour. In addition, several practical hurdles need to be overcome. These often relate to administrative requirements such as complex registration and licensing procedures, the need for the involvement of several institutions, or difficult procedures for access to relevant data. The paper concludes that discussed barriers will need to be carefully addressed if the high expectations for the role of energy communities are to be met.

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Renewable energy and adaptation to climate change

Western Balkan Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ◽

10.5937/wbjae2102111s ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 111-121

Author(s):

Marta Stoian

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Sustainable Development ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Clean Energy ◽

Energy System ◽

Adaptation To Climate Change ◽

Current Climate ◽

Holistic Understanding ◽

The Impact

Climate change is an unprecedented challenge in human history. It requires further immediate and concerted action. Understanding the stage of development of each energy resource, as the impact on the energy system to make informed decisions and prescribe a healthy energy future has thus become a priority. Decisions such as the phasing out of fossil fuels and the transition to an efficient and 100% renewable energy system, as well as increasing the storage capacity of greenhouse gases using environmentally sustainable approaches, maintaining natural ecosystems that generate environmental services, and restoring the degraded ones are now a top issue. Therefore, the relationship between energy and environmental policy is becoming essential. Accordingly, this paper will focus on the transition to renewable energy, the adaptation to climate change and the energy transition at EU level being strenuously debated, in order to build a holistic context of the actual situation. Adaptation to climate change requests a complex scientific study, given the diversity of uncertainties involved, and the interconnections between different areas, such as agriculture, sustainable development or energy industry. Therefore, the aim of research is to provide holistic understanding of the current climate issues, according to the mentioned fields. In this context, it is emphasized the benefits of clean energy by investigating the methods for achieving a prolific energy transition, from a conventional to a sustainable one. Carefully analysing the commitments and the transition to a low-carbon electricity system looking behind the causes and studying closely the underlying elements of all these topics, using the qualitative research method as a basis to indulge in further analysis and research, it was outlined a detailed analysis of the current climate context. In conclusion, the effect of the pressure brought into play by human exploitation of goods and services on the ecosystems was associated with the ongoing concerns of environmental degradation, climatic variations, natural and ecological distortions, and financial setbacks. Taking into account the drive toward accomplishing sustainable development and environmental quality, powerful policies are being implemented, but given the variety of investment conditions in each country and including the different characteristics of the financial markets, there is no unique solution that works for everybody. Therefore, the transition to a more sustainable energy system has a verity of implications but it is an essential condition for sustainable development.

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A Policy Review of Green Hydrogen Economy in Southern Africa

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su132313240 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (23) ◽

pp. 13240

Author(s):

Katundu Imasiku ◽

Fortunate Farirai ◽

Jane Olwoch ◽

Solomon Nwabueze Agbo

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Policy ◽

Southern Africa ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Clean Energy ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Energy Resources ◽

Policy Framework ◽

Hydrogen Energy ◽

Renewable Energy Resources

Renewable energy and clean energy have been on the global agenda for energy transition for quite a long time but recently gained strong momentum, especially with the anticipated depletion of fossil fuels alongside increasing environmental degradation from their exploitation and the changing climate caused by their excessive carbon emissions. Despite this, Africa’s pursuit to transition to a green economy using renewable energy resources still faces constraints that hamper further development and commercialization. These may include socio-economic, technical, political, financial, and institutional policy framework barriers. Although hydrogen demand is still low in Southern Africa, the region can meet the global demands for green hydrogen as a major supplier because of its enormous renewable energy resource-base. This article reviews existing renewable energy resources and hydrogen energy policies in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The significance of this review is that it explores how clean energy technologies that utilize renewable energy resources address the United Nations sustainable development goals (UN SDGs) and identifies the hydrogen energy policy gaps. This review further presents policy options and recommends approaches to enhance hydrogen energy production and ramp the energy transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a hydrogen energy-based economy in Southern Africa. Concisely, the transition can be achieved if the existing hydrogen energy policy framework gap is narrowed by formulating policies that are specific to hydrogen development in each country with the associated economic benefits of hydrogen energy clearly outlined.

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EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

Thermophysics and Thermal Power Engineering ◽

10.31472/ttpe.1.2021.9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 75-81

Author(s):

T.A. Zheliezna

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Clean Energy ◽

Green Energy ◽

Low Carbon ◽

Climate Neutrality ◽

Goals And Objectives

The aim of the work is to develop recommendations for Ukraine on setting long-term integrated climate and energy goals and identifying ways to achieve them. The preconditions, main goals and objectives of the European Green Deal, which was presented by the European Commission in December 2019, are analyzed. The European Green Deal is a comprehensive strategy for the transition to a sustainable economy, clean energy and climate neutrality, i.e., zero greenhouse gas emissions, in Europe by 2050. The adoption of this Deal was preceded by several stages of a coherent EU policy in the relevant sectors. Possibilities for renewable energy development within the framework of the European Green Deal are considered. It is determined that preference is given to the production of green electricity, mobilization of the potential of offshore renewable energy, production of biogas and biofuels from biomass of agricultural origin, sustainable use of low-carbon and renewable fuels, including biomass and hydrogen, in hard-to-electricity sectors. In Ukraine, the document that is closest by its contents to the European Green Deal is the draft Concept of green energy transition until 2050 presented in January 2020. The draft Concept states the goal of achieving 70% of renewable energy sources in electricity generation by 2050 and the climate-neutral economy of Ukraine by 2070. It is recommended that this document should be finalized and adopted formally as soon as possible.

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Empowering Vulnerable Consumers to Join Renewable Energy Communities—Towards an Inclusive Design of the Clean Energy Package

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13071615 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 1615 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Florian Hanke ◽

Jens Lowitzsch

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Clean Energy ◽

Consumer Empowerment ◽

Specific Design ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Unequal Distribution ◽

Vulnerable Consumers ◽

Energy Justice ◽

Energy Package

The unequal distribution of costs and benefits of the energy transition is a challenge for energy justice and energy policy. Although the empowerment of consumers to participate in renewable energy communities (RECs) has great potential for a just energy transition, vulnerable consumers remain underrepresented in RE projects. The recast of the European renewable energy directive obliges the European Member States to facilitate the participation of vulnerable consumers and support their inclusion in its “enabling framework” for prosumership. However, the type and specific design of corresponding measures remains unclear. Against this background this article investigates consumer empowerment in a vulnerability context. In particular we stress the need to understand how vulnerability affects participation in RECs to inform both policy makers and practitioners on its specificities and restrictions for the “enabling framework”. To prevent the inclusion of vulnerable consumers in RECs from remaining an idea on paper lawmakers need to be made aware of the implications for a consistent “enabling framework”. We argue that both individual vulnerable consumers as well as RECs need incentives and support to boost RECs’ capacity to include groups that until now remain underrepresented.

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