Navigating the Energy Transition

2009 ◽  
Vol 108 (714) ◽  
pp. 26-32
Author(s):  
Michael T. Klare
Keyword(s):  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Current Energy

The transition from our current energy system to one based largely on renewables will be fraught with danger and crisis. …

scholarly journals The Italian energy transition in a multilevel system: between reinforcing dynamics and institutional constraints

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Rosaria Di Nucci ◽  
Andrea Prontera
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Structural Constraints ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Path Dependent ◽  
Modes Of Governance ◽  
Current Energy

AbstractThe article analyses drivers as well as coordination mechanisms and instruments for the energy transition in Italy from a multilevel governance perspective. It addresses the structural constraints that influenced the decision-making processes and organisation of the Italian energy sector and the socio-technical challenges opened up by enhancing renewables. The current energy system is making the move from a centralised, path-dependent institutional and organisational structure to a more fragmented and pluralistic one. Renewables and decentralised patterns of production and consumption are key elements of this paradigmatic shift, which is paralleled by a multiplication of decision-making arenas and actors. These actors follow different interests, problem understandings and green growth narratives, increasing the complexity of governing the energy transition. Against this background, community-based renewable energy policy is assuming a very important role and Italy is putting efforts to establish an enabling framework in line with the requirements of the European Union. The goal of this strategy is to foster a positive link between acceptance of the energy transition and decentralised local activities. In the conclusion we address problems and barriers to new modes of governance, and discuss possible approaches to improved cooperation.

Towards energy transition at the Faculty of Education of Bilbao (UPV/EHU): diagnosing community and building

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 1277-1296
Author(s):  
Unai Ortega Lasuen ◽  
Maria Arritokieta Ortuzar Iragorri ◽  
Jose Ramon Diez
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Energy Literacy ◽  
Faculty Of Education ◽  
Current Energy

Purpose This paper aims to present the results of a study aimed at performing a first diagnosis of energy literacy and energy use in a Faculty of Education, by means of identifying energy consumption patterns, as well as energy literacy and commitments regarding energy transition. This diagnosis is the basis for establishing the foundations of a path toward energy transition in the faculty and further designing energy saving and education strategies. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in a mixed-method approach. A survey was arranged to assess the attitudes, habits and knowledge regarding the current energy system within the community of the Faculty (407 responses). Comparisons among the main collectives that make up the community were performed, i.e. students, teaching and research staff and management and services staff. In parallel, the general electric consumption of the faculty was monitored. The results of these diagnostics were presented at several forums and workshops on energy transition held in the faculty where personal commitments in favor of energy transition were gathered and further categorized (105 initiatives). Findings Positive attitudes toward energy saving were observed, reflecting in different generic habits. Additionally, some belief or hope for a technological solution for current and future energy problems was detected, as well as a lower level of implication or commitment when specifying personal attitudes. Similarly, widespread ignorance of the current energy context was revealed, regarding both the energy system and household energy consumption. Concerning the undertaking of personal commitments, low impact energy saving habits prevailed, and knowledge was not identified as being a necessary element of energy saving education in attitudes and habits. Practical implications This research provides relevant information for the design of educational interventions to promote energy literacy in higher education institutions. Originality/value The survey provides valuable insights regarding future educators’ and their current teachers’ energy literacy in a challenging energy context. The lack of general knowledge about the energy context in the community, together with the limited impact of the commitments gathered among students, stresses the need for integration of basic energy contents, both within education degrees and the management strategy of the faculty.

scholarly journals European Cities in the Energy Transition: A Preliminary Analysis of 27 Cities

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Estitxu Villamor ◽  
Ortzi Akizu-Gardoki ◽  
Olatz Azurza ◽  
Leire Urkidi ◽  
Alvaro Campos-Celador ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
European Cities ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Low Carbon Energy ◽  
Current Energy

Nowadays, there is a wide scientific consensus about the unsustainability of the current energy system and at the same time, social awareness about climate change and the IPCC’s goals is increasing in Europe. Amongst the different pathways towards them, one alternative is the radical transition to a democratic low-carbon energy system where the local scale has a key leading role. Under this scope, this research is framed within the mPOWER project, financed by the European Commission’s H2020 programme, which promotes collaboration among different European municipalities in order to boost the transition to a renewable-based participatory energy system. This paper presents the starting point of the mPOWER project, where the main energy features of 27 selected European municipalities are collected and analysed for the year 2016. An open public tender and selection process was carried out among European cities in order to choose the candidates to participate in mPOWER project. A view of this situation will be taken by the mPOWER project as a diagnostic baseline for the following steps: a peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing process among these European municipalities, and subsequently, among a more extensive group. The first finding of the paper is that, even if those municipalities are trying to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, they are highly dependent on fossil fuels, even in cases where renewable energies have significant presence. Second, their energy consumption is logarithmically related to the human development index and gross domestic product but not to the size of the cities and their climate characteristics. Finally, despite the work that these cities are making towards energy transition in general and within the mPOWER project in particular, the paper shows a high difficulty mapping their energy systems. The lack of accurate and unified data by the municipalities is a sign of disempowerment at a local and public level in the energy sphere and makes difficult any strategy to advance towards a bottom-up energy transition. Among other goals, the mPOWER project aims to reveal these kinds of difficulties and help local authorities in managing their transition paths.

scholarly journals A Comprehensive Engineering Approach to Shaping the Future Energy System

2021 ◽  
pp. 245-258
Author(s):  
Zofia Lukszo ◽  
Samira Farahani
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Complex System ◽  
Free Energy ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Average Temperature ◽  
Current Energy

AbstractThe urgency to significantly reduce the impacts of climate change is felt around the globe. By signing the Paris agreement in 2016, 195 governments have agreed on a long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature below 2 °C above preindustrial levels and on aiming to limit the increase to 1.5 °C. To reach these goals, major technological, organizational, and social changes in different sectors and their services are needed. To understand and steer the transition from the current energy system towards a carbon-free energy system, we propose a comprehensive engineering framework that integrates different aspects, such as technical, economic, cyber-physical, social, institutional and political, that are needed in the design of such a complex system. We explain the importance of combining different disciplines to provide comprehensive models and tools in order to support and achieve a sustainable, affordable, reliable and inclusive energy transition.

scholarly journals Changing Technology or Behavior? The Impacts of a Behavioral Disruption

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 5861
Author(s):  
Marianne Pedinotti-Castelle ◽  
Pierre-Olivier Pineau ◽  
Kathleen Vaillancourt ◽  
Ben Amor
Keyword(s):  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Behavior Changes ◽  
Ghg Emission ◽  
The North ◽  
Behavioral Disruption ◽  
Transportation Sector ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Additional Costs

Transportation is a key factor in the fight against climate change. Consumer behavior changes in transportation are underrepresented in energy policies, even if they could be essential to achieve the fixed GHG emission reduction targets. To help quantify the role of behaviors in energy transition and their implications on the dynamics of an energy system, this study is conducted using the North American TIMES Energy Model, adapted to Quebec (Canada). A behavioral disruption scenario (an increase in carpooling) is introduced in the model’s transportation sector and is compared to a massive electrification scenario. Our results highlight the fact that a behavioral disruption can lead to the same GHG emission reductions (65%) by 2050 as an electrification policy, while alleviating different efforts (such as additional electrical capacity and additional costs) associated with massive electrification. Moreover, the results are sensitive to behavior-related parameters, such as social discount rates and car lifetimes.

The Australian Energy Transition as a Federalism Challenge: (Un)cooperative Energy Federalism?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Anne Kallies
Keyword(s):  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
State Governments ◽  
National Importance ◽  
Energy Environment ◽  
Timely Fashion ◽  
Rapid Transition ◽  
Legal Frameworks ◽  
Cooperative Federalism

Abstract The law and regulation of the energy sector in Australia is subject to overlapping responsibilities of both federal and state governments. Crucially for energy transition efforts, neither energy, environment nor climate is mentioned in the Australian Constitution. Australia has a tradition of creative cooperative federalism solutions for responding to problems of national importance. In the energy sector this has resulted in an intricate national framework for energy markets, which relies on mirror legislation passed by participating states, with oversight by state and federal executive governments. Independently of these frameworks, both federal and state governments have passed climate change legislation, which crucially includes renewable energy support mechanisms. At a time when a rapid transition to a decarbonized energy system is essential, legal frameworks struggle to respond in a timely fashion. The political discourse around energy has become increasingly toxic – reflecting a dysfunctional state–federal relationship in energy and climate law. Australia needs to consider whether its cooperative federalism solutions are sufficient to support the energy transition and how climate law at the state and federal levels interacts with energy market legal frameworks.

Primary Energy System Chain Security Under the Energy Transition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamah Alsayegh
Keyword(s):  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
System Security ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Low Carbon Energy

Abstract This paper examines the energy transition consequences on the oil and gas energy system chain as it propagates from net importing through the transit to the net exporting countries (or regions). The fundamental energy system security concerns of importing, transit, and exporting regions are analyzed under the low carbon energy transition dynamics. The analysis is evidence-based on diversification of energy sources, energy supply and demand evolution, and energy demand management development. The analysis results imply that the energy system is going through technological and logistical reallocation of primary energy. The manifestation of such reallocation includes an increase in electrification, the rise of energy carrier options, and clean technologies. Under healthy and normal global economic growth, the reallocation mentioned above would have a mild effect on curbing the oil and gas primary energy demands growth. A case study concerning electric vehicles, which is part of the energy transition aspect, is presented to assess its impact on the energy system, precisely on the fossil fuel demand. Results show that electric vehicles are indirectly fueled, mainly from fossil-fired power stations through electric grids. Moreover, oil byproducts use in the electric vehicle industry confirms the reallocation of the energy system components' roles. The paper's contribution to the literature is the portrayal of the energy system security state under the low carbon energy transition. The significance of this representation is to shed light on the concerns of the net exporting, transit, and net importing regions under such evolution. Subsequently, it facilitates the development of measures toward mitigating world tensions and conflicts, enhancing the global socio-economic wellbeing, and preventing corruption.

scholarly journals The Potential Of Simulating Energy Systems: The Multi Energy Systems Simulator Model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigi Bottecchia ◽  
Pietro Lubello ◽  
Pietro Zambelli ◽  
Carlo Carcasci ◽  
Lukas Kranzl
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Energy System ◽  
System Modelling ◽  
Energy System Model ◽  
Urban Level

Energy system modelling is an essential practice to assist a set of heterogeneous stakeholders in the process of defining an effective and efficient energy transition. From the analysis of a set of open source energy system models, it has emerged that most models employ an approach directed at finding the optimal solution for a given set of constraints. On the contrary, a simulation model is a representation of a system that is used to reproduce and understand its behaviour under given conditions, without seeking an optimal solution. Given the lack of simulation models that are also fully open source, in this paper a new open source energy system model is presented. The developed tool, called Multi Energy Systems Simulator (MESS), is a modular, multi-node model that allows to investigate non optimal solutions by simulating the energy system. The model has been built having in mind urban level analyses. However, each node can represent larger regions allowing wider spatial scales to be be represented as well. MESS is capable of performing analysis on systems composed by multiple energy carriers (e.g. electricity, heat, fuels). In this work, the tool’s features will be presented by a comparison between MESS itself and an optimization model, in order to analyze and highlight the differences between the two approaches, the potentialities of a simulation tool and possible areas for further development.

scholarly journals Development of the Technical Structure of the “Cow Energy” Concept

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1915
Author(s):  
Heinz Bernhardt ◽  
Martin Höhendinger ◽  
Jörn Stumpenhausen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Management ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Energy Management System ◽  
Regional Energy ◽  
Energy Networks ◽  
Energy Concept ◽  
Technical Structure ◽  
Central Energy

Regional energy supply is an important topic in the context of the energy transition in Germany. The “Cow Energy” project aims to combine the production of energy and milk for the farmer. In order to take the different needs into account, a central energy management system (EMS) is being established. This system records and simulates how much electricity is generated from renewable sources (biogas, solar, wind, etc.) on the farm. This is compared with the consumption of the barn technology (milking robot, feeding robot, etc.). This energy management is regulated according to the needs of the cows. In order to balance the fluctuations between energy production and energy consumption, the EMS regulates various battery systems. One goal is to network this energy system with the region and to establish regional energy networks.

scholarly journals Assessing the energy transition in China towards carbon neutrality with a probabilistic framework

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu Zhang ◽  
Wenying Chen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Monte Carlo Analysis ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Consumption Pattern ◽  
Peak Time ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Transition Costs ◽  
Welfare Losses ◽  
Removal Technologies

AbstractA profound transformation of China’s energy system is required to achieve carbon neutrality. Here, we couple Monte Carlo analysis with a bottom-up energy-environment-economy model to generate 3,000 cases with different carbon peak times, technological evolution pathways and cumulative carbon budgets. The results show that if emissions peak in 2025, the carbon neutrality goal calls for a 45–62% electrification rate, 47–78% renewable energy in primary energy supply, 5.2–7.9 TW of solar and wind power, 1.5–2.7 PWh of energy storage usage and 64–1,649 MtCO2 of negative emissions, and synergistically reducing approximately 80% of local air pollutants compared to the present level in 2050. The emission peak time and cumulative carbon budget have significant impacts on the decarbonization pathways, technology choices, and transition costs. Early peaking reduces welfare losses and prevents overreliance on carbon removal technologies. Technology breakthroughs, production and consumption pattern changes, and policy enhancement are urgently required to achieve carbon neutrality.

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