scholarly journals Digitalisation of Energy Systems within the Context of Existing Policy Frameworks: An Assessment of Sustainable Energy Transitions in Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fortune Nwaiwu
Keyword(s):  
Smart Grids ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Use Cases ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Energy Transitions ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Policy Frameworks

Abstract BackgroundDigital technologies have unique characteristics for achieving radically disruptive transitions within the energy sector. They provide opportunities for new production and consumption models between micro producers and consumers of electricity within communities in a way that transforms the traditional energy generation and consumption model. The study critically assessed the digitalisation of energy systems in Africa within the context of existing policy frameworks in the quest to achieve sustainable energy transitions in Africa. It investigated how digital technologies such as blockchain, digital platforms and smart grids were adopted and implemented within the energy sector in achieving new energy production and consumption models that are both environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive, this assessment was done within the context of existing policy and regulatory frameworks of the society where the use cases were domiciled. MethodsThe research adopted a qualitative methodological approach which was done in three stages - a document analysis that reviewed relevant literature on the energy sector and policies within the sector for Nigeria and South Africa; the next step involved a comparative case study is conducted to assess the characteristics of how digital technologies was deployed in mediating sustainable energy transitions; finally, the outcomes of the comparative case studies was then situated within the context of existing policies within the countries covered by the study ResultsResults from the research indicate that Africa is still in the early stages of adoption and application of digital technologies such as blockchain and smart grids within the energy sector, the results also showed the disconnect between policy environment and industry efforts in achieving digital technologies mediated sustainable energy transitions in Africa. The current applications as exemplified in the use cases by the three companies covered in this study indicates that Africa's sustainable energy transitions is in a rudimentary or early adoption stage, and they are not currently aided by the policy environments in which such projects are domiciled.ConclusionsThe research provides deep insights into the current state and developments within the energy sector especially in relations to how digital technologies are being adopted and implemented in solving the energy poverty prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Digitalisation and sustainable energy transitions in Africa: assessing the impact of policy and regulatory environments on the energy sector in Nigeria and South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fortune Nwaiwu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Smart Grids ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Use Cases ◽  
Energy Transitions ◽  
Production And Consumption

Abstract Background Digital technologies have unique characteristics for achieving radically disruptive transitions within the energy sector. They provide opportunities for new production and consumption models between micro-producers and consumers of electricity within communities in a way that transforms the traditional energy generation and consumption model. The study critically assessed the digitalisation of energy systems in Africa within the context of existing policy frameworks in the quest to achieve sustainable energy transitions in Africa. It investigated how digital technologies such as blockchain, digital platforms and smart grids were adopted and implemented within the energy sector to achieve new energy production and consumption models that are both environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. This assessment was done within the context of existing policy and regulatory frameworks of the society where the use cases were domiciled. Methods The aim of the research was to investigate how sustainable energy transitions are being achieved in Nigeria and South Africa through the digitalisation of energy systems. A qualitative methodological approach was done in three stages—a document analysis that reviewed relevant literature on the energy sector policies in Nigeria and South Africa; the next step involved a comparative case study conducted to assess the characteristics of digital technology deployment in each country’s energy transition. Finally, outcomes of the comparative case studies were then situated within the context of existing policies within the countries covered by the study. Results Results from the research indicate that Africa is still in the early stages of adoption and application of digital technologies such as blockchain and smart grids within the energy sector. The results also showed a disconnect between the policy environment and industry efforts at achieving this. The current applications as exemplified in the use cases by the three companies covered in this study indicates that Africa's sustainable energy transition is in a rudimentary or early adoption stage, and they are not currently aided by the policy environments in which such projects are domiciled. Conclusions The research provides deep insights into the current state and developments within the energy sector especially in relation to how digital technologies are being adopted and implemented in solving the energy poverty prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Sustainable Energy Transitions: Overcoming Negative Externalities

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-327
Author(s):  
U. Yе. Pysmenna ◽  
G. S. Trypolska
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
System Stability ◽  
Sustainability Transitions ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Negative Externalities ◽  
Energy Sustainability ◽  
Biomass Waste ◽  
Energy Transitions ◽  
Wide Range

Nowadays the world energy system faces numerous transitions and shifts of the existing socio-technical regimes towards higher sustainability. Along with it, the sustainable transitions are often being postponed, slowed down or rejected to avoid negative externalities that could threaten the system stability. In this study, we aim to reach the deeper understanding of the externalities of energy transitions and the vulnerability of energy systems under the influence of negative externalities caused by sustainable energy transitions. Using the Externality theory (Baumol, Oates), Sociotechnical transition theory (Geels), as well as Energy sustainability Trilemma Method for the evaluation of the sustainability of energy systems we argue that such externalities need to be treated (internalized, avoided) by special policy measures other than common (classical) ways which may cause slowing down of sustainability transitions and make extra barriers for them. Transitions to more clean and low-carbon energy systems using energy technologies such as solar, wind, small hydro, biomass, waste management, e-vehicles are in the scope of this paper. It classifies the wide range of policy methods (classical and new) being applied separately and simultaneously, and analyses their application in energy policies designing aimed to combat negative externalities of energy sustainability transitions worldwide, so they might be minimized by properly tailored energy policy in each particular case.

scholarly journals FACTORS OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TRANSFORMATIONS MANAGEMENT IN THE UKRAINIAN ENERGY SECTOR

2020 ◽  
pp. 149-155
Author(s):  
U. Pysmenna ◽  
G. Trypolska ◽  
T. Kurbatova ◽  
O. Kubatko
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Transition Management ◽  
Energy Sustainability ◽  
Energy Transitions ◽  
The Impact

The article considers the preconditions for sustainable development of the energy sector from the standpoint of political and economic basis of energy transitions, actualizes and reveals the scientific problem of the impact of socio-technical transitions, in particular energy, on economic sustainability. It is determined that the task of assessing the efficiency of the energy system as a set of criteria for achieving a compromise of interests, stability and reliability of energy markets is best solved by assessing energy sustainability. Problems and ways to intensify the use of energy policy levers to promote sustainable energy transitions have been identified. It is determined that with the help of sustainable energy transitions the state is able to overcome its own inefficiency of energy conversion and consumption and to demonstrate the phenomenon of decoupling (economic growth without significant growth of energy consumption). Energy policies and strategies as means of energy transition management are considered: creation of preconditions for their occurrence; acceleration / deceleration, support of current transittions; minimization of negative external factors and social factors of vulnerability to changes in socio-technical regimes; maintaining an optimal energy balance. A deeper understanding of the process of energy transition management, vulnerability of energy systems under their influence has been achieved. Three key factors of energy transition management in order to strengthen the level of energy sustainability and ensure sustainable development of the economy: the course (flow) of transitions, the vulnerability of the economic system under their influence and the level of sustainability of energy transitions. Effective management of such transitions with the help of these factors can be a guarantee of sustainable development not only of the energy sector but also of the economy as a whole and create the conditions for its transition to a sustainable and circular type of development. The management of energy transitions in the energy sector of Ukraine is analyzed on the example of diversification of electricity supply through the operation of small solar power plants in private households.

scholarly journals Towards Sustainable Energy Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and Opportunities

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (19) ◽  
pp. 6037
Author(s):  
Justyna Tomala ◽  
Mateusz Mierzejewski ◽  
Maria Urbaniec ◽  
Sergio Martinez
Keyword(s):  
Least Squares Method ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Weighted Least Squares ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Classification And Regression Tree ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Energy Access ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Sub Saharan

Sub-Saharan Africa is considered a region with enormous economic and demographic potential. One of the main challenges it faces, included in the “Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, implemented by the African Union”, is to provide access to electricity. Currently, 600 million inhabitants of the African continent do not have access to electricity, which is a significant limiting factor for further economic growth and socio-economic development. Moreover, the measures taken by individual Sub-Saharan African countries appear insufficient in the face of rapid population growth. The aim of the article is to analyse the opportunities and challenges of the development of Sub-Saharan Africa’s energy sector. This raises the following research question: to what extent can a sustainable energy transition be achieved in sub-Saharan African countries to ensure access to electricity? The study used Ward’s hierarchical clustering method, classification and regression tree analysis, and the distance-weighted least squares method. The results show that the level of development of the energy sector in the individual countries of Sub-Saharan Africa varies greatly. Moreover, the Sub-Saharan African region is exposed to the effects of climate change, which also affects the development of the energy sector and whether or not access to electricity can be ensured. The study contributes to assessments of the adaptive capacity and transformative potential of the energy sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. This is particularly important for achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 7, which relates to building more robust and efficient systems, as well as implementing diversified energy sources. This research is crucial to bridge the energy access gap and build a resilient and sustainable economy in Sub-Saharan Africa countries.

Neoliberal energy transitions: The renewable energy boom in the Chilean mining economy

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 951-975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Furnaro
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Mining Industry ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
The Political ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Energy Transitions ◽  
Low Carbon Energy

Political-economic approaches are increasingly used in the study of low-carbon energy transitions. This article brings attention to two dimensions that have been less explored by this scholarship. First, research on the political economy of energy transitions, which has centered on the fossil fuel industry and to a lesser degree on the residential sector, has not sufficiently considered the role that industrial energy users play in resisting and in shaping energy transitions. Second, empirical analyses have focused on the limitations to a transition toward low-carbon energy systems that neoliberal forms of energy governance generate, thereby leaving unexplored cases in which neoliberal restructurings enacted by the state accelerate energy transitions. By analyzing the relationship between the recent boom in renewables energy investments in Chile and the energy consumption practices of the copper mining industry, I show the importance that changes in energy systems can have in the reproduction of specific regimes of accumulation. Drawing on insights from the political economy of energy and the scholarship on the role of socio-natural reconfigurations in addressing capitalist crisis tendencies, I argue that the recent changes in the energy sector in Chile can be understood as a “socioecological fix” to alleviate the threatened accumulation process of its mining economy. I describe the new energy policy implemented in Chile to show how the neoliberal model for promoting renewable energies and the increased financialization of the renewable energy sector, while successful in quickly stimulating a utility-scale renewable energy sector, has also created socioecological impacts and uncertainties in energy forecasts.

scholarly journals Chemical energy storage enables the transformation of fossil energy systems to sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 1584-1593
Author(s):  
Robert Schlögl
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Chemical Energy ◽  
Chemical Science ◽  
Fossil Energy ◽  
Energy Transitions ◽  
Systemic Nature

The enormous dimensions of sustainable energy transitions and their overarching systemic nature require adequate responses from chemical science.

Future energy services: empowering local communities and citizens

foresight ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 349-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsi Hyytinen ◽  
Marja Toivonen
Keyword(s):  
Smart Grids ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Innovation Management ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hybrid Solutions ◽  
Sustainable Energy Systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the future prospects of innovative services linked to sustainable energy systems. Design/methodology/approach – Service perspective is examined in the context of socio-technical transition and linked to the bottom-up and top-down social processes that foster sustainability. The foresight method applied is trend analysis. Findings – Two groups of trends were identified: the trends driven by technological development and the trends focussing on societal, managerial and consumer issues. The former consists of renewable energy sources, hybrid solutions, smart grids and smart energy markets. The latter involves distributed energy production, demand response, optimisation of sustainability and the role of energy as an opportunity and as service. The study reveals that energy is increasingly understood as a comprehensive and tailor-made service solution for communities and individual households. Consumers will enter the energy market as active participants; it raises the need for many types of services. Research limitations/implications – Deepening of understanding is required in several topics of this study, and more formal methods of foresight are needed to test the generalisability of its qualitative results. Practical implications – More effective policy measures are needed for fostering new services and social and system innovations in the area of sustainable energy. Innovation management practices should be developed in these areas. Originality/value – The paper aims to narrow the research gap linked to foresight in services by examining services in the area of sustainable energy systems – one of the “grand challenges” today.

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