Toward an Efficient and Sustainable Use of Energy in Industries and Cities

Several countries have recently realized that the present development paradigm is not sustainable from an environmental and energy point of view. The growing awareness of the population regarding environmental issues is pushing governments worldwide more and more to promote policies aiming at limiting harmful effects of human development. In particular, the rapid increase of the global temperature, especially in the polar regions, and the management of human wastes, mainly plastic in seas, are some of the main points to be addressed by these novel policies. Several actions must be implemented in order to limit such issues. Unfortunately, the recent COP 24 Conference was not successful, but hopefully an agreement will be established in 2020 at the COP 26 Conference. The effort performed by policymakers must be mandatorily supported by the scientific community. In this framework, this paper aims at showing that countries worldwide are trying to negotiate an agreement to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In addition, in this paper all the researchers reported can provide quantitative measures of the actions to be implemented in order to address a sustainable and efficient use of energy. Here, innovations in terms of novel efficient and environmentally friendly technologies mainly based on renewable energy sources have been also investigated. The study also highlights different sectors that have been involved for this aim, such as energy conversion systems, urban areas, mobility, sustainability, water management, social aspects, etc. In this framework, specific conferences are periodically organized in order to provide a forum for discussion regarding these topics. In this area the Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) conference is the most ordinary conference. The 13th Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems Conference was held in Palermo, Italy in 2018. The current Special Issue of Energies, precisely dedicated to the 13th SDEWES Conference, is based on three main topics: energy policy and energy efficiency in urban areas, energy efficiency in industry and biomass and other miscellaneous energy systems.

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Perspectives and Regulation of the Russian Market for Project-based Transactions under the Kyoto Protocol

Voprosy Ekonomiki ◽

10.32609/0042-8736-2008-10-108-125 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 108-125

Author(s):

K. Zavodov

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Market Mechanism ◽

Point Of View ◽

Market Regulation ◽

Foreign Investments ◽

Russian Market ◽

Increase Energy Efficiency ◽

New Form ◽

Contract Structure ◽

Carbon Fund

Project-based transactions (PBTs) are a market mechanism of attracting foreign investments in order to abate greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency of the country’s enterprises. The article provides a classification and analyzes advantages and drawbacks of PBTs from the point of view of a host country. The main trends and factors determining the dynamics of the PBT market are described. Given that Russia currently lags behind the leaders of the PBT market, an incorporation of a state carbon fund is put forward with an aim of channelling PBTs through it. This paper proposes a form of PBT market regulation by incorporating an option mechanism into the contract structure of a transaction. A comparison of the new form of regulation with the tools that are currently in use in Russia and other countries demonstrates its greater economic efficiency under uncertainty.

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A review of challenges and benefits of integration of CHP plant into the grid: a case study in Serbia

Electrical Engineering ◽

10.1007/s00202-021-01271-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rade M. Ciric ◽

Sasa N. Mandic

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Increase Energy Efficiency ◽

High Voltage Supply ◽

The Republic ◽

Technical Solutions ◽

The Impact

AbstractThe Republic of Serbia must make significant efforts to promote and exploit renewable energy sources and increase energy efficiency in all energy sectors to ensure energy security and economic competitiveness, reduce the negative impact on the environment from energy production and use, and contribute to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. Within the paper several issues of integration of recently realized CHP plant are introduced and discussed. Firstly, the legal and energy policy issues in the Republic of Serbia regarding connecting CHP to the grid are presented. The challenges and technical solutions for CHP connection to the grid, as well as power quality issues and the role of the CHP plant during the restoration of power supply during the maintenance of the substation and unplanned loss of high voltage supply, are presented and discussed. Finally, the impact of prospective massive integration of CHP on the energy balance and CO2 emission reduction in the province of Vojvodina in Serbia is investigated and discussed. Since it is the first CHP plant realized in Serbia, it is crucial that experience be shared to all potential stakeholders in the future energy efficiency projects.

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Overall Efficiency of On-Site Production and Storage of Solar Thermal Energy

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13031360 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 1360

Author(s):

Teodora M. Șoimoșan ◽

Ligia M. Moga ◽

Livia Anastasiu ◽

Daniela L. Manea ◽

Aurica Căzilă ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Thermal Energy ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Multicriteria Analysis ◽

High Energy ◽

Solar Thermal ◽

Solar Thermal Energy ◽

The Impact ◽

And Storage

Harnessing renewable energy sources (RES) using hybrid systems for buildings is almost a deontological obligation for engineers and researchers in the energy field, and increasing the percentage of renewables within the energy mix represents an important target. In crowded urban areas, on-site energy production and storage from renewables can be a real challenge from a technical point of view. The main objectives of this paper are quantification of the impact of the consumer’s profile on overall energy efficiency for on-site storage and final use of solar thermal energy, as well as developing a multicriteria assessment in order to provide a methodology for selection in prioritizing investments. Buildings with various consumption profiles lead to achieving different values of performance indicators in similar configurations of storage and energy supply. In this regard, an analysis of the consumption profile’s impact on overall energy efficiency, achieved in the case of on-site generation and storage of solar thermal energy, was performed. The obtained results validate the following conclusion: On-site integration of solar systems allowed the consumers to use RES at the desired coverage rates, while restricted by on-site available mounting areas for solar fields and thermal storage, under conditions of high energy efficiencies. In order to segregate the results and support optimal selection, a multicriteria analysis was carried out, having as the main criteria the energy efficiency indicators achieved by hybrid heating systems.

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Sustainable Development in EU Countries in the Framework of the Europe 2020 Strategy

Processes ◽

10.3390/pr9030443 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 443

Author(s):

Elena Širá ◽

Rastislav Kotulič ◽

Ivana Kravčáková Vozárová ◽

Monika Daňová

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Sustainable Development ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Sustainable Growth ◽

Energy Sources ◽

Eu Countries ◽

Europe 2020 ◽

Europe 2020 Strategy ◽

The Baltic

The Europe 2020 Strategy was proposed with a long-term vision to ensure prosperity, development, and competitiveness for the member countries. This strategy is divided into three main areas named “growth”. One of these is sustainable growth. This is an area of sustainability, where the partial targets are referred to as the “20-20-20 approach”, and includes a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, an increase in energy efficiency, and the sharing of renewable energy sources. However, questions arise, including: How do member states meet these targets? Which countries are leaders in this area? According to these stated questions, the aim of this article is to assess how EU countries are meeting the set targets for sustainable growth resulting from the Europe 2020 strategy and to identify the countries with the best results in this area. We looked for answers to these questions in the analysis of sustainable indicators, which were transformed into a synthetic measure for comparability of the resulting values. Finally, we identified the Baltic states, Nordic countries (European Union members), Romania, and Croatia as the best countries in fulfilling the sustainable growth aims. As sustainable development and resource efficiency are crucial areas for the future, it is important to consider these issues.

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GREEN DEAL STRATEGIC CONTEXT FOR UKRAINE

10.32782/2224-6282/171-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dmytro Palamarchuk ◽

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Sustainable Development ◽

Energy Saving ◽

Energy Security ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Nature Management ◽

High Tech ◽

Energy Strategy ◽

Green Technologies ◽

Strategic Context

The strategic context of the European Green Agreement for Ukraine analyzed in the article. Ways for developing the process of formation the tasks and measures for the second and third stages of implementation the “Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2035: security, energy efficiency, competitiveness” were elaborated. The strategic priorities of Ukraine in the field of energy efficiency, energy security and energy saving identified due to the contemporary trends and prospects for EU development in the direction of energy efficiency and energy saving. Moreover, these priorities considering the European integration orientation of Ukraine. The main elements of the European Green Agreement, the scope of EU policy on its implementation are outlined. The provisions of “Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2035: security, energy efficiency, competitiveness” correlated with the provisions of the European Green Agreement. The necessity of formation the priorities and measures of strategy on the basis of concepts of energy efficiency, energy safety and sustainable development is substantiated. It is substantiated that the existing legislative and regulatory support in the field of nature management and environmental protection is insufficient and doesn’t correspond to modern economic and social situations. Moreover, external and internal threats to the strategy implementation have been identified. The algorithm for the formation and implementation of the energy security and energy efficiency strategy has been developed. The main directions of structural restructuring of the economy and placement of productive forces are worked out within the framework of the strategy due to the requirements of sustainable development and energy security. It was grounded that. The innovative direction of development should be decisive and based on active use of knowledge and scientific achievements, stimulation of innovative activity, creation of favorable investment climate, renewal of production means, formation of high-tech activities and branches of economy. Growth based on attracting investment in the use of renewable energy sources, in environmentally friendly production and “green” technologies.

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An Innovative Decision Support System to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Buildings in Urban Areas

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs12020259 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 259 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Małgorzata Sztubecka ◽

Marta Skiba ◽

Maria Mrówczyńska ◽

Anna Bazan-Krzywoszańska

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Decision Support ◽

Geographic Information Systems ◽

Decision Support System ◽

Support System ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Energy Sources

Improving in the energy efficiency of urban buildings, and maximizing the savings and the resulting benefits require information support from city decision-makers, planners, and designers. The selection of the appropriate analytical methods will allow them to make optimal design and location decisions. Therefore, the research problem of this article is the development of an innovative decision support system using multi-criteria analysis and Geographic Information Systems (decision support system + Geographic Information Systems = DGIS) for planning urban development. The proposed decision support system provides information to energy consumers about the location of energy efficiency improvement potential. This potential has been identified as the possibility of introducing low-energy buildings and the use of renewable energy sources. DGIS was tested in different construction areas (categories: A, B, C, D), Zielona Góra quarters. The results showed which area among the 53 quarters with a separate dominant building category was the most favorable for increasing energy efficiency, and where energy efficiency could be improved by investing in renewable energy sources, taking into account the decision-maker. The proposed DGIS system can be used by local decision-makers, allowing better action to adapt cities to climate change and to protect the environment. This approach is part of new data processing strategies to build the most favorable energy scenarios in urban areas.

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Potential and Impacts of Cogeneration in Tropical Climate Countries: Ecuador as a Case Study

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13205254 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (20) ◽

pp. 5254

Author(s):

Manuel Raul Pelaez-Samaniego ◽

Juan L. Espinoza ◽

José Jara-Alvear ◽

Pablo Arias-Reyes ◽

Fernando Maldonado-Arias ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Energy Use ◽

National Level ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Industrial Sector ◽

Increase Energy Efficiency ◽

High Dependency ◽

Generation Capacity ◽

Tropical Climates

High dependency on fossil fuels, low energy efficiency, poor diversification of energy sources, and a low rate of access to electricity are challenges that need to be solved in many developing countries to make their energy systems more sustainable. Cogeneration has been identified as a key strategy for increasing energy generation capacity, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and improving energy efficiency in industry, one of the most energy-demanding sectors worldwide. However, more studies are necessary to define approaches for implementing cogeneration, particularly in countries with tropical climates (such as Ecuador). In Ecuador, the National Plan of Energy Efficiency includes cogeneration as one of the four routes for making energy use more sustainable in the industrial sector. The objective of this paper is two-fold: (1) to identify the potential of cogeneration in the Ecuadorian industry, and (2) to show the positive impacts of cogeneration on power generation capacity, GHG emissions reduction, energy efficiency, and the economy of the country. The study uses methodologies from works in specific types of industrial processes and puts them together to evaluate the potential and analyze the impacts of cogeneration at national level. The potential of cogeneration in Ecuador is ~600 MWel, which is 12% of Ecuador’s electricity generation capacity. This potential could save ~18.6 × 106 L/month of oil-derived fuels, avoiding up to 576,800 tCO2/year, and creating around 2600 direct jobs. Cogeneration could increase energy efficiency in the Ecuadorian industry by up to 40%.

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Application of vertical gardening technology in high-rise construction

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/202125809035 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 258 ◽

pp. 09035

Author(s):

Alexander Ischenko ◽

Daria Shishkunova

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Urban Environment ◽

Natural Environment ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Emotional State ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Modern World ◽

Increase Energy Efficiency ◽

High Rise ◽

The City

In the modern world, urban areas are gradually replacing natural areas, which, in turn, negatively affects the environmental situation of the city. To solve this problem, people began to think about greening megalopolises in such a way that it did not occupy useful areas of the urban environment. The solution to this problem is possible by using vertical gardening technology in high-rise construction, which turns gray walls into vertical gardens. This technology allows not only decorating city streets, but also to significantly increase energy efficiency, create a natural environment, and have a positive impact on the psycho-emotional state of a person. This paper discusses various vertical gardening technologies for high-rise construction.

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Sustainability Indicators in Heating Systems Towards Climate Neutrality

10.7250/9789934226304 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Toms Prodaņuks

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Action Plan ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Sustainability Indicators ◽

Heat Energy ◽

Heating Systems ◽

Climate Neutrality ◽

The Eu

The European Union has declared the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, ensuring economy with zero net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To achieve this goal, the EU has announced the European Green Deal which includes an action plan to accelerate efficient resource usage while moving towards circular economy as well as to restore biodiversity and reduce pollution. The transition to climate neutrality is urgent and offers an opportunity to build a better future. In order to achieve climate neutrality, society and all economic sectors must play their part. Increasing the efficiency of heat production and reducing consumption is considered one of the key tools for achieving the EU’s climate and energy goals by 2030, which envisage at least a 40 % reduction in GHG emissions, using 1990 as a baseline, at least a 32 % share of renewable energy and a 32.5 % increase in energy efficiency. In accordance with the EU climate and energy policy, the Latvia’s National Energy and Climate Plan 2021–2030 has been developed, and it includes national objectives and main actions that are directly or indirectly related to the increase of the efficiency in heat energy production and the reduction of consumption focusing on renewable energy. The overall aim of the present Doctoral Thesis is to evaluate heating systems in Latvia using sustainability indicators, including heat energy producers and end-users, make proposals on potential methodologies to increase the efficiency of the heating system and to reduce GHG emissions, emphasizing the use of renewable energy sources. An evaluation of various technologies and methods has been developed, which offers complex solutions for increasing the energy efficiency of heat energy producers.

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Green Energy in Central and Eastern European (CEE) Countries: New Challenges on the Path to Sustainable Development

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14040884 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 884 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Teresa Pakulska

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Green Energy ◽

Point Of View ◽

Energy Sources ◽

Eastern European ◽

Holistic View ◽

New Challenges ◽

Taxonomic Methods

In the conditions of climate change and the scarcity of natural resources, the future of energy is increasingly associated with the development of the so-called green energy. Its development is reflected in the European Commission strategic vision to transition to a climate-neutral economy. This is a challenge that the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, members of the EU, are also trying to meet. In recent years, these countries have seen an increase in the share of renewable energy and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GGE). On the other hand, basing the energy sector on unstable energy sources (photovoltaics and wind technologies) may imply new challenges on the way to sustainable development. These are old problems in a new version (ecology, diversification of supplies) and new ones related to the features of renewable energy sources (RES; instability, dispersion). The aim of the article was to classify, on the basis of taxonomic methods, the CEE countries from the point of view of green energy transformation (original indicator) and to predict new threats to Romania, Poland, and Bulgaria, the countries representing different groups according to the applied classification. The issues presented are part of a holistic view of RES and can be useful in energy policy.

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