Sustainable Conversion of Renewable Energy Sources

Global energy requirements are rising tremendously because of increasing urbanization and the human population. In the last few centuries, the consumption of fossil fuels has caused increased emissions of greenhouse gases resulting in environmental concerns like global warming, climatic change, and biodiversity loss. As a result, progress in sustainable energy has become the centre of attention in climatic change agenda and economic growth. Until now, various methods of renewable energy production have been extensively studied such as geothermal energy, wind energy, and solar energy. In addition to this, the utilization of biofuels from different sustainable sources are also being considered to reduce greenhouses gas emissions. New approaches and developments are still required for the creation of more sustainable, efficient, and affordable renewable energy systems and for the mitigation of global environmental threats. This special issue aims to advance novel developments in the sustainable conversion of renewable energy, providing up to date, fruitful, and actionable insights into economic, social, and environmental sustainability and includes original research articles and reviews to describe the interaction between renewable fuels, CO2 mitigation, and global warming.

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The Great Drama, Global Warming and Its Mechanism

Applied Economics and Finance ◽

10.11114/aef.v7i2.4713 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 29

Author(s):

Jan-Erik Lane

Keyword(s):

Earth Sciences ◽

Global Warming ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Co2 Emissions ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Energy Sources ◽

The Earth ◽

Coal Power

Well-known professor Johan Rockström at Stockholm University claims that we are in control of things, now that the Earth Sciences have proven the biological limits of our existing civilisations. But we do not know or have not begun the necessary large global adjustments towards a sustainable Planet Earth. The failure of the UN COP framework is blatant stating the ends but not the means of reducing significantly CO2 emissions. All major countries plan for much more energy in coming decades treating renewable energy sources as merely compliment to fossil fuels, not substitutes. To accomplish the Paris Accord objevties (COP 21), coal power should be phased out.

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SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INTRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

10.37539/aug298.2021.59.50.009 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ирина Витальевна Усачева ◽

Елена Андреевна Гладкая

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Energy Sources ◽

Economic Aspects ◽

Coal Gas ◽

Fuel Prices ◽

Greenhouse Effects ◽

Positive Effect

Быстрый рост населения в мире приводит к увеличению потребности в энергии и использованию ископаемых видов топлива, таких как уголь, газ и нефть, что создает неустойчивые ситуации и множество проблем, таких как: истощение запасов ископаемого топлива, экологические и географические конфликты, парниковый эффект, глобальное потепление, колебания цен на топливо и др. Решение данных проблем возможно благодаря внедрению возобновляемых источников энергии, которые относятся к устойчивой энергетике и создают положительный эффект для общества по всем направлениям, таким как экономическое, социальное и экологическое. The rapid growth of the world's population leads to an increased demand for energy and the use of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil, which creates unsustainable situations and many problems, such as: depletion of fossil fuels, environmental and geographic conflicts, greenhouse effects, global warming, fluctuating fuel prices, etc. The solution to these problems is possible through the introduction of renewable energy sources, which belong to sustainable energy and create a positive effect on society in all directions, such as economic, social and environmental.

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The Prospective Non-Conventional Alternate and Renewable Energy Sources in Pakistan—A Focus on Biomass Energy for Power Generation, Transportation, and Industrial Fuel

Energies ◽

10.3390/en11092431 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 2431 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Wajahat Ullah Khan Tareen ◽

Zuha Anjum ◽

Nabila Yasin ◽

Leenah Siddiqui ◽

Ifzana Farhat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Power Generation ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Large Scale ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Biomass Energy ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Environmental Threats ◽

Biomass Resources

Pakistan is experiencing an undersupply of electricity, causing load shedding several hours per day due to the adherence to conventional energy resources having quantitative and environmental limitations. Fossil fuels generate more than half of the country’s total electricity, but they will ultimately run out due to their limited supply. Their combustion emits greenhouse gases, posing environmental threats. Since the world is tending toward efficient and sustainable alternative methods for harvesting energy from nature, Pakistan has also been investigating an elevated deployment of renewable energy projects. This paper presents a critical analysis of the present energy sector of Pakistan along with global scenarios. Pakistan relies on mainly thermal, hydro, and nuclear energy for power generation. National solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass resources have not been extensively explored and implemented. This paper provides an insight into the potential of these resources in Pakistan to generate electricity for the national grid on a large scale. It focuses on biomass energy, which can be harnessed from bagasse, poultry waste, and municipal waste for power production, and biomass-based fuel for industries and transportation. It concludes that biomass is the most sustainable, available, implementable, and environment-friendly resource that can be utilized to lessen the energy demand and supply gap in Pakistan.

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Post COVID-19 Recovery and 2050 Climate Change Targets: Changing the Emphasis from Promotion of Renewables to Mandated Curtailment of Fossil Fuels in the EU Policies

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14051347 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. 1347

Author(s):

Kyriakos Maniatis ◽

David Chiaramonti ◽

Eric van den Heuvel

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

European Union ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Global Economy ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Global Climate ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Climate Change Policy ◽

Climate Impacts ◽

The European Union

The present work considers the dramatic changes the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the global economy, with particular emphasis on energy. Focusing on the European Union, the article discusses the opportunities policy makers can implement to reduce the climate impacts and achieve the Paris Agreement 2050 targets. The analysis specifically looks at the fossil fuels industry and the future of the fossil sector post COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis first revises the fossil fuel sector, and then considers the need for a shift of the global climate change policy from promoting the deployment of renewable energy sources to curtailing the use of fossil fuels. This will be a change to the current global approach, from a relative passive one to a strategically dynamic and proactive one. Such a curtailment should be based on actual volumes of fossil fuels used and not on percentages. Finally, conclusions are preliminary applied to the European Union policies for net zero by 2050 based on a two-fold strategy: continuing and reinforcing the implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive to 2035, while adopting a new directive for fixed and over time increasing curtailment of fossils as of 2025 until 2050.

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Nigeria: Advancing the Cause of Renewable Energy in Nigeria’s Power Sector Through its Legal Framework

Environmental Policy and Law ◽

10.3233/epl-200246 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 50 (4-5) ◽

pp. 433-444

Author(s):

Olusola Joshua Olujobi ◽

Temilola Olusola-Olujobi

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Legal Framework ◽

Comparative Approach ◽

Energy Sources ◽

Power Sector ◽

Alternative Source ◽

Regulatory Policies ◽

Oil Sector

Fossil fuels have been the mainstream of energy supply and a major source of foreign exchange earnings for the Federal Government of Nigeria, in spite of being an unrenewable and unsustainable source of energy. Nigeria is yet to tap into the full benefits after privatising its power sector, including the new global evolution in the energy sector and the resulting increasing demand for renewable energy sources, which some consider to be cheaper and more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels and their allied products. Energy security is a challenge to socio-economic development in Nigeria, due to the country’s over-dependency on fossil fuels. In terms of their impact and the potentials to preserve energy sources for longevity and sustainability, however, fossil fuels will come to be seen as an out-dated alternative in the power sector as the energy industry evolves. The implications for Nigeria’s oil sector will not be limited to dwindling crude oil prices. The concerns include poor energy utilisation in Nigeria and the need to promote energy efficiency and sustainability. They have led to the formulation of new energy policies around the world to serve as a vehicle for translating solutions into reality. This study has adopted a library-based legal research method with a comparative approach. The study reveals that it is the lack of a coherent legal framework with incentives for using renewable energy that is largely seen as the key issue causing slow uptake of renewable energy as an alternative source of energy in Nigeria. As well as the need for a coherent legal framework on energy and incentives for using renewable energy sources, the study advocates stringent enforcement of existing energy regulatory policies.

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Advances in Underground Energy Storage for Renewable Energy Sources

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11115142 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 5142

Author(s):

Javier Menéndez ◽

Jorge Loredo

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Storage ◽

Natural Gas ◽

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Energy Sources ◽

The European Union ◽

Coal Fuel

The use of fossil fuels (coal, fuel, and natural gas) to generate electricity has been reduced in the European Union during the last few years, involving a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions [...]

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The Role of Renewable Energy Sources in a Sustainable World

Energy & Environment ◽

10.1177/0958305x9200300407 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 430-443 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ruud Pleune

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Conservation ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Energy Use ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Energy Sources ◽

World Energy ◽

World Concept

Present energy use - largely dependent on fossil fuels - is incompatible with the sustainable world concept. In a sustainable world, energy sources are renewable and used in a way that damage to the environment is minimalized. This study investigates the possibility of a sustainable world using renewable energy sources. It appears that - when strict energy conservation is applied - such a sustainable world seems to be attainable. This requires, however, drastic changes in most parts of society.

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The Potential of Using Renewable Energy Sources in Poland Taking into Account the Economic and Ecological Conditions

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14227525 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (22) ◽

pp. 7525

Author(s):

Mariusz Niekurzak

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Technical Specification ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Environmental Benefits ◽

Energy Sources ◽

Renewable Sources ◽

Starting Point

The aim of the manuscript was to present the collective results of research on the profitability of using various renewable sources in Poland with the greatest development potential. In the paper, the economic parameters of various investment projects were determined and calculated, i.e., Net Capital Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and the Period of Return on Invested Capital (PBT). The economic assessment of the use of RES technologies was supplemented with the assessment of environmental benefits. The ecological criterion adopted in the study was the assessment of the potential and costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions as a result of replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy technologies. On the basis of the constructed economic model to assess the profitability of investments, it has been shown that the analyzed projects will start to bring, depending on their type and technical specification, measurable economic benefits in the form of a reduction in the amount of energy purchased on an annual basis and environmental benefits in the form of reduction of carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere. Moreover, the calculations show a high potential for the use of certain renewable sources in Poland, which contributes to the fulfillment of energy and emission obligations towards the EU. The analyzes and research of the Polish energy market with the use of the presented models have shown that the project is fully economically justified and will allow investors to make a rational decision on the appropriate selection of a specific renewable energy source for their investment. The presented economic models to assess the profitability of investments in renewable energy sources can be successfully used in other countries and can also be a starting point for a discussion about the direction of energy development. Due to the lack of collective, original and up-to-date research on the domestic market, the manuscript provides the reader with the necessary knowledge regarding the legitimacy of using renewable energy sources, investment and environmental profitability.

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Pretreatments of lignocellulosic feedstock for bioethanol production

Hemijska industrija ◽

10.2298/hemind100217016p ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 64 (4) ◽

pp. 283-293 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zlatica Predojevic

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Co2 Emission ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Low Cost ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Energy Sources ◽

Bioethanol Production ◽

Environment Protection ◽

Lignocellulosic Feedstock ◽

Lignocellulosic Feedstocks

The use of renewable energy sources (biofuels), either as a component in the conventional fossil fuels, gasoline and diesel, or as a pure biofuel, contributes to energy saving and decrease of total CO2 emission. The use of bioethanol mixed with gasoline significantly decreases gasoline consumption and contributes to environment protection. One of the problems in the production of bioethanol is the availability of sugar and starch based feedstock used for its production. However, lignocellulosic feedstocks are becoming more significant in the production of bioethanol due to their availability and low cost. The aim of this study is to point out the advantages and shortcomings of pretreatment processes and hydrolyses of lignocellulosic feedstocks that precede their fermentation to bioethanol.

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Experimental Studies on an Inclined Collector Divergent Chimney Pilot Plant

IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science ◽

10.1088/1755-1315/850/1/012008 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 850 (1) ◽

pp. 012008

Author(s):

N Rajamurugu

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Low Cost ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

High Mass ◽

Energy Sources ◽

Solar Pv ◽

Solar Chimney ◽

Energy Agency

Abstract Renewable energy sources become suitable valid options to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels or petroleum products. The International Renewable Energy Agency reports that the world will harvest 40% of energy from renewable energy sources by 2030. Conventional technologies such as solar PV technology, consumes higher capital per unit (kWh) of electricity generation cost significantly higher than the traditional sources. Hence, solar chimney power generation system can be suitable option for generating low cost energy. Solar chimneys are developed and tested by different researchers in enhancing the performance of the system. Studies on the geometric modifications of the collector, and chimney are limited. The aim of this paper is to analyse the experimental data obtained from a divergent solar chimney. Experimentation is carried under sunlight in an open atmosphere. The airflow rates in the chimneys are tested under different collector outlet height. The experimental results showed that a chimney with higher collector openings was performed well than other models. The computational analysis is also carried out using ANSYS Fluent software package which shows that the collector opening of 2.5m is recommended for higher high mass flow rate and system efficiency.

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