scholarly journals Towards a Just Energy Transition, Barriers and Opportunities for Positive Energy District Creation in Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8698
Author(s):  
Adam X. Hearn ◽  
Raul Castaño-Rosa
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
Expert Interviews ◽  
Energy Technology ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Technology Plan ◽  
Energy Behavior ◽  
Barriers And Opportunities ◽  
Shed Light

To mitigate the effects of climate change, the European Commission created a Strategic Energy Technology Plan committing to forming 100 Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) by 2025. These are considered to potentially be major instruments for decarbonization in a just transition. This plan has led to some districts being defined as PEDs, although none have fully met the criteria to be a PED yet. Research shows that new forms of energy ownership and production, as could potentially be found in PEDs, could help reduce energy poverty, which affects a significant segment of the population, as households can reduce their energy expenditure as well as improve their energy behavior. This paper set out to shed light on the PED landscape, investigating the barriers and opportunities to PED creation in Spain and its potential to mitigate energy poverty. We conducted a literature review on community-owned energy in Spain, followed with expert interviews (energy researchers, stakeholders, and NGOs) who focus on sustainability issues in Spain. Results show a number of barriers (lack of knowledge and awareness, and lack of trust from consumers) and opportunities connected with the creation of PEDs. In conclusion, policymaker engagement and support play a key role in successfully implementing PEDs.

scholarly journals Inequality in energy transitions: Subnational air pollution disparities resulting from national decarbonization strategies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teagan Goforth ◽  
Destenie Nock
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Cost Optimization ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy Technology ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Energy Equality ◽  
Energy Transitions ◽  
Rapid Changes

Abstract Energy transitions and decarbonization require rapid changes to a nation’s generation mix. There are a host of possible decarbonization pathways, yet there is vast uncertainty about how different decarbonization pathways will advance or derail the nation’s energy equality goals. We present a framework for investigating how decarbonization pathways, driven by a least cost paradigm, will lead to air pollution inequality across different vulnerabilities (e.g., low-income, energy poverty). If an equitable energy transition is the goal (i.e., one that reaches total equality), using least cost optimization capacity expansion models without strict renewable energy technology mandates will not accomplish this. Thus, it is imperative that decisions regarding national regarding national decarbonization pathways have strict mandates for equality outcomes or be driven by an equality focused paradigm.

Battery and Energy Metals: Future Drivers of the Minerals Industry?

SEG Discovery ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 11-18
Author(s):  
Simon M. Jowitt ◽  
Brian A. McNulty
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Mineral Deposits ◽  
Energy Technology ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Varying Demand ◽  
Change Mitigation

Abstract A wide range of metals and minerals are currently used in battery and energy technology, meaning that an increasing number of these commodities are being considered as potentially viable primary products by the minerals industry. A select group of these minerals and elements that are vital for energy and battery technologies, including Al, Cr, Co, Cu, graphite, In, Li, Mn, Mo, the rare earth elements (REEs; primarily Dy and Nd), Ni, Ag, Ti, and V, are also likely to undergo rapid increases in demand as a result of the move toward low- and zero-CO2 energy and transportation technology (often termed the energy transition) driven by climate change mitigation and consumer and investor concerns and demands. Increased levels of mineral exploration, discovery, and production will be needed to meet this rising demand. However, several of these key metals and minerals are produced as co- and by-products of other elements. This means that their production is inherently linked to the production of main product elements that may not undergo similar increases in demand, creating issues related to security of supply. It is also not simple to just produce more metal and minerals given the environmental, social, and governmental challenges the global mining industry currently faces. Finally, there are uncertainties over exactly what technologies will dominate the energy transition, meaning that robust demand predictions are still relatively problematic. Quantifying these and other uncertainties and addressing issues over by-and coproduct supply will help ensure that mineral deposits are used sustainably. In addition, understanding the deportment and processing behavior of key critical metals and minerals that are produced as by- or coproducts of main metals such as copper will allow these to actually be extracted from mineral deposits being mined now and into the future rather than be lost to waste. Both of these are vital steps in terms of ensuring that future increases in metal and mineral demand can be met. The impact of these changes on metal and mineral demand and pricing also needs to be examined to ensure the economics of these changes relating to the energy transition are fully understood. All of this means that the mineral industry must act and plan for this transition accordingly in coordination with governments and other organizations. This is especially true given the long lead-in times related to the vast majority of mineral exploration and mining projects compared to the potentially rapid increase in demand for certain battery and energy metals and minerals. This is somewhat analogous to the technology sector, where software (analogous to battery and energy technology) can advance rapidly, creating significant demand that puts pressure on associated hardware (in this case, the development of new mines or changes in mineral processing) that advances more slowly. Failing to ensure mineral and metal supply meets increasing (and potentially rapidly varying) demand may lead to situations where demand far exceeds supply, causing preventable issues related to supply chain continuity and further delaying climate change mitigation, with potential global consequences.

Green Sukuk, Energy Poverty, and Climate Change: A Roadmap for Sub-Saharan Africa

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dalal Aassouli ◽  
Mehmet Asutay ◽  
Mahmoud Mohieldin ◽  
Tochukwu Chiara Nwokike
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Sub Saharan

Retooling the Energy Charter Treaty for climate change mitigation: lessons from investment law and arbitration

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-87
Author(s):  
Elena Cima
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Careful Analysis ◽  
Energy Trade ◽  
Energy Charter Treaty ◽  
Scope Of Application ◽  
Modernization Process ◽  
Change Mitigation

Abstract In 2017, the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) began a modernization process aimed at updating, clarifying, and modernizing a number of provisions of the Treaty. Considering the scope of application of the Treaty—cooperation in energy trade, transit, and investment—there is hardly any doubt that the modernization kicked off in 2017 offers a springboard for constructive reform and a unique opportunity to bring the Treaty closer in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Although none of the items selected by the Energy Charter Conference and open for discussion and reform mention climate change or clean energy, a careful analysis of the relevant practice in both treaty drafting and adjudication can provide valuable insights as to how to steer the discussions on some of the existing items in a climate-friendly direction. The purpose of this article is to rely on this relevant practice to explore promising avenues to ‘retool’ the Treaty for climate change mitigation, in other words, to imagine a Treaty that would better reflect climate change concerns and clean energy transition goals.

scholarly journals Temperature Effects on Electricity and Gas Consumption: Empirical Evidence from Mexico and Projections under Future Climate Conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 305
Author(s):  
W.J. Wouter Botzen ◽  
Tim Nees ◽  
Francisco Estrada
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Economic Costs ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Linear Relationships ◽  
Gas Consumption

Fixed effects panel models are used to estimate how the electricity and gas consumption of various sectors and residents relate to temperature in Mexico, while controlling for the effects of income, manufacturing output per capita, electricity and gas prices and household size. We find non-linear relationships between energy consumption and temperature, which are heterogeneous per state. Electricity consumption increases with temperature, and this effect is stronger in warm states. Liquified petroleum gas consumption declines with temperature, and this effect is slightly stronger in cold states. Extrapolations of electricity and gas consumption under a high warming scenario reveal that electricity consumption by the end of the century for Mexico increases by 12%, while gas consumption declines with 10%, resulting in substantial net economic costs of 43 billion pesos per year. The increase in net energy consumption implies greater efforts to comply with the mitigation commitments of Mexico and requires a much faster energy transition and substantial improvements in energy efficiency. The results suggest that challenges posed by climate change also provide important opportunities for advancing social sustainability goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This study is part of Mexico’s Sixth National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

scholarly journals Assessment of Energy Transition Policy in Taiwan—A View of Sustainable Development Perspectives

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4402
Author(s):  
Chun-Kai Wang ◽  
Chien-Ming Lee ◽  
Yue-Rong Hong ◽  
Kan Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Power Generation ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Adaptive Policy ◽  
Electricity Saving ◽  
Transition Policy ◽  
Development Perspective

Energy transition has become a priority for adaptive policy and measures taken in response to climate change around the world. This is an opportunity and a challenge for the Taiwan government to establish a climate-resilient power generation mixed to ensure electricity security as well as climate change mitigation. This study adopted a sustainable development perspective and applied optimal control theory to establish a cost-effective model to evaluate a long-term (2050), climate-resilient power generation mix for Taiwan. Furthermore, this study applies the STIRPAT approach to predict the demand of electricity by 2050 for the demand side management. The results not only showed the share of various power generation mixed, but also recommended the trajectory of electricity saving by 2050.

scholarly journals Drink, but don't drive? The alcohol industry’s involvement in global road safety

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Connie Hoe ◽  
Niloufer Taber ◽  
Sarah Champagne ◽  
Abdulgafoor M Bachani
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Road Safety ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Expert Interviews ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
The Public ◽  
Alcohol Industry ◽  
Alcohol Control ◽  
Mapping Review ◽  
Shed Light

Abstract Drink-driving is a major cause of global road traffic fatalities, yet few countries have laws that meet international best practices. One possible reason is the alcohol industry’s opposition to meaningful policies that are perceived to directly threaten sales. Our primary objectives are to document alcohol industry involvement in global road safety policies and programmes and to critically evaluate the responses of public health and road safety communities to this involvement. Under the guidance of the Policy Dystopia Model, we used a mixed methods approach in which data were gathered from expert interviews and a mapping review of 11 databases, 5 watchdog websites and 7 alcohol industry-sponsored initiatives. Triangulation was used to identify points of convergence among data sources. A total of 20 expert interviews and 94 documents were analysed. Our study showed that the alcohol industry acknowledges that drink-driving is an issue but argues for solutions that would limit impact on sales, akin to the message ‘drink—but do not drive’. Industry actors have been involved in road safety through: (1) coalition coupling and decoupling, (2) information production and management, (3) direct involvement in policymaking and (4) implementation of interventions. Our study also shed light on the lack of cohesion within and among the public health and road safety communities, particularly with regard to the topics of receiving funding from and partnering with the alcohol industry. These results were subsequently used to adapt the Policy Dystopia Model as a conceptual framework that illustrates the ways in which the alcohol industry has been involved in global road safety. Several implications can be drawn from this study, including the urgent need to increase awareness about the involvement of the alcohol industry in road safety and to build a cohesive transnational alcohol control advocacy alliance to curb injuries and deaths related to drink-driving.

scholarly journals The role of youth in the climate change debate

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Van Den Hazel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Young People ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Business Leaders ◽  
Sustainable Lifestyles ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
The World ◽  
The Face ◽  
Indirect Impacts ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Abstract The impacts of climate change are not distributed equally. Some people will experience natural disasters first hand, some will be affected more gradually over time, and some will experience only indirect impacts. There are data from the United nations that show the interest of youth on climate change. Close to half a million youth around the world have taken action on climate change through SGP [small grants programmes] projects in their homes, schools and communities. (UNDP, 2015). 84% of the surveyed young people agree that they need more information to prevent climate change. (UNEP, 2011). Furthermore, about 73% of surveyed youth say they currently feel the effects climate change. (UNEP, GlobeScan Survey, 2008). Some 89% of youth respondents say young people can make a difference on climate change. [UNEP, 2008]. But only 9% of youth are very confident the world will act quickly enough to address climate change. [UNEP, 2008]. Young people are key actors in raising awareness, running educational programmes, promoting sustainable lifestyles, conserving nature, supporting renewable energy, adopting environmentally-friendly practices and implementing adaptation and mitigation projects[UNFCCC]. Action by youth, as protest school strikes or speeches to the UN by Greta Thunberg, urge immediate action from governments, business leaders and school leaders. There are different reasons for this action by youth. The psycho-social impacts of a changing climate are generally under lighted in these reasons. Are the responses by society enough to minimize suffering and promote resilience of youth in the face of the challenging impacts of climate change? Or do governments and businesses enough while they increasingly seem to be moving toward action on climate change, as they proclaim to cut their own emissions or be active in their energy transition? It is not clear whether those actions are enough to satisfy the next generation of customers, employees and decision makers.

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