scholarly journals The Energy Transition between profitability, participation and acceptance – considering the interests of project developers, residents, and environmentalists

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 19-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Bosch ◽  
Joachim Rathmann ◽  
Lucas Schwarz

Abstract. The number of actors in the German Energy Transition as well as the planning complexity increases and new spatial implications emerge in contrast to the conventional energy system. In planning processes for Renewable Energy Technologies mostly economic approaches are chosen, but simultaneously the number of social conflicts related to wind power plants or solar energy plants is on an all-time high. The aim of the study is therefore to identify the essential parameters of a sustainable expansion of renewable energies from the diversity of potential influencing factors and to illustrate them using a regional case study and GIS. The analyses reveal the great regional assertiveness of photovoltaics, whereby wind energy can assert itself due to social parameters also at some locations. Beyond this, it is to be stated that renewable energies find themselves in intense economic and social competition for space, although the most compatible spatial solutions have not always been able to prevail so far. Nevertheless, the presented approach offers a sophisticated method to minimize the social conflicts that arise in the context of the energy system transformation.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7110
Author(s):  
Daniela Colafranceschi ◽  
Pere Sala ◽  
Fabio Manfredi

Landscape and energy are an inseparable and innovative binomial because of the challenges they imply and being the factors we use to measure the quality of our habitat. Presenting the report “Wind Energy and Landscape. Guidelines for a suitable installation in Catalonia”, which involved research into the methodology for installing wind farms, this article presents a critical reflection on the possible spatial, ethical, and aesthetic effects of energy transition. Landscape design interprets the convergence of territorial values with the innovation of an energy system: it is not measured on a geographical scale, but draws from geography the sense of the overwriting of everyday places, giving them sense, orientation, meaning, and narrative. The research involves ecology, society, nature, and culture. Methodologically, the approach is reversed: rather than designing a project for the correct installation of wind power plants, the project for the wind landscape is understood as new contemporary nature. Wind energy and the culture of the landscape legitimize an advance in thought on design tools, espousing the dictates of the European Landscape Convention and more recent ambitious goals set by the UN with the 2030 Agenda.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Sofia Lewis Lopes ◽  
Elizabeth Duarte ◽  
Rita Fragoso

The exponential population growth will put great pressure on natural resources, agriculture, energy systems and waste production. New business models and innovative technological approaches are necessary to tackle these challenges and achieve the energy transition targets set by the European Commission. Renewable energy technologies and processes such as solar photovoltaic, solar thermal and anaerobic co-digestion have become a subject of interest and research as a solution that could be fully implemented in industries and solve several environmental and economic problems. This paper discusses the possibility of integrating and complement these technologies to maximize renewable energy production and circularity. The review was performed with a funnel approach aiming to analyze broad to specific subjects. Beginning with a literature review on the various definitions of circular economy, bioeconomy, and circular bioeconomy, ultimately proposing a single definition according to an industrial and academic scope combination, followed by a systematization and assessment of data and literature regarding energy systems present state and projections. The next phase was to assess data and literature of the fruit and vegetable processing industry from an energy consumption and biowaste production perspective to consequently discussing technologies that could help manage problems identified throughout this review. This paper culminates in propounding an Integrated Renewable Energy System conceptual model that promotes energy and waste circularity, envisioning how industries could be designed or redesigned in the future, coupled with a circular bioeconomy business model.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1588
Author(s):  
Henning Thiesen ◽  
Clemens Jauch

Power system inertia is a vital part of power system stability. The inertia response within the first seconds after a power imbalance reduces the velocity of which the grid frequency changes. At present, large shares of power system inertia are provided by synchronously rotating masses of conventional power plants. A minor part of power system inertia is supplied by power consumers. The energy system transformation results in an overall decreasing amount of power system inertia. Hence, inertia has to be provided synthetically in future power systems. In depth knowledge about the amount of inertia provided by power consumers is very important for a future application of units supplying synthetic inertia. It strongly promotes the technical efficiency and cost effective application. A blackout in the city of Flensburg allows for a detailed research on the inertia contribution from power consumers. Therefore, power consumer categories are introduced and the inertia contribution is calculated for each category. Overall, the inertia constant for different power consumers is in the range of 0.09 to 4.24 s if inertia constant calculations are based on the power demand. If inertia constant calculations are based on the apparent generator power, the load inertia constant is in the range of 0.01 to 0.19 s.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 553-563
Author(s):  
Gustavo Richmond-Navarro ◽  
Rolando Madriz-Vargas ◽  
Noel Ureña-Sandí ◽  
Fabian Barrientos-Johansson

Abstract Most countries around the world are politically driven to move toward a low-carbon future by embracing renewable energy technologies for electricity generation. With abundance of renewable energy resources, Costa Rica produces over 95 percent of its electricity from hydro, geothermal, and wind power plants. Only one percent of its population live without electricity, mainly in remote territories where rural off-grid electrification is very challenging. The purpose of this research is to contribute to enhancing the opportunities to reach universal electricity access in Costa Rica by studying some cases. A comparison with the African situation is made in order to find common points of benefit and learning. This article highlights that a greater level of engagement is needed from local leaders to develop efficient solutions in Costa Rica, and brings a relevant comparison with Africa’s energy needs as well.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Bosch ◽  
Lucas Schwarz

The implementation of many small power stations compensates the closing of powerful large power plants as part of the German Energy Transition is compensated. It is unclear how site decisions are made, which actors are involved, and which economic, ecological, and social consequences occur. The quantitative study consists of a written postal survey of renewable energy plant operators, concerning central aspects of project development. The study found strong regional disparities concerning the entrepreneurial behavior of plant operators of renewable energies, a low importance of socio-institutional and socio-cultural parameters, a great relevance of micro-social environment during site planning of renewable energy plants, and that plant operators are highly influenced by economic and individual desires. It may be concluded that the perspectives operators have on the Energy Transitions must be more systematically included into the discourse regarding the sustainable deployment of renewable energies, as they reveal significant disparities with topics that are emphasized by the public (e.g., landscape aesthetic, citizens’ participation). It was shown that the challenges and problems that arise in the context of regional energy transformation cannot be generalized beyond regional circumstances; rather, they must be regarded as specific regional phenomena that have to be overcome by means of regionally adapted energy concepts.


Heliyon ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. e02070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Paletto ◽  
Silvia Bernardi ◽  
Elisa Pieratti ◽  
Francesca Teston ◽  
Manuela Romagnoli

Author(s):  
U. Pysmenna ◽  
G. Trypolska ◽  
T. Kurbatova ◽  
O. Kubatko

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 456-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenli Qiang ◽  
Shuwen Niu ◽  
Xiaojie Liu ◽  
Xiang Wang ◽  
Zhuo Jia ◽  
...  

How to cut down power generation cost is an important issue during energy system transformation. This study examines the pathway of China’s coal-fired and clean power’s unit generation cost changes during 2007–2015 and predicts the change trends of each type of power between 2016 and 2025. The results show that the cost of coal-fired power will increase to 0.50–0.73 Yuan/kWh in 2025 because of the stricter environmental regulations and the establishment of a nationwide carbon emission trading market. Conversely, the cost of clean energy power, with the exception of hydropower, shows a decreasing trend between 2007 and 2025, with the costs of nuclear power, solar power, and wind power declining from 0.40, 4.34, and 0.56 Yuan/kWh to 0.33, 0.31, and 0.49 Yuan/kWh, respectively. However, the cost of hydropower displays an increasing trend from 0.22 to 0.26 Yuan/kWh during 2007–2025 due to increases in construction costs. Considering the external cost increases applying to coal-fired power and the declining trend caused by the learning rates of renewable power, the cost of all the clean energy power will be lower than the costs of coal-fired power before 2025. The cost sharing of coal-fired power is also analyzed in this study. However, there are a number of relevant economic and policy measures that are needed to be taken by the government to fulfill this transformation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 374-383 ◽  

Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing humankind as it has the potential to dramatically modify the living conditions of future generations. In order to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, most countries are implementing regulations aimed at reducing their dependence on fossil fuels, promoting energy efficiency practices and favoring the deployment of low carbon energy technologies, including renewable energy sources. In line with the international commitments assumed as a member of the European Union (EU) and also as a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol, Spain developed a National Plan for Renewable Energies (PER 2005-2010) that forms the basis of the national strategy in this field. Spain has often been cited as an example for the rapid growth in the use of low carbon energy technologies. However, despite significant progress in the last decade, Spain is far from meeting the national objectives set in PER primarily due to slow growth in the demand for biofuels and the limited success of biomass fired power plants. The evolution in other energy technologies has been faster, situating Spain as world a leader in solar and wind energy. However, the contribution of these technologies to the national consumption is very marginal. In the midst of intense regulatory, commercial and R&D activity, this paper analyses the current situation with respect to the production of renewable energies in Spain, focusing primarily on the use of biomass resources. The paper offers a general view of policy and regulatory background, illustrates current progress towards meeting national objectives and provides a brief description of representative projects and market activity in biofuel production and biomass valorization.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-63
Author(s):  
Karina Suharevska ◽  
Dagnija Blumberga

Abstract The development of renewable energy technologies (RET) depends on a wide range of criteria and regulations. To evaluate which RET (solar photovoltaic (PV), wind power plants (WPP), hydroelectric power plants (HPP) or bio-energy plants) have the greatest potential in Latvia, the most suitable approach is a multiple criteria decision making (MCDM). The proposed MCDM methodology involves TOPSIS model based on information entropy, which contributes as a criteria weighting tool. The study investigates seven main criteria from technical, economic, environmental and social aspects. Firstly, each alternative country is analysed due to the chosen RET criteria. Secondly, the assessment is extended, comparing specific data with Latvia’s MCDM of RET results. The research results show that, according to the best available examples of RET, hydro energy plants still play a substantial role for Latvia, the most promising RET development is based on bio-energy and wind renewable energies.


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