Perspectives on the pervasive energy-systems transformations

Energy is central for the global decarbonization and the achievement of a sustainable future for all. This calls for a fundamental energy-systems transformation that would bring multiple co-benefits for health, climate and other challenges facing humanity and especially those without access to affordable and clean energy services. Pervasive transformation toward zero-carbon electricity and electrification of energy end use are central to achieving higher efficiencies, decarbonization and net-zero emissions. This is not merely a technical and economic issue. It is about people, about societies and about values and behaviors. Technology is an integral part of the society and an expression of collective intentionality through aggregation of sundry individual choices. The next disruptive transformation toward a sustainable future may indeed be powered by the digital revolution. It poses dangers for privacy, dissemination of alternative realities and erosion of evidence-based information but it also offers a great promise of catalyzing the emergence of a sustainable future by augmenting human capabilities by new, more convenient, more efficient and decarbonized goods and services. The key question is whether humanity will have the political will to collectively achieve the energy-systems transformation toward a sustainable future and net-zero emissions in merely three decades.

Optimizing the shape of PCM container to enhance the melting process

The shape of container influences natural convection inside a latent heat storage with a phase change material (PCM). Often the geometrical design of a PCM container is based on empirical observations. To enhance convection and melting of the PCM, authors propose here new design guidelines for an improved container. Using the so-called Co-factor method as the optimized basis, which is defined as the vector product of the velocity and temperature gradient, the new design method strives to raise the velocity of natural convection in liquid PCM, increase the amount of PCM in the direction of the convective flow, and reduce the amount of PCM far from the heating surface. Following these guidelines and Co factor, an optimized PCM container with an elongated and curved shape is proposed and compared to a rectangular container. Numerical simulations indicated that the total melting time of the PCM in the optimized container could be reduced by more than 20% compared to the rectangular one. The higher natural convection velocity and the better use of it to melt the PCM in the optimized container space attributed to the better performance than that in rectangular container. The results can be used to design more effective PCM storage systems.

Implementing the EU Climate Law via the ‘Fit for 55’ package

ABSTRACT To implement the European Union (EU) Climate Law’s newly established 55% greenhouse gas reduction objective for 2030, the EU Commission suggests a wave of reforms to the European energy and climate legislation. The contribution aims to describe the EU Commission’s 16 initial legislative and strategic proposals regarding the major pillars of the European energy and climate legislation and intends to give an overview on the suggested reforms. By comparing the legal status quo with the legal framework de lege ferenda as presented by the Commission’s proposals, the planned major changes to the legal structures are identified. To achieve the 55% greenhouse gas reduction objective for 2030, all existing legal climate and energy acts are planned to be tightened by amending their targets as well as scopes and revising their structures. The suggested reforms concern the existing EU emissions trading system, effort sharing system between the Member States, energy taxation, energy efficiency and renewable energies. Additionally, the implementation of new instruments, such as the second EU emissions trading system for the sectors buildings and transport, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and the Social Climate Fund, is proposed. The design of the package shows that the Commission still generally pursues a climate legislation characterized by a mix of instruments and policies being both price based and regulatory. So, even though the major proposed change—the introduction of a second separate emissions trading system—would strengthen the role of carbon pricing, the Commission still relies on a mix of instruments without defining a leading instrument.