Low-Cost and Renewable Energy towards Sustainability: Latest Developments in Production, Storage and Distribution

Dear Colleagues,

Today, renewable energy (REN) is the cheapest option for power generation in most countries. By 2030, REN will provide 65% of the total global electricity supply, cutting carbon emissions and helping to mitigate climate change. Renewables allow countries to diversify their economies and offer a way out of dependency on fossil fuels imports. On the other side, REN sources are available everywhere and their use can drive inclusive economic growth, the creation of new jobs, and poverty alleviation. Moreover, prices for renewable energy technologies are dropping rapidly. However, additional efforts must be undertaken to meet the expectation of REN producing the 90% of global electricity by 2050 (IRENA.org).

Sustainable development has become more and more popular worldwide, and many countries now recognize the economic opportunity in using REN to minimize the effects of climate change, pollution and contaminant environmental factors.

REN is produced from existing resources that naturally sustain or replenish themselves over time. Moreover, REN is increasingly cost-efficient, its impact on the environment is far less severe, and they are theoretically able to supply energy needs indefinitely. Sustainable energy, such as wind, solar and hydropower, can maintain current operations without jeopardizing the energy needs or climate of future generations.

The spread of an integrated system for renewable energy production, storage and supply will provide a solution for implementing electric and thermal storage systems that combine with meteorological stations to perform weather forecasting and monitor final users’ energy consumption to improve energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption. Renewable energy generation mainly relies on naturally occurring factors, meaning that they are mainly intermittent energy resources. The use of REN on a large scale results in the need for technologies that can capture it, store it and preventing it from going to waste. Different technologies are emerging that can store electrical energy produced from renewable sources, such as hydrogen electrolysis, pumped hydroelectricity energy storage, electrochemical battery energy storage (lithium-ion, flow battery storage), thermal and phase transition energy storage or mechanical energy storage. Among them, hydrogen energy storage systems (HESS)have higher system performance at higher loads, with the potential to reduce costs within renewable energy systems.

Nowadays, investments into clean energy sources to meet 2030 renewable hydrogen targets are consistently growing. Many institutions and scientists have recognized clean hydrogen as the green fuel that will boost the 21st century transition towards an effectively zero-emission economy. Therefore, the European Union must radically accelerate the deployment of hydrogen production, import terminal, reconversion, storage, transportation and consumption infrastructure.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Renewable energy strategies on production, storage, and distribution;
• Optimal allocation of BESS in energy system;
• Theoretical and technical potential for the utilization of hydrogen in industry and transportation;
• Integration of renewable energies as solar, biomass, and others to produce electrical or thermal energy;
• Modelling of operations and REN performance for heat and power production;
• Devices and systems for REN integration;
• Processes and methods for REN usage;
• New achievements in REN and hydrogen production technologies for micro or large-scale application;
• Analysis of the integration and effectiveness usage of REN by means of demand response programs;
• Adoption of REN technologies and backbone infrastructure for hydrogen applications in road transportation and ports & terminals equipment handling;
• Applications of REN ammonia;
• Economic and environmental analysis of REN systems in relation to the scale of their applications and state of economy of the country, regulatory energy market and other legal entities;
• Analysis of the challenge and advantages of the REN generation;
• Different technologies to store the electrical energy that is produced from renewable sources.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Manuel Alcázar Ortega
Dr. Lina Montuori
Guest Editors

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