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Advances in Coastal Environments and Renewable Energy

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 March 2027 | Viewed by 2772

Editor


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Guest Editor
1.Departamento de Oceanografía Física, CICESE, Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, Ensenada 22860, Mexico
2. EPCC, The Bayes Centre, University of Edinburgh, 47 Potterrow, Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9BT, UK
Interests: computational meteorology; coastal hydrodynamics; numerical modelling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Coastal environments, which include both onshore and offshore regions, are essential for the growth of renewable energy systems. These areas are home to vital ecosystems and are increasingly becoming focal points for renewable energy generation, such as wind, solar, tidal, and wave energy. Coastal regions offer distinctive opportunities for deploying both onshore technologies, like solar farms and wind turbines, and offshore solutions, including fixed and floating wind farms, thus extending wind energy production into deeper waters.

This Special Issue of Applied Sciences seeks to explore the dynamic interaction between coastal environments and renewable energy technologies. We invite original research and review articles addressing the environmental, technological, and socio-economic challenges of deploying renewable energy in these regions. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The impact of offshore and onshore renewable energy systems on coastal ecosystems, marine biodiversity, and local communities.
  • Advancements in floating wind technologies and their integration into the energy grid.
  • The role of coastal regions in the global energy transition and their contribution to sustainable energy development.
  • Technological innovations, grid integration, and energy storage solutions tailored to coastal environments.
  • Policy frameworks and strategies for balancing renewable energy production with environmental conservation and community well-being.

This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research that supports the responsible integration of renewable energy technologies in coastal areas, contributing to global efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable development. We look forward to your valuable contributions to this timely and impactful field of study.

Prof. Dr. Vanesa Magar
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • coastal environments
  • renewable energy
  • wind energy
  • offshore wind
  • floating wind technology
  • tidal energy
  • wave energy
  • sustainable development
  • marine biodiversity
  • energy storage
  • grid integration
  • environmental conservation
  • energy transition
  • coastal ecosystems
  • renewable energy policy

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 1448 KB  
Article
Stability and Maximum Power Point Operation of Induction-Generator Wind Turbines with Stator-Side Frequency Control
by Cristian Paul Chioncel, Gelu-Ovidiu Tirian and Elisabeta Spunei
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(12), 5970; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16125970 - 12 Jun 2026
Viewed by 216
Abstract
Maintaining stable operation and maximum power extraction in wind turbines under significant wind speed variations remains a key challenge in wind energy systems. This study aims to analyze the stability and maximum power point operation of a wind turbine equipped with a squirrel-cage [...] Read more.
Maintaining stable operation and maximum power extraction in wind turbines under significant wind speed variations remains a key challenge in wind energy systems. This study aims to analyze the stability and maximum power point operation of a wind turbine equipped with a squirrel-cage induction generator using stator-side frequency control. This study examines the operational performance of medium-power wind turbines in the kilowatt range under significant wind speed variability. The analysis focuses on a turbine equipped with a squirrel-cage induction generator and a control architecture that incorporates a power converter integrated into the stator circuit. The findings show that adjusting the stator frequency through the converter allows the generator to track the optimal rotational speed, ensuring operation at the maximum power point across a wide range of wind conditions. Based on these results, the study defines the stable operating region of the turbine under time-varying wind speeds, making it suitable for distributed energy projects in coastal regions where wind can be highly variable. It also shows that, for a given electrical load, the generator must be calibrated to an appropriate maximum stator frequency to maintain stable and efficient energy conversion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Environments and Renewable Energy)
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20 pages, 12740 KB  
Article
A Coupled Hydrodynamic–Energy Production Model for Optimal Salinity Gradient Energy Plant Siting in the Strymon River Estuary, Greece
by Konstantinos Zachopoulos, Nikolaos Kokkos, Costas Elmasides, Paraschos Melidis and Georgios Sylaios
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(3), 1332; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16031332 - 28 Jan 2026
Viewed by 699
Abstract
The occurrence of salt wedge intrusion is a common phenomenon in microtidal Mediterranean river mouths, particularly during summer, when reduced river discharge occurs. In the Strymon River, upstream saltwater intrusion affects both the hydrodynamic functioning of the system and the estuarine ecosystem. This [...] Read more.
The occurrence of salt wedge intrusion is a common phenomenon in microtidal Mediterranean river mouths, particularly during summer, when reduced river discharge occurs. In the Strymon River, upstream saltwater intrusion affects both the hydrodynamic functioning of the system and the estuarine ecosystem. This study investigates the integrated ecohydrological management of river mouths characterized by salt wedge intrusion, aiming to both limit upstream saltwater penetration and exploit the salinity gradient between seawater and river water for renewable energy production. The study examines the operation of a Salinity Gradient Energy power plant based on Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO) technology, with a nominal capacity of 1 MW, located at the Strymon River mouth. A dynamically coupled hydrodynamic and energy production model is developed to assess four operational scenarios with different seawater and freshwater intake locations along the river channel. The results show that, in all scenarios, salt wedge intrusion is restricted to a distance of less than 2000 m from the river mouth, while salt wedge salinity is reduced by up to 35% compared to reference conditions. At the same time, annual energy production exceeds 1.03 GWh in all scenarios, corresponding to the electricity demand of approximately 824 to 1045 households, depending on the operational configuration. Overall, the study demonstrates that salinity gradient energy exploitation can be effectively combined with ecological control of salt wedge intrusion, providing a novel and sustainable framework for the management of Mediterranean estuarine systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Environments and Renewable Energy)
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25 pages, 3076 KB  
Article
Development of Indicators for the Energy Assessment of Biomass Integration into Electrical Grids in Colombia
by Andres Felipe Trochez Llantén, Eduardo Gómez-Luna, Rafael Franco-Manrique and Juan C. Vasquez
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(3), 1327; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16031327 - 28 Jan 2026
Viewed by 519
Abstract
The increasing need for flexible and decentralized electricity systems in Colombia has renewed interest in biomass as a complementary renewable energy source beyond conventional large-scale applications. Rather than focusing on specific conversion technologies, this study develops an indicator-based framework aimed at qualifying the [...] Read more.
The increasing need for flexible and decentralized electricity systems in Colombia has renewed interest in biomass as a complementary renewable energy source beyond conventional large-scale applications. Rather than focusing on specific conversion technologies, this study develops an indicator-based framework aimed at qualifying the energetic suitability of diverse biomass resources for integration into electrical microgrids and distributed generation schemes. The research follows a documentary and comparative methodological design structured around sequential analytical stages, including the systematization of biomass resources, their physicochemical and energetic characterization based on reported data, conceptual analysis of the biomass-to-electricity pathway, and the formulation of quantitative energy indicators. These indicators are subsequently transformed into qualitative categories through a discretization procedure that enables relative comparison across resource types. Agricultural residues, livestock by-products, urban pruning waste, and residues from dedicated energy crops were considered within a unified analytical framework. The resulting indicator set captures resource availability, energy content, and conversion-relevant attributes, allowing biomass alternatives to be assessed in a consistent and comparable manner without relying on site-specific technological assumptions. By translating quantitative parameters into qualitative energy profiles, the proposed approach supports early-stage planning and decision-making for decentralized power systems. The framework provides a systematic basis for identifying biomass resources with favorable energetic characteristics and contributes to the broader discussion on sustainable and diversified electricity generation in Colombia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Environments and Renewable Energy)
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18 pages, 2185 KB  
Article
Coastal Environments: Threats to Investment Processes in the Coastal Area
by Dariusz Kloskowski, Norbert Chamier-Gliszczynski and Maciej Niedziela
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(24), 13278; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152413278 - 18 Dec 2025
Viewed by 641
Abstract
One of the key problems humanity faces in this age of profound digitalization is globalization-related threats, which no longer affect just one country but pose a threat to a very large area, encompassing several or even a dozen countries, or, in the case [...] Read more.
One of the key problems humanity faces in this age of profound digitalization is globalization-related threats, which no longer affect just one country but pose a threat to a very large area, encompassing several or even a dozen countries, or, in the case of global warming, a threat to all of humanity worldwide. This topic inspired the investigation and verification of this threat in the Baltic Sea, along with other threats operating in the Baltic Sea region. This topic is highly topical, as estimates from maritime institutions indicate that the rate of sea level rise is an irreversible process, which, when combined with other threats, could lead to the degradation of the sea and the population living in the coastal zone. This led to the delegation clarifying the main objective of the article: to demonstrate the impact of potential global threats on the investment process in the Polish coastal belt. Based on this, an analysis of threats in the Baltic Sea region was conducted, preceded by a review of the literature and data from online resources, including data from industry portals in the maritime sector. This article presents a simulation of erosion-accumulation changes in selected areas of Poland’s Southern Baltic coast, focusing on the coastal real estate market and indicating the propensity to invest in these areas. Simulating erosion changes, using a cartographic base with a generated digital terrain model and interpolation tools to visualize the changes, represents an innovative approach to issues related to the outflow of investment land in the real estate market. This emphasizes the directionality of land changes, thus providing a predictive tool for decision-making and spatial planning in the coastal area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Environments and Renewable Energy)
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