Announcements

We are pleased to inform you that Energies (ISSN: 1996-1073) has received an updated CiteScore of 5.5, an increase of 10% compared with the 2021 metric. The 2022 CiteScore™ was released recently, making an assessment of the scientific influence of journals in the 2019 to 2022 period.

Energies’ CiteScore ranks as follows:

• Q1 (21 out of 121) in the "Control and Optimization" category;
• Q1 (27 out of 151) in the "Engineering (miscellaneous)" category;
• Q2 (197 out of 738) in the "Electrical and Electronic Engineering" category;
• Q2 (77 out of 252) in the "Energy Engineering and Power Technology" category;
• Q2 (18 out of 54) in the "Energy (miscellaneous)" category;
• Q2 (39 out of 117) in the "Fuel Technology" category;
• Q2 (103 out of 235) in the "Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment" category.

For more journal statistics, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies/stats.

Excellent performance is inseparable from the support and dedication of all journal editors, reviewers, authors, and readers. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have contributed to the journal.

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Energies 2022 Outstanding Reviewer Award—Dr. Marcos Tostado Veliz.

Name: Dr. Marcos Tostado-Véliz

Affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Jaén, Linares, Spain

Research Interests: power systems; electric vehicles; renewable energy; microgrids; multi-energy systems; home energy management; storage systems

We would like to thank the award committee for their hard work in the difficult task of selecting five winners from such a large number of exceptional candidates, Dr. Marcos Tostado-Véliz being one of them. We will continue to reward reviewers with the Outstanding Reviewer Award to express our acknowledgment of their efforts in maintaining the high quality and quick turnaround time of the journal, and we wish them every success in their careers.

The following is a short interview with Dr. Marcos Tostado-Véliz:

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers?
   I received my Electrical Engineering (with Hons.) and master’s degrees in 2016 and 2017, respectively, from the University of Seville, Spain. I started pursuing my Ph.D. in 2017 and finally obtained it in 2020 with a cum laude qualification from the University of Jaén, where I am currently an assistant professor (since 2022).

2. What’s your current research focus, and why did you choose this research field? As a reviewer, what kind of manuscripts would you prefer to review in the future?
   My current research areas focus, principally, on smart grids and related computational tools and mathematical modeling. In particular, I am especially interested in the optimization of microgrids, energy communities and smart homes, with a special focus on the optimal integration of electric vehicles, demand response and renewables. In the future, I would like to review high-quality papers related to this area and power systems, my Ph.D. research field.

3. Which research topics do you think are of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
   All issues related to the decarbonization of energy systems will be of special interest in the future. Within this field, there are some interesting areas, such as the optimal integration of electric vehicles or the stability of power systems. Hydrogen generation technologies will be also a promising area, due to the important projects that were recently launched in Europe and other areas.

4. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts authors?
   In my opinion, the idea behind open access is positive for the scientific community. However, these kinds of journals should be very careful to avoid the 'pay for publishing' policy in order to keep the quality of their articles high. In fact, some countries such as Spain have become reluctant to publish open access journals due to this kind of 'suspicious' practices.

5. Which qualities do you think reviewers need?
   A reviewer should be professional. There are some important issues to be detected during the revision process. Some reviewers are more concerned about obtaining citations rather than improving the quality of the manuscript.

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Energies 2022 Outstanding Reviewer Award—Dr. Xuejun Qian.

Name: Dr. Xuejun Qian

Affiliation: Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, Morgan State University, Baltimore, USA

Research Interests: biomass combustion system; gaseous emissions; shell and tube heat exchanger (STHE); stirling engine; refrigeration system; heat transfer; fuel property characterization; biomass utilization

We would like to thank the award committee for their hard work in the difficult task of selecting five winners from such a large number of excellent candidates and Dr. Xuejun Qian is one of the winners. We will continue to reward reviewers with the Outstanding Reviewer Award to express our acknowledgment of their efforts in maintaining the high quality and quick turnaround time of the journal, and we wish them every success in their careers.

We hope you enjoy the interview.

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers?
   My name is Xuejun Qian. I am currently working as a Postdoc Researcher at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison). Before joining UW-Madison, I worked at Morgan State University as a Research Associate/Lab Manager from 2019 to 2020 and Michigan State University as a Research Associate from 2021 to 2022.

2. What’s your current research focus, and why did you choose this research field? As a reviewer, what kind of manuscripts would you prefer to review in the future?
   My current research focus is to develop genome-scale metabolic models, including constrained-based resource analysis models and proteome allocation models for biological systems. System biology, computational modeling, optimization and metabolic engineering of microbial biofuel producers are integrated to enhance yields and titers of bioproducts and bio-chemicals from sustainable biomass resources. My research interests extended to biomass fuel properties characterization, energy resources, computational modeling, combustion, heat transfer, emissions, energy systems, optimization and statistical analysis. I would like to review manuscripts in the fields of energy, particular biomass conversion, metabolic pathways, and energy systems.

3. Which research topics do you think are of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
   Biomass transformed into sustainable biofuels and bioproducts, such as isobutanol and isoprene, may be particularly more interesting to the research community, since it has a higher value and is more economically viable and environmentally sustainable than the conventional products, including ethanol. Computational models can be further developed to study and investigate the production of these bioproducts from biomass substrates.

4. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts authors?
   Open access enables authors to have high visibility and potential for more citations that show the contribution and extension of new discoveries based on their findings.

5. Which qualities do you think reviewers need?
   Reviewers must be able to determine the accuracy of the results and information and appropriateness of the manuscripts to the particular journal’s aims, as well as expertise and good analytical skills.

Welcome message by Dr. Dimitris Mourtzis, the webinar chair:

We welcome you to our webinar Smart Manufacturing and Industry 5.0. We will explore how the integration of advanced technologies is reshaping the manufacturing sector. Industry 5.0 represents a paradigm shift, where humans and intelligent machines collaborate in a seamless ecosystem. Our expert speakers will discuss the principles, trends, and transformative potential of smart manufacturing. We will delve into automation, AI, big data, and IoT, optimizing production and enabling real-time decision making. We will also highlight the importance of human workers in Industry 5.0, where collaborative robots, augmented reality, and cognitive computing unlock new possibilities. Therefore, we invite you to join us on this interesting webinar to uncover the potential of smart manufacturing and Industry 5.0, gain valuable insights, participate in stimulating discussions, and envision the future of manufacturing.

Date: 15 June 2023 at 9:00 a.m. CEST | 15:00 p.m. CST Asia

Register now for free!

Program:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we’ll let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

• Dimitris Mourtzis, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics, University of Patras, Patras, Greece;
• Pai Zheng, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China;
• Ang Liu, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia.

Relevant Topic:

“Smart Manufacturing and Industry 5.0”

Abstract submission deadline: 30 September 2023

Manuscript submission deadline: 30 November 2023

1. “An Advanced Machine Learning Based Energy Management of Renewable Microgrids Considering Hybrid Electric Vehicles’ Charging Demand”
   by Tianze Lan, Kittisak Jermsittiparsert, Sara T. Alrashood, Mostafa Rezaei, Loiy Al-Ghussain and Mohamed A. Mohamed
   Energies 2021, 14(3), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14030569
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/3/569

2. “Do Environment-Related Policy Instruments and Technologies Facilitate Renewable Energy Generation? Exploring the Contextual Evidence from Developed Economies”
   by Umer Shahzad, Magdalena Radulescu, Syed Rahim, Cem Isik, Zahid Yousaf and Stefan Alexandru Ionescu
   Energies 2021, 14(3), 690; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14030690
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/3/690

3. “Impact of the Lockdown during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Electricity Use by Residential Users”
   by Sławomir Bielecki, Tadeusz Skoczkowski, Lidia Sobczak, Janusz Buchoski, Łukasz Maciąg and Piotr Dukat
   Energies 2021, 14(4), 980; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14040980
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/4/980

4. “Confronting Energy Poverty in Europe: A Research and Policy Agenda”
   by Stefan Bouzarovski, Harriet Thomson and Marine Cornelis
   Energies 2021, 14(4), 858; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14040858
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/4/858

5. “Fresh Validation of the Low Carbon Development Hypothesis under the EKC Scheme in Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain”
   by Daniel Balsalobre-Lorente, Nuno Carlos Leitão and Festus Victor Bekun
   Energies 2021, 14(1), 250; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14010250
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/1/250

6. “Assessing the Level of Energy and Climate Sustainability in the European Union Countries in the Context of the European Green Deal Strategy and Agenda 2030”
   by Magdalena Tutak, Jarosław Brodny and Peter Bindzár
   Energies 2021, 14(6), 1767; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14061767
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/6/1767

7. ““My Electricity” Program Effectiveness Supporting the Development of PV Installation in Poland”
   by Piotr Olczak, Dominik Kryzia, Dominika Matuszewska and Marta Kuta
   Energies 2021, 14(1), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14010231
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/1/231

8. “Do Nuclear Energy, Renewable Energy, and Environmental-Related Technologies Asymmetrically Reduce Ecological Footprint? Evidence from Pakistan”
   by Muhammad Usman, Atif Jahanger, Magdalena Radulescu and Daniel Balsalobre-Lorente
   Energies 2022, 15(9), 3448; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15093448
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/9/3448

9. “Renewable Energy Producers’ Strategies in the Visegrád Group Countries”
   by Adam Sulich and Letycja Sołoducho-Pelc
   Energies 2021, 14(11), 3048; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14113048
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/11/3048

10. “The Impact of COVID-19 on Electricity Demand Profiles: A Case Study of Selected Business Clients in Poland”
    by Marcin Malec, Grzegorz Kinelski and Marzena Czarnecka
    Energies 2021, 14(17), 5332; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14175332
    Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/17/5332

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Energies 2023 Travel Award—Ms. Monika Sandelic.

Name: Ms. Monika Sandelic

Affiliation: AAU Energy, Aalborg University, Aalborg 9220, Denmark

Research Interests: batteries; power electronic control; reliability and system optimization

We would like to thank the award committee for selecting two winners from a large number of exceptional candidates, with Ms. Monika Sandelic being one of them. We will continue to reward scholars with the Travel Award to express our acknowledgment of their support for our journal. We wish them every success in their careers.

The following is a short interview with Ms. Monika Sandelic:

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?
   I am Monika Sandelic, a Ph.D. Fellow at AAU Energy at Aalborg University. I received a B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering and information technology from the University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, in 2016, and an MS.c degree in energy engineering in 2018 from Aalborg University, Aalborg. I was a Visiting Researcher at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, USA, from August to October 2022. My research interests include power-electronics-based power systems, with a focus on reliability and forecasting as well as the lifetime of battery systems and residential photovoltaic systems.

2. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
   I believe it would be working towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. To assure those goals, the power grid still needs to undergo a massive change. The research community, the industry and the political bodies need to make a great joint effort to enforce changes. I believe there are many innovations and technology developments in the research community that we will see in the future while working towards achieving goals for a sustainable energy future.

3. Can you briefly describe the key to a happy laboratory life?
   I feel that the vision and the motivation behind doing research are so important. Everything seems easier when I know I am working towards something that I am passionate about in an environment which enables me to follow this passion. This is for sure a big part of having a happy research life. Another thing is having a work–life balance, which is also an important aspect for me. So, in that regard, I am happy to live in a country like Denmark which encourages such balance.

4. What is your opinion of the open access model of publishing?
   It is a great way to make one’s research more visible. It also helps our community to share the research and take it forward. This view is also something that is seen in Denmark as the future of publishing. In fact, it is a mission for Danish research institutions that every published output must be open access by 2025. I am happy to work at AAU Energy at Aalborg University which supports publishing in open-source journals and generally supports open access to publicly funded research for all citizens.

5. As the winner of this award, is there something you would like to express?
   I would like to thank the Energies Editorial Office and the Award Committee for choosing me for the Energies 2023 Travel Award. Furthermore, I would like to thank Villum Foundation for supporting the Reliable Power Electronics Based Power System (REPEPS) project, which my Ph.D. is a part of. I would also like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Frede Blaabjerg, for numerous opportunities and the encouragement to work on my ideas during my Ph.D. Finally, I would also like to seize this opportunity to promote the importance of women in science and engineering, as well as to encourage young women who think of research careers to take this step forward.

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Energies 2022 Outstanding Reviewer Award—Dr. Dominik Zimon.

Name: Dr. Dominik Zimon

Affiliation: Department of Management Systems and Logistics, Rzeszow University of Technology, Poland

Research Interests: quality management; supply chain; logistics; sustainability

We would like to thank the award committee for their hard work in selecting five winners from such a large number of exceptional candidates, with Dr. Dominik Zimon being one of the winners among them. We will continue to reward reviewers with the Outstanding Reviewer Award to acknowledge their efforts in maintaining the high quality and quick turnaround time of the journal, and we wish them every success in their careers.

We hope you enjoy the interview.

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers?
   I have been associated with two universities in Rzeszów for many years, my scientific interests focus on broadly understood quality, logistics and sustainable development. I consider the pursuit of internationalization a very important feature of my scientific and research activity. I strictly cooperate with many foreign universities and associations.

2. What is your current research focus, and why did you choose this research field? As a reviewer, what kind of manuscripts would you prefer to review in the future?
   My current research efforts focus on topics related to the sustainable management of supply chains and modern technologies. These are important and topical subjects and working on them will have an impact not only on theory, but also on the practice. As a reviewer, I am open to all types of articles that fit into my research interests. I believe that reviewing articles is not only a contribution to the development of science, but it also allows reviewers to interact with the latest research results and improve their scientific skills.

3. Which research topics do you think are of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
   I think that all issues related to energy transformation and the implementation of the SDGs are very important topics at the moment.

4. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts authors?
   Publishing in open access gives measurable benefits. First of all, it definitely facilitates the rapid dissemination of research results not only among specialists in a given field, but also among recipients outside the scientific community. This makes it easier for authors to establish contacts with other researchers and business representatives, which may result in valuable discussions, scientific and business cooperation, and innovative projects.

5. Which qualities do you think reviewers need?
   Patience and time management skills.

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Energies 2023 Travel Award—Dr. Roberta De Robbio.

Name: Dr. Roberta De Robbio

Affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy

Research Interests: CFD; internal combustion engines; gas turbines; dual fuel; optical diagnostic; hydrogen; hybrid vehicles

We would like to thank the award committee for selecting two winners from a large number of exceptional candidates, one of them being Dr. Roberta De Robbio. We will continue to reward scholars with the Travel Award to express our acknowledgment of their support for our journal. We wish them every success in their careers.

The following is a short interview with Dr. Roberta De Robbio:

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?

I graduated in Mechanical Engineering for Energy and Environment in 2016 and defended my Ph.D. thesis in 2020 at the University of Naples Federico II. After two years at the Institute of Sciences and Technologies for Sustainable Energy and Mobility of the National Research Council, I am currently a post-doctoral researcher at University Federico II, and recently, I won the selection as a researcher (type A) at the same University.

The main topic of the research activity is combustion analysis and modeling by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools. To this end, I have conducted parallel studies on two different types of thermal plants, say: a micro gas turbine fueled with biofuels and hydrogen, and diesel engines supplied with natural gas and hydrogen in dual fuel mode. I have tested, implemented, and utilized several models and kinetic mechanisms in different codes. Each process, such as turbulence, injection, vaporization, and oxidation, has been examined with the aim to evaluate pollutants’ emissions and to reduce their formation.

2. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

I think the climate change emergency, environment preservation and all the related issues will still be central topics in the next years. Indeed, it is a problem that affects everyone and all sectors of the economy. In addition, clean energy from renewable sources is the object of my studies, and I am doing my best to give my contribution, not only as a researcher.

3. Can you briefly describe the key to a happy laboratory life?

I believe that the key to a happy laboratory life is respect and communication between the members of the staff. I believe that to achieve the desired goals in a team, everyone should cooperate, and when a difficulty is encountered, they should not be afraid to ask for help.

4. What is your opinion of the open access model of publishing?

In my opinion, open access publishing can be a fundamental tool to spread knowledge not only among researchers, but also among students and people who are employed or simply interested in a determined field. It also offers the chance to be informed of the latest findings to the researchers of institutions with low financial possibilities, mitigating the gap in education levels in the international scientific community.

5. As the winner of this award, is there something you would like to express?

Firstly, I want to express my gratitude to Energies for giving me this award, being chosen is an important acknowledgment from the scientific community. I feel honored and more motivated to give my best.

In my opinion, the sharing of ideas is one of the principles on which the spreading of knowledge and the development of scientific research are based; indeed, for researchers, especially the young ones, the participation in international conferences represents a valuable opportunity for growth by meeting other peers coming from all over the world. However, travel expenses can be a significant obstacle for most of them. For this reason, I would like to express my appreciation to Energies for the generosity and the support provided to young scholars and research itself as well.

MDPI will attend the 31st European Biomass Conference & Exhibition (EUBCE 2023) as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Bologna, Italy, from 5 to 8 June 2023.

EUBCE is the largest biomass conference and exhibition in the world. Each year, EUBCE brings together the greatest minds and latest advancements in biomass, with the aim of accelerating research and market uptake across the globe. During the conference, over 2,000 experts from both academia and industry share and discuss groundbreaking ideas, technologies, applications, and solutions for the sourcing, production, and utility of biomass. The scientific program is coordinated by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. Since its 30th edition, the event has been complemented by the Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking, aiming at identifying innovation, stimulating investment, and mobilizing the bio-based industry sector. This is an excellent opportunity to address even more stakeholders globally through the conference.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Sustainability;
• Energies;
• Biomass;
• Environment;
• Materials;
• Minerals;
• Biology;
• Recycling;
• Atmosphere;
• Earth.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth #36. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit https://www.eubce.com/.

Energies (ISSN: 1996-1073) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal of related scientific research, technology development, engineering, and the studies in policy and management and is published semi-monthly online by MDPI.

Authors are increasingly interested in having their papers published as a cover story in Energies. There were 48 cover stories published in 2021-2022. These cover stories report important research results, or innovative methods, and present impressive images.

To reward authors who have published significant research results in Energies, four cover stories will be selected from those published in 2021 and 2022, and each will receive CHF 200. The selection criteria that will be considered are as follows:

• Importance or innovation of the research;
• Openness to all career levels;
• Quality of the cover image.

We will randomly select the votes of 10 participants who have completed the survey (including an optional question) and, to show our appreciation for your involvement in the voting process, the 10 selected participants will each receive a CHF 50 voucher. The vote will be open from 4 May 2023 to 16 June 2023.

Please cast your vote here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3D6B3BC. The final voting results will be posted on the journal's website by the end of July 2023.