Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.3
3.2
Journals
Energies
Special Issues
Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimization for Energy Systems: 3rd Edition on...
energies-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Energies Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimization for Energy Systems: 3rd Edition on the Way to Green Transition

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "C: Energy Economics and Policy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 September 2025 | Viewed by 1831

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Konstantinos Aravossis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sector of Industrial Management and Operations Research, School of Mechanical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece
Interests: analysis and evaluation of investments for technical projects (cost-benefit analysis (CBA), analysis throughout the project life cycle (LCA), multi-criteria analysis); risk management; engineering economics; environmental economics; environmental planning; circular economy; evaluation of environmental investments with applications in operational research; planning, management and evaluation of environmental investments; evaluation of technological investments through life cycle analysis (LCA) and cost-benefit analysis (CBA); planning and evaluation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in companies; planning and evaluation of projects for public private partnerships (PPPs)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Eleni Strantzali

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Naval Architecture, University of West Attica, 12210 Athens, Greece
Interests: techno-economic analysis of investments; decision support systems—multicriteria analysis; energy planning; maritime supply chain; maritime transport and environment; circular economy; environmental risk assessment; smart cities; startup enterprises
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The challenges of climate change and energy transition require fundamental changes in energy systems. Significant progress is necessary so that today’s energy systems change toward satisfying the ambitious targets of the Energy Roadmap 2050 of the European Commission for fully decarbonizing the European economy by reducing GHG emissions in developed countries to below 80–95% of 1990 levels by 2050. A circular economy has risen high in the agendas of policymakers as a way of enhancing the decarbonization approach.

Conventional techno-economic analysis has been used throughout the decades as an important decision support tool for evaluating the technical performance and economic feasibility of a technology or a process. It is also usually combined with optimization techniques, finding the “action” that best achieves a desired goal or objective. Recent research has begun to incorporate data-driven technologies into techno-economic analysis to effectively optimize both processes and economic parameters simultaneously.

Based on the above, this Special Issue calls for papers broadly related to techno-economic analysis and optimization approaches, especially for energy systems, taking into account circular economic principles. Recent theoretical and methodological advancements, review papers with critical analysis, case studies, applications, technical contributions, and applications of tools and techniques to improve techno-economic analysis and optimization are all welcome. Specific topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Decarbonized energy systems, shipping decarbonization;
  • Design and control of energy systems;
  • Optimal energy management;
  • Sustainable ship energy systems;
  • Hybrid, power to X energy systems;
  • Renewable energy and synthetic fuels as replacements of fossil fuels: methanol, ammonia, hydrogen;
  • Energy storage systems;
  • Energy systems reliability and energy security;
  • Smart energy systems;
  • Global, international, regional, national, and local energy systems;
  • LNG as transient fuel in energy sector and shipping;
  • Green hydrogen economy;
  • Energy supply chain;
  • Green technologies;
  • Energy transition and innovation;
  • Energy policy and management;
  • Entrepreneurship in transforming energy systems;
  • Digital technologies and artificial intelligence in energy transition;
  • Natural resource management;
  • Sustainable production and consumption;
  • Sustainable materials and technologies.

Prof. Dr. Konstantinos Aravossis
Dr. Eleni Strantzali
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies 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 2600 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

  • techno-economic analysis
  • optimization models
  • energy systems
  • circular economy
  • sustainability
  • energy transition
  • decarbonization
  • energy system components
  • alternative fuels

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 727 KiB  
Article
Cost-Effective Energy Retrofit Pathways for Buildings: A Case Study in Greece
by Charikleia Karakosta and Isaak Vryzidis
Energies 2025, 18(15), 4014; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18154014 - 28 Jul 2025
Viewed by 104
Abstract
Urban areas are responsible for most of Europe’s energy demand and emissions and urgently require building retrofits to meet climate neutrality goals. This study evaluates the energy efficiency potential of three public school buildings in western Macedonia, Greece—a cold-climate region with high heating [...] Read more.
Urban areas are responsible for most of Europe’s energy demand and emissions and urgently require building retrofits to meet climate neutrality goals. This study evaluates the energy efficiency potential of three public school buildings in western Macedonia, Greece—a cold-climate region with high heating needs. The buildings, constructed between 1986 and 2003, exhibited poor insulation, outdated electromechanical systems, and inefficient lighting, resulting in high oil consumption and low energy ratings. A robust methodology is applied, combining detailed on-site energy audits, thermophysical diagnostics based on U-value calculations, and a techno-economic assessment utilizing Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and SWOT analysis. The study evaluates a series of retrofit measures, including ceiling insulation, high-efficiency lighting replacements, and boiler modernization, against both technical performance criteria and financial viability. Results indicate that ceiling insulation and lighting system upgrades yield positive economic returns, while wall and floor insulation measures remain financially unattractive without external subsidies. The findings are further validated through sensitivity analysis and policy scenario modeling, revealing how targeted investments, especially when supported by public funding schemes, can maximize energy savings and emissions reductions. The study concludes that selective implementation of cost-effective measures, supported by public grants, can achieve energy targets, improve indoor environments, and serve as a replicable model of targeted retrofits across the region, though reliance on external funding and high upfront costs pose challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimization for Energy Systems: 3rd Edition on the Way to Green Transition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 4418 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Electric Transformer Operation Through Load Estimation Based on the K-Means Algorithm
by Pedro Torres-Bermeo, José Varela-Aldás, Kevin López-Eugenio, Nancy Velasco and Guillermo Palacios-Navarro
Energies 2025, 18(14), 3755; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18143755 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 349
Abstract
This study presents an innovative methodology to optimize the operation of distribution transformers through the estimation of hourly load curves, aimed at minimizing technical losses due to oversizing, particularly in systems lacking advanced metering infrastructure. The proposed approach combines clustering techniques, K-Means with [...] Read more.
This study presents an innovative methodology to optimize the operation of distribution transformers through the estimation of hourly load curves, aimed at minimizing technical losses due to oversizing, particularly in systems lacking advanced metering infrastructure. The proposed approach combines clustering techniques, K-Means with DTW, to identify representative daily consumption patterns and a supervised model based on LightGBM to estimate hourly load curves for unmetered transformers, using customer characteristics as input. These estimated curves are integrated into a process that calculates technical losses, both no-load and load losses, for different transformer sizes, selecting the optimal rating that minimizes losses without compromising demand. Empirical validation showed accuracy levels of 95.6%, 95.29%, and 98.14% at an individual transformer, feeder, and a complete electrical system with 16,864 transformers, respectively. The application of the methodology to a real distribution system revealed a potential annual energy savings of 3004 MWh, equivalent to an estimated economic reduction of 150,238 USD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimization for Energy Systems: 3rd Edition on the Way to Green Transition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 1771 KiB  
Article
Construction of Multi-Sample Public Building Carbon Emission Database Model Based on Energy Activity Data
by Yue Guo, Xin Zheng, Wei Wei, Yuancheng He, Xiang Peng, Fei Zhao, Hailong Wu, Wenxin Bi, Hongyang Yan and Xiaohan Ren
Energies 2025, 18(14), 3635; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18143635 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 206
Abstract
In order to address the growing urgency of energy-related carbon emission reduction and improve the construction of the existing public building carbon emission database model, this study constructs a public building carbon emission database model based on energy activity data by collecting the [...] Read more.
In order to address the growing urgency of energy-related carbon emission reduction and improve the construction of the existing public building carbon emission database model, this study constructs a public building carbon emission database model based on energy activity data by collecting the energy consumption data of relevant buildings in the region and classifying the building types, aiming to quantitatively analyze the carbon emission characteristics of different types of public buildings and provide data support for the national and local governments, enterprises, universities and research institutions, and the power industry. This study is divided into three phases: The first stage is the mapping of carbon emission benchmarks. The second stage is the analysis of multi-dimensional-building carbon emission characteristics. The third stage is to evaluate the design optimization plan and propose technical improvement suggestions. At present, this research is in the first stage: collecting and analyzing information data such as the energy consumption of different types of buildings, building a carbon emission database model, and extracting and analyzing the carbon emission benchmarks and characteristics of each building type from the data of 184 public buildings in a given area. Moreover, preliminary exploration of the second phase has been conducted, focusing on identifying key influencing factors of carbon emissions during the operational phase of public buildings. Office buildings have been selected as representative samples to carry out baseline modeling and variable selection using linear regression analysis. The results of this study are of great significance in the energy field, providing data support for public building energy management, energy policy formulation, and carbon trading mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimization for Energy Systems: 3rd Edition on the Way to Green Transition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

32 pages, 1421 KiB  
Article
Risk-Aware Scheduling for Maximizing Renewable Energy Utilization in a Cascade Hydro–PV Complementary System
by Yan Liu, Xian Zhang, Ziming Ma, Wenshi Ren, Yangming Xiao, Xiao Xu, Youbo Liu and Junyong Liu
Energies 2025, 18(12), 3109; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18123109 - 12 Jun 2025
Viewed by 439
Abstract
With the increasing integration of variable renewables, cascade hydro–photovoltaic (PV) systems face growing challenges in scheduling under PV output uncertainty. This paper proposes a risk-aware bi-level scheduling model based on the Information Gap Decision Theory (IGDT) to maximize renewable energy utilization while accommodating [...] Read more.
With the increasing integration of variable renewables, cascade hydro–photovoltaic (PV) systems face growing challenges in scheduling under PV output uncertainty. This paper proposes a risk-aware bi-level scheduling model based on the Information Gap Decision Theory (IGDT) to maximize renewable energy utilization while accommodating different risk preferences. The upper level optimizes the uncertainty horizon based on the decision-maker’s risk attitude (risk-neutral, opportunity-seeking, or risk-averse), while the lower level ensures operational feasibility under corresponding deviations in the PV and hydropower schedule. The bi-level model is reformulated into a single-level mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem. A case study based on four hydropower plants and two photovoltaic (PV) clusters in Southwest China demonstrates the effectiveness of the model. Numerical results show that the opportunity-seeking strategy (OS) achieves the highest total generation (68,530.9 MWh) and PV utilization (102.2%), while the risk-averse strategy (RA) improves scheduling robustness, reduces the number of transmission violations from 38 (risk-neutral strategy) to 33, and increases the system reserve margin to 20.1%. Compared to the conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) model, the RA has comparable robustness. The proposed model provides a flexible and practical tool for risk-informed scheduling in multi-energy complementary systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimization for Energy Systems: 3rd Edition on the Way to Green Transition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

33 pages, 3466 KiB  
Article
Exergy Analysis of 500 MW Power Unit Based on Direct Measurement Data
by Michalina Kurkus-Gruszecka, Łukasz Szabłowski, Olaf Dybiński, Piotr Krawczyk, Krzysztof Badyda and Grzegorz Kotte
Energies 2025, 18(11), 2762; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18112762 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 328
Abstract
This paper presents an exergy analysis of a 500 MW unit based on actual measurement data. The mathematical model of the system was built in the Aspen HYSYS 2.4 software. The analysis was carried out for two operating states of the unit, at [...] Read more.
This paper presents an exergy analysis of a 500 MW unit based on actual measurement data. The mathematical model of the system was built in the Aspen HYSYS 2.4 software. The analysis was carried out for two operating states of the unit, at nominal load and at minimum technical load, based on data from two measurement campaigns carried out specifically for this study. The use of measurement data allows an accurate representation of the unit’s current operating conditions, which is crucial for the accuracy of the analysis and the practical implementation of the results obtained. The results show that the dominant sources of exergy losses are the irreversibilities associated with combustion and boiler heat transfer, which account for more than 60% of total exergy losses. The article makes an important contribution to sustainability by identifying opportunities to increase the operating efficiency of the power unit and reduce CO2 emissions. Proposed technical modifications, such as the modernisation of air heaters, the use of inverters in ventilation systems, or the optimisation of heat exchangers in the turbine system, can significantly improve energy efficiency and reduce the unit’s environmental impact. The analysis provides a valuable resource for the development of energy technologies that promote efficiency and sustainable resource use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimization for Energy Systems: 3rd Edition on the Way to Green Transition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop