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Renewable Energy as a Mechanism for Managing Sustainable Development
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Renewable Energy as a Mechanism for Managing Sustainable Development

A Special Issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073) belonging to the section "A: Sustainable Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2026 | Viewed by 5316

Editors

Prof. Dr. Jakub Sikora

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Guest Editor
Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Power Engineering and Automation, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 31-120 Krakow, Poland
Interests: biogas; spatial and environmental framework for RES developmental operation and reliability of RES systems; sustainable development; economic efficiency of innovative projects
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Anna Szeląg-Sikora

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Krakow, ul. Balicka 116B, 30-149 Kraków, Poland
Interests: spatial and environmental framework for RES developmental operation and reliability of RES systems; sustainable development; economic efficiency of innovative projects, management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Józef Ciuła

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Engineering Sciences, State University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Sącz, Zamenhofa 1A, 33-300 Nowy Sącz, Poland
Interests: biological wastewater treatment; solid waste management; waste utilization; methane production; environment protection; sludge treatment; recycling; methane

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue covers the role of renewable energy in the era of sustainable development. The issue of renewable energy sources is an integral part of sustainable development, as it addresses both environmental concerns and the long-term viability of energy systems. It is essential to consider not only technical and technological aspects but also the social dimensions of environmental management. As energy is a pillar of efficient economic and social development, it is essential to explore the possibilities and directions of technical and technological advancements in renewable energy sources with a view to sustainability and resilience.Energy efficiency is determined by energy management systems implemented across all industrial sectors, promoting optimization and responsible energy use. Modern renewable energy solutions—such as solar, wind, hydro, and bioenergy—are crucial components of the global energy transition. They support the diversification of national energy portfolios and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Another important factor is the social contribution to the development of energy systems, which directly relates to consumer behavior and purchasing decisions. The problem of over-consumption stimulates greater energy demand, highlighting the importance of defining the environmental product life cycle (LCA), including cumulative energy consumption.Waste management also plays a crucial role in this context. Integrating renewable energy technologies with waste treatment processes—such as biogas production or waste-to-energy systems—enhances overall energy efficiency and contributes to environmental protection by reducing landfill use and emissions.Green social competence shapes conscious energy management and fosters forward-thinking approaches to the innovative development of the energy sector. Educating and engaging communities, promoting awareness, and integrating sustainability into public policy are all necessary steps toward a low-carbon future. This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate achievements in increasing the efficiency of renewable energy sources through innovative technological solutions, increased social acceptability, and sustainable energy management practices.

Prof. Dr. Jakub Sikora
Prof. Dr. Anna Szeląg-Sikora
Prof. Dr. Józef Ciuła
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 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. 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

  • optimization of renewable energy technologies
  • sustainable development
  • consumer preferences on the energy market
  • social conditions for the development of renewable energies
  • economic aspects of marketization of renewable energies, production efficiency, and energy intensity
  • energy costs and sustainable development
  • the life cycle of a product (LCA) and energy intensity of production
  • consumer attitudes towards eco-products
  • consumer perceptions of sustainable production
  • waste management

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 283 KB  
Article
Policy Enablers for Renewable Energy Self-Consumption in Decentralised Energy Systems
by Sultan Bader Aljehani, Mahmoud Abdelgawwad Abdelhady, Doaa Mohamed Badran, Khalid Waleed Ahmed Abdo, Nasser Ali Alshehri and Ahmad Mohammed Banaamah
Energies 2026, 19(15), 3660; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19153660 - 4 Aug 2026
Viewed by 383
Abstract
Renewable energy self-consumption is increasingly relevant to Saudi Arabia not only as a sustainability measure under Saudi Vision 2030 but also as a mechanism that may support electricity system resilience, demand management, energy diversification, and investment. This study examines how the Saudi regulatory [...] Read more.
Renewable energy self-consumption is increasingly relevant to Saudi Arabia not only as a sustainability measure under Saudi Vision 2030 but also as a mechanism that may support electricity system resilience, demand management, energy diversification, and investment. This study examines how the Saudi regulatory system converts the formal recognition of renewable energy self-consumption into operational enablement. Drawing on regulatory governance theory, the study adopts an embedded qualitative single-case design combining semi-structured interviews with 15 experts and qualitative content analysis of official Saudi regulatory and policy documents. Interview and documentary evidence were analysed thematically using NVivo 12. The analysis identifies five interconnected dimensions of regulatory enablement: legal operational clarity, institutional coordination, adaptive regulatory capacity, commercial enablement, and architecture-specific technical compatibility. The findings indicate that relevant regulation exists, but the experts perceived continuing implementation concerns relating to licensing and connection pathways, surplus electricity settlement, institutional coordination, commercial predictability, and the treatment of storage and newer distributed energy arrangements. The official framework distinguishes distribution-connected, transmission-connected, and off-grid systems and permits storage under specified conditions; however, the practical accessibility of these arrangements remains an important concern. The study contributes by distinguishing formal regulatory recognition from operational regulatory enablement and by proposing a framework connecting rule design, institutional coordination, technological adaptability, commercial viability, and system architecture. Because the evidence is qualitative and context-specific, the findings identify regulatory governance conditions requiring further technical and economic evaluation rather than establishing the relative magnitude of all barriers to adoption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy as a Mechanism for Managing Sustainable Development)
24 pages, 7420 KB  
Article
Improvement of the Aerodynamic Performance of a Darrieus Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine Using a Passive Deflector in Urban Environments
by Beatriz Salvador-Gutierrez, Lozano Sanchez-Cortez, Lincold Dante-Salvatierra, Guillermo Casanova-Gonzalez, Jorge Montaño-Pisfil, Roberto Solis-Farfan, Alex Vallejos-Zuta, Cesar Santos-Mejia, Gabriel Tirado-Mendoza, Jose Poma-Garcia, Oswaldo Casazola-Cruz and Olger Ortega-Achata
Energies 2026, 19(12), 2875; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19122875 - 17 Jun 2026
Viewed by 440
Abstract
The integration of wind energy into urban environments is constrained by low wind speeds, high turbulence, and the recurrent negative torque experienced by lift-driven vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs). This study specifically evaluates a straight-bladed H-Darrieus rotor equipped with a single upstream passive flat-plate [...] Read more.
The integration of wind energy into urban environments is constrained by low wind speeds, high turbulence, and the recurrent negative torque experienced by lift-driven vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs). This study specifically evaluates a straight-bladed H-Darrieus rotor equipped with a single upstream passive flat-plate deflector for the wind regime measured on the campus of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Lima, Peru). A three-dimensional transient CFD model using the SST k–ω turbulence model was applied to compare the baseline rotor and the deflector-assisted configuration under identical operating conditions; DMST calculations were used only as a low-order cross-check for the bare rotor performance trend, not as a substitute for experimental validation. The deflector was selected after a geometric sensitivity assessment and positioned at 30° relative to the incoming flow, with a span equal to the rotor height and a length comparable to the rotor diameter. At TSR = 2.5, the maximum power coefficient increased from 0.4459 for the bare rotor to 0.6153 with the deflector, equivalent to an improvement of approximately 38%. Velocity and pressure fields show that the deflector accelerates the flow toward the advancing blade while shielding the returning blade, thereby reducing adverse torque and smoothing cyclic torque fluctuations. The results define the applicability of the proposed passive device for low-to-moderate urban wind environments with a dominant wind sector and provide a reproducible numerical basis for subsequent wind-tunnel and field validation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy as a Mechanism for Managing Sustainable Development)
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20 pages, 2335 KB  
Article
Critical Elements in Incinerator Bottom Ash from Solid Waste Thermal Treatment Plant
by Monika Chuchro and Barbara Bielowicz
Energies 2025, 18(15), 4186; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18154186 - 7 Aug 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2709
Abstract
This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the chemical composition of bottom ash samples generated during municipal waste incineration. A total of 52 samples were collected and subjected to statistical analysis for 17 elements and 2 element sums using techniques such as correlation [...] Read more.
This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the chemical composition of bottom ash samples generated during municipal waste incineration. A total of 52 samples were collected and subjected to statistical analysis for 17 elements and 2 element sums using techniques such as correlation analysis and one-way ANOVA. The results confirm a high degree of heterogeneity in the elemental content, reflecting the variability of waste streams and combustion processes. Strong correlations were identified between certain elements, including Cu-Zn, Co-Ni, and HREE-LREE, indicating common sources and similar geochemical properties. The analysis also revealed significant seasonal variability in the content of Ba and Sr, with lower average values observed during the spring season and greater variability noted during summer and winter. Although Al and HREE did not reach classical significance levels, their distributions suggest possible seasonal differentiation. These findings underscore the need for long-term monitoring and seasonal analysis of incineration bottom ash composition to optimize resource recovery processes and assess environmental risk. The integration of chemical data with operational data on waste composition and combustion parameters may contribute to a better understanding of the variability of individual elements, ultimately supporting the development of effective strategies for ash management and element recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy as a Mechanism for Managing Sustainable Development)
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Review

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29 pages, 3147 KB  
Review
Renewable Energy as a Strategic Mechanism for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: A Bibliometric Review
by Agnieszka Dorota Woźniak, Józef Ciuła, Anna Kochanek and Danuta Guzal-Dec
Energies 2026, 19(5), 1201; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19051201 - 27 Feb 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 967
Abstract
This study offers a comprehensive bibliometric and scientific mapping review of the literature examining renewable energy as a strategic mechanism for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drawing on a structured bibliometric review approach and advanced bibliometric methods, the analysis covers 278 peer-reviewed [...] Read more.
This study offers a comprehensive bibliometric and scientific mapping review of the literature examining renewable energy as a strategic mechanism for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drawing on a structured bibliometric review approach and advanced bibliometric methods, the analysis covers 278 peer-reviewed articles indexed in the Web of Science database. This study explores how research on the SDG–renewable energy nexus has evolved over time, highlighting publication trends, geographical patterns, influential journals and authors, and the intellectual structure of the field, with particular attention to developments observed after 2022. The results show a rapidly growing and increasingly interdisciplinary body of research in which renewable energy systems are consistently framed as core elements of sustainable development strategies, energy transition pathways, and policy-relevant frameworks. Beyond descriptive mapping, the study provides a mechanism-oriented interpretation of thematic clusters, explicitly linking renewable energy research trajectories to specific SDGs and their systemic interactions. By identifying dominant research themes, emerging directions, and existing research gaps, this review provides strategic insights that can support future academic research and inform policymakers and energy stakeholders involved in steering the transition toward sustainable energy systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy as a Mechanism for Managing Sustainable Development)
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