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Energy Management and Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Energy
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Energy Management and Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Energy

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 2458

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Simon Muhič

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Industrial Engineering Novo Mesto, Šegova Ulica 112, 8000 Novo Mesto, Slovenia
2. Institute for Renewable Energy and Efficient Exergy Use, INOVEKS d.o.o, Cesta 2. Grupe Odredov 17, 1295 Ivančna Gorica, Slovenia
3. Rudolfovo—Science and Technology Centre, Podbreznik 15, 8000 Novo Mesto, Slovenia
Interests: energy system; energy management; life cycle assessment; energy efficiency; renewable energy
Prof. Dr. Ante Čikić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechatronics, University North, 42000 Varaždin, Croatia
Interests: electricity grid; energy modeling; life cycle assessment; numerical calculation; cost–benefit analysis; small-scale rooftop PV systems; sustainability of power plants

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Modern energy systems are undergoing a fundamental transformation driven by the urgent need for sustainability, decarbonization, and resilience. The increase in adoption of renewable energy sources, the electrification of key sectors, increases in energy demand, and the growing complexity of energy networks are significantly affecting how we manage and optimize energy use across sectors.

To achieve environmental goals, energy security, and economic performance, energy efficiency and energy management are becoming central pillars. Improving efficiency across residential, transportation, and industrial sectors reduces energy use, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and enhances system resilience. Strategies such as smart controls, retrofitting, and behavior-based interventions are playing a growing role in optimizing energy use. In parallel, digital technologies and AI are unlocking new potential for real-time monitoring and adaptive energy systems.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is recognized as an essential tool for evaluating the full environmental impacts of energy systems, from resource extraction to end-of-life. LCA provides a holistic perspective, enabling decision-makers to avoid burden shifting and to identify truly sustainable energy solutions.

This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate the most recent research and innovations in the fields of energy efficiency strategies, integration of renewable energy sources, energy management, and LCA applications for sustainable energy systems. Contributions may include theoretical developments, methodological advancements, case studies, and applications across industry, buildings, transportation, and the energy sector.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Energy efficiency in residential, transport, and industrial sectors;
  • Renewable technologies and integration of renewable energy;
  • Life cycle assessment of energy systems, buildings and sustainable mobility;
  • Multi-energy system optimization (electricity, heat, cooling, hydrogen);
  • Smart energy management and control strategies;
  • AI and digitalization in energy use;
  • Circular economy in energy systems;
  • Energy performance assessment;
  • Policy and economic aspects of energy sustainability.

Prof. Dr. Simon Muhič
Prof. Dr. Ante Čikić
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

  • energy system
  • energy management
  • life cycle assessment
  • energy efficiency
  • renewable energy

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 1897 KB  
Article
Environmental Impact of Slovenian and Croatian Electricity Generation Using an Hourly Production-Based Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment Approach
by Jelena Topić Božič, Ante Čikić and Simon Muhič
Energies 2025, 18(18), 4826; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18184826 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 273
Abstract
A temporal and dynamic approach to the environmental impact of electricity production is necessary to accurately determine its impact. This study aimed to assess the environmental impacts of domestic electricity generation technologies in Slovenia and Croatia using a production-based dynamic life cycle assessment [...] Read more.
A temporal and dynamic approach to the environmental impact of electricity production is necessary to accurately determine its impact. This study aimed to assess the environmental impacts of domestic electricity generation technologies in Slovenia and Croatia using a production-based dynamic life cycle assessment approach for 2020–2024. Hourly resolved actual generation per production type from the ENTSO-E Transparency platform was used and mapped to the Ecoinvent electricity generation datasets. The results showed lower impacts in the climate change category, which correlated with periods of higher renewable contributions. The relative standard deviation values were 21.6% and 18.6% for Slovenia and Croatia, respectively. A higher average impact on resource use, minerals and metals was observed in the Croatian electricity production mix. In Slovenia, significant fluctuations in solar power generation led to a high coefficient of variation of 90.5% in the resource use, minerals and metals impact category, with higher values observed in summer owing to the seasonality of photovoltaic generation. Conversely, Croatia exhibited substantial hourly variability in wind power generation (6.0–629.3 MW), with a relative standard deviation of 18.9%. The results highlight the potential for optimizing the operation of flexible appliances and electric vehicle charging based on real-time emission intensity, contributing to lower environmental impacts through smarter energy use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Management and Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Energy)
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27 pages, 2932 KB  
Article
Increasing the Ecological Efficiency of Monocrystalline Photovoltaic Power Plants by Management Their Life Cycle Assessment
by Adam Idzikowski, Patryk Leda, Izabela Piasecka, Tomasz Cierlicki and Magdalena Mazur
Energies 2025, 18(17), 4775; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18174775 - 8 Sep 2025
Viewed by 613
Abstract
This study’s objectives were to evaluate the life cycle of a 2 MW solar power plant in northern Poland and provide suggestions for enhancing this kind of installation’s environmental performance. Eight years of operating data were examined under the assumption that 2000 MWh [...] Read more.
This study’s objectives were to evaluate the life cycle of a 2 MW solar power plant in northern Poland and provide suggestions for enhancing this kind of installation’s environmental performance. Eight years of operating data were examined under the assumption that 2000 MWh of energy was produced annually on average. The evaluation took into account two waste management scenarios—landfill and recycling—and was carried out in accordance with the ReCiPe 2016 methodology. Human health and water resource usage had the most environmental effects (7.08 × 105 Pt—landfill), but recycling greatly reduced these effects (−3.08 × 105 Pt). Terrestrial ecosystems were negatively impacted by the turbines’ water consumption (8.94 × 105 Pt—landfill), which was lessened in the recycling scenario. The water and soil environment was greatly impacted by released pollutants, such as zinc and chlorinated hydrocarbons, whose emissions were greatly decreased by material recovery. Particularly detrimental was sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is the cause of PM 2.5 particle matter, which is dangerous to the public’s health. Recycling has helped to lower these pollutants and enhance the quality of the air. Reducing methane and other greenhouse gas emissions can help reduce CO2 emissions, which were the most significant factor in the context of climate change (1.91 × 104 Pt—landfilling). Recycling lessened these impacts and decreased the need to acquire virgin raw materials, but landfilling was linked to soil acidification and the depletion of mineral resources. According to the findings, even “green” technology, like photovoltaics, can have detrimental effects on the environment if they are not properly handled at the end of their useful lives. Recycling is turning out to be a crucial instrument for lowering negative effects on the environment, increasing resource efficiency, and safeguarding public health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Management and Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Energy)
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26 pages, 2473 KB  
Article
Strategic Assessment of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics Adoption: A Combined SWOT-AHP Approach
by Mladen Bošnjaković and Robert Santa
Energies 2025, 18(16), 4221; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18164221 - 8 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 758
Abstract
The integration of renewable energy technologies into the building sector is critical for achieving climate and energy targets, particularly within the framework of the European Union’s decarbonization policies. Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) offer a promising solution by enabling the dual function of building envelope [...] Read more.
The integration of renewable energy technologies into the building sector is critical for achieving climate and energy targets, particularly within the framework of the European Union’s decarbonization policies. Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) offer a promising solution by enabling the dual function of building envelope components and on-site electricity generation. However, the widespread adoption of BIPV faces significant barriers, including high initial investment costs, design and integration complexity, fragmented standardisation and a shortage of skilled labour. This study systematically identifies, evaluates and prioritises the key factors influencing the implementation of BIPV technologies using a hybrid SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. A comprehensive literature review and a modified Delphi method involving expert input were employed to select and rank the most relevant factors in each SWOT category. The results indicate that external factors—particularly regulatory requirements for energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption and financial incentives—are the most significant drivers for BIPV deployment. Conversely, competition from building-attached photovoltaics (BAPV), high investment costs and the complexity of integration represent the main barriers and threats, compounded by internal weaknesses such as a lack of qualified workforce and fragmented standardisation. The findings underscore the importance of targeted regulatory and financial support, standardisation and workforce development to accelerate BIPV adoption. This research provides a structured decision-making framework for policymakers and stakeholders, supporting strategic planning for the integration of BIPV in the construction sector and contributing to the transition towards sustainable urban energy systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Management and Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Energy)
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