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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 April 2023) | Viewed by 23871

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ho Wai Shin

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Guest Editor

School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur 54100, Malaysia
Interests: process system engineering; renewable energy; sustainable development; low carbon society; energy economics; applied optimization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Peng Yen Liew

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (ChEE), Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur 54100, Malaysia
Interests: process integration; industrial energy system; energy system optimization; process system engineering; sustainable process design; life cycle assessment; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Movement toward a sustainable future is imminent. Energy is a key resource that is needed for many daily operations, yet the energy that we are currently consuming is not sustainable, as it is depleting and pollutes the environment. Many green and sustainable concepts have previously been discovered to combat this issue, from the micro to macro level, covering energy studies from processes to inter-processes, urban industrial symbiosis, and on a larger scale, national energy planning. This Special Issue aims to cover state-of-the-art green energy advancement as well as futuristic and sustainable concepts, such as, but not limited to:

Smart microgrid development with advanced artificial intelligence for demand-side energy management and planning;
The Net Zero Emission concept for use in reducing and neutralising carbon emission from energy sectors;
Water Waste and Energy Nexus or Circular Economy for the integration and minimization of resources;
Energy efficiency in industrial practices, including thermal energy optimization;
Advancement in renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, bio-energy, geothermal, hydro, and many more;
The progress and development of hydrogen economy from production, storage, distribution, and utilization;
Techno-economy analysis, Life Cycle Assessment, Environment Impact Assessment on energy-related activities;
Urban sustainability and development toward Low Carbon energy consumption and utilization, including Green Buildings and Green Transportation;
Energy resource optimization and power system design.

Prof. Dr. Ho Wai Shin
Dr. Peng Yen LIEW
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

sustainable development
circular economy
renewable energy
microgrid
demand-side response
energy management system
energy nexus
hydrogen economy

Related Special Issue

Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy—2nd Edition in Energies

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1846 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Economic Analysis of Recently Announced Green Hydrogen Projects in Russia: A Multiple Case Study

by Konstantin Gomonov, Marina Reshetnikova and Svetlana Ratner

Energies 2023, 16(10), 4023; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16104023 - 11 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2056

Abstract

Nowadays, transitioning to hydrogen energy is considered one of the most promising ways for decoupling economic growth and increasing carbon emissions. Hydrogen demand worldwide is expected to increase in the upcoming decades. However, large-scale development of hydrogen energy still lacks economic efficiency. The economic efficiency of hydrogen production can be increased due to country-specific factors, such as energy and raw materials costs or developed infrastructure for storage and transportation. This study aims to forecast the economic parameters and competitiveness of Russian green hydrogen projects and their future impact on the global hydrogen market. This study forecasts the levelized cost of hydrogen for Russian projects from 1.2 to 11.7 USD/kg with a median value of 4.94 USD/kg. The total capacity of Russian hydrogen production projects may contribute to a slight reduction in the price of hydrogen on the global market. However, Russian hydrogen projects are still in their early stages of development with limited geographical coverage. Russian hydrogen export capacity is nearly halved as a result of sanctions. The anticipated comparative advantages and favorable global impact may be eliminated by these factors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy)

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25 pages, 4172 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimal Incorporation of Intermittent Renewable Energy Storage Units and Green Hydrogen Production in the Electrical Sector

by Tania Itzel Serrano-Arévalo, Javier Tovar-Facio and José María Ponce-Ortega

Energies 2023, 16(6), 2609; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16062609 - 9 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2390

Abstract

This paper presents a mathematical programming approach for the strategic planning of hydrogen production from renewable energies and its use in electric power generation in conventional technologies. The proposed approach aims to determine the optimal selection of the different types of technologies, electrolyzers and storage units (energy and hydrogen). The approach considers the implementation of an optimization methodology to select a representative data set that characterizes the total annual demand. The economic objective aims to determine the minimum cost, which is composed of the capital costs in the acquisition of units, operating costs of such units, costs of production and transmission of energy, as well as the cost associated with the emissions generated, which is related to an environmental tax. A specific case study is presented in the Mexican peninsula and the results show that it is possible to produce hydrogen at a minimum sale price of 4200 $/tonH₂, with a total cost of $5.1687 × 10⁶ and 2.5243 × 10⁵ tonCO_2eq. In addition, the financial break-even point corresponds to a sale price of 6600 $/tonH₂. The proposed model determines the trade-offs between the cost and the emissions generated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy)

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21 pages, 4728 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Developing an Appropriate Energy Trading Algorithm and Techno-Economic Analysis between Peer-to-Peer within a Partly Independent Microgrid

by Fahim Muntasir, Anusheel Chapagain, Kishan Maharjan, Mirza Jabbar Aziz Baig, Mohsin Jamil and Ashraf Ali Khan

Energies 2023, 16(3), 1549; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16031549 - 3 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2023

Abstract

The intimidating surge in the procurement of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) has increased the number of prosumers, creating a new possibility of local energy trading across the community. This project aims to formulate the peer-to-peer energy (P2P) sharing model to encourage the DERs to share surplus energy among the consumers. An effective pricing method is developed based on the supply-demand ratio (SDR) with the importance of self-optimization, which allows the prosumers to maximize their energy sharing and profits. To implement this pricing method, a simplified dynamic matchmaking algorithm has been deployed to introduce the Outstanding Prosumer to interact with existing consumers to increase the efficiency and profitability of the trade network. Consumers also benefit from this model, as they can pick the most economical energy supplier instead of relying on the utility grid. The prosumer with high excess energy and the consumer with the highest energy demand will be prioritized to maintain the SDR ratio to one or greater than one. Here, all the above-stated features of the peer-to-peer energy trading have been demonstrated with some calculations to back up some tangible results. Finally, a case study is simulated among the residents of Dhaka, Bangladesh, to demonstrate how peers can profit from participating in trading at a given time. Comparing the results with and without P2P trading, there has been a 17.54% reduction in an electric bill on a typical day of July, and a 49.53% reduction in the interaction with the grid. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy)

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22 pages, 23712 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Electric Vehicle on Residential Power Distribution Considering Energy Management Strategy and Stochastic Monte Carlo Algorithm

by Abdulgader Alsharif, Chee Wei Tan, Razman Ayop, Ahmed Al Smin, Abdussalam Ali Ahmed, Farag Hamed Kuwil and Mohamed Mohamed Khaleel

Energies 2023, 16(3), 1358; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16031358 - 27 Jan 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2686

Abstract

The area of a Microgrid (μG) is a very fast-growing and promising system for overcoming power barriers. This paper examines the impacts of a microgrid system considering Electric Vehicle Grid Integration (EVGI) based on stochastic metaheuristic methods. One of the biggest challenges to slowing down global climate change is the transition to sustainable mobility. Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) integrated with Evs are considered a solution for the power and environmental issues needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goal Seven (SDG7) and Climate Action Goal 13 (CAG13). The aforementioned goals can be achieved by coupling Evs with the utility grid and other RESs using Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology to form a hybrid system. Overloading is a challenge due to the unknown number of loads (unknown number of Evs). Thus, this study helps to establish the system impact of the uncertainties (arrival and departure Evs) by proposing Stochastic Monte Carlo Method (SMCM) to be addressed. The main objective of this research is to size the system configurations using a metaheuristic algorithm and analyze the impact of an uncertain number of Evs on the distribution of residential power in Tripoli-Libya to gain a cost-effective, reliable, and renewable system. The Improved Antlion Optimization (IALO) algorithm is an optimization technique used for determining the optimal number of configurations of the hybrid system considering multiple sources, while the Rule-Based Energy Management Strategy (RB-EMS) controlling algorithm is used to control the flow of power in the electric power system. The sensitivity analysis of the effect parameters has been taken into account to assess the expected impact in the future. The results obtained from the sizing, controlling, and sensitivity analyses are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy)

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25 pages, 16781 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Proof of Work Consensus Based Peer to Peer Energy Trading in the Indian Residential Community

by Vikash Kumar Saini, Chandra Shekhar Purohit, Rajesh Kumar and Ameena S. Al-Sumaiti

Energies 2023, 16(3), 1253; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16031253 - 24 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2865

Abstract

Rooftop solar power generation is becoming more widespread in residential microgrids. As well as new concepts of electricity markets, such as peer-to-peer (P2P) markets, where consumers and prosumers can directly exchange locally generated energy with each other without any intermediary third party for sustainable development. Data security is a big concern with energy trading; therefore, blockchain technology is being used more and more in energy markets. It has the potential to simplify P2P energy trading. In this paper, blockchain is designed to fit into the decentralized nature of the P2P market, securing the payment mechanism and transaction data store. The blockchain-enabled platform is developed using the Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus algorithm, and is verified with the help of the Postman application programming interface (API). All transactions involving the buying and selling of energy are handled by a miner without the help of any third parties. The study of a five-user residential community, whether the strategy is recommended or not, is validated through simulation findings. An overview of the results revealed that all users benefited from the developed, secure P2P platform. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy)

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11 pages, 464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Production and Assessment of New Biofuels from Waste Cooking Oils as Sustainable Bioenergy Sources

by Hakan Caliskan, Ibrahim Yildiz and Kazutoshi Mori

Energies 2023, 16(1), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16010463 - 31 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2535

Abstract

In this study, renewable and sustainable biofuel production from waste cooking oil and its blends with diesel fuel are investigated in terms of specific fuel properties. The fuel blends are named “Renewable Biofuel (RBF) 20” (20% biofuel–80% diesel), “Renewable Biofuel 50” (50% biofuel–50% diesel), and “Renewable Biofuel 100” (100% biofuel). The acid number, flash point, viscosity, cloud point, density, and pour point fuel properties of the new Renewable Biofuels are experimentally obtained and compared with diesel fuel. The viscosities of the biofuels are found to be 2.774 mm²/s for Renewable Biofuel 20, 3.091 mm²/s for Renewable Biofuel 50, and 4.540 mm²/s for Renewable Biofuel 100. Renewable Biofuel 20 has the minimum density value among biofuels. The density of Renewable Biofuel 20, Renewable Biofuel 50, and Renewable Biofuel 100 are obtained as 835 kg/m³, 846 kg/m³, and 884 kg/m³, respectively. More energy can be released with the use of Renewable Biofuel 100 in terms of heating value. The new fuel specification of biofuels can contribute to the fuel industry and help the studies on fuels for diesel engines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy)

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16 pages, 1625 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Life Cycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis for Anaerobic Digestion as Cow Manure Management System

by Wei En Tan, Peng Yen Liew, Lian See Tan, Kok Sin Woon, Nor Erniza Mohammad Rozali, Wai Shin Ho and Jamian NorRuwaida

Energies 2022, 15(24), 9586; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15249586 - 16 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2770

Abstract

Clean electricity is generated by the anaerobic digestion of biomass waste. The environmental impacts of various biomass waste feedstocks vary, while co-digestion has been reported to improve anaerobic digestion performance. A consequential life-cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) are carried out for cow manure waste management for a cow farm. Three scenarios are considered in this study: (S1) mono-digestion of cow manure, (S2) co-digestion of cow manure and maize silage, and (S3) co-digestion of cow manure with cow feed waste, sewage sludge, and returned dairy products. The LCA aims to quantify the environmental impact of each MWh of electricity generated, assuming the plant is located in Malaysia, using OpenLCA software. The TEA economic parameters are quantified and compared between the three scenarios. Net present value (NPV), Internal Return Rate (IRR), and Return of Investment (ROI) are examined. Among the three scenarios, S2 with maize cultivation has a higher environmental impact due to its higher energy requirements. With the integration of closed digestate storage and renewable energy-powered electricity, S3 has the best environmental performance in global warming, eutrophication and acidification. S3 is found to be most economically viable, with MYR 1.28 million NPV, 14% IRR, and 15% ROI, and a Payback Period of 6.56 years with an OPEX of MYR 3491.82/MWh. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy)

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13 pages, 1123 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy–Water–Carbon Nexus Study for the Optimal Design of Integrated Energy–Water Systems Considering Process Losses

by Urwah Naveed, Nor Erniza Mohammad Rozali and Shuhaimi Mahadzir

Energies 2022, 15(22), 8605; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228605 - 18 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1123

Abstract

Integrated energy–water systems have been explored using different process integration techniques considering the energy–water–carbon nexus to minimize the carbon footprint, e.g., pinch analysis techniques (power cascade table, water cascade table, and energy planning pinch diagram). However, the power and water losses while considering the energy–water–carbon nexus have not been explored in detail in the previous works. This work focuses on the modifications of the existing pinch analysis methods for energy–water–carbon nexus study while considering power and water losses, for an optimized energy–water system. Power and water losses should not be neglected in the analysis as they have a significant impact on the carbon emissions and overall capacities of energy and water. The effect of losses on energy storage capacity, outsourced electricity, water supply volume and water storage capacity were evaluated on an industrial case study. Results from the case study demonstrate that, while considering power losses during power allocation can lower storage capacity, it tends to raise the needed outsourced electricity supply. As water supply volume tends to increase, the water storage capacity tends to decline when losses are considered. The results were compared to the data without losses, and it was observed that the storage capacity of energy decreases by 4% while outsourced energy increases by 6%. Water supply volume increases by 20% but water storage capacity decreases by 13.7%. The emissions from energy system remains same while from the water system the emissions rise significantly by 20%. It is expected that consumers that takes power and water losses into account will produce more realistic and reliable energy, water, and carbon reduction targets and prevent under-sizing issues in designing integrated energy–water systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy)

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14 pages, 1106 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determinants of Renewable Energy Development: Evidence from the EU Countries

by Yu-Xia Tu, Oleksandr Kubatko, Vladyslav Piven, Iryna Sotnyk and Tetiana Kurbatova

Energies 2022, 15(19), 7093; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15197093 - 27 Sep 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 2446

Abstract

Sustainable development of the global economy can be achieved with the help of renewable energy (RE). The paper investigates the determinants of RE development in order to boost its adoption. The determinants of RE deployment were analyzed using random-effects GLS regression for the panel data from 27 EU member states in 2011–2020.The results confirm that economic development and high employment in advanced technology manufacturing are drivers of the RE sector, whereas unemployment growth affects RE deployment negatively. Our results show that active political participation and economic freedom promote RE; however, the level of corruption and democracy does not have a statistically significant impact on it. Favorable geographical location was proved to be a determinant of RE development. The hypothesis that plenty of natural resources discourage countries to develop RE was disproved. The major policy implications for RE promotion include the importance of economy deregulation, open market development and educational transformations. Following the results, prospects for further research were outlined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy)

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15 pages, 6984 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Development According to Resource Productivity in the EU Environmental Policy Context

by Marcela Taušová, Peter Tauš and Lucia Domaracká

Energies 2022, 15(12), 4291; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15124291 - 11 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1545

Abstract

The constant rise in the consumption of resources puts the environment under pressure. Most resources are non-renewable in nature, which is why they must be utilized with great care. For this reason, the European Union devotes increasingly more attention to their efficient use. It deals with these aspects, making an effort to maintain the long-term competitiveness and to secure sustainable development in line with all of the related environmental impacts. In this context, several goals have been set out, to which the individual EU member states are bound. A method for monitoring resource efficiency was developed, consisting of indicators, the aim of which is to assess the efficiency of the use of soil, water, energy, with the most fundamental one being resource productivity. The results of the efficiency of use of the individual resources in the member states greatly differ, even without further investigating the links and correlations between the indicators. Research on the interrelationships of the individual indicators in terms of mutual influence has not yet been completed. The aim of our study was to define the correlation between the main indicator, resource productivity, and the other indicators at the level of the EU and its member states. For this purpose, we prepared a database with data which, for the sake of uniformity, were obtained from the publicly available Eurostat database. Subsequently, the data were analyzed and evaluated using the statistical software JMP 15 by a regression and correlation analysis. By using the multiple regression analysis, we created a model describing the significance of the impact of the observed variables on the resulting resource productivity of the EU member states. Generally, there is a positive correlation between the resource productivity and the Eco-Innovation index, as well as the utilization rate of recycled materials. For the sake of comparison, we developed a regression model at the level of the V4 countries, with the aim of evaluating the impact of the historical background of the countries on their contemporary ability to reach the goals set out by the environmental policy. The V4 countries are lagging far behind in meeting all of the environmental policy objectives, not only in tracking the main indicator (resource productivity) on which the multiple regression analysis is based. It was interesting to find that the multiple regression model at the V4 level does not include the indicators defined by the EU level model, the key ones, in this case, being water productivity, energy dependence, energy productivity, and environmental tax. This finding may also, after further analyses, be the key for other countries joining the EU in the future, in defining the weaknesses of the newly acceding states in terms of the EU’s move towards a circular economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy)

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