Emerging Technologies for Renewable Energy Utilization to Diversify the Energy Matrix

Dear Colleagues,

We are excited to announce a Special Issue titled “Emerging technologies for renewable energy utilization to diversify the energy matrix in developing countries”. This Special Issue is dedicated to exploring innovative solutions and advancements in renewable energy technologies that can effectively diversify and enhance the energy matrix in developing nations, addressing their unique challenges and opportunities.

Developing countries are at the forefront of the global transition towards a sustainable energy future. However, they face significant obstacles in meeting their growing energy demands while striving to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable development. The adoption of renewable energy sources presents a promising opportunity to address these challenges by providing clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions.

This Special Issue will showcase research contributions focusing on the development, implementation, and impact assessment of emerging technologies in renewable energy utilization within the context of developing countries. We seek to highlight a broad range of topics, including but not limited to the following:

• Solar photovoltaics (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) systems, with a focus on scalability and affordability for decentralized energy access.
• Wind energy technologies, including both onshore and offshore wind farms, and innovations in turbine design and integration.
• Biomass and bioenergy conversion processes, exploring sustainable feedstock sourcing and efficient utilization methods.
• Hydroelectric power generation, with a specific emphasis on run-of-the-river technologies that minimize environmental impact while maximizing energy output.
• Second-life battery applications for energy storage, leveraging the growing market for electric vehicles to create affordable and sustainable storage solutions.
• Smart grid integration and management: this topic explores the integration and efficient management of smart grid technologies, including advanced metering infrastructure, demand response systems, grid-connected renewable energy sources, energy storage solutions, and predictive analytics for grid optimization and resilience.
• Green hydrogen production and utilization, examining the potential of electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources to decarbonize industries and transportation.
• Policy frameworks, regulatory mechanisms, and financial incentives for renewable energy deployment, emphasizing the importance of supportive policy environments for accelerating adoption and investment.
• Environmental impact assessment of emerging renewable energy technologies. This topic evaluates the environmental effects of deploying new renewables in developing countries, focusing on carbon emissions, water usage, land use change, and biodiversity loss, aiming to inform sustainable energy development decisions.

We invite researchers, engineers, policymakers, and practitioners to contribute original research articles, review papers, and case studies that advance our understanding of the role of emerging renewable energy technologies in diversifying the energy matrix and promoting sustainable development in developing countries.

In this regard, the potential of renewable energy to drive positive change and create a more sustainable and equitable future for all should be explored.

Dr. Edwin Lenin Chica Arrieta
Dr. Ainhoa Rubio-Clemente
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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes 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 2400 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.