Renewables Application: Challenges and Perspectives

A special issue of Resources (ISSN 2079-9276).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 20645

Special Issue Editors

Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences – DiSTA, Insubria University of Varese, Via G.B. Vico, 46, 21100 Varese, Italy
Interests: resources; renewable energy; environmental sustainability; circular economy; waste management; air pollution; microplastics; sewage sludge management; human health
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The last decades have demonstrated that in the sector of energy generation from renewable sources, there has been (and there is) room for technological improvements in concordance also with the Circular Economy view. As an example, the efficiency of biogas generation from food waste has improved significantly in real-scale plants, also thanks to the increased efficiency of modern selective collection strategies that can guarantee an input with few impurities. The biogas sector has also evolved towards enhanced solutions such as the upgrading of biogas to biomethane (similar to natural gas) and to the refining of the remaining off-gas in order to extract CO2 (for technological uses). Another case is the start of a new stage of electrification, which took place during the Industrial Revolution 4.0, which means a massive saturation of various industries with electrical technologies and opens up new opportunities for using renewable energy sources in industry and smart urban infrastructure. Apart from these examples, the technological evolution concerned the whole sector of renewable energy but with different levels of penetration: in some cases, the techniques are still available only at lab-scale, like the capture of electrical current that bacteria generate through their metabolism. Prospects for the use of renewable energy sources (wind, solar energy, geothermal, tidal, ocean thermal, wave energy) stimulate interest in devices for separating the processes of energy generation and consumption. A reversible fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device with the functions of both a fuel cell and an electrolyzer. Functioning sequentially in power generation mode and fuel electrolysis mode, this device functions as a running battery and, as a promising energy storage system, can serve as an economical solution to the problem of energy management. Thus, the development of energy based on renewable sources stimulates the development of distributed energy and hydrogen production technology.

A comparison should be done between renewables and traditional energy and fuels with regard to the national priorities and environmental and economic efficiency of the investment projects. A combined application solution is acceptable, with accents on the energy efficiency and sustainability of improved hydrocarbon fuels and increasing the availability and competitiveness of renewables.

In this frame, it is important to give to economic sustainability a clearer role, faced with environmental sustainability. Moreover, the social acceptance of some facilities changed year by year, making more difficult the implementation of a few options in some contexts: as an example, the landscape impact of wind energy fields plays a key role in the authorisation of new plants in some regions; moreover, the emission of ultrafine/nano particles from wood combustion sparked controversies on the related health impact. Looking at the sector on the whole, it is clear that the strategies of management of this energy sector are expected to contribute to the mitigation of climate change, but their economic sustainability and ways of financing should be analysed deeply in order to correctly orientate the future investments. Specifically, the business process has to be re-engineered. Another aspect concerns the impact of the sector evolution on the human resources management and their qualification in a sector that is more and more automated thanks to the enhancement of software and hardware. In this regard, the organization of advanced training for managers and engineers, as well as the formation of multidisciplinary teams to work in projects of technological modernization and creation of complex, smart energy systems of the future, becomes a fundamental task.

The present issue will focus on all the above-mentioned aspects and is open both to specialised works and to interdisciplinary articles.

Prof. Dr. Elena Cristina Rada
Prof. Dr. Elena Romenovna Magaril
Dr. Larisa Ivascu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Biomass to energy
  • Climate change
  • Circular economy
  • Economic sustainability
  • Environmental impact
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Geothermal energy
  • Hydropower
  • Innovation
  • Advances in fuel cell technology
  • Hydrogen production
  • Gas electrolysis
  • Environmental monitoring systems
  • Management
  • Options
  • Photovoltaics
  • Social impact
  • Solar thermal
  • Renewable energy
  • Strategies
  • Waste to energy
  • Wind energy
  • Electrification
  • Smart energy systems and cities
  • Educational issues

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 1382 KiB  
Article
Development of a Comprehensive Conceptual Framework for Biogas Technology Adoption in South Africa
by Solomon E. Uhunamure, Nthaduleni S. Nethengwe and David Tinarwo
Resources 2021, 10(8), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources10080076 - 23 Jul 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5333
Abstract
This article focuses on the development of a conceptual framework guiding the adoption of biogas technology in selected rural areas of the Limpopo province. The theoretical framing of the study emanated from the critical evaluation of models and work that privileged the technical [...] Read more.
This article focuses on the development of a conceptual framework guiding the adoption of biogas technology in selected rural areas of the Limpopo province. The theoretical framing of the study emanated from the critical evaluation of models and work that privileged the technical design and optimisation of a biogas system over the adoption of the technology at the household level. Based on the empirical evidence, and using logistic regression analysis, the study highlighted that determinants of biogas technology adoption in communities are complex, context-dependent and spatially varied. Hence, the policy of biogas adoption should be tailored based on the principle of fit-for-purpose, instead of using existing unimodal approaches for all settings. Based on the findings, the study developed a robust conceptual framework that harnesses the relationships between the influencing variables that can enhance the adoption of biogas technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewables Application: Challenges and Perspectives)
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20 pages, 1452 KiB  
Article
CC(U)S Initiatives: Public Effects and “Combined Value” Performance
by Alina Ilinova, Natalia Romasheva and Alexey Cherepovitsyn
Resources 2021, 10(6), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources10060061 - 8 Jun 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3466
Abstract
The changes in climate, which are associated with the emission of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, have been widely discussed by scientists and specialists during the last few decades. The promising way to reduce CO2 emission is to implement CC(U)S technologies (carbon capture, (utilization) [...] Read more.
The changes in climate, which are associated with the emission of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, have been widely discussed by scientists and specialists during the last few decades. The promising way to reduce CO2 emission is to implement CC(U)S technologies (carbon capture, (utilization) and storage). However, CC(U)S initiatives are challenging that prevent their widespread adoption. The main purpose of the research is to prove that CC(U)S should be considered broader than a way to reduce emission, and such initiatives could lead to various public effects and create long-term “combined value” for the industry and wider society; all of these should be considered when making decisions on CC(U)S implementation. The results of the research are presented by highlighting bi-directional interaction between CC(U)S and society, including public acceptance and public effects; identifying the possible positive and negative impact of CC(U)S initiatives on the public; developing a system of indicators for assessing the public effects of CC(U)S; proposing the framework for a value at stake analysis (VAS) of CC(U)S initiatives in order to reveal and assess their “combined value”. The methodology of this study includes desk studies, decomposition technique, environment (E), health (H) and safety (S) (EHS) approach, classification techniques, and VAS analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewables Application: Challenges and Perspectives)
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15 pages, 2681 KiB  
Article
Powering Multiple Gas Condensate Wells in Russia’s Arctic: Power Supply Systems Based on Renewable Energy Sources
by Gennadiy Stroykov, Alexey Y. Cherepovitsyn and Elizaveta A. Iamshchikova
Resources 2020, 9(11), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources9110130 - 5 Nov 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3098
Abstract
Using renewable energy off-grid power supply and choosing the right equipment that meets the operating conditions in the Arctic can provide companies with reliable power sources for producing gas at facilities located in remote areas and will reduce capital and operating costs associated [...] Read more.
Using renewable energy off-grid power supply and choosing the right equipment that meets the operating conditions in the Arctic can provide companies with reliable power sources for producing gas at facilities located in remote areas and will reduce capital and operating costs associated with the construction of power transmission lines. For more than 15 years, a remote control system powered by renewable energy has been used in parallel with power transmission lines by Gazprom to operate its multiwell pads in Russia’s Far North, which validates the relevance of this study. The subject of the study is a group of gas condensate wells that consists of four multiwell pads operated by Wintershall Russland GmbH. The article discusses a stand-alone renewable-based power system as an option for powering remote oil and gas production facilities. The procedures used in the study include calculating such parameters as power output and power consumption, choosing equipment, describing the design features of a power supply system for a multiwell pad, conducting an economic assessment of the project, comparing different power supply options, analyzing project risks, and developing measures to mitigate these risks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewables Application: Challenges and Perspectives)
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18 pages, 2173 KiB  
Article
Changes in the Environmental Sustainability of the Urban Transport System when Introducing Paid Parking for Private Vehicles
by Dmitrii Zakharov, Alexey Fadyushin and Denis Chainikov
Resources 2020, 9(9), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources9090100 - 21 Aug 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3162
Abstract
The work proposes a methodological approach to studying and assessing the environmental sustainability of the transport system of the city. The authors have selected parameters for assessing the environmental sustainability of the transport system and identified significant factors affecting environmental sustainability. A coefficient [...] Read more.
The work proposes a methodological approach to studying and assessing the environmental sustainability of the transport system of the city. The authors have selected parameters for assessing the environmental sustainability of the transport system and identified significant factors affecting environmental sustainability. A coefficient of environmental sustainability of the urban transport system and a formula for its calculation are proposed. A simulation was used to assess the amount of emissions of harmful substances from the car exhaust gases if the demand structure changes with respect to the means of transport and transportation methods. The paper presents the results of changing the parameters of the traffic flow and demand by means of transport and transportation methods when introducing a parking fee in the central part of the city, changing the cost of parking and expanding the paid parking area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewables Application: Challenges and Perspectives)
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10 pages, 253 KiB  
Article
A Market Concentration Analysis of the Biomass Sector in Romania
by Mihail Busu
Resources 2020, 9(6), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources9060064 - 29 May 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3951
Abstract
The degree of market concentration is an important investigative tool used by competition authorities, as well as any public entity or undertaking that is interested in a specific market. There are several market concentration indices, but the most popular measure for computing the [...] Read more.
The degree of market concentration is an important investigative tool used by competition authorities, as well as any public entity or undertaking that is interested in a specific market. There are several market concentration indices, but the most popular measure for computing the degree of market concentration is the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI). However, a limitation of this indicator is that its computation requires data on all the entities that are active in a market. Therefore, due to the large number of companies in some specific markets, sometimes it is cumbersome to compute the HHI. The aim of this paper was to develop an algorithm to estimate as accurately as possible the HHI in such cases, so that the degree of market concentration can be identified. An interdisciplinary application of this method on the Romanian biomass sector is presented at the end of this paper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewables Application: Challenges and Perspectives)
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