Next-Generation Wind Energy: Sustainable Design, Assessment, and Deployment
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 26
Special Issue Editors
Interests: renewable energy; smart grids; machine learning; deep learning; energy storage; techno-economic analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: wind; wind energy; deformable profile; efficiency; wind turbine; renewable energy; solar; photovoltaic models; building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV)
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The global transition to a sustainable energy future requires continuous innovation in wind energy technologies, system design, and deployment strategies. This Special Issue, Next-Generation Wind Energy: Sustainable Design, Assessment, and Deployment, aims to gather cutting-edge research that advances the technical, economic, and environmental dimensions of wind power, positioning it as a cornerstone of a just and resilient energy transition.
The scope includes novel approaches to wind resource assessment, financial and techno-economic evaluations, and optimization of wind farms at different scales. Particular attention will be given to innovations in wind turbine and blade design, advanced modeling and simulation tools, and strategies for enhancing energy capture while reducing costs and environmental impacts. Contributions that integrate life-cycle assessments, sustainability metrics, and policy frameworks are especially welcome, as they highlight the broader societal implications of wind power deployment.
This Special Issue seeks to bridge engineering excellence with sustainability principles, encouraging interdisciplinary perspectives that connect design optimization with equity, resilience, and environmental stewardship. By doing so, it will provide valuable insights for researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers committed to shaping the future of wind energy as a sustainable and competitive energy solution.
Wind energy has become one of the fastest-growing renewable energy sources worldwide, playing a vital role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring energy security. Advances in wind turbine design, farm layout optimization, and financial modeling have substantially improved the competitiveness of wind power. However, new challenges are emerging: the need to integrate wind energy into sustainable energy systems, address environmental and social impacts, and develop innovative technologies capable of supporting large-scale deployment. These developments highlight the importance of aligning technical innovation with sustainability principles to ensure that wind energy remains both efficient and equitable in the global energy transition.
1. Aim and Relevance to the Journal Scope
This Special Issue, Next-Generation Wind Energy: Sustainable Design, Assessment, and Deployment, aims to present the latest research that links wind energy innovation with environmental, economic, and social sustainability. By combining techno-economic evaluation, advanced engineering, and life-cycle perspectives, the Special Issue aligns with the journal Sustainability’s mission to foster interdisciplinary research on sustainable energy systems. Our objective is to provide a platform where engineering excellence, financial feasibility, and sustainability considerations converge, contributing to a cleaner, fairer, and more resilient energy future.
2. Suggested Themes
We invite original research articles, case studies, and reviews that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
- Advanced wind resource assessment methods
- Optimization of wind farms and energy capture strategies
- Innovations in wind turbine and blade design
- Techno-economic analysis and cost modeling (including LCOE)
- Renewable energy financing and investment frameworks
- Life-cycle sustainability assessment of wind energy technologies
- Offshore and onshore wind energy development
- Grid integration, storage, and hybrid systems with wind power
- Environmental and socio-economic impacts of wind deployment
- Policy and governance frameworks for sustainable wind energy
We look forward to your contributions to this Special Issue, which aims to bridge technical innovation and sustainability in the field of wind energy.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:
- Advanced methods for wind resource assessment and forecasting
- Optimization of wind farms for maximum energy yield and cost-effectiveness
- Wind turbine and blade design innovations for enhanced performance and durability
- Techno-economic analysis and financial modeling of wind energy projects
- Levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and cost-reduction pathways
- Renewable energy financing and sustainable investment strategies
- Life-cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) of wind technologies
- Development of offshore and onshore wind projects
- Hybrid systems combining wind with storage or other renewables
- Grid integration of wind power and smart grid solutions
- Environmental and socio-economic impacts of wind deployment
- Policy frameworks and governance supporting sustainable wind energy
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Quetzalcoatl Hernández-Escobedo
Dr. Jesus Alejandro Franco
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. Sustainability 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.
Keywords
- wind resource assessment
- wind farm optimization
- wind turbine and blade design
- techno-economic analysis of wind energy
- levelized cost of energy (LCOE)
- sustainable energy systems
- renewable energy financing
- life-cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA)
- offshore and onshore wind power
- smart grids and integration of wind energy
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