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Sustainability
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Global Strategies for Sustainable Energy Transitions: Innovations and Reflections
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Global Strategies for Sustainable Energy Transitions: Innovations and Reflections

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 2405

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Asma Aziz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
Interests: modern, smart, and sustainable power systems; smart grid systems; drives innovation in renewable energy and battery storage systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Hussein A. Mohammed

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mechanical Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabi
Interests: renewable energy; phase change materials; nanotechnology; miniature instrumentation development and batteries cooling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Barun Das

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
Interests: modelling of multiscale energy systems; heat transfer; waste heat recovery; energy conversion technology; solar desalination system modelling; nanoparticles; exergy analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue on "Global Strategies for Sustainable Energy Transitions: Innovations and Reflections" aims to delve into pioneering approaches and offer crucial insights into the worldwide shift toward renewable energy. As the world confronts the pressing challenges of climate change and the urgent imperative to reduce carbon emissions, innovative strategies and in-depth reflections on renewable energy transitions are essential.

This issue will cover a comprehensive array of topics, including renewable energy strategies, sustainable energy transitions, distributed energy resources, techno-economic analysis, energy policy and governance, technological innovations in energy, integration of renewable systems, and the socio-economic impacts of energy transitions. We aim to showcase successful case studies, pinpoint obstacles, and suggest actionable solutions to overcome them. By examining diverse regional experiences and the socio-economic consequences of energy transitions, this Special Issue aspires to deepen the understanding of sustainable energy practices and stimulate global collaboration toward a cleaner, more resilient energy future.

Key areas of focus will include the following:

  • Renewable Energy Strategies.
  • Sustainable Energy Transitions.
  • Distributed Energy Resources.
  • Energy storage technologies for sustainable energy transition.
  • Techno-Economic Analysis.
  • Energy Policy and Governance.
  • Technological Innovations in Energy.
  • Integration of Renewable Systems.
  • Socio-Economic Impacts of Energy Transitions.
  • Global Energy Solutions.
  • Renewable Energy Policy.
  • Energy Sustainability.
  • Clean Energy Technologies.

This Special Issue seeks to provide a platform for sharing diverse perspectives and innovative ideas that can drive the global movement toward sustainable energy. By fostering a deeper understanding of the complexities and opportunities in renewable energy transitions, we aim to contribute to the global effort to build a cleaner, more sustainable, and resilient energy future for all.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Asma Aziz
Dr. Hussein A. Mohammed
Dr. Barun Das
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

  • renewable energy strategies
  • sustainable energy transitions
  • distributed energy resources
  • energy storage technologies for sustainable energy transition
  • techno-economic analysis
  • energy policy and governance
  • technological innovations in energy
  • integration of renewable systems
  • socio-economic impacts of energy transitions
  • global energy solutions
  • renewable energy policy
  • energy sustainability
  • clean energy technologies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 1343 KiB  
Article
Is the Energy Quota Trading Policy a Solution to the Decarbonization of Energy Consumption in China?
by Mengyu Li, Bin Zhong and Bingnan Guo
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6644; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146644 - 21 Jul 2025
Viewed by 328
Abstract
The energy quota trading policy is a pivotal market-oriented environmental regulation policy that propels the reform of the energy structure. Utilizing panel data from 30 provinces in China covering the period from 2012 to 2022, this study employed a difference-in-differences model to systematically [...] Read more.
The energy quota trading policy is a pivotal market-oriented environmental regulation policy that propels the reform of the energy structure. Utilizing panel data from 30 provinces in China covering the period from 2012 to 2022, this study employed a difference-in-differences model to systematically examine the influence of the energy quota trading policy on the decarbonization of energy consumption, and further explores two transmission mechanisms of green technology innovation and energy consumption intensity through mechanism tests. The study reveals several key findings: (1) The energy quota trading policy significantly enhances the decarbonization of energy consumption. (2) This policy encourages the adoption of clean energy by fostering green technological innovation and decreasing overall energy consumption. As a result, it makes a considerable contribution to the decarbonization process in energy usage. (3) The heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that in areas with low levels of industrialization and plentiful resources, as well as within the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the central and western regions, the effects of the policy are significantly more pronounced. Conversely, in regions characterized by high industrialization and limited resources, particularly in the eastern region, the effectiveness of the policy is comparatively diminished. Furthermore, this study not only offers empirical evidence supporting the optimization and enhancement of the energy quota trading policy but also presents recommendations for improving the trading market, regional policies, and fostering green technological innovation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global Strategies for Sustainable Energy Transitions: Innovations and Reflections)
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22 pages, 771 KiB  
Article
Do Pilot Zones for Green Finance Reform and Innovation Policy Enhance China’s Energy Resilience?
by Lu Lv and Bingnan Guo
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 5757; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135757 - 23 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 472
Abstract
The escalation of international geopolitical conflicts has triggered shocks in the global energy supply and demand pattern. The importance of increasing the resilience of energy systems to risk has become increasingly prominent. At the same time, energy demand has shown substantial growth, driven [...] Read more.
The escalation of international geopolitical conflicts has triggered shocks in the global energy supply and demand pattern. The importance of increasing the resilience of energy systems to risk has become increasingly prominent. At the same time, energy demand has shown substantial growth, driven by the continuous expansion of economic scales. Improving utilization efficiency to enhance energy resilience while achieving coordinated development between economic growth and environmental protection has become a critical priority. This study takes pilot zones for green finance reform and innovations as a quasi-natural experiment and selects panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2013 to 2022 as the research sample. The empirical analysis constructs a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model to investigate the impact of pilot zones for green finance reform and innovations on energy resilience, while exploring their heterogeneity and mechanism of action. The research shows that: ① The policy of pilot zones for green finance reform and innovations has significantly enhanced China’s energy resilience capacity. This conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests. ② Mechanism analysis shows that the pilot zones for green finance reform and innovation policy enhance energy resilience by elevating green innovation capacity and optimizing industrial structure. ③ Heterogeneity analysis reveals that policy effects exhibit significant regional disparities. The enhancement effect of pilot zones for green finance reform and innovation policy on energy resilience is more pronounced in the eastern region compared to the central and western regions. This research provides empirical evidence and theoretical support for local governments to refine green finance policy systems and explore novel pathways for optimizing energy resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global Strategies for Sustainable Energy Transitions: Innovations and Reflections)
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26 pages, 8468 KiB  
Article
Techno-Economic Factors Impacting the Intrinsic Value of Behind-the-Meter Distributed Storage
by Ingrid Hopley, Mehrdad Ghahramani and Asma Aziz
Sustainability 2024, 16(23), 10432; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310432 - 28 Nov 2024
Viewed by 877
Abstract
With the increasing adoption of renewable energy, there is a growing need for efficient storage solutions. Battery storage is becoming an essential tool for maintaining grid reliability and handling the variable nature of renewable energy sources. This research focuses on behind-the-meter, grid-connected household [...] Read more.
With the increasing adoption of renewable energy, there is a growing need for efficient storage solutions. Battery storage is becoming an essential tool for maintaining grid reliability and handling the variable nature of renewable energy sources. This research focuses on behind-the-meter, grid-connected household systems in Western Australia, adopting a consumer perspective to evaluate the financial viability of residential batteries. Using the HOMER Grid for techno-economic modeling, eight factors influencing financial viability were analyzed, with results validated through two external case studies. The findings suggest that photovoltaic (PV) systems paired with batteries can be cost-effective at current prices, depending on load profiles, tariffs, and grid sale limits. However, many factors lie outside the consumer’s control, contributing to significant financial uncertainty and limiting widespread battery adoption. Eliminating flat tariffs could make PV + Battery systems financially viable, although this may negatively affect other consumers on the grid. Even with a 30% reduction in battery price, PV-only systems remain optimal for many households. This study concludes that addressing and reducing consumer uncertainty is essential for encouraging the wider adoption of residential battery storage systems. At the same time, non-financial motivations such as energy independence or environmental concerns may drive early adopters in the interim. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global Strategies for Sustainable Energy Transitions: Innovations and Reflections)
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