Renewable Energy Applications and Energy Sustainability in Coastal Areas
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 19 August 2026 | Viewed by 2725
Special Issue Editor
Interests: thermal and hybrid solar systems; high-temperature heat pumps; cooling and air-conditioning applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
It is a great pleasure to announce a new Special Issue of Sustainability entitled ‘Renewable Energy Applications and Energy Sustainability in Coastal Areas’.
Coastal areas are increasingly at the forefront of global sustainability efforts due to their unique geographical, environmental, and socioeconomic conditions. These regions face significant challenges, including rising energy demands, climate change impacts, and resource scarcity, all of which require innovative solutions to ensure energy sustainability. The adoption of renewable energy technologies offers a critical pathway for mitigating these challenges while fostering economic growth, environmental protection, and resilience.
Coastal areas are rich in renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind, tidal, and wave energy, making them ideal for the deployment of clean energy systems. In particular, solar energy has proven to be one of the most promising solutions for coastal areas sustainability. Photovoltaic (PV) systems and solar thermal technologies can provide clean and affordable electricity, as well as useful energy for domestic hot water (DHW), water desalination, heating, and cooling applications. This is significant for coastal and island communities, where access to potable water and reliable energy infrastructure can be limited. Solar-powered desalination systems address potable water scarcity while minimizing carbon emissions and operational costs.
In addition to solar energy, hybrid renewable energy systems that combine multiple energy sources—such as solar, wind, and tidal energy—are gaining traction in coastal areas. These integrated systems enhance energy reliability by offsetting the intermittency of individual energy sources, ensuring a stable supply of electricity for residential, commercial, and industrial needs. Hybrid systems are particularly beneficial for remote coastal communities and islands, where energy independence and resilience are paramount.
Ensuring energy sustainability in coastal areas goes beyond technology deployment; it also requires the careful consideration of environmental and social impacts. Renewable energy solutions must be designed and implemented with a focus on ecological preservation, stakeholder engagement, and long-term economic benefits. By prioritizing low-carbon energy systems, coastal regions can significantly reduce their environmental footprint, support local economies, and enhance their ability to adapt to climate change.
Renewable energy applications are key to achieving energy sustainability in coastal areas. Through the integration of solar, wind, and other renewable technologies, these regions can harness their natural resources to meet energy demands while promoting environmental stewardship, resilience, and sustainable development, leading to decarbonization.
The present Special Issue (SI) is dedicated to the investigation of renewable energy systems in terms of integration, overall performance, and technological advances with an emphasis on coastal areas applications. This SI will open new gates in the field of renewable energy systems by giving the opportunity to researchers to propose novel methods, theories, and systems considering the environmental impact and the need for long-term sustainability.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Hybrid renewable energy systems (solar + wind + tidal);
- Hybrid solar photovoltaic/thermal collectors and systems;
- Solar thermal collectors and systems;
- Solar photovoltaic collectors and systems;
- Wind energy systems;
- Tidal and wave energy systems;
- Desalination solar thermal collectors applications;
- Combined energy storage in solar thermal systems.
I look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Dimitrios N. Korres
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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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
- energy sustainability
- energy transition
- decarbonization
- coastal areas
- hybrid renewable systems
- solar energy
- wind energy
- tidal and wave energy
- water desalination
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