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Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 33519

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor

Department of Applied Physics, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Interests: renewable energy; energy saving; biomass; sustainability; power quality; smart grids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, there is an increasing concern for the environment, especially regarding the already evident rise in the planet’s temperature. This circumstance has led to technological progress in the use of natural resources for energy and their availability to all productive sectors.

Faced with the current situation, it is vital to propose actions to put aside production models based on fossil fuels and opt for more sustainable models based on the circular economy, energy saving, and renewable energy.

Energy saving and renewable energy allow us to save our scarce economic resources, postpones the depletion of our scarce fossil resources (on which our energy supply depends for the most part), and finally seems to be one of the best alternatives for reducing CO₂ emissions.

This Special Issue aims to advance the contribution of use of renewable energies and energy saving in order to achieve a more sustainable world. This Special Issue seeks contributions spanning a broad range of topics related but not limited to:

Solar energy;
The use of rooftops for energy generation;
Energy conversion from urban biomass or residues;
Energy management for water;
Bioclimatic architecture and green buildings;
Wind energy cogeneration;
Next-generation renewable energy technologies;
Cogeneration;
Public and private energy saving;
Policy for urban energy saving;
Smart meters;
Zero-energy buildings;
Legislations, regulations, and standards of energy.

Prof. Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno
Guest Editor

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

Energy saving
Renewable energy
Zero-energy buildings
Biomass
Solar energy
Wind energy
Energy efficiency
Sustainability
Bioclimatic architecture
Sustainable transport
PV
CSP

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

3 pages, 187 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends

by Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno

Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13261; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313261 - 30 Nov 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1770

Abstract

Energy is a very important resource for the development of the residential and industrial sectors, and it should be used with high efficiency, low environmental impact, and at the lowest possible cost [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

19 pages, 1758 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy Evolution: Forecasting the Development of Non-Conventional Renewable Energy Sources and Their Impact on the Conventional Electricity System

by Vadim A. Golubev, Viktoria A. Verbnikova, Ilia A. Lopyrev, Daria D. Voznesenskaya, Rashid N. Alimov, Olga V. Novikova and Evgenii A. Konnikov

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12919; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212919 - 22 Nov 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2952

Abstract

The development of the world’s electric power systems goes back over a century. During this period, the overwhelming majority of states have formed stable, typically centralized systems for generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical energy. At the same time, technologies, primarily for energy generation, are steadily developing, which leads to the emergence of potentially effective technological solutions based on fundamentally new energy sources. The most rapidly expanding group at the moment are renewable energy sources (RES). This fact is due to the significant coverage of the potential environmental and economic benefits of using technologies based on RES in the information environment. At the same time, the process of transformation of traditional electric power systems, by integrating generation technologies based on the use of renewable energy sources, is extremely resource-intensive, and also potentially reducing the level of sustainability and efficiency of the entire system functioning as a whole. This thesis is primarily true for exclusively centralized power systems. The purpose of this study is to create a forecasting model for the development of non-conventional renewable energy sources (NCRES) for short, medium, and long term, which makes it possible to form an action plan to ensure a reliable and uninterrupted supplying of consumers, taking into account the existing electric power system. The developed model made it possible to identify the most promising directions of NCRES from the integration point of view, and for them the quantification and clustering of the information environment was carried out, which made it possible to identify key trends and the specifics of the development of technological solutions for these directions of renewable energy sources. The developed tool and systemic conclusions formulated on the basis of its application make it possible to develop mathematically sound solutions in the direction of managing the development of traditional electric power systems based on the integration of NCRES. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends)

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13 pages, 1067 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Importance and Performance of Value-Based Maintenance Practices in Hospital Buildings

by Wai Fang Wong, AbdulLateef Olanrewaju and Poh Im Lim

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 11908; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111908 - 28 Oct 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1905

Abstract

After two decades of privatization of building maintenance service in government hospitals in Malaysia, evidence of under-maintained hospital buildings suggests a need to raise the level of hospital maintenance service delivery. This study identified the critical success factors to enhance the value outcomes of hospital maintenance service. A total of 66 questionnaire survey responses from maintenance personnel in public hospitals were analyzed using the Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis (IPMA) in the SmartPLS3.0 software. The Importance versus the Performance of value-based practices was mapped to identify the critical areas that require greater considerations to improve maintenance service delivery. The findings revealed four critical success factors: Responsive to Needs, Integrated Service Solutions, Innovative Improved Practices, and Value for Money. These practices were found to be the impetus that can bring significant enhancement to hospital building maintenance service delivery. Although the findings are based on data derived from public hospitals in Malaysia, the outcomes are applicable to private hospitals both in and outside of Malaysia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends)

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17 pages, 629 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Renewable Minigrid Electrification in Off-Grid Rural Ghana: Exploring Households Willingness to Pay

by Artem Korzhenevych and Charles Kofi Owusu

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 11711; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111711 - 23 Oct 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3155

Abstract

Renewable energy minigrids hold significant prospects for Africa’s energy sector and its economic development in general. The government of Ghana has established pilot renewable minigrids in five off-grid communities as a testing ground for the electrification of over 600 existing rural communities that cannot be electrified via the national grid. Although there is evidence on willingness to pay (WTP) values for renewable-generated electricity in some developing countries, little is known about households’ WTP for renewable-based electricity in Ghana and, in particular, about renewable minigrids for rural electrification. This paper provides one of the first WTP estimates for renewable-based electricity for rural electrification in a developing economy context such as Ghana. Using data from a contingent valuation survey undertaken in all five pilot renewable minigrid project communities, we found that rural households are willing to pay an average of 30 GHC/month (≈5 USD/month) for high-quality renewable-powered electricity services, which is twice the amount they are currently paying based on the Uniform National Tariffs. The hypothetical bias is addressed by conducting a survey among active users of the minigrids. The starting point bias is reduced by employing random starting bids. The respondents are willing to pay between 9 and 11% of their discretionary incomes to cover the cost of accessing reliable renewable-powered electricity in the rural, off-grid communities in Ghana. The paper concludes by discussing the policy implications of these findings regarding the development of tariff regulations and business models for renewable minigrids in the rural, off-grid sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends)

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28 pages, 1101 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of the Multiverse Optimization Method to Solve the Optimal Power Flow Problem in Direct Current Electrical Networks

by Andrés Alfonso Rosales-Muñoz, Luis Fernando Grisales-Noreña, Jhon Montano, Oscar Danilo Montoya and Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno

Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8703; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168703 - 04 Aug 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 1968

Abstract

This paper addresses the optimal power flow problem in direct current (DC) networks employing a master–slave solution methodology that combines an optimization algorithm based on the multiverse theory (master stage) and the numerical method of successive approximation (slave stage). The master stage proposes power levels to be injected by each distributed generator in the DC network, and the slave stage evaluates the impact of each power configuration (proposed by the master stage) on the objective function and the set of constraints that compose the problem. In this study, the objective function is the reduction of electrical power losses associated with energy transmission. In addition, the constraints are the global power balance, nodal voltage limits, current limits, and a maximum level of penetration of distributed generators. In order to validate the robustness and repeatability of the solution, this study used four other optimization methods that have been reported in the specialized literature to solve the problem addressed here: ant lion optimization, particle swarm optimization, continuous genetic algorithm, and black hole optimization algorithm. All of them employed the method based on successive approximation to solve the load flow problem (slave stage). The 21- and 69-node test systems were used for this purpose, enabling the distributed generators to inject

20 %

40 %

, and

60 %

of the power provided by the slack node in a scenario without distributed generation. The results revealed that the multiverse optimizer offers the best solution quality and repeatability in networks of different sizes with several penetration levels of distributed power generation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends)

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16 pages, 1572 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Value-Based Building Maintenance Practices for Public Hospitals in Malaysia

by Wai Fang Wong, AbdulLateef Olanrewaju and Poh Im Lim

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6200; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116200 - 31 May 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3323

Abstract

Public hospital buildings in Malaysia have been facing problems and have become subjects of public criticisms due to poor building maintenance practices. A value-based approach which integrates and assimilates the concepts of value can be applied to mitigate maintenance problems in hospital buildings. This study evaluated the causal relationships between value factors and value outcomes of building maintenance in public hospitals in Malaysia. A total of 66 samples were collected via an online questionnaire survey. Analysis was performed using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Our results reveal that value-adding practices and value co-creation have a positive influence on value outcomes in hospitals. The findings, however, do not support the relationships between factors of user involvement and value outcomes, which merit further investigation. This study concludes that value-adding practice has the strongest impact on value outcomes. Thus, maintenance service providers should assimilate these practices in their services to enhance performance. In addition, the findings also justify the requirement for collaborative working arrangements for value co-creation of building maintenance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends)

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20 pages, 2672 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Expert Views on the Future Development of Biogas Business Branch in Germany, The Netherlands, and Finland until 2030

by Erika Winquist, Michiel Van Galen, Simon Zielonka, Pasi Rikkonen, Diti Oudendag, Lijun Zhou and Auke Greijdanus

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1148; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031148 - 22 Jan 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 7598

Abstract

To be able to meet the European Union’s energy and climate targets for 2030, all member states need to rethink their energy production and use. One potential renewable energy source is biogas. Its role has been relatively small compared to other energy sources, but it could have a more central role to solve some specific challenges, e.g., to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from traffic, or to act as a buffer to balance electricity production with consumption. This research analyses how the future of the biogas business in three case study countries is developing until 2030. The study is based on experts’ views within the biogas business branch in Germany, The Netherlands, and Finland. Both similarities and differences were found among the experts’ answers, which reflected also the current policies in different countries. The role of biogas was seen much wider than just to provide renewable energy, but also to decrease emissions from agriculture and close loops in a circular economy. However, the future of the biogas branch is much dependent on political decisions. To be able to show the full potential of biogas technology for society, stable and predictable energy policy and cross-sector co-operation are needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends)

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16 pages, 2484 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Multi-Objective Stochastic Optimization for Determining Set-Point of Wind Farm System

by Van-Hai Bui, Akhtar Hussain, Thai-Thanh Nguyen and Hak-Man Kim

Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 624; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020624 - 11 Jan 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1957

Abstract

Due to the uncertainty in output power of wind farm (WF) systems, a certain reserve capacity is often required in the power system to ensure service reliability and thereby increasing the operation and investment costs for the entire system. In order to reduce this uncertainty and reserve capacity, this study proposes a multi-objective stochastic optimization model to determine the set-points of the WF system. The first objective is to maximize the set-point of the WF system, while the second objective is to maximize the probability of fulfilling that set-point in the real-time operation. An increase in the probability of satisfying the set-point can reduce the uncertainty in the output power of the WF system. However, if the required probability increases, the set-point of the WF system decreases, which reduces the profitability of the WF system. Using the proposed method helps the WF operator in determining the optimal set-point for the WF system by making a trade-off between maximizing the set-point of WF and increasing the probability of fulfilling this set-point in real-time operation. This ensures that the WF system can offer an optimal set-point with a high probability of satisfying this set-point to the power system and thereby avoids a high penalty for mismatch power. In order to show the effectiveness of the proposed method, several case studies are carried out, and the effects of various parameters on the optimal set-point for the WF system are also analyzed. According to the parameters from the transmission system operator (TSO) and wind speed profile, the WF operator can easily determine the optimal set-point using the proposed strategy. A comparison of the profits that the WF system achieved with and without the proposed method is analyzed in detail, and the set-point of the WF system in different seasons is also presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends)

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20 pages, 5167 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimal Placement and Sizing of Wind Generators in AC Grids Considering Reactive Power Capability and Wind Speed Curves

by Walter Gil-González, Oscar Danilo Montoya, Luis Fernando Grisales-Noreña, Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno and Quetzalcoatl Hernandez-Escobedo

Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 2983; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072983 - 08 Apr 2020

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 2921

Abstract

This paper presents an optimization model for the optimal placement and sizing of wind turbines, considering their reactive power capacity, wind speed, and demand curves. The optimization model is nonlinear and is focused on minimizing power losses in AC distribution networks. Also, paired [...] Read more.

η

at the peak hour. This factor represents the percentage of usage of the power conversion system in the nominal wind speed conditions, and allows to support reactive power dynamically during all periods of the day as a function of the distribution system requirements. In addition, an artificial neural network is used for short-term forecasting to deal with uncertainties in wind power generation. We assume that the number of wind power distributed generators could be from zero to three generators integrated into the system, considering unit power factors and reactive power injections to follow up the effect of reactive power compensation in the daily operation. The General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) is employed to solve the proposed optimization model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends)

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38 pages, 31598 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Optimum Performance of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) Windows Under a Semi-Arid Climate in Algerian Office Buildings

by Abdelhakim Mesloub, Ghazy Abdullah Albaqawy and Mohd Zin Kandar

Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1654; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041654 - 22 Feb 2020

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4548

Abstract

Recently, Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) windows have become an alternative energy solution to achieve a zero-energy building (ZEB) and provide visual comfort. In Algeria, some problems arise due to the high energy consumption levels of the building sector. Large amounts of this energy are lost through the external envelope façade, because of the poorness of the window’s design. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the optimum BIPV window performance for overall energy consumption (OEC) in terms of energy output, heating and cooling load, and artificial lighting to ensure visual comfort and energy savings in typical office buildings under a semi-arid climate. Field measurements of the tested office were carried out during a critical period. The data have been validated and used to develop a model for an OEC simulation. Extensive simulations using graphical optimization methods are applied to the base-model, as well as nine commercially-available BIPV modules with different Window Wall Ratios (WWRs), cardinal orientations, and tilt angles. The results of the investigation from the site measurements show a significant amount of energy output compared to the energy demand. This study revealed that the optimum BIPV window design includes double-glazing PV modules (A) with medium WWR and 20% VLT in the southern façade and 30% VLT toward the east–west axis. The maximum energy savings that can be achieved are 60% toward the south orientation by double-glazing PV module (D). On the other hand, the PV modules significantly minimize the glare index compared to the base-model. The data extracted from the simulation established that the energy output percentages in a 3D model can be used by architects and designers in early stages. In the end, the adoption of optimum BIPV windows shows a significant enough improvement in their overall energy savings and visual comfort to consider them essential under a semi-arid climate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends)

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