Search Results (572)

This study evaluates the socio-economic impact of rural electrification through photovoltaic (PV) systems in Morocco. As part of the country’s broader energy transition strategy, decentralized renewable energy solutions like PV kits have been deployed to improve energy access in isolated rural areas. Using quasi-experimental econometric techniques, specifically propensity score matching (PSM) and estimation of the Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATT), the study measures changes in household income, expenditures, and economic activities resulting from PV electrification. The results indicate significant positive effects on household income, electricity spending, and productivity in agriculture and livestock. These findings highlight the critical role of decentralized renewable energy in advancing rural development and poverty reduction. Policy recommendations include expanding PV access with complementary support measures such as microfinance and technical training. Full article

Since the start of the energy crisis in 2020, the Dutch government has introduced various programmes aimed at alleviating energy poverty among low-income households. This research examines the effects of three specific interventions—energy coaching, home renovations, and white goods schemes—on a range of energy poverty-related aspects, including living comfort, physical and mental health, energy costs, financial concerns, social connection, neighbourhood involvement, and sustainable behaviour. While previous studies have mostly investigated these interventions in isolation, this research offers a comparative analysis to explore how their impacts differ and how they may complement one another. This research, comparing an intervention group and control, shows that energy coaches, renovations, and white goods schemes each have positive effects on various aspects of energy poverty. However, the nature and magnitude of these effects differ by type of support measure. Renovations are the most effective overall, significantly improving living comfort, physical health, and reducing energy costs. White goods schemes primarily reduce moisture and mould in dwellings and have a notable positive impact on mental health. Energy coaches contribute to improved living comfort, lower energy costs, and uniquely enhance community involvement. The complementary nature of these interventions highlights the potential added value of integrated or combined approaches to tackling energy poverty. Full article

This study developed an Energy Quadrilemma Index (EQI) for Latin American countries, analyzing data from six countries from 2014 to 2020. Using the Principal Component Analysis method, this work reduced the dimensionality of 20 indicators grouped into four dimensions: energy security, energy equity, sustainable development, and a new social context axis. The results reveal significant disparities among the countries in the study. For example, Uruguay shows robust indicators, Paraguay exhibits low utilization of the energy it produces, and Chile displays the poorest results in the sustainable development axis. Many countries’ widespread dependence on hydroelectricity makes them vulnerable to water crises. The results show that social, economic, and structural inequalities represent the main barriers to the energy transition, often marginalizing low-income populations. Ensuring a fair and inclusive transition requires implementing targeted policies and solutions adapted to each country’s specific context. Although Costa Rica leads in performance, it faces significant challenges in the field of sustainability. In contrast, Honduras has made some progress with sustainable development but still demonstrates weaknesses in other areas. These results highlight that standardized solutions can exacerbate regional inequalities, demanding approaches more tailored to local needs. This work’s novelty lies in the use of the social context dimension as a feature to assess energy poverty in selected countries. Full article

The generation of fine coal particles during mining and processing presents significant environmental and logistical challenges, particularly in coal-dependent, developing countries like South Africa (SA). This review critically evaluates the technical viability of fine coal briquetting as a sustainable waste-to-energy solution within a SA context, while drawing from global best practices and comparative benchmarks. It examines abundant feedstocks that can be used for valorization strategies, including fine coal and agricultural biomass residues. Furthermore, binder types, manufacturing parameters, and quality optimization strategies that influence briquette performance are assessed. The co-densification of fine coal with biomass offers a means to enhance combustion efficiency, reduce dust emissions, and convert low-value waste into a high-calorific, manageable fuel. Attention is also given to briquette testing standards (i.e., South African Bureau of Standards, ASTM International, and International Organization of Standardization) and end-use applications across domestic, industrial, and off-grid settings. Moreover, the review explores socio-economic implications, including rural job creation, energy poverty alleviation, and the potential role of briquetting in SA’s ‘Just Energy Transition’ (JET). This paper uniquely integrates technical analysis with policy relevance, rural energy needs, and practical challenges specific to South Africa, while offering a structured framework for bio-coal briquetting adoption in developing countries. While technical and economic barriers remain, such as binder costs and feedstock variability, the integration of briquetting into circular economy frameworks represents a promising path toward cleaner, decentralized energy and coal waste valorization. Full article

Energy poverty, resulting from poor energy efficiency and economic and social barriers to accessing appropriate, modern, and sustainable energy services, remains a critical issue in Jordan, a country facing growing climate pressures, particularly given its history of rapid urbanization. This study examines energy poverty through a multidimensional lens, considering its spatial and socio-demographic variations across Jordan. Drawing on data from 19,475 households, we apply a novel energy poverty index and binary logistic regression to analyze key determinants of energy poverty and discuss their intersection with climate vulnerability. The energy poverty index (EPI) is structured around four pillars: housing, fuel, cooling, and wealth. The results show that 51% of households in Jordan are affected by energy poverty. Contributing factors include geographic location, gender, age, education level, dwelling type, ownership of cooling appliances, and financial stability. The results indicate that energy poverty is both a socio-economic and infrastructural issue, with the highest concentrations in the northern and southern regions of the country, areas also vulnerable to climate risks such as drought and extreme heat. Our findings emphasize the need for integrated policy approaches that simultaneously address income inequality, infrastructure deficits, and environmental stressors. Targeted strategies are needed to align social and climate policies for effective energy poverty mitigation and climate resilience planning in Jordan. Full article

In response to the escalating challenges of climate change and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the energy transition has become a central priority of environmental policy worldwide. The European Union (EU), a global leader in implementing sustainable energy solutions, has pursued numerous initiatives aimed at advancing energy transformation. This paper presents the results of an empirical study assessing the efficiency of the energy transition process in the EU-27 countries over the 2013–2023 period. The assessment is based on the dynamic changes in selected indicators relevant to the energy transition, including decarbonization of the energy sector, improvements in energy efficiency, the share of renewable energy sources, energy import dependency, greenhouse gas emissions, and the extent of energy poverty. A multidimensional analysis was conducted using a specially developed energy transition efficiency index, where indicator weights were determined through the Analytic Hierarchy Process. The study also examined two distinct sub-periods (2013–2018 and 2018–2023), as well as a series of shorter, two-year intervals (2013–2015, 2015–2017, 2017–2019, 2019–2021, and 2021–2023), enabling a more nuanced analysis of the temporal evolution of transition efforts. Additionally, principal component analysis was employed to classify the EU-27 countries based on the similarity of their energy transition profiles. The findings reveal significant disparities in the pace and scope of energy transition across member states. Luxembourg, Malta, and the Netherlands demonstrated the most dynamic progress during the study period, followed by Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Estonia. In contrast, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Croatia, and Romania recorded the lowest performance. These differences underscore the varying starting points, policy approaches, and implementation speeds among EU countries in achieving energy transition objectives. Full article

The Greek islands have been blessed with excellent wind potential, with hundreds of sites featuring annual average wind velocity higher than 8–10 m/s. Due to specific regulations in the legal framework, some GWs of wind parks have been submitted since the late 2000s by a small number of large investors in the Greek islands, favoring the creation of energy monopolies and imposing serious impacts on natural ecosystems and existing human activities. These projects have caused serious public reactions against renewables, considerably decelerating the energy transition. This article aims to summarize the legal points in the Greek framework that caused this distorted approach and present the imposed potential social and environmental impacts. Energy monopolies distort the electricity wholesale market and lead to energy poverty and a low standard of living by imposing higher electricity procurement prices on the final users. The occupation of entire insular geographical territories by large wind park projects causes important deterioration of the natural environment, which, in turn, leads to loss of local occupations, urbanization, and migration by affecting negatively the countryside life. Serious concerns from the local population are clearly revealed through an accomplished statistical survey as well as a clear intention to be engaged in future wind park projects initiated by local stakeholders. The article is integrated with specific proposed measures and actions toward the rational development of renewable energy projects. These refer mainly on the formulation of a truly supportive and just legal framework aiming at remedying the currently formulated situation and the strengthening of the energy communities’ role, such as through licensing priorities, funding mechanisms, and tools, as well as additional initiatives such as capacity-building activities, pilot projects, and extensive activation of local citizens. Energy communities and local stakeholders should be involved in the overall process, from the planning to the construction and operation phase. Full article

Retrofitting the existing housing stock to a high level of energy efficiency will not be limited to achieving the decarbonisation of 80.3 MtCO2e residential emissions and reducing fuel poverty in 4.16 million households, but also improving the health and well-being of UK residents and their overall quality of life. The current progress of housing retrofitting is poor, at less than 1%. The UK expects to achieve net zero by 2050, and the challenge is immense as there are more than 30 million houses. The challenge is similar in other global contexts. Even if the required technology, supply chain, skilled labour, and finance could have been provided, the retrofitting would not move forward without positive engagement from the clients. Proper strategies are required to retrofit at scale. Focusing on the challenges of stakeholder engagement in housing retrofitting, this study focused on developing a hybrid one-stop shop solution through design science research. A theoretical artefact and an empirical system requirement specification document were developed to propose a one-stop shop solution. This was tested through retrofit industry stakeholders. Findings reveal that the one-stop shop model will be a good answer to retrofitting at scale, providing the resident engagement of 30.1 million households. The model can support residents with or without computer literacy due to its hybrid approach. The proposed theoretical and industrial models can be used as base models for developing one-stop shops for housing retrofitting by adapting them for context-specific requirements. Full article

Energy and environmental policies in the sector of buildings aim to achieve climate targets while ensuring affordable energy services for households. This study uses the Greek residential sector as a case study and focuses on energy poverty, examining both established and novel energy poverty indicators for its measurement, analyzing the key determinants of energy poverty, and developing statistical models to identify energy-poor households. The same models are also used for assessing the effectiveness of policies and measures implemented or planned to address energy poverty with a view to develop synergies with policies aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Energy poverty levels in Greece ranged from 8.4% to 19.6% in 2021, depending on the energy poverty measure used. The evaluation of the policies aiming at tackling energy poverty showed that deep energy renovations, combined with space heating system upgrades, can reduce energy poverty by 69–99%. Shallow energy renovations and upgrades of space heating systems, implemented either individually or in combination, are less effective. Finally, while the various subsidy schemes for vulnerable households do not significantly affect energy poverty levels, they play a critical role in alleviating the depth of energy poverty and improving the quality of energy services provided to households. Full article

Low-income households face severe energy affordability issues due to poor housing quality. To fight this problem, Spanish public administrations and NGOs have collaborated with the Naturgy Foundation’s Energy Rehabilitation Solidarity Fund to improve the energy efficiency of vulnerable households through quick and low-cost interventions. This paper evaluates the impact of shallow renovation and micro-efficiency measures implemented within this program on energy poverty across various Spanish provinces. The analysis includes data from 416 households in 10 provinces, examining sociodemographic factors, housing conditions, energy bills, and thermal comfort perceptions. The methodology involved collecting data through two questionnaires and energy bills provided by collaborating entities. The study found that shallow renovation measures reduced the energy poverty gap by 14.51%, from EUR 554/year to EUR 483/year. Despite these gains, many households remain in severe hidden energy poverty, spending less than a quarter of their theoretical energy expenditure. The findings highlight the diversity among different provinces and measures and the need for more extensive structural measures to reduce energy poverty significantly. Eventually, the study underscores the effectiveness of energy renovations carried out by non-profit organizations. Thus, scaling these efforts nationally might help meet the goals of the public energy poverty plans. Full article

This study investigates a hybrid renewable energy system combining the municipal solid waste (MSW) gasification and solar photovoltaic (PV) for electricity generation in Lobito, Angola. A fixed-bed downdraft gasifier was selected for MSW gasification, where the thermal decomposition of waste under controlled air flow produces syngas rich in CO and H₂. The syngas is treated to remove contaminants before powering a combined cycle. The PV system was designed for optimal energy generation, considering local solar radiation and shading effects. Simulation tools, including Aspen Plus v11.0, PVsyst v8, and HOMER Pro software 3.16.2, were used for modeling and optimization. The hybrid system generates 62 GWh/year of electricity, with the gasifier contributing 42 GWh/year, and the PV system contributing 20 GWh/year. This total energy output, sufficient to power 1186 households, demonstrates an integration mechanism that mitigates the intermittency of solar energy through continuous MSW gasification. However, the system lacks surplus electricity for green hydrogen production, given the region’s energy deficit. Economically, the system achieves a Levelized Cost of Energy of 0.1792 USD/kWh and a payback period of 16 years. This extended payback period is mainly due to the hydrogen production system, which has a low production rate and is not economically viable. When excluding H₂ production, the payback period is reduced to 11 years, making the hybrid system more attractive. Environmental benefits include a reduction in CO₂ emissions of 42,000 t/year from MSW gasification and 395 t/year from PV production, while also addressing waste management challenges. This study highlights the mechanisms behind hybrid system operation, emphasizing its role in reducing energy poverty, improving public health, and promoting sustainable development in Angola. Full article

This paper investigates the dynamics of energy poverty across EU Member States from 2015 to 2023, a period characterized by economic recovery, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a significant energy crisis. Utilizing Eurostat EU-SILC data, the study analyzes trends in four key indicators: the inability to keep homes adequately warm, arrears on utility bills, housing cost overburden rate, and the at-risk-of-poverty rate. Data processing and trend analysis were performed using R and RStudio, while a k-means cluster analysis, executed in Python via Visual Studio Code, identified and compared distinct country groupings based on their energy poverty profiles in 2015 and 2023. The findings reveal a general improvement in energy poverty indicators across the EU until 2019, followed by a marked deterioration, particularly in energy affordability metrics post-2021 due to the energy crisis. This impact was observed to be distinct from general income poverty trends. While significant geographical disparities persist, with Southern and Eastern European countries often more vulnerable, the analysis also points to notable improvements in several Central and Eastern European nations. The cluster analysis, which identified eight clusters in 2015 and seven in 2023, suggests a degree of partial convergence. Key shifts include Poland’s transition to a lower-risk cluster and Spain’s move to a higher-risk group, while Southern Europe generally remains highly susceptible. This research underscores the dynamic and multifaceted nature of energy poverty, highlighting the necessity for targeted, context-specific policies. Addressing energy poverty is crucial for enhancing household resilience and achieving truly comprehensive energy security throughout the EU, especially amid the ongoing energy transition and potential future socio-economic shocks. Full article

This study examines the constrained social acceptance of small-scale geothermal energy in a rural sub-Saharan region, a critically understudied area, characterised by high energy poverty, heavy dependence on biomass, and suitable for geothermal energy exploration. Small-scale geothermal energy may offer an additional option for decentralised power supply through mini grids. The study investigates public awareness and knowledge level of geothermal energy technologies among the residents of Eka Awoke, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, to assess the potential of the deliberative process to enhance the social acceptance of geothermal energy technologies and the development of an improved participatory framework to aid the discussion. Citizen jury and survey methods, combining qualitative and quantitative research techniques, were employed. This study presents the first in-depth analysis of the social acceptance of small-scale geothermal energy for electricity supply in a rural African context. Pre-deliberative assessments revealed that 36% of the jurors had limited knowledge and expressed environmental concerns. The post-deliberative assessment revealed that over 80% of jurors reported improved understanding and views. The study demonstrates that citizen jury, when combined with surveyed results can serve as a powerful and scalable tool for advancing social acceptance of geothermal energy. These findings provide a solid foundation for policymakers, stakeholders, and energy providers to design more effective communication engagement strategies for sustainable energy transition in the community. Full article

Energy poverty continues to be a critical challenge, and this requires efficient and scalable identification methods to support targeted interventions. The Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) indicator and previously the Low Income High Costs (LIHC) indicator have been used by the UK government to monitor national energy poverty levels. Yet due to their reliance on complex, time-intensive data collection processes and estimations, these indicators are not suitable for identifying energy poverty in specific households. This study investigates an alternative approach to energy poverty identification: using machine learning models trained on administrative data, data that could reasonably be available to governments for all or most households. We develop machine learning models using data from the English Housing Survey that serves as a proxy for administrative data. This data is selected to closely resemble what might be available in national administrative databases, incorporating variables such as household socio-demographics and building physical characteristics. We evaluate multiple classification algorithms, including Random Forest and XGBoosting, applying resampling and class weighting techniques to address the inherent class imbalance in energy poverty classification. We compare model performance with a ‘benchmark’ model developed by the UK government for the same goal. Model performance is assessed using the metrics of accuracy, balanced accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score, with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values providing the interpretability of the predictions. The best-performing model (XGBoosting with class weighting) achieves higher balanced accuracy (0.88), and precision (0.51) compared to the benchmark model (balanced accuracy: 0.77, precision: 0.24), demonstrating an improved ability to classify energy-poor households with fewer data constraints. SHAP analysis reveals household income and dwelling characteristics are key determinants of energy poverty. This research demonstrates that machine learning, trained on existing administrative datasets, offers a feasible, scalable, and interpretable alternative for energy poverty identification, enabling new opportunities for efficient targeted policy interventions. This study also aligns with recent UK government discussions on the potential for integrating administrative data sources to enhance policy implementation. Future research could explore the integration of real-time smart meter data to refine energy poverty assessments further. Full article

In the European Union, 75% of the residential building stock is estimated to have energy inefficiencies, which increases the probability of falling into energy poverty. Poor thermal conditions reduce the quality of life of dwelling occupants. Renovating the residential building stock is essential to reduce energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and energy poverty in cities. This study aims to assess and map the energy efficiency and energy poverty of residential buildings in Seville at the urban district and census tract level. A total of 45,908 dwellings were evaluated using data from the Energy Performance Certificates database and demographic and economic information from national and official databases. The analysis considers dwelling typology, year of construction, average household income, and geographic location at the district and census tract level. The results show that Seville’s residential building stock performs poorly, with 83% and 92% of dwellings rated “E” or lower for energy consumption and CO₂ emissions, respectively. The findings of this GIS-based study help identify urban areas with less efficient buildings and higher energy poverty risk, providing valuable information to develop targeted renovation strategies and reduce the climate impact of Seville’s residential building stock. Full article