Search Results (169)

The transition to low-carbon heating systems is fundamental to achieving climate neutrality, particularly within the building sector, which accounts for a significant share of global greenhouse gas emissions. Among various technologies, heat pumps have emerged as a leading solution due to their high energy efficiency and potential to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions, especially when powered by renewable electricity. This systematic review synthesizes findings from the recent literature, including peer-reviewed studies and industry reports, to evaluate the technical performance, environmental impact, and deployment potential of air source, ground source, and water source heat pumps. This review also investigates life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, the influence of geographical energy mix diversity, and the integration of heat pumps within hybrid and district heating systems. Results indicate that hybrid HP systems achieve the lowest specific GHG emissions (0.108 kgCO₂eq/kWh of heat delivered on average), followed by WSHPs (0.018 to 0.216 kgCO₂eq/kWh), GSHPs (0.050–0.211 kgCO₂eq/kWh), and ASHPs (0.083–0.216 kgCO₂eq/kWh). HP systems show a potential GHG emission reduction of up to 90%, depending on the kind of technology and energy mix. Despite higher investment costs, the lower environmental footprint of GSHPs and WSHPs makes them attractive options for decarbonizing the building sector due to better performance resulting from more stable thermal input and higher SCOP. The integration of heat pumps with thermal storage, renewable energy, and smart control technologies further enhances their efficiency and climate benefits, regardless of the challenges facing their market potential. This review concludes that heat pumps, particularly in hybrid configurations, are a cornerstone technology for sustainable building heat supply and energy transition. Full article

According to the FAO, wheat, corn, and rice are staple crops that support global food security, providing 50% of the world’s dietary energy. The ability to predict accurately these key food crop agricultural commodity prices is important in stabilizing markets, supporting policymaking, and informing stakeholders’ decisions. To this aim, machine learning (ML), ensemble learning (EL), deep learning (DL), and time series methods (TS) have been increasingly used for forecasting due to the rapid development of computational power and data availability. This study presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of peer-reviewed original research articles focused on forecasting the prices of wheat, corn, and rice using machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), ensemble learning (EL), and time series techniques. The results of the study help uncover suitable forecasting methods, such as hybrid deep learning models that consistently outperform traditional methods, and they identify important limitations in model interpretability and the use of region-specific datasets, highlighting the need for explainable and generalizable forecasting solutions. This systematic review adheres to the PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines. Full article

This study presents a systematic bibliometric review of digital innovations in renewable energy-oriented power systems, with a focus on Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Data Analytics. The objective is to evaluate the research landscape, trends, and integration potential of these technologies within sustainable energy infrastructures. Peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2020 and 2025 were retrieved from Scopus using a structured search strategy. A total of 23,074 records were initially identified and filtered according to inclusion criteria based on relevance, peer-review status, and citation impact. No risk of bias assessment was applicable due to the nature of the study. The analysis employed bibliometric and keyword clustering techniques using VOSviewer and MATLAB to identify publication trends, citation patterns, and technology-specific application areas. AI emerged as the most studied domain, peaking with 1209 papers and 15,667 citations in 2024. IoT and Data Analytics followed in relevance, contributing to real-time system optimization and monitoring. Blockchain, while less frequent, is gaining traction in secure decentralized energy markets. Limitations include possible indexing delays affecting 2025 trends and the exclusion of gray literature. This study offers actionable insights for researchers and policymakers by identifying converging research fronts and recommending areas for regulatory, infrastructural, and collaborative focus. This review was not pre-registered. Funding was provided by the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana under project code 005-01-2025-02-07. Full article

Developing countries face a disproportionate degree of threat from climate change. As such, they require and receive significant financial support to address the menace. However, little is known about the potential externalities of this form of external liquidity for the business sector. This paper evaluates the impact of climate finance on the ease of doing business (EODB). On the one hand, climate finance might lead to an improved business environment as the funds facilitate infrastructure provision, technological innovation, and international collaboration for recipient countries. On the other hand, however, the business environment might be negatively impacted by complex new regulations, disruptive technological transitions, market distortions, and resource diversions. Countries receiving climate funds may also introduce new environmental and business regulations, implement new technologies, and divert resources to new programs to justify the receipt of aid or demonstrate a commitment to balancing economic development with environmental objectives. We theorize that given the expected disruptions to business, climate finance should negatively impact the EODB. We also argue that this negative impact will be more severe for resource-rich countries than for their resource-poor peers. Countries rich in natural resources might experience higher disruptions to business operations as they attempt to balance resource-dependent economic operations with environmental objectives mandated by climate finance. Utilizing panel data for 86 recipient countries for the 2002–2021 period, we test our hypotheses using the Generalized Methods of Moments (GMM) technique. The baseline results suggest that climate finance has a weak positive impact on the EODB. However, as argued, resource-dependence heterogeneity analysis reveals that climate finance significantly negatively disrupts the EODB in resource-rich countries. Furthermore, a sectoral comparative analysis shows that while climate finance has a significant positive impact on the growth of the service sector, it significantly slows the growth of the resource sector, affirming the argument that climate finance might attract higher disruptions to resource-dependent business operations. By implication, lowly diversified economies might realize more negative than positive effects of climate finance, and investors should consider providing support to ease the pains of transitioning from resource-intensive growth to clean energy-driven development strategies. Full article

The growing complexity of distributed energy systems and the rise of peer-to-peer energy markets demand innovative solutions for efficient, resilient, and sustainable energy management. However, existing research often remains fragmented, with limited integration between control strategies, optimization frameworks, and practical implementation. This paper presents a comprehensive systematic review, following the PRISMA methodology, that synthesizes findings from 94 high-quality studies and addresses the lack of consolidated insights across technical, operational, and architectural layers. This review highlights advancements in six key areas: optimization and modeling, multi-agent systems, simulations, blockchain and smart contracts, robust frameworks, and electric machines. Despite progress, several studies reveal challenges related to scalability, data privacy, computational complexity, and system adaptability, particularly in dynamic and decentralized environments. Stochastic–robust optimization and multi-agent systems improve decentralized coordination, while blockchain enhances security and automation in peer-to-peer trading. Simulations validate energy strategies, bridging theory and practice, and electric machines support renewable integration and grid flexibility. The synthesis underscores the need for unified frameworks that combine artificial intelligence, predictive control, and secure communication protocols. This review aims to provide a roadmap for advancing distributed energy systems toward scalable, resilient, and sustainable energy solutions. Full article

Traditional centralized energy grids struggle to meet urban areas’ increasingly complex energy demands, necessitating the development of more sustainable and resilient energy solutions. Smart microgrids offer a decentralized approach that enhances energy efficiency, facilitates the integration of renewable energy sources, and improves urban resilience. This study follows a systematic review approach, analyzing the literature published in peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and industry reports between 2011 and 2025. The research draws from academic publications of energy institutions alongside regulatory reports, examining actual smart microgrid deployments in San Diego, Barcelona, and Seoul. Additionally, this article provides real-world case studies from New York and London, showcasing successful and unsuccessful smart microgrid deployments. The Brooklyn Microgrid in New York demonstrates peer-to-peer energy trading, while London faces regulations and funding challenges in its decentralized energy systems. The paper also explores economic and policy frameworks such as public–private partnerships (PPPs), localized energy markets, and standardized regulatory models to enable microgrid adoption at scale. While PPPs provide financial and infrastructural support for microgrid deployment, they also introduce stakeholder alignment and regulatory compliance complexities. Countries like Germany and India have successfully used PPPs for smart microgrid development, leveraging low-interest loans, government incentives, and regulatory mechanisms to encourage innovation and adoption of smart microgrid technologies. In addition, the review examines new trends like the utilization of AI and quantum computing to optimize energy, peer-to-peer energy trading, and climate resilient design before outlining a future research agenda focused on cybersecurity, decarbonization, and the inclusion of new technology. Contributions include the development of a modular and scalable microgrid framework, innovative hybrid storage systems, and a performance-based policy model suited to the urban environment. These contributions help to fill the gap between what is possible today and what is needed for future sustainable urban energy systems and create the foundation for resilient cities of the next century. Full article

Electric vehicles (EVs) are a recognized solution for lowering greenhouse gas emissions and decreasing oil dependency, especially in Indonesia. Existing studies have explored the economic impact, challenges, and opportunities of EV adoption separately, lacking a holistic analysis. This study addresses this gap by providing a comprehensive assessment of the economic implications, challenges, and opportunities of EV adoption in Indonesia through a systematic literature review of 65 peer-reviewed articles, industry reports, and reputable publications from 2016 to 2024. The document analysis involved keyword-based literature selection, content analysis of economic metrics, and synthesis into key thematic areas. The findings reveal that EV sales in Indonesia have been rising annually, influenced by cost, driving range, environmental impact, technological features, charging infrastructure, battery, and government policies and incentives. EV adoption has positively impacted Indonesia’s GDP, attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), created jobs, and reduced fuel consumption and imports. However, several challenges persist, including high EV costs, inadequate charging infrastructure, societal readiness, battery replacement costs and waste management, and limited model variety. Despite these challenges, opportunities exist in the form of market growth, FDI from nickel resources, energy security, job creation, and industrial expansion. Recommendations for creating a conducive EV ecosystem are provided for relevant stakeholders. Full article

Smart microgrids (SMGs) have emerged as a key solution to enhance energy management and sustainability within decentralized energy systems. This paper presents SmartGrid AI, a platform integrating deep reinforcement learning (DRL) and neural networks to optimize energy consumption, predict demand, and facilitate peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading. The platform dynamically adapts to real-time energy demand and supply fluctuations, achieving a 23% reduction in energy costs, a 40% decrease in grid dependency, and an 85% renewable energy utilization rate. Furthermore, AI-driven P2P trading mechanisms demonstrate that 18% of electricity consumption is handled through efficient decentralized exchanges. The integration of vehicle-to-home (V2H) technology allows electric vehicle (EV) batteries to store surplus renewable energy and supply 15% of household energy demand during peak hours. Real-time data from Saudi Arabia validated the system’s performance, highlighting its scalability and adaptability to diverse energy market conditions. The quantitative results suggest that SmartGrid AI is a revolutionary method of sustainable and cost-effective energy management in SMGs. Full article

The maritime industry is going through a technology transition, aiming to have carbon-neutral propulsion systems. A significant trend of orders for ships with alternative propulsion has been observed. A favorable means to meet the decarbonization requirements imposed by IMO (International Maritime Organization) is to operate vessels with sustainable energy. Harvesting wind power and its conversion into ship propulsion are gaining popularity due to emission reductions and expected reductions in fuel consumption. This paper reviews recent studies on wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPSs), the different aspects of using sail applications in the maritime industry, and the types of wind-assisted propulsion systems. The study also presents the latest developments in WAPS systems offered by leading maritime market manufacturers and their applications on existing vessels. The article is based on a literature review (peer-reviewed articles), the information provided by wind propulsion systems manufacturers and internet research. Full article

Agrivoltaics, combining agricultural production with a photovoltaics system, leverage the dual benefits of panel shading and electricity to optimize traditional farming methods. Agrivoltaics offer many advantages, including agricultural and environmental benefits (e.g., increased crop productivity, water conservation, and enhanced biodiversity), energy benefits (e.g., increased energy production and efficiency), and social benefits (e.g., improved food and energy security, diversification of income, and rural development). Although agrivoltaic approaches have been around for about forty years, little is known about the long-term benefits, potential compatibility with current agricultural practices, market uncertainty and economic viability, and overall benefits. This research provides a review of the literature with a particular focus on individual income generation opportunities: (1) solar energy generation, (2) electricity sales, (3) agricultural production, (4) agricultural sales, and (5) agrivoltaics installations. Each focus area has an associated critical review of government-sponsored market transformation policies aimed to increase agrivoltaics adoption. The paper concludes with a call to action for establishing a collaborative agenda toward prioritizing agrivoltaics research and adoption. Future research is needed to find innovative designs and practices that maximize agricultural productivity within APV systems. Two promising areas for research and innovation include (1) real-time performance monitoring and (2) peer-to-peer networks. Implementing real-time performance monitoring systems can provide valuable data on energy production, microclimate conditions, and crop growth within APV setups. Additionally, peer-to-peer trading platforms can allow farmers to sell surplus energy generated by their APV systems directly to local consumers, bypassing traditional energy utilities. This decentralized model could provide farmers with an additional revenue stream, while promoting the use of renewable energy within local communities, further incentivizing the adaptation of APVs. Full article

This study proposes a multi-objective optimization framework for peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading in South Korea’s tiered electricity pricing system. The framework employs the Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm based on Decomposition (MOEA/D) to optimize three conflicting objectives: minimizing consumer costs, maximizing prosumer benefits, and enhancing energy utilization. Using real microgrid data from a South Korean community, the framework’s performance is validated through simulations. The results highlight that MOEA/D achieved an optimal cost of KRW 32,205.0, a benefit of KRW 32,205.0, and an energy utilization rate of 57.46%, outperforming the widely used NSGA-II algorithm. Pareto front analysis demonstrates MOEA/D’s ability to generate diverse and balanced solutions, making it well suited for regulated energy markets. These findings underline the framework’s potential to improve energy efficiency, lower costs, and foster sustainable energy trading practices. This research offers valuable insights for advancing decentralized energy systems in South Korea and similar environments. Full article

Given the accelerating global movement towards decarbonization, the importance of promoting renewable energy (RE) adoption and ensuring efficient transactions in energy markets is increasing worldwide. However, renewable energy sources, including photovoltaic (PV) systems, are subject to output fluctuations due to weather conditions, requiring large-scale backup power to balance supply and demand. This makes trading electricity from large-scale PV systems connected to the existing grid challenging. To address this, peer-to-peer (P2P) energy markets where individual prosumers can trade excess power within their local communities have been garnering attention. This study introduces a simulator for P2P energy trading, designed to account for the diverse behaviors and objectives of participants within a market mechanism. The simulator incorporates two risk aversion parameters: one related to transaction timing, expressed through order prices, and another related to forecast errors, managed by adjusting trade volumes. This allows participants to customize their trading strategies, resulting in more realistic analyses of trading outcomes. To explore the effects of these risk aversion settings, we conduct a case study with 120 participants, including both consumers and prosumers, using real data from household smart meters collected on sunny and cloudy days. Our analysis shows that participants with higher aversion to transaction timing tend to settle trades earlier, often resulting in unnecessary transactions due to forecast inaccuracies. Furthermore, trading outcomes are significantly influenced by weather conditions: sunny days typically benefit buyers through lower settlement prices, while cloudy days favor sellers who execute trades closer to their actual needs. These findings demonstrate the trade-off between early execution and forecast error losses, emphasizing the simulator’s ability to analyze trading outcomes while accounting for participant risk aversion preferences. Full article

This paper presents a model for transactive energy management within microgrids (MGs) that include smart homes and buildings. The model focuses on peer-to-peer (P2P) transactive energy management among these homes, establishing a collaborative use of a cloud energy storage system (CESS) to reduce daily energy costs for both smart homes and MGs. This research assesses how smart homes and buildings can effectively utilize CESS while implementing P2P transactive energy management. Additionally, it explores the potential of a solar rooftop parking lot facility that offers charging and discharging services for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) within the MG. Controllable and non-controllable appliances, along with air conditioning (AC) systems, are managed by a home energy management (HEM) system to optimize energy interactions within daily scheduling. A linear mathematical framework is developed across three scenarios and solved using General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS 24.1.2) software for optimization. The developed model investigates the operational impacts and optimization opportunities of CESS within smart homes and MGs. It also develops a transactive energy framework in a P2P energy trading market embedded with CESS and analyzes the cost-effectiveness and arbitrage driven by CESS integration. The results of the comparative analysis reveal that integrating CESS within the P2P transactive framework not only opens up further technical opportunities but also significantly reduces MG energy costs from $55.01 to $48.64, achieving an 11.57% improvement. Results are further discussed. Full article

The widespread use of social media among children has raised concerns about its impact on their dietary habits and health. This systematic review investigates the negative effects of social media on children’s diets to inform evidence-based interventions and policies. A search of peer-reviewed studies from 2020 to 2024 was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Studies involving children aged 5–18 and examining social media’s influence on diet were included. Two independent reviewers screened the studies, and data extraction and quality assessment were done using standardized methods. Of 945 identified studies, 25 met the inclusion criteria. The key themes included (1) exposure to unhealthy food advertisements, (2) peer influence promoting energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, (3) distorted body image perceptions leading to unhealthy eating, and (4) reduced mealtime quality due to social media distractions. Stronger associations were observed for marketing exposure and peer influence on food choices. The review highlights social media’s negative effects on children’s diets, emphasizing the need for interventions, stricter food marketing regulations, and educational programs to enhance media literacy. Future research should explore the long-term impacts and protective factors to guide policies for creating healthier digital environments for children. Full article

This research investigates the integration of blockchain technology into smart grids, focusing on optimizing both electrical billing and peer-to-peer energy trading between producers and consumers. Using blockchain smart contracts, the system automates and secures energy consumption recording, bill calculation, payment processing, and energy transactions. In the electrical billing framework, a blockchain-based approach was developed to model these functionalities, utilizing an EnergyBilling smart contract to calculate bills and an EnergyPayment smart contract to ensure payment accuracy. Validation using actual consumption data from Sinoma Handan’s project site confirmed the system’s accuracy and reliability when cross-verified with mathematical models. Simultaneously, the study explores peer-to-peer energy trading, where producers (represented by Askari Cement Plant.Nizampur, Pakistan) and consumers (Sinoma Handan Ltd, Handan, China.) conduct automated, transparent transactions. Blockchain’s decentralized nature ensures transparency, data immutability, and a secure, tamper-proof record of transactions. The system eliminates intermediaries, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing costs. Key outcomes demonstrate successful transaction execution with detailed settlements, ensuring financial accountability. Our research highlights blockchain’s transformative potential in revolutionizing electrical billing and energy trading. It offers a secure, transparent, and efficient solution while acknowledging scalability, transaction costs, and regulatory hurdles. Future work could focus on real-world implementation, integration with IoT devices for real-time data collection, and scaling these technologies for broader industrial applications in global energy markets. Full article