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Electric energy security is essential, yet the high cost and limited sources of fossil fuels, in addition to the need to reduce greenhouse gasses emission, have made renewable resources attractive in world energy-based economies. The potential for renewable energy resources is enormous because they can, in principle, exponentially exceed the world׳s energy demand; therefore, these types of resources will have a significant share in the future global energy portfolio, much of which is now concentrating on advancing their pool of renewable energy resources. Accordingly, this paper presents how renewable energy resources are currently being used, scientific developments to improve their use, their future prospects, and their deployment. Additionally, the paper represents the impact of power electronics and smart grid technologies that can enable the proportionate share of renewable energy resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is important for sustainable development, yet multidimensional challenges exist for policy makers in transformations to sustainable energy systems. Sustainable development is generally recognised as having a three-lens approach: development must balance impacts in the economic, environmental and cultural dimensions. While cultural themes such as governance, motivation, and social values are widely acknowledged in the literature as critical for transformations to sustainability, however, research on these themes has been scant. Culture influences many aspects of society; hence it is important to consider culture when developing policies for sustainable development. Understanding national cultures can lead to greater understanding of what shapes national policy and strategies for transformations to sustainable energy systems. Understanding cultural influences on policy can help other countries to overcome similar challenges in policy making, planning or local resource management. Comparisons between countries serve to further advance the understanding of approaches to such challenges. This paper examines transformations towards sustainable energy through the lens of culture, through a case study of geothermal development in Iceland and Japan. Using Hoftsede's cultural theory framework, we highlight cultural variables relevant to sustainability transformations, with particular emphasis on the challenges of the management of geothermal energy resources, and the management of related conflicts and public participation. We present our findings garnered from interviews with key players in the energy industry in both countries reinforced by an extensive literature review. We find that culture clearly influences the approach to geothermal energy development in both countries and we identify benefits and disadvantages to approaches on overlapping issues and challenges in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Pakistan energy situation is seriously troubling today due to lack of careful planning and implementation of its energy policies. To avoid the worse situation in the years ahead, the country will have to exploit its huge natural renewable resource. In this paper a review is being presented about renewable energy resource potential available in the country to be exploited for useful and consistent energy supplies. On average solar global insolation 5–7kWh/m2/day, wind speed 5–7.5m/s, Biogas 14 millionm3/day, microhydel more than 600MW (for small units) with persistency factor of more than 80% over a year exist in the country. Solar and wind maps are presented along with identification of hot spring sites as resource of geothermal energy. The research results presented in this paper are not only useful for government policy makers, executing agencies but also for private sector national and international agencies and stake holders who want to invest in Pakistan for renewable energy projects or business. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sichuan Province is one of the most important economic inland areas and is characterized by an abundance of renewable energy resources in the form of solar, wind, biomass, and, in particular, hydropower. After the rapid growth of installed hydropower capacity during the past decade, the non-hydro renewable energy resource development is booming in Sichuan Province. This development is bringing about a series of problems as well. In this paper, we give an overview of Sichuan׳s renewable energy development in the past five years, analyze the existing problems, and examine the underlying causes in terms of environment, market, technology, and policy. On that basis, we propose a method for future renewable energy development in Sichuan and suggest that Sichuan׳s government should improve the pricing mechanism and the mandatory share policy for non-hydro renewable energy. Additionally, R&D on the plateau type of wind turbines and the smart micro-grid should be strengthened. Finally, given the mature hydropower industry in Sichuan, the combined operation of wind–hydro and solar–hydro plants is recommended to improve the stability of renewable electricity generation output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct use and power generation based on geothermal sources are growing at a steadfast pace around the world. Although available abundantly in many parts of the world, geothermal energy sources have been under-utilized in desalination applications. Geothermal sources have the potential to serve as excellent heat sources for thermal desalination processes. Since thermal desalination processes require large quantities of heat sources, geothermal based energy source represents a feasible, sustainable, and an environmentally friendly option. The advantage with geothermal source is that it can act as a heat source and a storage medium for process energy utilization. If these water sources have high dissolved solids, then they can serve as feed water for the desalination process. Since external energy consumption is minimized except for the mechanical energy requirements, geothermal enabled desalination processes could have less environmental impacts when compared to other nonrenewable energy driven desalination processes. Cogeneration schemes for simultaneous water and power production are also possible with geothermal sources as well as poly generation with multiple process benefits involving cooling and heating applications. This paper provides the present state-of-the-art of geothermal desalination with discussion on the benefits of geothermal desalination over other renewable and nonrenewable energy driven desalination configurations. Present status of the worldwide geothermal desalination and the potential for future developments in this technological area were discussed in detail with case studies for Australia, Caribbean Islands, Central America (Coasta Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama), India, Israel, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE, USA, and Sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: At present, countries around the world set off a round of upsurge of exploitation and utilization of geothermal energy. As one of renewable energy resources, geothermal energy has the advantages of great resource potential, low carbon emissions, widespread distribution, easy development and so on. China׳s geothermal resources are enormous and have huge potential for exploitation. However, due to the lack of reasonable industry planning and policies support, and lag of technologies, the industrial development speed and scale are far behind the wind, solar and biomass energy. The 12th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People׳s Republic of China explicitly issues that in future China will vigorously develop the geothermal energy and provide more policy support for geothermal industry development from medium to longer term. This paper describes China׳s geothermal resource potential and status quo of geothermal industry, and analyzes the obstacles of the industry development. Then, it accordingly puts forward the development pattern of China׳s geothermal industry and gives out related countermeasures. At last, it outlines the prospects in this field. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Achieving solution to environmental problems that we face today requires long-term potential actions for sustainable development. In this regard, renewable energy resources appear to be the one of the most efficient and effective solutions. Although, Turkey has substantial reserves of renewable energy resources, actual utilization of these resources are quite low. The aim of this study is to investigate the renewable energy policies and the political organizations that shape these policies. In these concept, The renewable energy potential of Turkey, the effective utilization of this potential, the energy politics, the political organizations, incentive, pricing and buying mechanisms, research and development studies, barriers for development of renewable energy are investigated in this paper. In conclusion, proposals and recommendations are given to overcome the problems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]