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As countries worldwide seek to reach net zero emissions within the coming decades, data center sustainability measures are becoming increasingly important as these facilities consume substantial amounts of electricity to support globally expanding digital infrastructure. Yet, local renewable energy production and waste heat utilization are still rarely used in data centers, even though recent high electricity prices have considerably increased the economic value of self-generation and energy efficiency investments. The benefits and cost-effectiveness of data center sustainability measures have also not yet been thoroughly researched in cold-climate regions, where the data center industry is currently growing rapidly. Thus, this paper assesses how solar photovoltaics (PV) and waste heat utilization can effectively be integrated into different cold climate data centers, with a case study analyzing data centers in Finland and northern Japan. The modelled results indicate that solar PV systems can cost-effectively be used to provide renewable electricity to data centers in both Finland and northern Japan, with electricity prices having the largest influence on economic performance. The use of larger external PV systems is shown to be cost-effective at the higher electricity prices seen in 2022, whereas smaller rooftop PV systems and grid electricity provide more economic benefits at 2019 price levels. Selling surplus PV electricity to the grid and using waste heat for district heating is also shown to be effective in data centers located in Finland, whereas battery storage and snow melting are better suited to utilize surplus PV electricity and data center waste heat in northern Japan. [Display omitted] • Solar photovoltaic systems can cost-effectively reduce data center emissions in cold climate countries. • Data center waste heat can provide value in district heating and snow melting applications. • The cost-effectiveness of data center sustainability measures is largely influenced by electricity prices. • The option to sell surplus electricity to the grid incentives larger solar photovoltaic investments in data centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract How can leaders successfully craft energy or climate policy to support an initiative that citizens oppose? This paper considers this challenge from a change management perspective applied to public governance. It first draws on change management theory to develop a framework for altering mass public perspectives. The framework consists of four phases: i) problematizing the issue, ii) laying a foundation for change, iii) reshaping perspectives, and iv) entrenching support. Drawing from the insights gleaned from the establishment of Japan's nuclear power program, the paper further argues that in order to succeed in mass perceptual change, policymakers must first clearly understand the contextual environment in which the policy is being formulated. In doing so, policymakers will be better able to customize policy design to appeal to stakeholder perceptions and sentiments. Although the context of this paper is the perceptual modification of public opinion to support nuclear power, the authors suggest that the same framework can be applied to perceptual modification of any policy that the general public might be opposed to. In the energy sector, this could apply to fostering a transition to renewable energy as easily as it applies to nurturing nuclear power development. However, the Japanese case puts forth a caveat in this regard, there is evidence that the mindsets of the Japanese policymakers were predisposed to advocacy of nuclear power and once policymakers commit to a technological trajectory, it is hard to engender a change of course. Therefore, the article concludes by speculating on how the perceptions of policymakers might be similarly altered through efforts from the alternative energy sector to foster policy change. Highlights • 4 elements frame pace, scale and scope of technological change. • The elements are change incentives, alternatives, stakeholder perceptions & contextual influence. • Altering public perception requires 4 strategic steps. • 4 Steps: i) problematize, ii) lay a foundation for change, iii) reshape perceptions, and iv) entrench. • The paper applies this to explain rise of Japan's nuclear power industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural ventilation is an effective strategy for reducing energy use in buildings. The effect is especially significant for buildings with high internal heat generation, such as commercial office buildings. Therefore, naturally ventilated office buildings are becoming increasingly popular in Japan. In this paper, monitoring and measurement results from Japanese studies are reviewed. Thirty buildings are selected for the review based on the search results obtained using a Japanese search engine for academic papers. To identify trends in the design of naturally ventilated buildings, the representative air change rates are compared. The values range from 1 to 10 ac/h, and no specific peak is observed. In addition, no strong correlation is found between the air change rates and floor areas. These results suggest that the natural ventilation performance depends considerably on the design. Additionally, the natural ventilation performance is highly dependent on the building shape, which is generally discussed during the early stages of building design. In this context, it is important to create a clear target air change rate within the range of achievable values for natural ventilation design in the early design stage and to consider this target throughout the building design process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The threat of increased global warming resulting from the use of fossil fuels stresses decision-makers to formulate and adopt policies towards different sectors of the economy. In light of the great earthquake in Japan 2011, energy efficiency also plays an important role in meeting the challenge of power supply shortage. Energy policies towards industry are of particular importance as a major part of the energy in the economy is used in industrial production. The number of papers investigating and presenting experience from energy end-use policies are scarce. Furthermore, for those present, they often only include a very brief analysis. From a public point of view, evaluations of energy programs are of major importance to measure the performance of the programs. From an energy policy designer point of view, it is of major importance to not only see the cost-effectiveness of the policy but also to understand the fundamental mechanisms for the success or failure of an industrial energy program, in order to learn how to improve future programs. The aim of this paper is to present a review of energy end-use policy instrument in Japan and Sweden towards the industrial sector from 1990 to 2014, with special emphasis on industrial SMEs. From the results presented some general conclusions can be made, (1) results show that the cost-effectiveness differs substantially between the evaluated programs, and (2) that from a governmental point of view, subsidies towards energy audit programs seem like the most cost-effective policy. In addition to this (3) the results from the review also stress the importance of a clear strategy for every energy program on how the program is going to be evaluated, ex-ante or ex-post, and how the performance of the program is to be measured. This structure should be included from the start of the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the precedents, policies and factors relevant to a successful energy regime transition which may be applied in the Japanese case, through a review of national leaders in renewable energy deployment. The examples of Germany, Italy and Spain are of particular note for their progress along the transition pathway toward a low carbon energy regime. Transition theory is used as a framework to enable this assessment, and exogenous impacts specific to Japan such as recent and ongoing market liberalization and the Fukushima nuclear incident are considered as pertinent factors which impact upon the transition landscape. Through a comparative assessment of policy approaches, technologies deployed, and social factors impacting upon deployment, lessons are drawn for comparison with current Japanese transition progress, identifying factors critical to the future estimation of the Japanese transition pathway. Future energy transition pathway projections will need to incorporate policy approaches and mechanisms as well as being cognizant of Japan's geographic and cost-competitive RE resource deployment limitations. These limitations alongside existing generation assets (including nuclear energy) are expected to have a significant impact upon Japan's transition from the current pre-development phase toward take-off, acceleration and the stabilization of a new, low-carbon energy regime. [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]

This paper aims to advance a model able to explain the synchronization tendency in energy consumption, under the impact of international technology transfers. The key argument is related to the differences in energy consumption efficiency of local and foreign technologies. One direct testable consequence of the model is that there might be a certain correlation between the energy consumption between countries and/or economic areas where a free movement of capital goods and technologies takes place. Hence, it is further tested, in the framework of a multivariate spectrum analysis, the case of energy consumption synchronization between Europe and, respectively, United States and Japan for a time span between 1981 and 2011 based on the data provided by U.S. Energy Information Administration. There are evidences of a leading behavior of energy consumption in United States and Japan in respect to Europe as well as of short-run phase delays of 2 up to 5 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Construction and operation of plants that produce energy from renewable energy sources is the subject for discussion in all the countries that have accepted the sustainable development concept and Kyoto protocol as their own development direction. Enlargement of the renewable energy production is clearly an imperative, but only economically viable construction and operation can result in long-term sustainability, which is initially the goal when deciding upon such investments. In line with this goal, this paper presents the estimation of the economic viability of constructing and operating biogas electricity plant on the farm Vizelj in Serbia. The timeframe for this estimation is from 2011 until 2020. This paper also presents all parameters which are necessary for performing this estimation, respectively, analysis of revenues and expenditures, projection of economic and financial flow, ratio analysis, dynamic and static analysis, and analysis of sensitivity of the project, i.e. impact of the changes in prices and raw material on the overall performance of the project. The observed investment is predicted to be financed from the EBRD''s credit line for renewable energy in Western Balkans, while the total investment is estimated at Euro 958,000.00. After the performed economic assessment, the conclusion is that the observed investment in biogas electricity plant is very acceptable and it can serve as a role model for similar investments in the region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Under pressures to reach net zero emissions by 2050, there is an ongoing transition of energy decarbonization, decentralization and digitalization. Physical and information flows in energy systems are increasingly complex and distributed, leaving centralized structures inefficient. Blockchain technology is suggested as part of the next step in this transition. Blockchain has potential to facilitate distributed, peer-to-peer trading with reduced transaction costs, increased security via cryptography, and prosumer choice. However, there are as of yet multiple challenges to the expansion of blockchain in the energy sector. This paper argues that analysis of these challenges requires a multi-angled approach incorporating technological, economic, social, environmental, and institutional dimensions. First, each dimension is explored, substantiated based on a blockchain-based energy system case in Japan. Concrete challenges of scaling this case toward 2050 and potential opportunities in overcoming these challenges are discussed, leveraging extensive literature review. Finally, an overview of strategic indications is suggested. The findings of this paper present initial indications on challenges and opportunities to overcome them based on a multi-dimensional overview. It is suggested that the factors identified across the dimensions are interrelated. This would in turn call for coherent innovation management and multi-stakeholder innovation ecosystems. Living Labs and regulatory sandboxes are prospective foundations to support such ecosystems, and enable informed decision-making among both private and public sector actors. At large, it is suggested that a holistic and pragmatic approach can benefit the application and scalability of blockchain in the energy transition. • Blockchain has potential to contribute to sustainable energy development. • Challenges and opportunities of a blockchain-based microgrid case were explored. • Coherent innovation management and multi-stakeholder innovation can support change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Biological treatment of organic waste is environmentally friendly and a wide range of treatment methods exists. Integrated biological treatment systems with additional equipments, such as pre-treatment, wastewater treatment and deodorisation processes are currently in use. To promote and spread the application of biological waste treatment, a life cycle assessment (LCA) study was conducted on six biological treatment methods: integrated wet anaerobic digestion (AD), integrated dry AD, simple wet AD, simple dry AD, integrated composting and simple composting systems. The impacts of operating rate and wastewater treatment, which affect GHG emissions, were also quantitatively analysed. Integrated wet AD showed the highest total GHG emissions due to the high energy consumption by additional equipments which occupy 80% of the whole process. Integrated composting also presented higher GHG emissions than simple composting because of the higher electricity consumption. Additional equipments are necessary for integrated systems installed in urban areas, and this study suggests that the reduction of energy consumption for these additional equipments is an important issue. Among the additional equipments for AD, wastewater treatment largely affected the GHG emissions. Dry AD normally generates less wastewater due to low moisture content in the waste. Thus, effective treatment of wastes with low environmental loads can be achieved by dry AD, where energy consumption from wastewater treatment is low. On the other hand, methane yield from food waste by dry AD is generally smaller than wet AD. Installing an advanced dry AD reactor with additional functions such as long solid retention time, and adjusting the moisture content of input waste by mixing paper waste will contribute to the efficient treatment of organic waste in urban areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Renewable energy sources derived principally from solar energy have been gaining ground over the last few years and are now beginning to contribute to the global energy mix. Solar energy in the form of direct electricity conversion (photovoltaics) is already very popular in countries such as the United States, Germany and Japan. The enormous potential of photovoltaic (PV) technology is also obvious and favourable in countries with high irradiation such as the Mediterranean region. The objective of this paper is to review the different up and coming PV technologies, to explore the potential of different PV systems in countries with high solar irradiation and to compare their performance through the assessment of thirteen different types of PV systems that have been installed side by side in Nicosia, Cyprus and Stuttgart, Germany. Finally useful insight into the performance of the PV systems as a function of the meteorological conditions and location will be highlighted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Continued investments in coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) and coal mining are incompatible with the Paris Agreement. As a major investor of both upstream coal mining and downstream CFPP construction, Japanese firms play a large role in sustaining the international coal market. Yet since mid-2018 numerous Japanese companies have announced a range of coal divestment policies. This situation, however, has not been unexamined by scholarship. Additionally, divestment literature outside Japan has focused overwhelmingly on financial institutions rather than the roles of other industry players driving the coal market. To address this gap, this paper examines four industries comprising Japan's international coal market (trading companies, electric utilities, plant equipment manufacturers and financial institutions) to empirically assess the extent of divestment behaviour and identify drivers and barriers. The empirical data reveal a slowdown, but not a cessation, of new and existing coal-related investments. Results also show that the extent of divestment trends can be largely explained by commercial factors, although institutional and structural factors are also at play. These findings have important policy implications. • We examine coal divestment and decarbonisation trends in Japanese firms with overseas coal businesses. • We cover four industry types involved in upstream (mining) and downstream (power plant development). • Findings show a slowdown but not a cessation of new or existing coal investments. • Divestment behaviour is mostly driven by commercial rather than normative factors. • Commercial, institutional and structural factors are hampering further divestment and creating path dependency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]