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Measuring energy efficiency is important to achieve the goal of sustainable economic development. This paper adopts the Malmquist index to measure the trend of regional total factor energy efficiency. This paper analyses the spatial aggregation characteristics of TFEE and the impact mechanism of industrial transfer and technology diffusion on TFEE convergence from a dynamic perspective. The results of the study show that there is a large gap in TFEE between regions in China, with a spatial characteristic of "high in the south and low in the north". In 2006–2021, the convergence rate of TFEE shows a slowing down trend. Industrial transfer has a negative effect on TFEE. The impact of technology diffusion on TFEE is different in different periods. The impact of researchers, technology market, technology introduction, and import-export on TFEE have significant differences. The convergence rate of the south is higher than that of the north. The impact of industrial transfer and technology diffusion on TFEE in the two parts is different. Policymakers should implement differentiated energy policies based on the characteristics of the industrial structure and technological development of each region. They should actively guide technological innovation, promote industrial diversification, and build a clean and efficient energy system. • TFEE is assessed in China based on the Malmquist index. • China's inter-regional TFEE differences first increased and then decreased. • Analyze the mechanism of industrial transfer and technology spillover on TFEE. • Convergence characteristics of TFEE are heterogeneous between the North and South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores Coastal Energy-Based Industrial Clusters (EBICs) and their role in advancing energy efficiency and sustainability through collaborative innovation. Economic growth theory and energy sustainability have been introduced into industrial clusters to illustrate indicators that have a greater impact on the development of EBICs. This paper proposes an EBICs development model based on the Cobb-Douglas function, in which accounts for various factors that drive the progress of such clusters. The outcomes of the economic model also provide insights into how the interaction of various factors affects the economic growth of EBICs and their eventual dominance in the energy market of coastal regions, dependent on gradually investing in areas such as research and development (R&D). Different development strategies demonstrate that the final development of a cluster has low dependence on the cluster's initial advantages. The study also illustrates how clusters can gradually monopolize the energy market, even with initial disadvantages. Through quantitative analysis, it showcases the transformation process of developing advantageous clusters into sub-clusters. Next, an energy symbiosis framework for coastal is proposed, which places greater emphasis on the multi-energy complementary system and reduces production costs. Finally, this paper also sheds light on shaping energy strategies for public authorities who shape economic policies at various levels of aggregation and in diverse dimensions. • Multi-energy complementarity provides a new path for sustainable development of coastal energy. • Hardware investment is critical to the development of energy-based industry clusters. • Clusters with better natural advantages may become sub-clusters due to incorrect development strategies. • The essence of energy cluster development is the result of the interaction of multiple influencing factors. • The economic growth of energy clusters depends on the proportion of investment in software and hardware. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper establishes a multi-objective optimization model for railway heavy-haul trains, focusing on reducing carbon emissions and improving transport efficiency. The model integrates optimization of the route and the vehicle load rate, significantly reducing carbon emissions and enhancing transport efficiency. It addresses the challenges and characteristics of heavy-haul trains, introducing multi-objective optimization problems related to transport carbon emissions and efficiency. Using a pigeon-inspired optimization algorithm, the model considers joint constraints between carbon emissions and transport efficiency objectives. To overcome challenges in multi-objective transportation problems, the paper proposes a forward-learning pigeon-inspired optimization algorithm based on a surrogate-assisted model. This approach calculates the quality of the candidate solution using a surrogate model, reducing time costs. The algorithm employs a forward-learning strategy to enhance learning from non-dominant solutions. Experimental validation with benchmark functions confirms the effectiveness of the model and offers optimized solutions. The proposed method reduces carbon emissions while maintaining transport efficiency, contributing innovative ideas for the development of sustainable heavy-duty trains. [Display omitted] • A model is build for carbon emissions reduction and transport efficiency enhancement. • The model combines route and load rate optimization. • The model achieves carbon emission reductions while improving transport efficiency. • A novel meta-heuristic algorithm for solving the railway heavy-haul trains model. • The proposed algorithm introduces fresh insights for railway heavy-haul trains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the scale of gas transmission networks has been continuously expanding, and the operational conditions are becoming increasingly complex. This poses higher requirements for the centralized control of the pipeline network operation. Relying solely on the experience of scheduling personnel may not comprehensively address the operational issues within the network. There is an urgent need for efficient automatic response methods (ARM) to assist in formulating operation schemes and ensuring the safe and stable operation of the pipeline network. Therefore, this paper proposes an automatic response framework of large complex natural gas pipeline operation optimization based on data-mechanism coupling to provide operation schemes that ensure safety, stability, and economic benefits. First, two ARM is proposed, namely the Data-Based ARM using operation scheme database, and the Opti-Model ARM based on optimization modeling. Subsequently, the rapid response features of Data-Based ARM and the optimal response characteristics of Opti-Model ARM are combined to establish the Integrated ARM. Finally, these three ARMs are compared and analyzed through a regional natural gas pipeline network in China. The result indicates that the Data-Based ARM can quickly produce a variety of matched solutions but cannot ensure economic optimality. Response solutions obtained through Opti-Model ARM reduce the compressor energy costs by 4.6–10.8 % compared to on-site operational schemes, but they take longer in response time. In contrast, the economic attributes of solutions derived from the Integrated ARM are on par with Opti-Model ARM, but with a 58.7 % improvement in response speed. The proposed Integrated ARM can swiftly and accurately offer economically viable operation schemes tailored to the varying needs of pipeline operators, which can help to address the energy demand challenges of the future, fostering sustainable development. • An automatic response framework based on hybrid-driven is proposed. • Data-Based method quickly responds to a set of matching feasible scheme. • Opti-Model method responds to economically optimal scheme. • A real case is performed to verify the effectiveness of the framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aggravation of the global warming crisis, due to excessive consumption of traditional energy, urgently calls for the strategic goal of sustainable development. This study addresses endogeneity concerns by employing panel fixed effect and DID models, employing panel data from China's provincial green finance index spanning from 2016 to 2021. The empirical findings indicate that: (1) the impact of the new energy industry on environmental and economic benefits is more pronounced in inland areas characterized by lower GDP and smaller population size; (2) this effect is driven by green technological innovation, government incentive policies, and job creation. Drawing upon these results, this paper offers a range of pertinent recommendations at governmental, industrial, and societal levels to foster sustainable development, thereby enhancing social welfare. • We address endogeneity concerns by employing panel fixed effect and DID models. • New energy industry development contributes to environmental and economic benefits. • The impact of the new energy industry is more pronounced in inland areas. • The effect is driven by CO2 reductions, incentive policies, and job creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper measures environmental efficiency and productivity change to then carry out a decomposition analysis of an environmental efficiency index and a productivity change index. The paper includes a novel comparative assessment to determine the drivers of environmental efficiency and the sources of productivity change of the manufacturing sector in Europe, Asia and the whole world. We explore the capability to convert in an environmentally efficient way, selected inputs into desirable and undesirable outputs. Our estimation results of environmental efficiency confirm that Europe is ahead the world's average. Our analysis shows, however, a slowdown of Europe compared with the productivity growth of Asia. The latter shows a better performance in management capabilities, optimal resource allocation, and economies of scale. The analysis carried out in a second stage using the dynamic effects of the generalized method of moments also shows that the annual growth rate of manufacturing value added and manufacturing exports positively influence the level of environmental efficiency in both Asia and Europe. Therefore, the internationalization and extroversion of manufacturing can be crucial for sustainable development in Europe and Asia. • Benchmarking the strategy for sustainable development in Asia and Europe. • Decomposition of environmental efficiency indices and productivity change. • Effect of manufacturing value added and exports on environmental efficiency. • Benchmarking the manufacturing sector in Asia and Europe. • Showing Asia's best practices and European pillar of industrial restructuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is considered a key energy vector and carrier for the decarbonization of global energy systems. However, the economics of green hydrogen systems hinder their widespread application. This paper presents a techno-economic analysis of a green hydrogen production system using high-temperature water electrolysis integrated with a concentrated solar power system (CSP-SOEC) for Western Australia. Real-time solar resource data with 30-min resolution for a typical meteorological year were used to assess the performance of the entire system. The intermittent nature of solar resources is accounted for by integrating the system with a thermal energy storage medium and performing the analysis in off-design mode. The validity of the electrolysis stack model is crucial for overall system performance, which was confirmed through experimental testing conducted on a 15-cell stack. The system was designed to generate a 1 MWe output, and the results showed that a field area of 29,000 m2 and thermal energy storage capacity of 382,500 kWh can fulfil the design criteria. The system generates 0.86 tonne/day of hydrogen at a cost of 8.87 US$/kg-H 2 with a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 13.80 %. The cost breakdown revealed that the storage medium has the most significant contribution. Moreover, the sensitivity of the system to the production capacity was analyzed, which showed that larger-scale hydrogen production systems have the potential to further reduce the cost. An 8 MWe system has the capacity to produce 7.18 tonne/day of hydrogen at a cost of 6.1 US$/kg-H 2. The molten salt is currently utilized only 39.3 % for the hydrogen production process. To optimize resource utilization, a cogeneration system is devised and assessed for simultaneous steam and hydrogen production. The results reveal that the cogeneration system can achieve an LCOH reduction of 9 % by reaching 8.07 US$/kg-H 2. These findings are invaluable for academic and industry stakeholders in making informed decisions and fostering the green hydrogen sector in Australia. • A techno economic assessment of green H 2 production for Australia is done. • The electrolysis model is corroborated using experimental results. • The cost of green H 2 for such system in Australia is 8.87 US$/kg-H 2. • Higher production capacity favors the system economics. • The cogeneration system reduces the cost by 9 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating renewable energies into district heating systems has a large potential to reduce CO 2 -emissions in the heating sector. As district heating systems offer the possibility of incorporating renewable energies into the heat supply, new systems have to be built and the existing networks must be maintained. This study investigates ways to optimize existing district heating systems in order to ensure economic sustainability in the long-term. Previous case studies have elaborated on a variety of optimization measures. However, to date, these measures have neither been collected nor consistently assessed for a wider application range. Therefore, in the study presented here a system for assessing the ecological and economic benefits of optimization measures was developed and applied. The assessment method utilized showed that optimization of district heating consumer substations and adding of a central buffer storage tank has a high optimization potential in comparison to intermittent operation strategy, which has a significantly lower optimization potential. From this information and the transferability data, a district heating operator can determine which optimization measure should be prioritized, which is shown at the end of the paper on an example case. • A method was developed to assess benefits of optimizing district heating systems. • A survey was conducted to assess the ecological and economic value. • Optimization measures for DH systems were compared using the new method. • A guideline is provided to offer operators a suggested approach to take. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is increasing crucial to improve the sustainable use rate of energy and contribute to carbon neutrality and environmental footprints reduction. This work features cutting-edge selected extended papers and developments that were presented at the 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimization for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction, held on 5–8 September 2022 in Bol, Croatia. More than 400 papers were accepted and presented at this conference. Out of these papers, the 45 contributions in this Virtual Special Issue represent a selection of the most cutting-edge developments in the topic of the Sustainable Use of Energy Contributes to Carbon Emissions Neutrality and Environmental footprint reduction. This paper provides a review of these contributions and above, and groups them into four research themes: (1) Energy Conversion, Storage, Recovery and Efficiency Improvement, (2) Energy Management, Planning and Optimization, (3) Energy, Environment and Economy, and (4) Heat Transfer, Heat Pumps and Heat Convection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This virtual special issue of ENERGY features 35 top-notch selected extended papers, which were showcased at the CORFU 2022 9th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management (https://corfu2022.uest.gr) in Corfu Island, Greece from June 15th to 18th, 2022. This special issue of Energy focuses on the cutting-edge research on waste-to-energy (WtE) in the circular economy, greenhouse gas reduction, and sustainable waste management systems that generate energy. This editorial paper provides a brief overview of the key methodologies, discoveries, and future horizons within the 35 selected papers. The contributions in this special issue are divided into five categories: 1) biofuels and biopower; 2) municipal waste management; 3) emerging resource utilization techniques; 4) current research of waste-to-energy for circular economy; and 5) advancements in waste-to-energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever since 2002, when the first Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) was held in Dubrovnik, the SDEWES conferences series has been providing a forum for world-wide scientists and those interested in learning about the sustainability of development, to present research progress and to discuss the state of the art, the future directions and priorities in the various areas of sustainable development. One of the main issues of the coming decades is to improve efficiencies by integrating various energy systems, using excess from one, as resource in another in the correct moment. Integrating electricity, heating, cooling, transport, water, buildings, waste, wastewater, industry, forestry and agriculture systems will be pivotal towards sustainable development. SDEWES has maintained high publishing standard as 2408 SDEWES papers were published in special issues of leading scientific journals including "Energy - The International Journal". In 2022, the 17th SDEWES Conference was held during November 6–10 in Paphos, Cyprus, the 5th SEE Conference took place in May 22–26, 2022 in Vlorë, Albania, the 3rd Latin American Conference was held through a virtual platform during July 24–28, 2022. The Energy journal has continued its cooperation with SDEWES launching a special issue dedicated to the 2022 Conferences. The special issue includes papers which traditionally cover a range of energy issues - higher renewables penetration and various technologies and fuels assessments at energy supply side, as well as, energy efficiency in various sectors, buildings, district heating, electric vehicles and demand modelling at energy demand side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Energy efficiency, which is one of the pillars of the EU's Energy Union strategy, has been proposed as a solution, namely as a highly effective pathway to improve economic competitiveness and sustainability of the European economy, lower emissions, reduce energy dependency and increase security of supply, and job creation. The paper reviews the EU strategies and policies on energy efficiency and argues that further focus should be placed on industrial energy efficiency. Despite a decline in energy consumption in recent years in industry, this sector is one of the largest users of energy in the EU. Therefore, the paper reviews the extent to which the European and national policies in the selected jurisdictions, such as Italy and the UK address energy efficiency in industry and whether there are any measures in place to promote it. Highlights • Legal certainty is required in industrial energy efficiency policies. • White Certificates play a major role in industrial energy efficiency in Italy. • Yet, constant changes in the WC regulations can act as an investment barrier. • The UK's Energy Efficiency policy is underpinned with decarbonisation of the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper we identify a concept of countries' biomass-related sustainability through a revision of the literature and the opinion of professionals, and identify the main reasons that prevent biomass from being a major source of energy production (adversities and constraints). The Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) methodology was used for establishing the causal and hierarchical relationships among the variables linked with the adversities and constraints associated with the production of biofuel from biomass and their impact on countries' biomass-related sustainability. At the base of the concept of biomass related countries' sustainability we identify an important constraint associated with the high energy production costs, but also the necessity of supporting new investments, which will drive technological innovations in this sector and allow for an increase in efficiency. The paper presents an innovative approach to the research of biofuel production from biomass by suggesting not only a concept of countries' biomass-related sustainability but also by exploring causal and hierarchical relationships between adversities/constraints of biofuel production and impact on countries' sustainability. Highlights • We develop a new concept of biomass-based sustainability of countries. • We implement an interpretive structural modeling approach. • We identify government policies and market costs as essential to innovation. • Economic may imply Social Sustainability. • There are interdependencies between Economic and Environmental Sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Many studies have investigated energy utilization of crop straw; however, there has been little analysis in the literature from the perspective of willingness to accept compensation. This study is one of the first studies to introduce the variable trust into the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, and it mainly the factors influencing rural households' willingness to accept compensation for energy utilization of crop straw. The results show that a certain amount of compensation—approximately 0.95%–1.62% of the average family annual income —encourages households to participate in energy utilization of crop straw. This means that a reasonable compensation standard is an important means of coordinating the relationship between economic development and protection of the natural environment. This paper also finds that, in addition to the factors (time cost expectation , economic cost expectation, influence from persons with high education , influence from persons with high income) in the original Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model, trust in neighbors, as one aspect of the interpersonal trust, and trust in village cadres, as one aspect of the institutional trust, all exert a significant influence on rural households' willingness to accept. This paper therefore recommends linking energy utilization of crop straw to broader attempts to strengthen trust. Highlights • Rural households' willingness to accept compensation for energy utilization of crop straw is the focus. • Trust is introduced into the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. • Interpersonal trust and institutional trust significantly influence households' willingness to accept compensation. • Proper compensation helps households adopting energy utilization of crop straw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating electric vehicles (EVs) into the electric power system poses significant challenges to grid operation and planning due to the potential constraints on the power system. To minimize grid congestion, the best option is to increase the production of photovoltaic (PV) energy for domestic use and EV charging stations. This paper addresses the nexus of technical, financial, and environmental effects of customer involvement in economic development and load management. In this paper, a new model design of solar-powered EV charging stations is proposed and implemented in HOMER Grid, and a case study has explored how economic, technical, and energy management benefits can be achieved through customer energy involvement and the integration of PV-based charging stations. The proposed PV-based charging stations contribute toward the energy management of the region, and the study observes the real-time optimal charging and discharging strategy of PV-based grid-connected charging stations. The case study results show that the investigated area can produce 1,070,804.096 MWh/year of energy through maximum customer involvement, consequently reducing overall energy costs. Moreover, the study demonstrates that the selected region can produce 86,961,688 kWh/year through the PV system, achieving 363,899 charging sessions per year, offering maximum advantages and facilitation for EV charging. The proposed model applicability shows that large-scale customer involvement can bring significant techno-economic benefits and attract regional investments. • This paper proposes a new design of a grid-tied renewable energy system. • It investigates the energy economics and environmental effects for a practical location. • The research examines energy management including PV systems and electric vehicles. • The results of proposed model are compared with other models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of electrical energy is always a substantial contributor to a country's economy; in particular, integrating renewable energy sources into the existing power system has tremendous techno-economic implications. However, the optimal penetration of renewables and dynamic loads management is highly complex while considering the multiple variables, time-varying characteristics, and operational uncertainties. This paper proposes a new model design of a grid-tied renewable system. It investigates energy economics and forecasts for the practical locality of the Muzaffarabad area in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The proposed research examines the annualized energy estimation concerning varied customer PV system participation. The impact of consumer feedback on energy production is briefly examined. Various aspects, such as energy economics, including annual revenue generation, energy prices, and energy sell-back, are demonstrated in detail. The proposed study also looks at the connection between the rising usage of renewable energy and falling greenhouse gas emissions and energy prices. Moreover, it shows how customer input has altered energy economics via each district taking part in energy sharing. Also, it illustrates the relationship between energy bought and sold and how the grid and PV's share of energy interact. Based on the research study findings, PV systems can provide 61% of the total region's energy needs with maximum consumer involvement. The study found that when PV is integrated at a maximum level, grid energy purchases fall to 52%. Polluting gas emissions were reduced by 64% courtesy of the recommended approach, and energy cost was cut from $0.20 per kWh to $0.09 per kWh. The recommended system produces 81,635,608 dollars in revenue yearly and achieves a renewable part of 46.17% with the highest level of customer interaction. [Display omitted] • This paper proposes a new model design of a grid-tied renewable system. • It investigates the energy economics and forecasts for a practical location. • The research examines annualized energy estimation concerning PV systems. • The results of proposed model are compared with other models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both environmental regulation (ER) and different pollutants emission are characterized by differentiation, but the nonlinear relationship between different intensities of ER and different levels of pollutants emission has not yet been elaborated. This paper examines the nonlinear effects of ER at different intensities on PM 2.5 and CO 2 at different states with the help of cutting-edge Quantile on Quantile Approach (QQA), comprehensively reveals the inner law of ER to promote pollutants synergistic reduction. This study found that, both PM 2.5 and CO 2 show obvious regional differences but are not polarized. ER can effectively help reduce PM 2.5 and CO 2 in average, and this reduction effect is more obvious for central-western cities. The effects of different intensities of ER on different states of PM 2.5 and CO 2 have obvious nonlinear spillover characteristics. The impact of ER on PM 2.5 shows wave-like changes. Increasing ER intensity has a stronger inhibitory effect on PM 2.5 of high scale, but when PM 2.5 is relatively low, moderate ER is needed to match it, and excessive intensity of ER will be detrimental to reduce PM 2.5. The negative impact of ER on CO 2 fluctuates relatively stable. ER at high quantiles have more obvious reduction effect on CO 2 of high levels, but excessive intensity of ER is not conducive to reduce CO 2. Achieve the synergistic reduction of PM 2.5 and CO 2 should not only consider the differences in ER between regions, but also to combine the scale differences of pollution and carbon emission. Our study suggests that the improvement of synergistic emission reduction system needs to consider the strength of ER and the level of pollutants emission according to local conditions, which will help to realize green development more efficiently. • Assessing the impacts of different intensities of ER on different levels of PM 2.5 and CO 2. • The use of QQ approach can obtain richer nonlinear information. • The effects of ER on PM 2.5 and CO 2 are asymmetric and heterogeneous. • Increasing ER intensity has a stronger inhibitory effect on PM 2.5 of high scale. • Nonlinear changes in the negative impact of ER on CO2 fluctuates relatively stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the completion of the poverty alleviation task in China, the Chinese economy has made great breakthroughs. Meanwhile, the implementation of Chinese "dual carbon" goal has entered an important window period of both strategic opportunities and difficulties. The emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) leads to the greenhouse effect, which affects the sustainable development of society. Therefore, this paper proposes an improved analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with Slacks-based measure integrating data envelopment analysis (SBMDEA) (AHP-SBMDEA) based efficiency evaluation model for different provincial-level administrative regions in China, which is used to analyze and optimize the Chinese energy structure of different provincial-level administrative regions. With coal, gasoline, petroleum, fuel oil, diesel, crude oil and natural gas as inputs, the per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the desired output and the CO2 as the undesired output, after linear weighted calculation of the results of the AHP-SP model and the SBMDEA model, the energy efficiency evaluation model of different provincial administrative regions in China is established. The results show that there is a large difference in efficiency between Chinese northern and southern regions, and the overall efficiency of southern regions is higher than that of northern regions. In addition, it is easier to find out the optimal energy efficiency benchmark, which can provide suggestions and help to guide the energy consumption input structure improvement of other inefficient provincial-level administrative regions. Furthermore, the energy structure can also be adjusted through the redundant variable calculated by the SBMDEA model. For example, Sichuan Province can reduce the consumption of the coal, the gasoline, the diesel, the fuel oil, the crude oil and the natural gas by 5269.95 × 10000 tons (WT), 513.01 WT, 59.05 WT, 34.37 WT, 4,73.33 WT and 130.37 billion cubic meters (BCM), respectively. Its CO2 emissions can be reduced by 1925.4 WT, and raise the efficiency of energy utilization in the province. [Display omitted] • Novel economy and CO 2 emissions evolution model based on a AHP-SBMDEA is proposed. • The proposed model can identify the optimal energy efficiency benchmark. • GDP per capita can be increased and CO 2 emissions can be decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in facilitating the transition toward low carbon societies in Latin America from 1990 to 2022, in order to investigate the effects of FDI among the green transition process and contribute to the design of new ad hoc green FDI policies. Additionally, we introduce the Low Carbon Transition Curve hypothesis as a framework for understanding the relationship between income and the transition to green economies in the selected countries. Through the application of cointegration regression analysis, preceded by the examination of unit roots and cointegration, we uncover notable findings. Our results indicate that the impact of FDI on the consumption of renewable energy exhibits heterogeneity across Latin American countries, as evidenced by the lack of statistical significance in the renewable/fossil fuel mix consumption of energy. However, it is important to note that FDI has a positive and significant effect on the promotion of renewable energy consumption. Furthermore, our analysis confirms the statistical significance of the income-low carbon transition hypothesis across all regression models, suggesting that income per capita plays a pivotal role as a driving factor in countries' transition to green economies. In light of these findings, it is recommended that countries utilize FDI to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels by offering incentives for green FDI, which can contribute significantly to the transition process. These practical implications can guide decision-making processes and support the implementation of measures that contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious energy sector in Latin America. • This paper explores the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in promoting the transition to low carbon societies. • We introduce the Low Carbon Transition Curve hypothesis to conceptualize the relationship between income and the green transition. • We employed fully modified ordinary least squares and canonical cointegration relationship estimation. • Estimates produced evidence that the FDI contributes to a more intensive use of renewable energy. • The analysis supports the significance of the income-low carbon transition hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decentralization of energy production and recovery of excess heat (EH) to reach climate targets is essential for renewable and fully decarbonized heating systems. This paper identifies current and potential industrial EH sources providing baseload capacity for district heating (DH) systems. These sources are evaluated by sector and process for supplying baseload capacities explored for current 3rd generation district heating (3GDH) and 4th generation district heating (4GDH) systems with lower grid temperatures and losses, with and without expansions. The method combines geographical analysis and available baseload capacity estimations for 360 Danish DH systems scenario-making and an additional sensitivity analysis evaluating baseload capacity full-load hours. It is found that 80 % of Danish DH systems have an unmet baseload capacity of 50 % or higher. Half of the systems have geothermal capacity available and up to 20 % of industrial EH baseload capacity potential, which sums up to 5 PJ of EH potential within a 2 km distance. The findings also suggest that there is an additional opportunity for the placement of future energy infrastructure able to supply EH, which is highly contextual and strategic in heat planning, particularly considering the future development of sustainable and energy-efficient DH systems. • Maps 360 Danish DH systems with expansion potentials for 3GDH and 4GDH. • Identifies 9235 sources and 19.8 PJ of exploitable industrial excess heat. • Spatially evaluates 3 PJ and 5 PJ of EH for supplying 3GDH and 4GDH baseload capacity. • Locates 5–10 GW of total available baseload capacity in Danish DH systems. • Provides placement opportunities for future excess heat sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Megacities consume a large amount of energy and materials, leading to various environmental impacts. In this paper, multi-scale integrated analysis of societal and ecosystem metabolism (MuSIASEM) is applied to compare and analyze the metabolic characteristics of four global megacities. This paper extends the analytical framework of MuSIASEM to the N-3 level (detailed industries) providing a higher level of details than current applications. Based on model results, among the four global megacities, Shanghai's labor productivity and energy efficiency are lowest given its large manufacturing sector and complex industrial structure. Tokyo's labor productivity is the highest with a productive tertiary sector. London has the lowest exosomatic energy metabolic rate and a mature tertiary sector. Paris has the best social welfare system. Such results highlight key factors affecting the metabolic pathways of the respective cities and provide city planners and policy-makers critical information to support green growth and low carbon development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper inaugurates the study of the energy-sustainable economic growth for Europe. It is novel both because it calculates an Index for Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW) index for European countries, but foremost because it compares the conventional energy-growth nexus with the newly appeared energy-sustainable growth nexus. Also, it goes further by suggesting ways to overcome the limitations pointed out to the use of the conventional GDP. The paper uses the road sector energy consumption, which is in accordance with the enormous discussion about the high energy intensity of the road transport sector and about the huge dependence from fossil sources of this sector. The dynamic Driscoll-Kraay estimator is also used, which allows decomposing the effects in the short- and long-run and is also robust in the presence of cross-sectional dependence. Results show that economic growth and sustainable economic welfare are not perfect substitute variables. In the long-run, the feedback hypothesis is verified only for sustainable growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the regulatory policies, feed-in tariffs (FIT) and renewable portfolio standards (RPS) are the most popular to promote the development of renewable energy power industry. This paper uses system dynamics (SD) to establish models of long-term development of China's biomass power industry under FIT and RPS schemes, and provides a case study by using scenario analysis method. The model, on the one hand, not only clearly shows the complex logical relationship between the factors but also reveals the process of coordination between the two policy tools in the development of the industry. On the other hand, it provides a reference for scholars to study similar problems in different countries, thereby facilitating an understanding of biomass power's long-term sustainable development pattern under FIT and RPS schemes, and helping to provide references for policy-making institutions. The results show that in the perfect competitive market, the implementation of RPS can promote long-term and rapid development of China's biomass power industry given the constraints and actions of the mechanisms of RPS quota proportion, the TGC valid period, and fines, compared with FIT. At the end of the paper, policy implications are offered as references for the government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiencing extremely severe and persistent haze pollution in the past several years, China is among the world's most polluted countries with air pollution. As a relatively clean fossil fuel, natural gas is considered as a transitional energy for China's green and low-carbon development. Can natural gas use really improve air quality effectively? It is an important question but remains unanswered because of an estimation endogeneity. A major challenge in estimating this unwatched pollution reduction is how to accurately and cleanly identify the air quality impact from natural gas utilization in urban environments. This paper tries to provide comprehensive estimates for this problem. Based on a national policy of trans-regional natural gas allocation, this paper employs differences-in-differences method to identify the net effects of natural gas utilization on air quality in Chinese cities. Our estimates imply that PM 2.5 concentrations in treatment group cities decreased by about 12% after the natural gas pipeline construction. The mechanism analysis shows that natural gas utilization has a substantial impact on urban haze pollution mainly through the improvement of the industrial energy mix and the change in urban household gas fuels. Furthermore, natural gas utilization can bring a co-benefit of reducing other typical air pollutants. The findings can provide new insights to the role of natural gas utilization in China's green and low-carbon development. • Natural gas utilization's effect on air quality is studied. • A quasi-natural experiment is constructed using the West to East Pipeline Project. • Natural gas utilization has a significant reduction effect on haze pollution. • A co-benefit of reducing other air pollutants is found in natural gas utilization. • The expansion of natural gas utilization is of great significance to current China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the reference architecture of a model for sustainable local planning and sector coupling based on an energy-community framework. The proposed approach includes four building blocks: (1) the data-acquisition building block - local energy consumption, (2) the building block for modelling and calculations - local energy conversions, (3) the building block for connecting the infrastructure status and needs with development plans of the energy-network operators and aggregators, and (4) the decision-support building block for local environmental, spatial and energy planning. The proposed approach was tested in a real industrial environment and a local community. Initial simulation results confirmed that excess heat from the energy-intensive company has the potential to replace the natural gas that is currently used for the production of heat in a local district-heating system. The natural gas savings in the district-heating system would be 3,299,676 Nm3, as the excess heat could cover as much as 68.4 % of the required heat for the local community. It has also been proven that complex modelling and simulation of a future sustainable solution can contribute to its optimization, understanding, and acceptance by all stakeholders and thereby increase the potential of the project's implementation. • Concept of the reference architecture of an energy community model is proposed. • The proposed concept enables a systematic sustainable local planning. • Utilization of the excess heat from the energy intensive company is presented. • The main challenge is the appropriate involvement of all relevant stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational planning for remote integrated energy systems is of great importance for demand guarantee and sustainable development of remote areas. A critical challenge is that comprehensive factors, e.g., technical, economic, environmental, and social, which are inherently intertwined, should be properly evaluated and balanced in terms of social benefits. In addition, the feasibility of each planning scheme can only be verified based on their local electrical conditions by employing multi-energy flow calculations. Thus, this paper develops a comprehensive methodology for the optimal planning of remote integrated energy systems taking into account the uncertainty of renewable energy, where a multi-criteria decision-making procedure is designed, including the candidate set construction, remote integrated energy systems modeling, multi-energy flow calculation of the candidates, index definition and selection, and the optimal scheme determination. The methodology is applied to a case study in Lankao County, China. The optimal scheme, selected by the proposed multi-criteria decision-making procedure from 432 candidates, shows the best comprehensive performance, which is verified by different ranking methods. The optimal scheme can rank in the top 13% of each aspect on average, with economic and environmental aspects ranking in the top 2%. The methodology can help decision-makers find reasonable solutions for energy system planning in remote areas. • A comprehensive methodology for planning remote integrated energy systems is proposed. • Refined multi-energy flow calculation fitting with remote area characteristics is presented. • Multi-criteria decision-making procedure realizes high social benefits. • A real case in Lankao is performed to verify the rationality of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aviation carbon emissions are growing as the volume of aviation traffic continues to increase, both exacerbating global greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the resistance to green aviation development. To effectively promote aviation carbon abatement, this paper, based on the hybrid mechanism composed of carbon trading and taxation, a tripartite Itô stochastic evolutionary game model is first constructed. The complex game interactions among the administration, major airlines, and minor airlines are analyzed. Second, we use Gaussian white noise as the ambient uncertainty and apply stochastic Taylor expansion to find the numerical approximation solution. Finally, through numerical simulations, the decision-making behavior of stakeholders and their sensitivity to key influencing factors are illustrated. The study shows that different variables have differential effects on stakeholders' strategic choices in terms of convergence speed, change speed, and stability. Starting from three different regulatory paths, this study provides insights into the priority and direction of adjusting relevant variables, thereby offering guidance for policymakers and managers in effectively regulating aviation carbon abatement. [Display omitted] • A hybrid mechanism of carbon tax and carbon trading is designed. • Carbon abatement in aviation is studied using stochastic evolutionary games. • Simulations analyzed the sensitivity of stakeholders to key influencing factors. • Insights are given from three different regulatory paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel cell distributed drive electric tractor (FCDET) provided a novel pathway for the development of green agricultural machinery technology. However, FCDET faced problems such as low traction efficiency, short endurance, and high hydrogen consumption. Relevant studies have shown that reasonable and effective power allocation strategy can improve the efficiency and reduce the energy consumption of fuel cell systems. In this paper, a drive power allocation strategy based on adaptive multi-resolution analysis theory (AMRA) was proposed. The strategy could realize effective decoupling between various energy sources, reduce the problems of frequent start-stop and large power fluctuation for fuel cells. We started with an equivalent circuit model of the fuel cell system, a total efficiency solution model, an energy dissipation model, and a drive motor response model. The first-time reconstruction strategy was based on Tunable Q-factor Wavelet Transform (TQWT) to obtain a subsequence that responds to the oscillatory characteristics of the power signal. The second-time reconstruction strategy took the low-frequency subsequence through Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) into a number of discrete sub-signals with special sparse properties. Meanwhile, the Sparrow Search Algorithm (SSA) was used to obtain the optimal combined values of the modal decomposition layers and the quadratic penalty factor in the VMD on real time. Finally, the second-time decomposed subsequences and sub-signals were reconstructed according to the frequency characteristics, and the reconstructed power signals were redistributed among the individual energy sources. In order to validate the proposed power allocation strategy, we used the ET504-H prototype as a research object. The power information of plowing and transportation operating conditions was collected in Mengjin test base of China YTO Group. The MATLAB/Simulink-PXI joint simulation platform was set up and the driving motor bench test was carried out in the New Energy Key Laboratory of Henan Province. The results show that the AMRA-based FCDET drive power allocation strategy can effectively improve the energy utilization of the fuel cell system and the economy of the whole tractor operating unit. Compared to the power-following strategy under plowing and transportation conditions, the average efficiency of the fuel cell system was improved by 8.3 % and 3.3 %, the equivalent hydrogen consumption was reduced by 35.6 % and 43.89 %, respectively. The average efficiency of the drive motor was improved by 2.06 % and 2.08 %, the total energy consumption was reduced by 3.73 % and 2.6 %, respectively. This study can provide a theoretical foundation and a novel technical approach for the development of FCDET control system. • The fuel cell system total efficiency solution model and the energy consumption model were established. • The AMRA based FCDET drive power allocation strategy is proposed. • A joint MATLAB/Simulink-PXI simulation platform was constructed for real-time validation. • The motor cooperative operation characteristics of the distributed drive system were tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water-energy-food nexus tackles water, energy, and food security from an integrated management perspective of elemental synergy, system control, and cross-sector collaboration. Along with inter-regional differentiation in natural resource endowments and economic development, water, energy, and food systems exhibit dynamic, sensitive, and uncertain interactions. Owing to the complexity and diversity of the nexus, its synergistic mechanisms and regulation techniques still require more in-depth research. This paper constructs an integrative analytical framework based on symbiosis theory to evaluate the synergistic type, driver, and effect of water use for energy and food production in the Chinese mainland during 1997–2016 with multiple indicators. The results showed that Gansu and Hebei were in the water-energy synergy scenario in 2016, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Shandong were in the water-food synergy scenario, and 21 provinces were in the water-energy-food synergy scenario. The energy and food security indices of the production base were highly adaptable. When grey water footprint was included in the water security index, the main grain producing areas & coal bases decreased by 88.6%. This research provides an extensive examination of symbiosis theory, which has research value for the multidisciplinary assessment of resource security and sustainability of the water-energy-food nexus. [Display omitted] • An integrative analytical framework is proposed to evaluate synergy. • The mechanism analysis is quantified by synergistic type, driver, and effect. • Four synergy scenarios illustrate water use status and resources security. • Proposing key measures to address resource security based on symbiosis theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerating the upgrading of traditional energy industries has become a key area of concern for global green and sustainable development. Notably, few existing studies have focused on the spatial-temporal variability of energy industry advancedization and its resource-environment decoupling effect. This paper was the first to measure China's energy industry advancedization index based on the perspective of industry chain elements and value chain structure, analyzed the spatial-temporal evolution and elemental characteristics, and explored the resource-environment decoupling effect and nonlinear impact. The results showed that energy industry advancedization in China displayed a slow-growth trend from 2008 to 2020, and the spatial unevenness of energy industry capital and workforce advancedization gradually deepened. The decoupling effect of resource endowment dependence in the evolution of energy industry advancedization was better than that of environmental pollution, the spatial decoupling process was better in the eastern and central regions than in the western and northeastern regions, and the decoupling pressure of resources and environment in some regions was still significant. The trend of the nonlinear effect of energy industry advancedization on resource endowment dependence and environmental pollution showed an inverted "N" and "N" shape, respectively, and the nonlinear effect had obvious stage characteristics and regional heterogeneity. • An advancedization index is measured based on the energy industry value chain. • Low levels of energy industry advancedization are mostly energy-enriched areas. • The regional unevenness of the energy industry elements advancedization is deepening. • The pressure of resource-environment decoupling in the energy industry still exists. • Energy industry upgrading effects on resource-environment are nonlinear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonization of building heating is the key to carbon neutrality. Heat pumps have great potential to replace non-renewable heating devices, thus creating economic and renewable heating systems. To overcome the application challenges of conventional heat pumps (HP), a novel dual-source heat pump (DSHP) heating system and corresponding model are proposed and validated in this paper. Simulated by the validated experiment-based model, the performance of the DSHP heating system is numerically investigated by comparing with different systems in various regions. The results show that the DSHP system has higher seasonal performance factors and near-zero defrosting costs when compared to the conventional HP heating system in different regions, resulting in 1.88%–21.53% reductions in annual heating bills and carbon emissions. Compared to the gas boiler heating system, the DSHP system can achieve 20.64%–54.36% of annual heating bill savings and 14.39%–86.09% of annual carbon reductions in selected regions. The investigation of heating characteristics and eco-economic performance of the DSHP system in different regions provided important guiding significance for the DSHP in global application, and thus contributes to achieving bill-saving and low-carbon heating and sustainable development. • A novel DSHP system is proposed for building heating and ventilation decarbonization. • Innovative heat recovery and defrosting achieve simple structure and high efficiency. • Experiment-based model of DSHP heating system is proposed and validated. • Its eco-economic performances are compared to the normal HP and gas boiler systems. • Case studies for application potential in various regions are conducted by comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-generated energy supply has been applied as a solution to address the increasing global population, global warming challenges, and the search for alternative sources of renewable and clean energy supply. Regions such as Latin America and the Caribbean have a significant rural population that lacks access to electricity, impeding their development, and increasing unemployment rates. This paper presents a system dynamics model (SD) for assessing the implementation of a solar energy supply chain (SESC), combining the analysis with the national industry's development for the manufacture of solar modules used in the implementation of solar farms and individual solution projects, especially in the non-interconnected zones of Colombia. This case study examines three scenarios in Colombia: national government-implemented solar farm projects; development of national supply chain implementation; and development of the solar energy market. These scenarios are evaluated using performance indicators for supply chain variables, including coverage, diversification, emissions, and job creation. The results indicate that implementing a supply chain and developing solar module production in Colombia can positively impact the proposed indicators, resulting in improvements of 5.9% in coverage, 6.3% in diversification, 6.7% in emission reductions, and 13% in job creation. • A novel model is developed for the solar energy supply chain. • The solar energy supply chain modeled prospectively and sustainably. • Analysis of energy, economic, environmental and social sustainability performance indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a possible approach for creating business decisions based on multi-criteria analysis. Seven options for a possible revitalization of the thermal power plant “Kolubara”-A Unit No. 2 with energy indicators of sustainable development (EISD) are presented in this paper. The chosen EISD numerically express the essential features of the analyzed options, while the sustainability criteria indicate the option quality within the limits of these indicators. In this paper, the criteria for assessing the sustainability options are defined based on several aspects: economic, social, environmental and technological. In the process of assessing the sustainability of the considered options the Analysis and Synthesis of Parameters under Information Deficiency (ASPID) method was used. In this paper, the EISD show that production and energy consumption are closely linked to economic, environmental and other indicators, such as economic and technological development of local communities with employment being one of the most important social parameter. Multi-criteria analysis for the case study of the TPP “Kolubara”-A clearly indicated recommendations to decision makers on the choice of the best available options in dependence on the energy policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studied the carbon peak through the cross-analysis of low-carbon economics and deep learning. The STIRPAT model and ridge regression was used to distinguish and rank the importance of influencing factors to carbon emissions. In addition, an innovative GA-LSTM model was constructed for prediction. It combined the scenario analysis to explore the path of China's low-carbon development. The results showed that China's carbon emissions have been showing a growing trend, and among the many influencing factors, only the technological level had an inhibitory effect on carbon emissions. China's carbon peak will be reached around 2030 under all three scenarios of benchmark, steady growth, and green development, with peak values of 11.82, 11.94, and 11.64 billion tons, respectively. Meanwhile, there was a big difference in the rate of change in China's carbon emissions before and after the carbon peak. The rising-rate was faster before the carbon emission peak, while the decline rate was slower after the peak. This paper argued that China should start from the energy consumption structure and industrial structure to promote the development of emission reduction work and, at the same time, vigorously promote the effect of the technological level of emission reduction. • The cross-analysis of the low carbon economy and deep learning is used for research. • A GA-LSTM model was built to predict the carbon peak in China. • Scenario analysis is applied to explore China's scientific emission reduction path. • China's 2030 carbon peak target is likely to be met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of energy consumption in the residential sector experienced a rapid growth trend over the past 40 years, of which residential energy consumption in rural areas was an important reason for the quick growth in energy consumption. With the continuous development of farmland rental market, rural factor allocation efficiency and household income were improved in the actual world, which affected residential energy consumption. Thus, the main goal of this paper was to study the impact of farmland rental market participation on residential energy consumption by using a data set that covered 5018 effective samples. And the instrumental variable (IV) approach and the mediation effect model were used to test empirically the impact of farmland rental market participation on residential energy consumption. Compared with the existing studies, the main contributions of this paper were that: (i) a systematic theoretical model for the relationship between farmland rental market participation and residential energy consumption was established, which expanded the research perspective; (ii) the mediation effects of labor migration to urban areas and household income for the relationship between farmland rental market participation and residential energy consumption were analyzed, which enriched the research conclusions. The results indicated that: (i) compared with farm households without renting in land, residential energy consumption and electricity consumption for farm households with renting in land were significantly increased by 12.52% and 9.53%, respectively; (ii) expanding farm size decreased significantly the number of labor migration to urban areas by 16.31%, which boosted residential energy consumption; (iii) expanding farm size increased significantly household income by 7.68%, which raised residential energy consumption. This study was conducive to not only enhancing the sustainable economic development, but also expanding and improving the research conclusions of the existing literature. • expanding farm size enhanced significantly residential energy consumption. • renting-out land affected insignificantly residential energy consumption. • expanding farm size boosted residential energy consumption by reducing labor migration to urban areas. • expanding farm size enhanced residential energy consumption by raising household income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and fossil fuel reserve depletion both pose challenges for energy security and for wellbeing in general. The top ten among them include: Decarbonising the world economy; Enhancing the energy efficiency and energy savings in buildings; Advancing the energy technologies; Moving towards energy systems based on variable renewables; Electrifying the transport and some industrial processes; Liberalizing and extending the energy markets; Integrating energy sectors to Smart Energy Systems; Making the cities and communities smart; Diversifying the energy sources; and Building more biorefineries. Presenting the contributions of selected conference papers published in the special issues of leading scientific journals (including all the papers from the current Energy special issue), this review demonstrates the capacity of the Conferences on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems for generation of knowledge which could serve as the centrepiece of a pertinent response to those challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon neutrality has become a global consensus for green development, and solar photovoltaic power generation has increasingly become one of the key technologies for carbon reduction. Large-scale photovoltaic power plants are often built in arid and sandy areas, which carry a large number of dust particles in the air. Dust deposition on photovoltaic modules has a significant impact on the transmittance, temperature, and roughness of photovoltaic modules, reducing their power generation efficiency and service life. The paper has the following structure: i) relevant research all over the world; ii) the mechanism of dust deposition and the influencing factors on photovoltaic modules; and, iii) some current methods of cleaning are summarized, and the mechanism of self-cleaning coatings for dust deposition prevention. It is found that the process of dust deposition is accomplished dynamically and repeatedly under the joint action of several forces. And the diameter of the particle, the installation angle of photovoltaic modules and wind speed have a great influence on the behavior of dust deposition. Self-cleaning coatings have an obvious effect on the prevention of dust deposition. The paper also looks forward to future research methods of particle deposition and cleaning on photovoltaic modules. • The characteristics and the influencing factors of dust deposition are improved. • The mechanism of dust behaviors on photovoltaic modules has been perfected. • The methods for dust removal are studied and integrated. • The mechanism and effect of self-cleaning coatings are studied and integrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environment-friendly development of wind power is complicated as the atmospheric impacts of wind farms are difficult to measure. Wind power has made contributions to emission reduction, but it is undeniable that the substantial wind farms (SWFs) have had a non-negligible impact on the local ABL. This paper aims to provide a reliable methodological scheme and practical data for human beings to objectively understand the development of wind power. Based on the data from one of the Chinese gigawatt-scale wind power bases in Zhangbei County of Hebei Province, the mesoscale simulations were conducted to explore the impacts of substantial wind farms on the local and regional atmosphere. The results show that: (i) the impact of substantial wind farms on the local area is significant and sustained, while this impact on the regional area is slight and occasional; (ii) it can bring about the seasonal and diurnal differences in the local ABL property; (iii) it can not only induce the horizontal turbulence directly caused by wind turbine wake flow, but also produce the vertical mixing in the near-surface ABL. A systematic analysis of wind power potential and its atmospheric impact is urgent to ensure sustainable development of wind power. • Wind power brings significant and sustained local atmospheric impacts. • The WRF model coupled with WTDP is capable to explore such impacts. • Filling the gaps in the practical assessment of gigawatt-scale wind power. • The seasonal and diurnal impacts of SWFs are quantitatively assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper elaborates the concept of the renewable district heating system (DHS) in Municipality of Visoko, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of the CoolHeating project funded by the EU's Horizon 2020 programme, which is going to be integrated into the planned DHS supplied by a combined heat and power facility (CHP). Forecast of the demand, type and capacities of the production units, as well as optimization of the production plan, was performed by the software EnergyPRO. Calculations are based on inputs such as climate conditions, connection rate for housing facilities, prices of all energy sources, energy efficiency performance of the facilities, temperature level of DHS, heat losses, investment costs, operating costs such as maintenance costs, fuel and electricity prices, taxes, subsidies and finally operating time, while the period for the optimization was calculated per hour throughout the year. The overall approach leads to a flexible modular DHS solution based on RES and CHP. Much better economic and environmental sustainability indicators, demonstrated on real inputs of the Visoko project, have been noticed as opposed to the existing heating solution. Similar concepts can be developed for other communities to ensure replication and thus multiply the effects and contribution to sustainable development. • The concept of the DH hybridization involving CHP and RES solutions is elaborated. • Optimization procedure involving an overall design, economic and environmental analysis. • Optimization of the DHS production plan was performed by the software EnergyPRO. • Testing was done by Economic CoolHeating tool and EMEP CORINAR methodology. • Sustainability improvement by the optimization method was demonstrated for Visoko DH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper examines the relationship between hydroelectricity consumption and economic growth in China, while controlling for fossil fuel consumption, financial development, capital, institutional quality and globalization and its components for the period, 1970–2014. We have employed the Bayer and Hanck, (2013) combined cointegration test to examine the long-run relationships between those variables as well as the autoregressive distributed lag method with structural breaks as a robustness check. The empirical findings demonstrate a long-run relationship between those variables. Hydroelectricity consumption, fossil fuel consumption, capital, financial development and globalization and its components have a positive influence on GDP in China. The findings also provide predominant evidence on the long-run feedback hypothesis between the variables. The findings suggest that policies should be implemented to increase the role hydropower in the energy mix for sustainable economic growth in the country. Highlights • We examine the relationship between hydropower consumption and economic growth in China. • We control for fossil fuel consumption, financial development, capital, institutions and globalization. • We employ the Bayer and Hanck, (2013) cointegration test and ARDL bounds-testing method with structural breaks. • The findings demonstrate a long-run relationship between those variables. • The explanatory and control variables have positive influence on GDP in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Recent electricity management systems such as Smart Grids and Virtual Power Plants help to better integrate distributed generation renewable resources (RDG), such as photovoltaic, small hydro or micro wind in electricity markets. In this context, an important increase of small-scale power generation technologies is expected in Spain by 2020, according to the Spanish Action Plan for Renewable Energy. This paper analyses the environmental and economic impacts of the massive integration of RDG in Spain for 2020 by using an Input-Output approach. The induced production and employment effects in every sector due to new RDG project investments as well as the CO 2 reductions attributed to a decline in conventional electricity consumption are estimated. The results indicate that investments in RDG based on photovoltaic and small-hydro have the greatest impact on employment generation. The RDG investments will lead to a decrease in emissions of 21.67% in 2020 compared with 2013. The RDG technologies become an alternative to reach a sustainable economic growth in Spain. In future research, a multi-regional input-output model and the study of the links between energy consumption, standard of living and consumption patterns will aid to delve deeper into the relationship between economic growth and the environmental impacts of small-scale renewable technologies. Highlights • RDG will be over half of total installed electricity generation capacity in 2020. • The impact of RDG deployment is quantified on Spanish economy in 2020. • The IO methodology is used to study the environmental and economic impacts. • Photovoltaic and small-hydro have the highest impact on employment generation. • RDG becomes an alternative to reach a sustainable economic growth in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Availability of gaseous alternatives enhances the diversification of fuel choices for the road transport sector in a country. Additionally, these fuels being environment-friendly may also contribute to the sustainable development. Pakistan has a number of gaseous fuels available for the road transport sector with a varying level of economic, environmental and social significance. It is still required to study the suitability of these gaseous resources from different perspectives. This paper utilizes a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis approach based on Analytical Hierarchy Process for evaluating the three gaseous alternatives namely Compressed Natural Gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas. Initially, four main criteria, technical, economic, environmental and social aspects and eleven sub-criteria were identified from a comprehensive literature review. Then an appropriate decision model was formulated consisting of goals, criteria, sub-criteria and alternatives. The empirical data for criteria was collected from various government and academic sources. The results revealed Compressed Natural Gas as a most favorable fuel choice for the road transport sector of Pakistan. Besides the ranking and prioritization of three fuel technologies, the results of the proposed decision framework are significant for formulating a policy on the usage of different fuels in the transportation sector of Pakistan. Highlights • Three gaseous alternatives CNG, LPG and LNG are evaluated. • MCDM and AHP are utilized for evaluating. • Analysis reveals that CNG is more suitable. • Its technical, economic, social and environmental acceptability favors it as an alternative fuel. • Provision of CNG to road transport from local production and cross-border trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The efficient and clean use of lignite is strategically important to sustainable development. Predrying technology is a competitive approach to solve the utilization issue of the high moisture, and the pyrolysis technology is an ideal upgrading method to realize high value-added components extraction. However, the two technologies are normally used separately. By integrating the two technologies, the cascade utilization of energy may be realized, and the utilization efficiency of lignite may be increased accordingly. Therefore, a steam predrying coupled with lignite-pyrolysis power system (PPPS) is proposed in this paper. Theoretical models are developed on the basis of thermodynamics to assess the properties of the proposed system, and a case analysis is performed to determine the quantitative consequences of the PPPS. Moreover, energy and exergy analyses are performed to uncover the energy saving mechanism. Results indicate that the proposed system can evidently increase the thermal efficiency by approximately 4.43% relatively based on the higher heating value, and by approximately 4.45% relatively based on the lower heating value. The PPPS can noticeably increase the exergy efficiency by approximately 4.48% relatively owing to the integration of the lignite predrying and pyrolysis technologies. Highlights • A novel integrated Lignite-Pyrolysis Poly-Generation System is proposed. • The cascade utilization of energy during drying and pyrolysis process is realized. • 52.55% of overall system efficiency and 4.45% relatively increase are achieved. • The energy saving mechanism of the proposed system is uncovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bottom-up energy system models rely on cost optimization to produce energy scenarios that inform policy analyses, debates and decisions. This paper reviews the rationale for the use of cost optimization and questions whether cost-optimal scenarios are adequate proxies of the real-world energy transition. Evidence from ex-post modeling shows that cost optimization does not approximate the real-world UK electricity system transition in 1990–2014. The deviation in cumulative total system costs from the cost-optimal scenario in 1990–2014 is equal to 9–23% under various technology, cost, demand, and discount rate assumptions. In fact, cost-optimal scenarios are shown to gloss over a large share of uncertainty that arises due to deviations from cost optimality. Exploration of large numbers of near-optimal scenarios under parametric uncertainty can give indication of the bounds or envelope of predictability of the real-world transition. Concrete suggestions are then made how to improve bottom-up energy system models to better deal with the vast uncertainty around the future energy transition. The paper closes with a reflective discussion on the tension between predictive and exploratory use of energy system models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a meta-frontier nonparametric approach to construct the slacks-based composite indicator considering heterogeneity. The meta-frontier approach is useful to control and study the impact of potential heterogeneity in constructing composite indicator. In virtue of the Malmquist index, we further study tracking the evolvement of the constructed meta-frontier slacks-based composite indicator over time, and quantifying the driving forces behind the change. The proposed approach has been applied to assess China's regional sustainable energy utilization capacity during 2005–2010. Our empirical results show that all the three regions, i.e. the eastern, central and western, in China experience deterioration in sustainable energy development level. The best practice gap change and technology gap change are identified as the main contributors to the declining trend. Hence, improving the general production technology and enhancing technology diffusion among regions can help to promote China's overall sustainable energy development level. At the provincial level, Beijing is found to maintain a good balance in improving efficiency and absorbing advanced technology, while other provinces show diverse performance during this time period. More results and discussions are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the process-level micro data, this paper adopts the SBM model considering the undesirable output to calculate the green technical efficiency (GTE) of 31 Chinese iron and steel enterprises (CISEs) in 2008 and 2012 as well as the efficiency of three main production process in the steel production, such as sintering, ironmaking and steelmaking. Based on this, the correlation between different types of environmental regulation and the GTE of CISEs is further discussed. The results show that: (1) Compared with sintering and ironmaking, the GTE of steelmaking process is relatively low, which is the short board that affects the improvement of GTE of CISEs. And it's also found that most enterprises have at least one short board production process (that is, GTE is relatively low). (2) There are regional differences and ownership differences in GTE of CISEs. Specifically, the GTE of CISEs in southern China was higher than that in northern China in 2008 and 2012. The GTE of state-owned steel enterprises in 2008 was slightly higher than that of private steel enterprises, but in 2012, the GTE of private steel enterprises was significantly higher than that of state-owned steel enterprises. (4) Different types of environmental regulation have positive effects on the overall GTE of CISEs, but the impact on the production process is heterogeneous. The command-and-control environmental regulation has a significant positive effect on sintering process, while market incentive environmental regulation has a significant positive effect on ironmaking process. • Steelmaking process is the weak link that affects the green development of CISE. • There are regional differences and ownership differences in green technical efficiency of CISEs. • The impact of environmental regulation on different production process is heterogeneous. • The CCER only has a significant positive effect on sintering process. • The MIER only has a significant positive effect on ironmaking process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the requirements of China's regional coordination and green low-carbon development strategy, using provincial balanced panel data from 1998 to 2017, this paper reveals how the spatial functional division affects carbon emissions and discusses the regulatory effect of transportation and communication infrastructure on the relationship between the spatial functional division and carbon emissions. The research conclusions are as follows. First, with the deepening of spatial functional division, the carbon emissions show a significant inverted U-shaped trend, and this result remains robust after taking into account location differences and spatial form. Second, the number of provinces where the spatial functional division exceeds the inflection point gradually increases; however, the level of spatial functional division in most provinces is insufficient. Third, the mechanism analysis indicates that market integration and technological progress are important channels through which spatial functional division affects carbon emissions. Finally, the enhancement of transportation and communication infrastructure contributes to the carbon reduction effect of the spatial functional division. In a context where the link between agglomeration and carbon emissions has been widely explored, this paper provides new evidence and cases for thinking about the synergistic development of industrial agglomeration and carbon emissions reduction from the perspective of functional division. [Display omitted] • The impact of spatial functional division on carbon emissions is explored. • The spatial functional division in several provinces beyond the inflection point. • Market integration and technological progress are important influencing paths. • Transportation and communication infrastructure have moderating effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of China's economy has accelerated its energy demand. The exploitation of renewable energy is essential because of limited conventional energy sources, high energy consumption, unstable and escalating oil prices, and detrimental environmental pollutions. Firms in the renewable energy industry are currently facing challenges to maintain competitiveness and productivity while minimizing environmental impacts. The ability to manage knowledge is a key feature in the process for firms to obtain competitive advantages. In addition, interactive learning framework provides a platform that can respond to the need for adjustment in time of great uncertainty. This paper adds evidence to the literature of interactive learning environment based on China context. It examines critical characteristics of interactive learning framework in the renewable energy industry, and then investigates suitable organization forms for knowledge management at different levels of a supply chain. On this basis, this paper proposes suitable organizational forms under different situations for sustainable competitive advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has surpassed the United States to be the world's largest energy consumer, but a lot of energy was used to produce products for exporting to other countries. Presently, China faces a great challenge in energy security and environmental protection. This paper focuses on the energy embodied in China's foreign trade with a multi-regional input–output approach. Three versions of the GTAP (Global Trade Analysis Project) database were used to capture the trend and distribution of the embodied energy flows for China during 2001–2007. The results indicate that the energy embodied in the global trade is increasing rapidly, growing faster than the total direct energy exported in the same period. China is shown as an energy exporter in terms of embodied energy, and the embodied energy trade surplus increased from 156 million tons of oil equivalents (Mtoe) in 2001 to 514 Mtoe in 2007, with a proportion of domestic energy consumption increased from 14% to 23%. This paper also studies the effects of the energy-intensive industry restrictive export policy of China, and we find that this policy could reduce the national energy consumption and promote industrial structure upgrades effectively. However, the expansion of energy-intensive industries in other countries may reduce China's efforts for global energy saving and global warming alleviation. Our simulation shows that carbon leakage is about 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a generalized framework to construct composite indicator, which can be used in static and dynamic analysis. By grouping DMUs (decision making units) first, the proposed approach is more flexible to derive weights for entities featuring diverse characteristics. A more neutral set of weights can be obtained through investigating the lower and upper bound of possible weights. Subsequently, we introduce a slack-based composite indicator from the perspective of distance function, which facilitates studying entities' improvement potential in sub-indicators. Furthermore, the slacks-based composite indicator is combined with the Malmquist index to conduct dynamic assessment, aiming to quantify the evolvement of composite indicator over time and the underlying driving forces. To illustrate the usefulness of the proposed approach, it is applied to construct the Sustainable Energy Index for 109 countries worldwide in 2005–2010. Our results show that the high-income country group has the best sustainable energy performance among all the three country groups in 2010. The dynamic assessment indicates the worldwide sustainable energy development level declined during 2005–2010, and the efficiency change was the main negative driving force. More discussions and implications are presented in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]