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Purpose: The aim of the study is to assess the importance of climate and energy policy instruments in fuel poverty reduction policy in Poland. Design/methodology/approach: The paper applies the method of regression analysis to assess the impact of climate and energy policy factors on fuel poverty in Poland. For this purpose, a literature review was carried out on the factors influencing fuel poverty and the development of climate and energy policy, particularly decarbonisation in the European Union, in order to identify potential determinants of fuel poverty. An empirical analysis was carried out of electricity and gas price developments and decomposition analysis of these prices in Poland in the studied period, and it was assessed using regression analysis which factors, among the instruments of energy and climate policies, determine fuel poverty in Poland. Findings: The main finding is that climate and energy policies influence fuel poverty in Poland, especially share of renewable energy sources in energy mix and expenditures on environment protection. It was also found that macroeconomic policy instruments, which determine the level of income per capita and thus disposable income, have a statistically significant impact on fuel poverty in Poland. In addition, it was found that such instruments as taxes and social transfers are worth using for this purpose. Research limitations/implications: It is recommended to deepen long-term research on the impact of these policies on fuel poverty. For the time being, the lack of long-term data limits the possibility for long-term analysis. Practical implications: Unfortunately, there is a lack of detailed data on income decomposition in decile groups, which limits the possibility to accurately estimate the long-term level of fuel poverty in Poland. Social implications: The regulation of fuel poverty would make it possible to constantly monitor the phenomenon and to apply instruments that would precisely limit this social phenomenon. Originality/value: The paper provides information on the impact of climate and energy policy on fuel poverty in Poland. So far there have only been analyses of the scale of the phenomenon, not of the factors. It is addressed to fuel poverty practitioners and policy makers in the field of social and energy policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green technology innovation is a critical factor in ensuring the long-term stable development of renewable energy enterprises. Based on the super network theory, this paper constructs a network model of green technology innovation influencing factors of renewable energy enterprises, which includes the knowledge sub-network of green technology innovation of renewable energy enterprises, the research and development member sub-network of green technology innovation team of renewable energy enterprises and the policy sub-network of green technology innovation of renewable energy enterprises. It explores the mechanism of its influence on innovation in the preparation stage. Simulation analysis by Netlogo software concludes that innovation knowledge sharing, R&D membership, and innovation policy all have a significant positive impact on green technology innovation in renewable energy companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is written within the European Project "THREE-Lanka" which has the aim of modernizing the higher education related to Renewable Energy (RE) in Sri Lanka. The paper presents the outcomes of analysing various incentive schemes to stimulate RE development. In Europe, there was substantial growth in RE installation through generous incentives in the first years. Then, to regulate this growth, in recent years, the auction system has been introduced to improve the competition among companies that install RE plants. In Sri Lanka, on the other hand, the main energy tariff policies focus on the spread of PhotoVoltaics (PV) through contributions based on the electricity fed into the grid. This paper provides an updated view of the evolution of the energy tariff policies in the relevant European countries with respect to Sri Lanka, covering some recent policy developments. Within the Sri Lankan framework, four case studies involving residential, commercial, and industrial users are outlined to suggest better mechanisms (in the case of not adequate current incentive tariff) for supporting the deployment of grid-connected PV systems in a wide power range. Such knowledge transfer in the THREE-Lanka project will demonstrate the enormous potential RE capacity in a developing country, still depending on fossil fuels but willing to follow the path towards sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) has committed to becoming a global leader in renewable energy. Reaching this target implies fostering innovation activity to maximize the competitiveness of the European renewable industry. By relying on a case study approach based on a small number of in‐depth interviews with selected stakeholders, this paper illustrates one of the main factors hindering technological development in the renewable energy sector in Europe. More specifically, the paper focuses on the so‐called "valley of death," which traps promising technologies in a "limbo." While ready to be deployed from a technical standpoint, these technologies are not cost competitive and, paradoxically, only their widespread commercialization would allow to drive their cost down. The paper also identifies a mix of policy solutions that can effectively support the competitiveness of the EU renewable energy industry. While more public funding to deploy promising renewable energy technologies is certainly needed, EU policymaker should also improve synergies between EU funding programs at all stages of the research and innovation process. In addition, introducing an EU risk insurance and guarantee fund would ultimately allow to reduce deployment costs and boost commercialization of new technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with improving the feed-in tariff policy for green energy advancement in Ukraine's households based on assessing the economic efficiency of investment project implementation under the current state support mechanisms. This study was conducted for solar and wind power plants with different installed capacities. The Levelized Cost of Electricity and the payback period for such power plants were calculated considering the ongoing feed-in tariffs and discount rates determined by various equity and debt capital ratios. The results showed that the state support provides attractive payback periods for solar and wind power plants with an installed capacity of ≥30 kW. In comparison, 5 kW solar power plants and wind power plants with a capacity of up to 10 kW are not paid off during the power plants' lifecycle. It confirmed that the ongoing energy policy in Ukraine's residential sector is still designed to obtain profits by the owners of generating facilities by selling the excess electricity. In the meantime, its main goal—providing households energy independence—has been levelled. To resolve the issues caused by such a state support model, a methodical approach to improve the feed-in tariff calculation is proposed. In addition, recommendations for reconsidering other policy measures to ensure effective renewable energy development in the residential sector have been made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) into energy systems requires a meticulous assessment of various factors, spanning renewable energy potential, legal frameworks, technical considerations, community engagement, and consumer preferences. This article synthesizes a multifaceted discussion on the subject, focusing on the need for comprehensive analyses before deciding to implement SMRs. Drawing insights from geographic information systems (GIS) and lessons from renewable energy development in Poland, this paper underscores the significance of aligning energy strategies with local needs, emphasizing stakeholder participation. This study examines the factors influencing location attractiveness for various energy technologies, including small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), wind, solar, and hydroelectric power plants, within Poland. Employing 17 indicators sourced from Statistics Poland and URE, coupled with the application of the k-means algorithm, we outline four distinct clusters that delineate the zones of location attractiveness for SMRs and other renewable energy sources. While large and medium-sized cities exhibit optimal location attractiveness, coastal counties in northern Poland emerge as more suitable for renewable energy sources than for SMRs. The study outlines four distinct energy development strategies based on typologies of regions, each tailored to maximize the utility of available resources and minimize environmental impact. The strategies encompass renewable energy utilization, energy efficiency enhancement, energy diversification, and adaptation through innovation. Emphasizing the interplay between renewable energy potential, energy demand, and local conditions, the research suggests the strategic deployment of SMRs as part of an energy mix in areas where renewable energy resources are limited. By leveraging SMRs' continuous energy production, these reactors can complement intermittent renewables, bolstering energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the application of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) for evaluating what technologies using renewable energy sources (RES) for electricity production have the chance to develop in Poland under the current socio-economic conditions. First, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to determine the weights of the optimization criteria. Five main criteria and 30 sub-criteria were identified. Next, the authors modified numerical taxonomy (NT) to rank eight RES technologies (such as onshore and offshore wind farms, photovoltaics, or biogas plants). The results show that offshore wind farms are the RES technology with the greatest development opportunities in Poland. The following three technologies: distributed photovoltaic energy, biogas plants, and biomass power plants, respectively, received a similar rating in the ranking. Hydropower and geothermal were the lowest-ranked technologies. The ranking, which is the result of multi-criteria analysis, in several respects, is significantly different from the directions of activities indicated in the state energy policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current legal and policy system of renewable energy in China has set up a framework of policy instruments, which provides an important foundation for dealing with climate change and promoting the healthy development of the renewable energy industry with the goal of "carbon neutrality" and "emission peak". However, the current policy instruments cannot meet the needs for rapid development of the renewable energy industry. This paper investigates, analyzes, and concludes the status of renewable energy development along with related policy instruments in different renewable energy sources by literature and points out the problems of current policy instruments, and puts forward corresponding countermeasures. Moreover, from the perspective of energy consumption market transformation, the authors carried out an analysis of China's challenges of policy instruments, pointing out that China's renewable energy policy instruments have the potential to take one step further in the areas of the regulatory system, legal system and legal security system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate and energy policies are the key areas of the European Union's development aspirations in the international arena. The European Green Deal sets ambitious new goals in this respect, emphasizing clean energy. The development of the energy sector, relying chiefly on renewable sources, is one of the conditions for the EU to transition to energies that do not produce waste that pollutes or is otherwise harmful to the Earth and human health. This paper assesses the development of renewable sources of energy in the EU and identifies challenges to the realization of the EU's energy priorities. An analysis of renewable sources of energy in the EU in 2012 and 2020 is the prime method. The generation of primary energy from renewable sources, the share of energy from renewable sources in the final energy consumption, the structure of energy generation from renewable sources, and the share of energy from renewable sources in the energy used by the transport sector are discussed. Secondary data are employed, made available by Eurostat and Statistics Poland. To reach the objective of the study, Z. Hellwig's taxonomic method is applied to assess the development of renewable energy sources (RES). Cluster analysis (Ward's agglomerative clustering method) is additionally used for separation of objects and member states that are similar with regard to the phenomenon reviewed. Particular attention is paid to the challenges that societies and economies face in view of the assumptions of the EU's new Green Deal, which envisages a balancing of CO2 emissions and absorption. This analysis discovers varied progress on the development of RES in the member states, posing a threat to the European community's aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian renewable energy sector has grown at a compounded annual growth rate of 15.51% in the last five years, where wind growth is about 8%. The Indian government has been adopting changes to create a safe, cheap, and sustainable energy system to fuel vigorous economic growth. The government has made significant efforts in ensuring universal access to energy, giving power to its residents. It is implementing a large-scale deployment of renewable energy, particularly solar and wind. This paper examines the country's wind sector in-depth, including the government policy, financial incentives, and accomplishments. The study goes on to discuss the prospects and problems of the wind sector, as well as solutions to overcome them to reach the estimated target of 140–150 GW by 2030. Wind power growth in the country has weakened in the last few years which may hamper the country's ambitious renewable energy targets. Wind industry is facing several hindrances ranging from discontinuation of incentives, land acquisition, DISCOM's poor health, change in bidding scheme, old wind sites, etc. Certain steps, such as repowering outdated wind farms, giving generation-based incentives, tax concessions, reassessing the country's wind potential, and constructing competitive renewable energy zones could aid in reviving the wind energy sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A successful and just energy transition is subject to policies that adhere to a multi-dimensional approach to renewable energy development. To achieve success in renewable energy development, well-thought-out and efficient policies must be implemented. This paper aims to address a major shortcoming in renewable energy development in terms of understanding and recognising the policy space that promotes or hampers renewable energy growth. The paper examines the relevant literature to identify major themes and factors in renewable energy development. A thematic analysis was conducted using a hybrid inductive and deductive approach and resulted in the identification of 5 major themes namely Institutional, Environmental, Financial, Socio-cultural, Technical and 144 factors. The identified themes and factors will assist to make a policy action decisive, just, and sustainable. Recommendations including comprehensive incentivisation, regulatory support for renewable energy technologies in developing nations, environment impact assessment programs, promotion of financial transparency and opting for a just transition to benefit local and vulnerable communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we utilize a systematic review to assess opportunities and challenges in wind energy development in Uganda. Apart from being an environmentally friendly and renewable energy resource, development of wind energy could boosts economic growth and creates jobs. For Uganda, rising energy demand, need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increasing electricity access to rural areas, emerge as rational opportunities to invest in wind energy. The main obstacles to wind energy development in Uganda are insufficient wind resource data, high initial investment cost, inadequate research and development, weak infrastructure, and unsupportive policies. For policy, comprehensive wind resource assessment, energy infrastructure investment, financial de-risking, capacity building, and deliberate wind power policy incentives could accelerate wind energy development and consequently contribute to the country's energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For sustainable industrial growth, it is essential to reduce the energy intensity of production through technological advancements while ensuring cleaner energy sources are available to meet electricity and heat requirements. At the same time, hydrogen holds potential in decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries as a clean fuel. This review aims to develop a comprehensive framework for integrating hydrogen energy to decarbonize industries effectively. It begins with an overview of energy storage technologies, followed by a discussion of hydrogen applications in the industry. A life-cycle assessment of green hydrogen highlights its environmental benefits. The review also provides a systematic analysis of energy system models, leading to the introduction of a framework for hydrogen integration in energy systems. The objective is to demonstrate how hydrogen, supported by renewable energy sources, can serve as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, particularly in carbon-intensive sectors. The proposed framework considers four aspects: understanding the current industrial process, evaluating hydrogen's applicability, building a mathematical model to simulate the integrated system, and analyzing the model's findings in terms of energy consumption, environmental impact, and economic feasibility. By following these steps, industries and policymakers can make informed decisions about integrating hydrogen for a more sustainable future, setting a precedent for similar economic sectors. • The development of sustainable energy system models is needed to alleviate pressure on resources and the environment. • Hydrogen has potential as an energy carrier, facilitating more integration of renewable energy. • The paper introduces a framework for hydrogen integration in the industrial energy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse how financial development and renewable energy consumption are linked in the selected countries of South Asia using data covering from 1990 to 2018. On the indication of cross-sectional dependency among the variables of the models, we apply second-generation panel unit root tests and cointegration tests to check stationarity properties and long-run cointegrating relationships. We find that variables are stationary at the first difference, and long-run cointegration exists. By applying robust heterogeneous and cross-section augmented dynamic estimators, we find that growth in GDP increases renewable energy consumption by about 0.50–1.56%; however, it reduces by 0.01–0.03% after particular thresholds. Furthermore, on average, an increase in financial development reduces the propensity of renewable energy consumption by 0.07–0.15% in the long-run. On the other hand, panel causality results show unidirectional relationships from GDP to financial development and from financial development to renewable energy consumption but not vice versa. We suggest that the selected countries revisit and restructure the renewable energy policy and focus on institutional reforms to strengthen renewable energy development in the upcoming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poland's energy transformation will be carried out over the next two decades, and its main objective is decarbonization. Specific goals are included in the energy policy of Poland until 2040. In this context, it should be emphasized that the Polish energy sector requires a complete modernization, especially in terms of electricity supply. The current state of affairs is a consequence of the still too high use of coal in the energy mix. The planned investments are to lead to a deep transition in the Polish energy sector, which will ensure the energy security of the state. The Polish energy policy proposes several methods that are to be used for modernization, i.e., gasification of the electricity sector, implementation of nuclear energy, or the development of renewable energy sources. In this context, it is necessary to identify the challenges and threats to Poland's energy security. The article presents the current state of the Polish energy sector, the main goals of the EPP 2040 and the resulting threats to energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional petrol vehicles emit a substantial quantity of greenhouse gases, leading to increasingly serious global warming problems. The expansion and development of renewable power generation technologies is conducive in promoting the use of electric vehicles, which are more environmentally friendly. This paper proposes a multi-objective power expansion model considering renewable energy policy objectives. The model regards the problem as a multi-period optimisation task, taking the newly installed capacity and the power generation capacity of each power generation technology as decision variables, and simulating the uncertain factors in the planning process using Geometric Brownian Motion and Monte Carlo approaches. The optimisation objective of the model is to minimise expected costs, reduce risk and environmental impacts, and incorporate changing policy objectives into the constraints to meet policy makers' expectations for renewable energy development. Then, a decentralised target search-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm is proposed to solve the model. Its effectiveness is verified by a numerical example using real data from the Chinese power system. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm exhibits improved performance compared with benchmark algorithms and provides high quality and diverse Pareto-optimal solutions to decision makers. Finally, the optimal plans for power expansion and generation mix under different preferences and policy objectives are discussed and corresponding recommendations are made. [Display omitted] • Planning for the expansion of power generation under uncertainties is determined. • Strategies for the expansion of power generation towards renewable energy are optimised. • A novel multi-objective evolutionary algorithm with a constraint handling method is developed. • The impact of multiple renewable energy policies on power generation expansion planning is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global‐scale empirical analysis of how renewable energy policies (REPs) affect carbon emissions and the mediating role of renewable energy development (RED) in this mechanism remains underexplored. To fill this research gap, we extracted and organized REPs data from IEA's databases for 135 countries until 2018 and conducted empirical analyses of these issues. We find that: (a) REPs significantly reduce global carbon emissions, especially through regulatory, economic, and R&D policies. (b) REPs' effectiveness in mitigating carbon emissions is enhanced by robust energy infrastructure, strong control of corruption, and adherence to the rule of law. Besides, the balance of REPs types does not influence their efficiency, but REPs prioritizing certain renewable energy (RE) types aligns better with carbon reduction goals. (c) RED displays a Janus‐faced influence on REPs' carbon reduction effect—renewable energy consumption (REC) positively mediates it, whereas renewable energy share (RES) exerts a negative mediation. Specifically, REC consistently reduces carbon emissions, while RES initially increases and then decreases carbon emissions, exhibiting an inverted U‐shape. (d) The initial rise in carbon emissions with RES is due to the low substitution of RE for fossil energy and the country‐specific heterogeneity in organizational, geographic, industrial, economic, demographic, and temporal factors. Plain Language Summary: This study looked at how renewable energy policies (REPs) help lower carbon emissions worldwide and the role of renewable energy development (RED) in this process. We used data from the International Energy Agency on 135 countries up to 2018. Our findings show that REPs are effective in reducing carbon emissions, particularly through laws, economic incentives, and research and development. The success of these policies is better in countries with strong energy infrastructure, good governance, and rule of law. Interestingly, not all types of REPs are equally effective; those focusing on specific types of renewable energy (RE) align more closely with carbon reduction goals. We also discovered a dual role of RED in this scenario. While the use of RE helps lower emissions, just increasing the share of RE in the overall energy mix can initially lead to more emissions before eventually decreasing them. This increase at first happens because RE doesn't immediately replace fossil fuels and because countries are different in terms of their organization, geography, industry, economy, population, and changes over time. Key Points: Renewable energy policies (REPs) cut global carbon emissions, mainly via regulatory, economic, and R&D policiesREPs' carbon reduction boosted by robust infrastructure, anti‐corruption, and law adherenceRenewable energy development has a Janus‐faced impact on REPs' carbon reduction effect [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores contextual background and legislative developments within the energy sector of both South Africa and the European Union (EU) which has led to the formulation of the International Just Energy Transition Partnership between South Africa and the EU and particular EU member states. This is done by observing and unpacking the state of renewable energy production within South Africa and the EU and reviewing key principles in specific legislation within the respective energy sector. The paper aims to address and identify areas of interest that should be included within the International Just Energy Transition Partnership between South Africa and the EU in order to ensure that climate goals and energy sector objectives within both South Africa and the EU are efficiently and effectively achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the effect of geopolitical risk on renewable energy deployment, assuming that geopolitical uncertainty stimulates nations to be independent and rely on their renewable energy sources in order to reduce the geopolitical risk concomitant to fossil fuel inflows. The current paper's data sample covers 10 net crude oil importer countries during the period 1985–2017. It employs panel cointegration analysis and estimate an autoregressive distributed lag model. The results show that geopolitical risk has a significant and positive effect on renewable energy diffusion. Therefore, this work determines that it is an incentive, not an obstacle, to renewable energy deployment. The present study's policy implication is that renewable energy development is expected to increase if the geopolitical risk rises, all else being equal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the research topics of China's energy transition policy and predicting future research trends are crucial for policymakers to make informed decisions and advance the energy transition. This study applied the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to extract 26 major research topics from the 13,976 abstracts of Chinese policy research papers in web of science (WOS), conceptualized the five most popular topics and used the ARIMA model to predict trends over the next 36 months. The results show that except for Economic and Environmental Impact of Renewable Energy Consumption (Topic13), which will first experience unanticipated fluctuations and then show strong growth capacity, all other topics will continue to remain positive growth trend. Research and Development (Topic3) is driven by the urgency of China's energy transformation. Economic and Environmental Impact of Renewable Energy Consumption (Topic13) is driven by the potential for the development of renewable energy. Economic Impact of Climate Change (Topic26) is driven by the climate change debate. Economic Growth, Urbanization, and Energy Consumption (Topic7) is driven by a discussion of their relationship and the mechanisms influencing them. Regional Efficiency and Productivity Analysis (Topic19) is driven by regional differences in China's energy policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy transformation in Poland, including the need to accelerate the shift away from hard coal and lignite in the power system, has been taking place in the face of the energy crisis. Ambitious climate and economic goals force the development of renewable energy sources, but they require legislative changes for the benefit of socially vulnerable consumers. This is important from the point of view of counteracting energy poverty. Energy transformation is not only a change in the fuel used, but most of all, the path and basis of low-carbon development that changes many socio-economic systems. The aim of this study is to link the development and environmental challenges in the studied subject matter with social challenges. The analyses show that it is necessary to strengthen the use of local energy potential and resources, and to activate local communities. The construction of nuclear power plants is also crucial. The results of the presented theoretical and empirical studies can be the basis for a revision of the energy policy in Poland in the area of the social dimension of the energy sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of renewable energy in achieving necessary reductions in emissions to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is widely acknowledged. However, there is growing concern over the allocation of land for constructing the required new infrastructure. Nowhere is this conflict more apparent than in India, where renewable energy targets are ambitious and land use conflicts are already significant. India intends to increase renewable energy to 500 GW by 2030. This would require an additional 42 GW of renewable energy to be installed every year. Although renewable energy can provide the solution to both India's growing need for cheap energy and climate change mitigation, the sustainable future of renewable energy deployment is far from simple due to its associated land use impacts and socio-ecological risk. While others have highlighted challenges to India's renewable energy targets, here we focus on the land use change issues that will need to be addressed for India to meet its targets. We introduce a series of recommendations and highlight how these could contribute to mainstreaming land values and facilitate the implementation of India's 2030 renewable energy targets. These recommendations include suggested planning approaches that would guide the development of standard siting guidelines, identification of preferential "go-to" areas for renewable energy, and the development of tools that allow access to data and information to site renewable right. Policy recommendations highlight utilizing converted lands and existing built infrastructure for renewable energy development, and adapting existing policies so they address land use impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power has become an increasingly important source of renewable energy in Norway. Current demand and production capacity have exceeded expectations stipulated in energy policies a few years back. Wind power affects landscape characteristics, and the rapid development has created considerable public conflict. However, knowledge to date about public attitudes toward wind power development in Norway is limited. We surveyed a representative sample of the Norwegian public to examine relationships between wind power development and place attachment, localization, and policies. We also examined if attitudes toward wind power are linked to broader environmental attitudes and meaning of place. Public attitudes range from strong support to strong opposition. We found limited support for NIMBY effects. Support versus opposition correlates with attitudes toward place attachment, localization of wind power plants and energy policies. We found evidence of a dichotomy between the more fundamental world views of eco-modernism versus de-growth influencing the more specific wind power attitudes. We argue that policy institutions have underestimated the power of attitude diversity in the wind power debate, and that social acceptability of future wind power development will depend on improved understanding of how social values of landscapes are impacted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the 2015 Paris Agreement and other agreements which have been signed after, sustainable energy development is becoming the major goal in many countries. EU have set the targets to reduce the annual greenhouse gas emission by 40% in 2030 and 80% for 2050 compared with 1990 levels. For achieving this ambitious energy policy, three major technological changes are available: energy savings on the demand side, efficiency improvements in the energy production, and replacement of fossil fuels by various sources of renewable energy. Also, for realization cited three major technological changes the support of the multi-disciplinary scientific knowledge is needed. Therefore, from the beginning of the 21st century, since 2002, a series of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) Conferences were founded. This paper presents an overview of published researches in special issues of leading journals dedicated to the series SDEWES Conferences, including also the papers in current special issue. The focus is on five main fields: (1) energy policy and analysis of smart energy systems; (2) energy savings in the building sector; (3) co/polygeneration - integrated heating, cooling and electricity systems and district heating; (4) biomass for energy; and (5) measurement of energo-environmental sustainability of processes and systems. Researchers are focused on the development of methods, policies and technologies for both efficient production of energy, mainly from renewable sources, and consumption in industry, buildings and transport. Undoubtedly, the researches presented in the papers in this special issue as well as in previous ones, dedicated to SDEWES conferences, will contribute to the promotion of sustainable development and thus to the achievement of the goals of the Paris Agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the editorial for the virtual special issue (VSI) of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (RSER) dedicated to 4 SDEWES Conferences held in 2020, namely: (i) the 2nd Latin American Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (LASDEWES 2020) held from February 9 to 12, 2020 in Buenos Aires, Argentina; (ii) the 1st Asia Pacific Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (APSDEWES 2020) held from April 6 to 9, 2020 in Gold Coast, Australia; (iii) the 4th South East European Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SEESDEWES 2020) held from June 28, 2020 to July 2, 2020 in Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina, and (iv) 15th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES 2020) held from September 1 to 5, 2020 in Cologne, Germany. The VSI collected both high quality review papers and original research articles presented at the 4 SDEWES conferences in 2020 belonging to the aims and scope of RSER. After a scrutinizing peer review process, 20 articles were accepted and published. These articles fall into four main areas: renewable energy cutting edge technologies, energy storage, energy modelling techniques and, climate and energy policy and impacts. Cross-areas articles belong to this Special Issue covering almost all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). • The VSI SDEWES 2020 covers four main areas. • An overview of the renewable and sustainable energy challenges to be dealt. • Cross-areas studies help addressing SDGs. • The advances and the novel findings for the successful achievements of ambitious policy targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policies targeting energy efficiency and renewable energy are sometimes viewed as more politically feasible than carbon pricing in pursuit of emission reduction goals. This paper assesses underlying drivers of energy policy development. These factors include economic, social, environmental, and institutional variables. The between estimator for panel data is an appropriate method for our focus on some exogenous variables that vary more across countries than over time. We find that larger oil reserves per capita have a negative relationship with renewable energy policy development. Education and political globalisation have strong positive relationships with both energy-efficiency and renewable-energy policy development. These results suggest that greater participation in global political groups can be an indirect approach toward energy policy development, in cases where direct and immediate policies are hard to implement. OECD countries have higher policy scores by 33 and 25 points in energy efficiency and renewable energy respectively. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis shows that these higher scores are primarily due to social and political institution predictors rather than economics and physical endowments. • Large-n cross country international sample on continuous policy score measurement. • Political globalisation is positively linked with renewables and energy efficiency policies. • Education is positively linked to energy policy development, especially for efficiency. • Higher OECD countries' policy scores are primarily due to social and political predictors. • Higher incomes are unlikely to lead to automatic improvements in energy policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary frequency control (PFC) has become increasingly important for the stable operation of power systems due to the development of renewable energy resources, and the thermal power units still need to provide satisfactory PFC services. The energy stored in metal and working fluid are the main impact factors for PFC. This paper proposed a universal assessment mechanism to evaluate PFC capability for thermal power plants under various working conditions by decomposing and quantifying the energy state, especially under flexible operating processes. A transient heat current model describes the dynamic process by constructing the relation of different parameters in overheated components at various energy states. In this study, the PFC dynamic response ability of a 600 MW supercritical power plant under various working conditions is quantified based on the proposed modeling. The maximum load regulation amount decreases from 6.0% to 1.69% with a decrease in the load. Compared to the theoretical calculation results with the experimental data of actual PFC tests, the proposed mechanism of the dynamic response of PFC assessment is more precise, with an accuracy of 97.85%, which has a significant meaning in guiding the PFC services in the power grid and regulating the power plants. • Constructed a new energy state-based model by heat current method. • Proposed a novel PFC capability assessment model under dynamic processes. • Considered the boiler and the turbine sides in the PFC simultaneously. • Validated the new model with various frequency deviations by field experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increasing emission of greenhouse gases and global warming, the development of renewable energy has become very important. The availability of fossil fuels and the low cost of their extraction compared to renewable energy projects reduce the motivation of countries, especially countries that have abundant natural resources, to develop this technology. Renewable energy deployment has become crucial in response to rising greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Policies supporting renewable energy play a significant role in this. This study examines the effect of such policies on the deployment of renewable energy technologies, considering the role of natural resources. Two groups of countries were analysed: 20 oil developed countries and 20 oil developing countries. Given the availability of data and the achievement of balanced panels to evaluate short-term and long-term relationships between variables, in current research Data from 2010 to 2020 was used, and various panel data estimators such as Feasible Generalized Least Squares and Generalized Method of Moments were employed. The Quantile estimator was also used to assess the accuracy of the results. The findings suggest that renewable energy policies consistently lead to increased deployment of renewable energy technologies, regardless of a country's group. Of course, this positive effect is different according to the level of development in countries. Due to the higher efficiency of renewable energy policy, developed oil countries have more capacity to support renewable energy projects than oil developing countries. The abundance of natural resources in oil developed countries did not negatively impact renewable energy capacity, but in oil developing countries, the "resource curse" hindered the development of installed renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reap the potential of renewable energy investments, many states of the European Union have been enacting policies to attract investments from various actors including citizens. Citizen satisfaction with investments has not been examined so far and, consequently, it is unknown whether the implemented policies are correct. Due to its ability to reveal weaknesses that affect satisfaction, satisfaction analysis may serve as a policy decision making tool, while a higher level of citizen satisfaction may build trustful relationships between citizens and governments and enhance citizen acceptance of renewable energy development plans. The aim of this study was to investigate citizen satisfaction with the state's actions to facilitate investments in renewable energy sources and to detect the weaknesses of the current investment environment. A representative nationwide citizen sample (n = 1536) was recruited in a country of the European Union (Greece) and the MUlticriteria Satisfaction Analysis (MUSA) method analyzed eight criteria related to RES investments. The analysis indicated a low level of citizen satisfaction, while the most prominent weaknesses involved the licensing process and the policies for mitigating fossil fuel monopolies and improving the competitiveness of renewables. Results from this study point to strategic steps that could address weak policy areas that contribute to low citizen satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to create a theoretical framework for a local energy innovation system based on renewable energy sources. For this purpose, four types of clusters were outlined based on energy-generation capacity and socio-economic factors such as "local wealth", "relational capital", "scientific and research capital" and "energy demand". This classification revealed areas of Poland that have diverse features in terms of energy-generation capacity and innovation abilities. For each type of area, energy potentials combined with innovation abilities were established. To understand how areas with insufficient energy and innovation capacities could be supported in their development of local energy sovereignty, the concept of the regional innovation system has been adjusted. The results of the research can serve as an aid in the development of national and regional energy policies focused on the specificity and capacity of energy generation and innovation of each area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Energy Policy Journal / Polityka Energetyczna is the property of Mineral & Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The social acceptance of energy policies and renewable energy technologies is crucial in the era of the renewable energy transition. Yet, little is known about Israel's transition in this regard. One thousand five hundred Israeli citizens were engaged through a survey to examine their perceptions of climate change and awareness regarding renewable energy technologies and national energy policy. Individual-level factors such as gender, age, and education were included in the survey to assess their possible influence on replies. The main findings were the following: (i) climate change impact is not felt as an immediate threat by the majority, and there is (ii) a lack of accurate knowledge about renewable energies; (iii) a lack of awareness regarding national energy and climate policy; and (iv) a lack of trust in citizens' role in energy decision making. These findings are evaluated as a barrier to public engagement within the renewable energy development process in Israel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity production in Poland is stable and ranges from 160–170 TWH a year. The share of renewable energy sources (RES) is increasing. Poland increased its share from 6.9% in 2010 to 12.7% in 2019 and 16.1% in 2020. The share of hard and brown coal decreased in Poland from 87.8% in 2010 to 73.5% in 2019. Wind energy (9.2%) and natural gas (9.2%) are the most important sources of RES in electricity production. The purpose of this research is to discover the changes in renewable energy production, and the impact on electricity production in Poland. Our research showed the extent of development of RES in Poland and other countries of the European Union. The share of renewable energy sources in electricity production increased as the effect of energy policy of the European Union. We also evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the renewable energy market and electricity production in Poland, and other countries of the European Union. Because of the shortage of data, we presented changes at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis in 2019–2020. First, we described the sustainable development and energy policy of the European Union. Then, we described and used methods, including regression analysis, as the most important method. We also found that the power capacity in Poland increased, with the increases coming from solar radiation (11,984%), wind energy (437.8%) and biomass installations (324.7%) in 2010–2020. The biggest electricity producers in the EU are France and Germany. These countries also use nuclear energy, which helps to meet the increasing demand. To check the impact of power installed from renewable energy carriers we conducted a regression analysis. This method provided a correlation between electricity production from renewable energy sources and investments in renewable energy carriers. We wanted to discover the impact of RES installations, and their impact on electricity production in Poland. The statistical analysis was based on data from 2010–2020. Our research points out that the most important factors shaping electricity production were installations using energy from solar radiation and hydropower installations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the data collected in 2022 during 5th International Off-Grid Renewable Energy Conference organized in Abu Dhabi by the International Renewable Energy Agency, the global energy requirements show a negative impact on approximately 785 million people facing energy poverty. The long-term energy sustainability solutions should consider off-grid solutions in the planning of an energy mix and be considered as interim both in remote and already urbanized areas. These measures require integrated planning and partnering with local distribution networks. The review presents the development of photovoltaic installations in Central European countries. For more than 40 years, this area belonged to different regimes and joined the European Union at various dates. Hence, the development of energy policies and cultural and social expectations differ even when based on the Green Deal presented by the European Union in 2020. The outcomes prove that even with a variety of policy measures, the strongest boost can be given only by a set of national rules and financial incentives supporting the stakeholders. It should be noted that the advancement of PV often does not rely on climatic conditions, but more on the level of incentives undertaken by each country, as well as the general policy measures undertaken on the EU level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of energy infrastructure is crucial for the fulfilment of multifaceted European Union (EU) policy objectives in the energy field. The EU's support to projects is financial, technical, and political, and explicated through a series of legislative acts. This opinion aims to provide an overview of the main energy policy initiatives introduced in recent years (or soon to be introduced) and their impact on European energy infrastructure development. Examples include the revision of the Trans-European Networks for Energy, funding mechanisms to foster sustainable investments in renewable energies, and the EU taxonomy on sustainable activities. We also discuss possible future improvements of EU policy and regulatory frameworks on energy with the aim of supporting an efficient achievement of the European Green Deal objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of global and regional energy markets is one of the most important problems of the current state of global economic relations and is one of the highest-priority areas in the formation of national and regional strategies for the socio-economic development of any country. The role of energy supply is focused on monitoring and compliance with standards. However, in recent years, the importance of energy supply to the housing stock has increased significantly, which has led to an expansion of the role of management within the framework of the risk management function. Kazakhstan has a Unified electric power system, which is represented by a set of power stations, transmission lines, and substations that provide reliable and high-quality energy supply to consumers. Currently, the main task within the framework of the priority of the development of Kazakhstan's energy sector is to build up the energy base and provide the growing needs of the population and the economy with the necessary energy resources based on the development of modern energy complexes and alternative energy sources in conjunction with the implemented and planned macroprojects. Since the current economic development of Kazakhstan is closely interrelated with the realization of energy resources and their effective use, it acts as one of the fundamental levers for the development of the national economy. According to our research goal, it is necessary to consider sustainable energy supply in the country based on the analysis and assessment of energy consumption volumes and the impact of the country's regional and sectoral policies on their use. The author's approach to the distribution of countries by MNC has been developed and estimates of regression parameters, correlation coefficients, and elasticity coefficients. When constructing the author's approach, the countries of Europe and Central Asia were studied and a sample of estimates was carried out, which has statistically significant effects on the formation of energy consumption volumes in the Republic of Kazakhstan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spain has become one of the leading countries in the world in promoting electricity generation from renewable energy sources (RES), due to their positive socioeconomic and environmental impacts, through highly favorable regulatory frameworks and public incentives set by Spanish governments mainly during the first decade of 2000s, i.e., Royal Decree (RD) 2818/1998, RD 436/2004 and RD 661/2007. Conversely, the highly favorable regime applicable to RES, and specifically to solar power plants during the 1998–2008 promotion period turned into an extremely unfavorable scenario during the 2008–2020 cost-containment stage, characterized by the dismantling of the previous promotion schemes so as to reduce the skyrocketing electricity system tariff deficit, in which regulations such as RD 1578/2008, Royal Decree Law (RDL) 6/2009, RDL 14/2010, RDL 1/2012, Law 15/2012, RDL 9/2013, Law 24/2013 and RD 413/2014 stood out. Nonetheless, the Spanish renewable sector, and especially the solar power sector, has shown great dynamism in its energy policy in the period 1998–2020. This academic contribution provides a comprehensive review of the energy policy evolution for the whole solar power sector in Spain, specifically both solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, over the last 23 years. Thus, considering both the boom in the solar power sector as well as the solar sector's bust, a survey of the different legislation in force during the 1998–2020 period, as well as of the existing academic literature dealing with this issue, is conducted to first contextualize and describe, and then carefully assess, the last 23 years of solar energy policy in Spain. In brief, the decisive role of the Spanish government in developing the RES sector, and especially the solar power sector, in recent years has been noted. In this vein, a good planning of the energy development model, the regulatory stability, the simplicity and agility of the corresponding administrative process, the appropriate design of support mechanisms, as well as security and predictability of support levels in the mid and long term, play an important role in providing certainty to all the stakeholders. During the 1998–2008 promotion stage, even with a stable, quite favorable and easily predictable RES support mechanism in place, the Spanish solar system behaved as an open-loop system without any control structure detecting and reacting to problematic situations. The fact that the Spanish government was compelled to implement ex-post measures during the period 2008–2020, seriously jeopardizing the viability of the power plants in operation, as well as compromising the legal–economic stability of the renewable energy sector, clearly indicated a malfunctioning of the energy policy control mechanism. In essence, it is hoped that the lessons extracted from this 23-year comprehensive review of the Spanish solar power sector pathway could be quite useful for other countries either in the initial development stage or fully immersed in the promotion of solar power sector or any other renewable technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]