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Power pooling has emerged as a regional strategy for accelerating generation capacity expansion in West Africa with the aim of leveraging vast domestic energy resources and promoting investment in regional power infrastructure. As part of their climate action pledges, most West African countries have committed to increasing the shares of variable renewable energy (VRE), particularly solar photovoltaic and wind power, in their generation mix. It, however, appears that approaches to utility-scale capacity expansion planning tend to overlook the inherent temporal intermittency and spatial variability of VRE-based generation. Moreover, despite influencing the techno-economic rationale for grid expansion and off-grid electrification, as well as the trade-offs between high renewable supply areas and grid expansion, the spatial distribution of demand has been overlooked in planning approaches, leading to conservative and weak prospects for the contribution of utility-scale VRE. Such inconsistencies with the region-wide potentials and policy ambitions highlight that it is paramount for West Africa to design its power pooling such that spatial and temporal fluctuations of VRE supply are duly considered in capacity expansion planning while taking advantage of complementarities between VRE supply and national electricity demand profiles. To address this, the present paper applies a long-term generation capacity expansion model, OptGen, soft-linked to a least-cost operation module, the SDDP tool, which is enhanced by geospatial electrification analysis using the OpeN Source Spatial Electrification Tool (OnSSET), to a subset of four member countries of the West African Power Pool – Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Mali – for the 2023–2040 time horizon. The results highlight that current frameworks lead to missed opportunities for bridging the supply-demand gap in all countries, not only in terms of VRE generation capacity, but also of cross-border power trade. • Long-term capacity expansion planning and dispatch models are soft-linked. • The spatial and hourly distributions of demand and renewables supply are considered. • The 10% limit on renewables share used in the regional master plan is not optimal. • The current system operation is not conducive to optimal cross-border trade. • The relaxed transmission scenario yields higher dispatch factors for renewables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IPCC's 6th assessment report (AR6) has provided a wide range of variables and scenarios that meet climate targets of varying ambition. Many variables reported in the AR6 affect human welfare through climate change and mitigation, including but not limited to economic output, the natural environment, human health, and food and energy supply. In some of these dimensions, trade-offs exist between better performance in welfare-relevant dimensions and reaching more ambitious climate targets. Here, we apply recent advances in the theoretical multidimensional measurement of welfare, like the Human Development Index, to the AR6 database. The welfare metric is based on a welfare function approach, simple to apply, and intuitive. We apply a range of specifications of the welfare metric, aiming to derive robust rankings of climate policy targets that perform best in terms of the multidimensional welfare index. Across a large range of weights on welfare-relevant variables, we find that lower temperature is associated with higher welfare in 2100 unless there is a high weight on food supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Building-level hybrid RE systems support net-zero development goals and climate change mitigation. • Energy planning is multi-dimensional, and is affected by uncertainties. • A life cycle thinking based fuzzy decision support model is presented for identifying optimal hybrid building energy mix. • A combinatorial multi-objective optimisation was adopted considering the most viable RE technologies in the local market. • Solar PV and geothermal heating are the optimal residential energy choices for BC, under the selected case study scenario. The increasing concerns about the environmental and economic impacts of conventional centralised energy generation and fossil fuel usage have prompted an interest in renewable-based decentralised energy systems. Implementing such systems at building level can facilitate the development of net-zero energy buildings. Energy system planning is a multi-faceted problem that involves technical, economic, environmental, and social dimensions, and affects multiple stakeholders at different levels. A multi-objective optimisation approach is needed to identify the optimal energy choices at building level, while paying attention to stakeholder priorities and other constraints. The objective of this study is to develop a model to identify the optimal mix of renewable energy (RE) while also accounting for uncertainties, which can be integrated at building level with life cycle thinking. A framework was proposed for planning an optimised hybrid RE system at building level to support the net-zero development goals. The optimisation model was developed considering the objectives of minimising energy system cost, maximising operational cost savings, minimising the life cycle environmental impacts, and maximising the RE fraction. A combinatorial optimisation approach was adopted to reflect the practical engineering aspects of energy planning problems based on technologies available in the market. The developed framework was demonstrated through a case study conducted for an average multi-unit residential buildings (MURB) located in British Columbia, Canada. The results indicated that under the defined stakeholder priorities and constraints, ground source heat pumps and solar photovoltaics (PV) are the optimal energy choices for MURB, and the optimal energy system combination supplied 44% of the building's energy demand through RE. The findings will inform and guide community developers and other stakeholders with an interest in residential buildings, on the most suitable clean energy options for their building project during the pre-project planning stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• China LEAP model used to assess multi-sector decarbonization strategies to 2050. • Energy, CO 2 impacts of accelerated electrification and renewables are assessed. • 2025 CO 2 peak feasible under 4 strategies, peak levels vary from 10.2 to 10.7 GtCO 2. • Faster electrification's CO 2 impact depend on pace of power sector decarbonization. • Demand-side renewable has similar CO 2 reduction impact as power decarbonization. Energy efficiency has played an important role in helping China achieve its domestic and international energy and climate change mitigation targets, but more significant near-term actions to decarbonize are needed to help China and the world meet the Paris Agreement goals. Accelerating electrification and maximizing supply-side and demand-side renewable adoption are two recent strategies being considered in China, but few bottom-up modeling studies have evaluated the potential near-term impacts of these strategies across multiple sectors. To fill this research gap, we use a bottom-up national end-use model that integrates energy supply and demand systems and conduct scenario analysis to evaluate even lower CO 2 emissions strategies and subsequent pathways for China to go beyond cost-effective efficiency and fuel switching. We find that maximizing non-conventional electric and renewable technologies can help China peak its national CO 2 emissions as early as 2025, with significant additional CO 2 emission reductions on the order of 7 Gt CO 2 annually by 2050. Beyond potential CO 2 reductions from power sector decarbonization, significant potential lies in fossil fuel displaced by renewable heat in industry. These results suggest accelerating the utilization of non-conventional electric and renewable technologies present additional CO 2 reduction opportunities for China, but new policies and strategies are needed to change technology choices in the demand sectors. Managing the pace of electrification in tandem with the pace of decarbonization of the power sector will also be crucial to achieving CO 2 reductions from the power sector in a scenario of increased electrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a key component in mitigating global warming and achieving sustainable development strategies, wind power has received widespread attention and support from governments around the world. Numerous countries are engineering ambitious programs to map and project the mitigation potential of wind energy expansion to combat future global warming. Here, using the global installed wind capacity data, we identity that a total of 837 GW of wind energy installed capacity (WEIC) in 31 countries generated about 2186 TWh of electricity, that is 1311 Mt of CO 2 mitigation, in 2021. Considering power mix transformation, wind power could account for more than 30% of total global electricity generation by the mid-21st century, when many countries expect to realize carbon neutrality, and could reduce CO 2 emission up to 14871 Mt by 2050 and 32864 Mt by 2100. Meanwhile, the global phenomenon of the future southward shift of wind energy resources makes the wind energy development in low-latitude countries, such as Brazil, Vietnam, and Central African, more confident. Combined with the Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs), we find that the mitigation benefits of wind energy expansion are significant and will directly reduce global warming by up to 0.64 °C by the end of the century (NZE deployment scenario, SSP3-7.0). For China and the United States, the share of renewable energy will reach 78% and 84% by 2050 (APS scenario) and the cumulative climate mitigation by wind power will be 0.12 °C and 0.11 °C during 2020–2100, respectively. The findings strongly support the development and practice of global climate mitigation energy solutions. • This study quantifies wind energy's impact on CO 2 and temperatures reduction. • Global wind energy can currently mitigate 1311 Mt CO 2 , up to 32864 Mt by 2100. • Wind energy expansion could mitigate global warming by up to 0.64 °C in 2100. • China and the U.S. lead global CO 2 reductions in wind power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Untapped carbon-free residual energy amounts to 70% of Ontario's heating demand. • Harvesting variable resources requires real time fuel switching and thermal storage. • MTN temperature modulation presents an approach to balancing the electrical grid. • ICE-Harvest systems can offset 72% of the heating demand with up to 58% GHG savings. In this article, the Integrated Community Energy and Harvesting System is introduced, a grid modernization solution for cold climates that incites a paradigm shift in virtual power plant design and operation. The focus is on system-wide GHG reductions by using variable temperature micro-thermal networks and prioritizing the harvesting of existing residual (waste) energy resources in communities, such as high-grade heat from decentralized fossil-fuel marginal generators, low-grade heat from cooling processes and curtailed carbon-free electricity. The novel strategy enables rapid fuel switching between residual energy resources, changing the micro-thermal network temperature between 20 and 70 °C on the scale of an hour, which provides valuable electrical demand response while maximizing the use of existing underutilized energy resources. Thermal storage is shown to have a critical role in both storing residual energy for later use, daily and seasonally, and enabling electrical demand response by rapidly changing the micro-thermal network temperature. The quantity of residual energy sources identified highlights that, as much as, 50% of all building heating loads could be met by energy currently rejected to the atmosphere. To illustrate the ICE-Harvest system's effectiveness, a detailed case study is conducted on a typical integrated community and then applied to 1,000 prospective sites across a cold climate jurisdiction with a relatively low-carbon grid. It is shown that cooling process heat recovery, an energy source which is already located at buildings, can provide 24% of the prospective sites' heating load when powered by carbon free, otherwise curtailed electricity. The results demonstrate that mass deployment of ICE-Harvest systems has the potential to provide 72% of the heating demand of these building clusters from residual energy sources, corresponding to an over 58% reduction in GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to energy can significantly contribute to the development of the living standards of the energy poor. Also if the provision of access to energy is sustainable, i.e. via renewable energy sources, there is an added benefit of contributing to mitigation of climate change. Currently, the percentage of population with access to energy varies significantly between countries and across regions. This is due to the nature of national socio-economic situations and energy resource availability in differing settings. This article addresses issues and hindrances to energy access in regional contexts and also examines, in particular, the prospects of how regional cooperation initiatives linked with climate change mitigation objectives could assist in widening energy access. Existing relevant regional cooperation initiatives that may be upscaled or used as models to widen access to modern energy services are evaluated. Findings are that regional cooperation initiatives linked with climate change mitigation can potentially facilitate widening energy access. However, in order to realise such potential, synergies from regional cooperation that are indirectly linked to energy and wider climate change mitigation programs should be harnessed. Recommendations are made for development of sustainable energy programs in energy deprived regions that will also mitigate climate change impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To illustrate the power and utility of macro-level decomposition tools, this article presents a structured comparison of two all-sector global modeling exercises that assess emissions reductions compatible with climate stabilization at roughly 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. It uses an expanded Kaya Identity combined with the LMDI (Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index) method to decompose the effects of key drivers of changes in emissions over time in these scenarios. The most important drivers of emissions reductions include final energy intensity of economic activity, the fraction of primary energy delivered by fossil fuels, and emissions from non-CO 2 warming agents. Land-use change and the carbon intensity of fossil energy are also important. The article suggests additional data modelers should release to allow more rapid analysis of results and ways to facilitate cross-study comparisons (such as adopting "best of breed" sectoral models instead of relying solely on in-house expertise for model development). Global change; Climate change; Emissions reduction modeling; Model comparisons; Energy resources; Environmental policy; Environmental technology; Energy Policy. • Detailed decomposition analysis gives visibility into key drivers and model structure. • Key drivers include energy intensity, fossil fuel fraction, and non-CO 2 warming agents. • Analyzing "edge cases" can help suggest superior technology/policy combinations. • Analyzing "edge cases" can help demonstrate the limits of feasible climate mitigation. • "Best of breed" sectoral models are an essential complement to IAMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Relative and absolute home retrofit targets are reviewed and discussed. • Retrofit depth is determined by policy targets or practical cost-effectiveness. • Research studies find feasible energy savings of around 60% maximum. • Neighbourhood is optimal spatial scale to large-scale deliver home energy retrofit. • Future retrofits to be phased instead of one-off, and less primacy of fabric first. Home energy retrofit has been a publicly-funded policy in many countries since the 1990s. Government motivations have spanned from combating energy poverty to climate action and sustainability. Given the ambition of public policy, this paper reviews the targets, spatial scales and metrics used to deliver and evaluate home energy retrofit. Large-scale retrofit projects do differ: by spatial area, by retrofit depth and in evaluation metrics (if used). This review surveys first, the quantities of homes and inhabitants in intermediate spatial scales used to plan retrofit programmes. Second, the optimal spatial scale and retrofit depth to deliver large-scale home retrofit. Third, the quantitative metrics to evaluate retrofits, and future trends in occupant-based metrics. Neighbourhood is found to be the optimal spatial scale for home energy retrofit. Deep retrofit is described as 60% energy savings that, in synergy with energy supply decarbonisation, promises to deliver 80% or higher emission reductions. Recent evidence shows a shifting primacy from fabric-first retrofit to decarbonisation of heat generation and occupant health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We compared two experimental groups: one considering local adaptation and one not. [•] Considering local adaptation increases willingness to reduce personal emissions. [•] Considering local adaptation may increase general mitigation support. [•] Both results held regardless of level of belief in the reality of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste, Energy and Transport are three of the main sectors of the human society. The three sectors have substantially been studied in their individual right and there is a plethora of literature available on them individually and also collectively in varying combinations. For instance, Waste to Energy is a well-established field, and so is the energy usage by the transport sector. However, there is an extreme knowledge gap in connection to energy being generated by incinerating waste in order to propel the means of the transport be it in air/aviation, terrestrial/automobile and locomotives or water/marine vessels. The paper focuses on this knowledge gap, thereby, aiming to create theoretical models of this concept. Therefore, the core nature of this study is conceptual. Relevant secondary data is drawn from the existing literature in the form of numbers and graphs to quantitatively establish the state of each of the three sectors before being joined together into a new nexus called Waste to Energy for Transport and abbreviated as WET Nexus. An account of challenges as well as benefits is outlined regarding the possibility of replacing the consumption of fossil fuel by waste-to-energy i.e. a kind of 'on-board' waste incineration to propel maritime vessels and also supply energy to 'on-board' built environments. Thus, killing two birds (transport and waste) with one stone (energy). The paper also touches upon innovative insights and future research potentials in terms of how maritime transport being driven by energy-from-waste instead of fossil fuels, can improve environmental sustainability; help climate emergency agendas and; also contribute to the Climate Action, which is one of the seventeen SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) introduced by the UN (United Nations). [Display omitted] • The exponential rise in global population has correspondingly been increasing the waste generation and energy demand, while the transport sector alone is the second largest energy consumer. • The paper introduces an innovative idea in which the three sectors – Waste (W), Energy (E) and Transport (T) – are conceptually amalgamated and abbreviated as WET Nexus. • The nexus – Waste to Energy for (propelling the) Transport – has potential to contribute to decarbonise the transport sector while reducing waste to landfills and reducing reliance on fossil-fuel energy. • The connection of the innovative nexus with the atmosphere /air, hydrosphere /water, and lithosphere /soil or land, is delineated. • Climate change and sustainability are the cross-cutting themes and the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) by the United Nations are also briefly, theoretically interwoven with the WET Nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Greenhouse gas mitigation strategies are generally considered costly with world leaders often engaging in debate concerning the costs of mitigation and the distribution of these costs between different countries. In this paper, the analyses and results of the design of a 100% renewable energy system by the year 2050 are presented for a complete energy system including transport. Two short-term transition target years in the process towards this goal are analysed for 2015 and 2030. The energy systems are analysed and designed with hour-by-hour energy system analyses. The analyses reveal that implementing energy savings, renewable energy and more efficient conversion technologies can have positive socio-economic effects, create employment and potentially lead to large earnings on exports. If externalities such as health effects are included, even more benefits can be expected. 100% Renewable energy systems will be technically possible in the future, and may even be economically beneficial compared to the business-as-usual energy system. Hence, the current debate between leaders should reflect a combination of these two main challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of the paper is to propose a method to maximize energy production from arboreous and herbaceous dedicated crops given the characteristics of the local environment: geo-morphology, climate, natural heritage, current land use. The best energy crops available in the Italian panorama are identified and the problem of maximizing the bioenergy production over an entire regional area is formulated. Each cultivar is thus assigned to the suitable land accounting for sensitive parameters that characterize it and taking into account current land use. The assumption made here is that marginal land and set-asides can be converted to energy crops without altering current practices and cash crops’ production. The method is based on the integration of GIS data (spatially continuous) with data derived from the agricultural census (spatially discrete). We carry out the analysis for Emilia-Romagna, in Northern Italy. The sustainable growth of energy crops, with an optimized network of conversion facilities distributed in the territory, may significantly contribute to the local energy supply and to climate change mitigation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The transport sector plays a decisive role in climate change mitigation, especially in cities, as it significantly contributes to global resource and energy consumption. Hence, decarbonising this sector is increasingly recognized as an important means of mitigating climate change, which is reflected in numerous smart city initiatives. However, existing studies thereon have focused almost exclusively on energy and CO 2 , thereby neglecting the consumption of material resources required to transform urban transport systems so as to be compatible with a low carbon future. In this study, we hence investigate the effects of transforming urban transport systems on future material stock and material flows using the city of Vienna as a case study. For this purpose, a material flow analysis for the infrastructure and vehicles required until 2050 has been conducted taking different scenarios into consideration, which are mainly characterized by different modal splits. The results show that different paths of development among the various transport modes significantly affect the overall material stocks and flows. If the modal split remains constant, the road-infrastructure has to be further expended to provide the transport service needed due to the expected increase in population in Vienna. The material stock per capita for the transport system remains constant at around 54 t/capita for this scenario. If the motorized individual transport can be reduced to a share of less than 10% of all trips (today's share amounts to 25%), the material stock per capita decreases to around 47 t/capita in 2050. As this case allows for infrastructure (e.g. parking infrastructure, road lanes) to be dismantled, the annual material demand for maintenance efforts is also reduced by a fifth (to 460 kg/cap/yr). Despite the reduction in material stocks and flows achievable by changing the current modal split, a significant change in the waste composition in terms of the end-of-life vehicles generated is to be expected in the coming decades. Annual quantities of old batteries, for instance, might rise from today's 1.5 kg/capita up to 70 kg/capita. These changes will definitely challenge the waste management sector, but also represent an opportunity for the recovery of valuable resources. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the transformation of an urban transport system towards lower greenhouse gas emissions also has the potential to reduce future material demand and waste generation. However, this requires a change in the modal split, whereas solely moving to a fossil-free vehicle fleet has the contrary effect. • The future material turnover of the transport system in Vienna is calculated. • The modelled transport scenarios differ in terms of their respective modal split. • The development of the private vehicle fleet is significant for the material stock. • A switch to fossil-free vehicles as a single measure increases the material demand. • A reorganisation of the transport system reduces the annual material demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many isolated and indigenous Arctic and Subarctic communities are mixed-subsistence-cash economies. In the 20th century, the integration of motorized transport expanded access to harvestable resources but created energy dependence intricately linking food with energy security. As remote communities became more vulnerable to fossil fuel price fluctuations, they also face new challenges related to climate change such as shorter winter seasons. The transitioning from fossil fuels to local renewable energy sources is widely considered both an adaptation and mitigation strategy. We empirically analyzed the food-energy nexus for nine Arctic and Subarctic communities using a Bayesian hierarchical model. We predict household-level gasoline consumption based on wild food harvest and vehicle type. We found that cars and trucks are the least energy efficient forms of transportation whereas snowmobiles are the most efficient. Also, communities with strong traditional wild food production and specialization are more likely to be energy efficient. The results suggest that indigenous culture is an important contributor to effective climate mitigation, energy, and food security. Our analysis supports community adaptation and planning for improved quantitative understanding of the food-energy nexus in rural Arctic communities. The study assists communities with energy transitions away from fossil fuels towards local renewable energy sources. • Bayesian hierarchical model performs best in predicting household gasoline consumption. • Households adding a car/truck or all-terrain vehicle (ATV) double consumption. • Snowmobiles are most efficient but can only be used in shortening winter season. • Communities with strong traditions and specialization are more energy efficient. • Indigenous culture contributes to climate change mitigation, energy, and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study learns energy systems for climate mitigation from a systematic review. • Heterogeneity of energy system research is summarized for the first time. • A novel hand-coding typology analysis for energy systems is proposed. The energy supply sector is the largest contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. A good understanding of energy systems from existing research will provide multidimensional insights for appropriate actions against global warming. This study conducts a systematic review of the literature covering 1,184 articles on energy issues dealing with climate change mitigation. Using a novel hand-coding typology analysis, we characterize the body of knowledge and identify possible research gaps according to the heterogeneity of the energy process, time scale, geographic location, energy technology, and concerned end-use sector. We find that research interest mainly focuses on the energy supply (496 papers) and the end-use process (359 papers). Energy storage and the energy–water–land nexus are two emerging areas. Biomass, solar, wind, and nuclear energy are the technologies that attract the most attention, while interest in hydrogen energy production and waste-to-energy has grown very recently. The cost-benefit and mitigation potential of renewable generation are the most studied topics, followed by the impacts of climate change on electricity production. In contrast, little attention is paid to research on traditional oil and gas exploration. Regarding the end-use sector, residents and transport are the most evident sectors studied. China, the United States, and Europe are the most featured regions while very few studies focus on Africa, South America, and Small Island Developing States. Current research topics concentrate on how to maximize the co-benefit of greenhouse gas mitigation and eco-environment protection via cost-benefit reinventions of energy systems. Discussions of technological innovation are grounded in optimal technology portfolio deployment and cost reduction potential, along with financial and political incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-GCM ensemble simulation and optimization approach is developed. • The developed approach can effectively tackle multiple uncertainties. • The impact of climate change on energy-economy-carbon nexus system is investigated. • Renewable energy will gradually replace fossil fuel for mitigating climate change. • There is a tradeoff between carbon dioxide emission and system cost. Climate change mitigation by reducing carbon dioxide emission becomes one of the major challenges for energy systems. In this study, a multi-GCM ensemble simulation and optimization approach is developed for analyzing the impact of climate change on China's energy-economy-carbon nexus system under multiple uncertainties through integrating techniques of multiple global climate models, support-vector-regression, Monte Carlo simulation, and interval chance-constrained programming within a general framework. The developed approach can tackle multiple uncertainties existed in global climate models, random carbon dioxide emission and complex optimization process. Results disclose that (i) the national electricity demand would grow around 58.6% in the next 30 years under climate change; (ii) for climate change mitigation and sustainable development, fossil fuel would be gradually replaced by renewable energy (i.e. the share of fossil fuel to the total energy supply decreasing 22.5% and the share of electricity generated from renewable energy increasing 27.0% by 2050); (iii) compared to the peak value in 2030, carbon dioxide emission would reduce 15.1% by 2050, most reduction from coal-fired power generation; (iv) there is a tradeoff between carbon dioxide emission and system cost as p-level decreases from 0.15 to 0.01 (i.e. carbon dioxide emission can reduce 1.9% with 3.7% of raised system cost). It is desired for China to adjust its current energy supply structure for reducing carbon emission and seeking a low-carbon developmental path. The most effective way is to eliminate some small coal-fired units. A number of wind-power and solar-power projects are expected to be implemented due to their abundant potential markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Integrated analysis of climate change mitigation and adaptation in the power sector. • Climate change constraints are incorporated into simulations of a power system expansion. • The impacts of climate change on the electricity demand and supply are quantified. • WEAP and LEAP software tools are used. • Results indicate the nexus between climate change mitigation and adaptation. Reductions in carbon emissions have been a focus of the power sector. However, the sector itself is vulnerable to the impacts of global warming. Extreme weather events and gradual changes in climate variables can affect the reliability, cost, and environmental impacts of the energy supply. This paper analyzed the interplay between CO 2 mitigation attempts and adaptations to climate change in the power sector using the Long-range Energy Alternative Planning System (LEAP) model. This paper presented a novel methodology to integrate both CO 2 mitigation goals and the impacts of climate change into simulations of a power system expansion. The impacts on electricity supply and demand were quantified, based on historical climate-related impacts revealed during fieldwork and existing literature. The quantified effects, together with climate mitigation targets, were then integrated into the LEAP modeling architecture. The results showed a substantial alteration in technology composition and an increase in installed capacities driven by the joint climate mitigation–adaptation efforts when compared with the scenario without mitigation and adaptation (reference). Furthermore, an increase in CO 2 emissions was observed under the mitigation-adaptation scenario compared with the mitigation only scenario, indicating that the power sector's adaptations for climate change are likely to hinder CO 2 mitigation efforts. Therefore, a nexus between mitigation and adaptation should be exploited in the policy development for a low-carbon and climate-resilient power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a period of transition towards decarbonised energy networks, maintaining a reliable and secure energy supply whilst increasing efficiency and reducing cost will be key aims for all energy supply chain (ESC) networks. Renewable energy sources, such as biomass, will play an important role in future ESCs as climate change mitigation becomes an increasingly important priority. This paper seeks to address these requirements by presenting an optimisation model for the design and planning of biomass integration into the ESC networks. A supply chain model was derived and the governing equations were solved using the General Algebraic Modelling System software (GAMS) to achieve an optimal solution. The results of the study indicate that a reduction in the emissions cost of up to 4.32% is achievable on integration of 5–8% of biomass into the ESC network. However, a 4.57% increase in the total cost of the ESC network was recorded at the biomass fraction in the mixed fuel of 7.9%, with the fixed assets cost having the largest impact on the total cost of the ESC network. It has been shown that the cost increment in the assets and operational costs of a biomass and coal co-fired combined heat and power plant can be offset by the cost reductions obtained from reduced carbon dioxide emissions. Economic arguments for dual-fuel plants, therefore, require the introduction of effective carbon pricing legislation. It is concluded that such policy implementations can be effective at mitigating the effects of climate change and would assist in achieving a global carbon neutral economy. • Renewable energy sources are key to decarbonization of energy supply chain (ESC). • Optimisation model for ESC design and planning with biomass integration is derived. • State-task network approach was employed in GAMS to represent the ESC network. • ESC network with a 7.9% of biomass showed a 4.32% reduction in the emission cost. • Integration of biomass resulted in a 4.57% rise in the total ESC network cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A comparative societal exergy analysis of Ghana and the United Kingdom is performed. • Ghana's projected 5 %/year economic growth requires primary energy growth of 2 %/year. • Energy efficiency measures are ineffective due to economy-wide feedbacks. • Energy intensity is not an appropriate metric for primary energy reduction goals. • Absolute decoupling of energy from gross domestic product appears mission impossible. To meet climate change mitigation objectives, international institutions have adopted targets aimed at reducing or ending growth of primary energy consumption. Simultaneously, continued economic growth is forecasted to meet human development goals. Together, declining energy consumption and rising gross domestic product (GDP) is called "absolute decoupling." However, absolute decoupling is unprecedented for the world economy as a whole (since at least 1971). Is absolute decoupling "Mission impossible?" Given the high stakes, we need a clearer understanding of the extent of future energy–GDP decoupling. To gain that understanding, we perform societal exergy analyses using a novel Physical Supply Use Table framework to assess historical and future trends of primary energy consumption and economic growth for one medium human development index country and one very high human development index country, Ghana and the United Kingdom (UK), respectively. Three key results are obtained. First, we find that it will be very difficult to absolutely decouple primary energy consumption from economic activity. This is particularly true for Ghana's rapidly growing economy, where projected economic growth of 5.0 %/year will require growth of primary energy consumption of around 2.0 %/year. It is also true for the UK, where at best primary energy consumption appears constant into the future to provide a projected GDP growth of 2.7 %/year. Second, we find that energy efficiency is not an effective means to reduce primary energy consumption and associated carbon dioxide emissions due to economy-wide feedback effects, placing greater importance on decarbonizing the primary energy supply. Third, we find primary energy intensity is not an appropriate metric to measure energy reduction progress, because meeting primary energy intensity targets does not ensure absolute decoupling will occur. At present, absolute decoupling appears to be mission impossible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to renewable energy supply of buildings, especially distributed solar power, is a key element of climate change mitigation. As the policy landscape is shifting and financial incentives for renewables are increasingly phased out, a nuanced understanding of homeowners' intention to install solar panels is key for reaching a broad market appeal. By analysing a dataset of 408 Swiss homeowners' stated preferences in the context of building retrofits, this paper identifies two key segments of likely solar adopters, including a premium segment preferring coloured and building integrated solar modules, and a value segment with more price-sensitive customers. Differences between likely adopters and likely non-adopters, as well as between two distinct segments of likely adopters, are investigated along sociodemographic, psychographic, and social aspects. Our analysis shows that aesthetic aspects of solar panels are key for expanding the customer base, and that likely adopters are more likely than likely non-adopters to be surrounded by neighbours, friends, and relatives who have already installed solar panels. Our results also reveal that the premium segment cares more about aesthetic aspects in general purchasing decisions and shows higher ecological concern than the value segment. • We investigate determinants of homeowners' intention to install solar panels. • Adopters are more likely to have peers who opted for solar than non-adopters. • We profile two segments of future solar adopters: a value and a premium one. • Premium customers care more about aesthetic aspects in their purchasing decisions. • Value customers do not have significantly lower income than premium customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]