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• In the energy sector prevail fossil fuel incumbents that might inhibit renewable energy entrants. • Our paper provides a game-theoretic stylization of competition between those two types of firms, while incumbents set prices the entrants respond with quantity adjustments. • Solutions are obtained through a Non-linear Model Predictive Control algorithm. • In contrast to previous studies, in this proposed model, both firms are strategically interacting. • Results highlight the importance of the initial cash-flow levels and fiscal subsidies for fringe firms' performances. Governments attempt to provide the energy sector with incentives to replace old technologies with new renewable energy ones as the most effective way to combat climate change. Yet, in the energy sector prevail fossil fuel incumbents that might inhibit renewable energy entrants. Our paper provides a game-theoretic stylization of competition between those two types of firms. Incumbents set prices, and entrants respond with quantity adjustments. In the context of a dynamic limit pricing model, we study the entry dynamics in a market in which the dominant firms (fossil fuel energy suppliers) face the entry of a group of competitive fringe firms (renewable energy suppliers) when the dominant firms have easier access to financial markets but, the fringe firms fund their expansion with internal finance. We also investigate the effect of the public support for renewable energy firms through subsidies. Our model is built on Judd and Peterson (1986, JET), but our solutions are obtained through a non-linear model predictive control (NMPC) algorithm. By this technique, we can predict the outcome of the competition between incumbents and entrants and the impact of financial and fiscal policies considering moving-horizon strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analyzes South Asia's energy trilemma balancing energy access, security and sustainability. • Focuses on four major regional countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. • Identifies major challenges as lack of energy access, unreliable gird, and unaffordable prices. • Explores the prospects of renewable energy as the key toward a sustainable energy transition. • Presents stakeholder perspectives on crucial dynamics of energy transition. To address the faced challenges – i.e. rapidly growing energy needs, depleting fossil fuel reserves, surging energy prices, risks to security of supplies, and climate change – the World is targeting a sustainable energy transition. This energy transition is primarily propelled by a global decarbonization drive. South Asia, a developing region housing over 23% of the global population, faces the additional challenge of serious energy deprivation. The subject of energy transition has not been explored in the South Asian context in terms of drivers, challenges, and prospects. This paper investigates the prospects of sustainable energy transition in South Asia in terms of resources, consumption trends, and challenges encountered by countries in the region, particularly India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It also examines the sustainable and renewable energy options for the region. An original stakeholder survey provides salient behavioral insights into awareness, attitudes and opinions shaping societal response to energy transition. The findings of the study highlight the serious energy security issues faced by the region in terms of lack of access, inconsistent supplies, unreliable grids, and high energy prices. Renewables like solar energy, wind power, and hydropower have the potential to propel regional countries to energy and environmental sustainability. "Lack of consistent policies and regulations", "lack of political will" and "lack of investment" are found to be the three most important challenges to the energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades global warming has turned into an international concern. Anthropogenic Greenhouse gases (GHG) are produced through burning fossil fuel leading to an increase in the global warming effect; thus, GHG reduction contributes to mitigating climate change. Utilizing renewable energies, increasing efficiency of and capacity factor (CF) of existing power plants, and recycling waste energy in various industries are convenient solutions to improve the energy systems performance to reduce fossil fuel consumption, leading to GHG emission. So, there is a substantial need for planning and evaluating the energy systems in which various technologies are used, technically and economically. Theis study's main objectives are utilizing the capacity of renewable energies such as biomass, wind, solar, hydropower, and enhancement of CF and efficiency of the power plants in the Mazandaran region in the south of the Caspian Sea. The energy system considered for the region is modeled and analyzed by six scenarios in this paper. The results indicated that the share of renewable energies in electricity production could be increased from 5.4% to 47.7%. The results of cost analysis show that by applying the sixth scenario, which is integrated policies of increasing RER share and improvement of efficiency and capacity factor. The trends of total annual cost, CO 2 emission, and fossil fuel consumption are reduced compared to the business as usual (BAU) scenario. The average cost saved by this scenario is about 220 MUSD/year. The average amount of fossil fuels and CO 2 emission save are 11 TWh/year and 2.438 Mt/year between 2020 and 2030, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typically environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) studies on energy concentrate on the emissions produced from energy production or consumption and neglect the aspect of exhaustion of a natural resource, which is an irreversible result, against any definition of sustainability and intergenerational equity. This paper investigates whether there is an environmental Kuznets curve for renewable energy, whether there should be one and if there is, what it should stand for. For this reason the paper employs balanced panel data for 33 European member and candidate state countries that produce crude oil, natural gas, coal and renewable energy for the years 1990–2010 to investigate the relationship between their scale of economic activity, fossil energy production and the production of renewable energy. Results from random effects models together with Arellano Bond estimator models identify the U-shape for the environmental Kuznets curve only for renewable energy and coal production. A theoretical justification on the mechanisms possibly driving the environmental Kuznets curve for renewable energy are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the relationship between energy security and renewable energy in the context of geopolitical risk through the quantile-on-quantile method. The finding suggests that energy security positively impacts renewable energy in the upper to middle quantiles, meaning that renewable energy inclusion in the energy mix significantly affects conflicts and lessens energy security. Moreover, energy security positively impacts renewable energy across all quantiles. On the other hand, the results recommend that renewable energy positively impacts energy security in the higher to medium quantiles. Finally, the results show that renewable energy consistently positively impacts energy security across the board except in the medium run. The increased reliance on fossil fuels implies that energy markets are not set up to promote renewables. Therefore, the transition to renewable energy must be accelerated immediately. • Examine energy security and renewable energy in the context of geopolitical risk. • Energy security positively impacts renewable energy in the upper to middle quantiles. • Energy security positively impacts renewable energy across all quantiles. • Renewable energy positively impacts energy security in the higher to medium quantiles. • Renewable energy consistently positively impacts energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In previous years, much research has been carried out to specify eco-innovations determinants. In most studies, eco-innovation was analyzed at a general level. From the perspective of climate change and the aim of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal objectives, the issue of innovations that replace the share of fossil fuel energy with renewable energy sources in the European Union appears to be particularly important. Therefore, this paper has two purposes. First, using a systematic literature review, it examines the key factors driving decisions taken by European Union enterprises to create innovations with environmental benefits. Second, it estimates the impact of these factors on introducing innovations that replace the share of fossil fuel energy with renewable energy sources. Specifically, using the logistic regression model, it analyses microdata from thirteen European Union Member States collected during the 2014 Community Innovation Survey. The effects show that six out of seven drivers under assessment positively affect the introduction of innovations that replace fossil fuel energy with renewable energy sources. These are (1) the high cost of energy, water, or materials, (2) environmental regulations or taxes expected in the future, (3) existing environmental taxes, charges, or fees, (4) government grants, subsidies, or other financial incentives for environmental innovations, (5) current or expected market demand for environmental innovations, and (6) voluntary actions or initiatives for good environmental practice within a sector. • Innovations that replace fossil fuel energy depend on a few drivers. • The most important is the high cost of energy, water, or materials. • Existing environmental regulations have no effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy sector situation in Palestine is highly different compared to other countries in the Middle East due to many reasons: non-availability of natural resources, unstable political conditions, financial crisis and high density population. Furthermore, Palestine depends on other countries for 100% of its fossil fuel imports and for 87% of its electricity imports. In addition high growth of population, increasing living standards and rapid growth of industrial have led to tremendous energy demand in Palestine in recent years. The total energy consumption per habitant in Palestine is the lowest in the region (0.79 MW h/inhabitant) and costs more than anywhere else in the Middle East countries. The primary goal of this paper is to analyze the current energy sector situation in Palestine and to highlight the status of the potential of renewable energy as an essential future energy source sector in Palestine. Regarding the main possibilities of RE, the wind speed averages (m/s) for main 5 cities were: Tubas 4.97, Salfeet 4.26, Ramallah 3.09, Hebron 2.90 and Jericho 1.32. With these data, Palestine can be considered as a country of moderate wind speeds. By the other hand, Palestine has a high solar energy potential about 3000 sunshine hours per year with a solar radiation (kW h/m 2 /day) for year 2013 of 8.27 in Ramallah, 7.51 in Hebron, 6.86 in Salfeet and 6.15 in Tubas. These values are encouraging to exploit the solar energy for different applications. This study highlights that the main renewable energy sources in Palestine are solar energy, wind energy and biomass, thereby the energy dependence on neighbouring countries may significantly decrease, when Palestine uses the available renewable energy sources. The renewable energies in Palestine open new perspectives for energy sector in order to prompt practices for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is facing a number of energy related challenges including a shortage of electricity supply, depletion of fossil fuels and environmental pollution. These challenges make it important to develop renewable energy resources. As per other renewable energy industries, the biomass power industry is facing a series of opportunities and challenges. Utilizing Michael Porter's Five Forces Model theory for analyzing the competitive environment and the competitive situation of an industry, this paper establishes a Five Forces Model for assessing the competitiveness of China's biomass power industry. Inputs for this model include semi-structured interviews with biomass power generation enterprises and a critical analysis of the national policy framework along with relevant literature and official statistics. Five major stakeholders of China's biomass power industry, namely competitors, suppliers, buyers, potential competitors, and substitutes are assessed to determine their influence on the biomass power generation industry. This assessment highlighted the current status, existing issues and future prospects of the biomass power industry. Similarly, it provides assistance to develop procurement strategies for the sustainable development of the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports the state-of-the-day for non-renewable and renewable energy in Ukraine and state policy of its development in the long-term perspective. Despite total dependence on imported energy resources and complex natural conditions to develop new own deposits of fossil fuels; the state does not pay enough attention to RE development. The article investigates the advantages and usefulness of the development of renewable energy sources, which are considered along with analysis of the most economically profitable directions of their use. The key obstacles, which reduce the effectiveness of RE deployment and barriers to the realization of RE projects by investors are analyzed. Considering Russia׳s military intervention, we paid attention to the peculiarities of the functioning of green power plants in the occupied Crimea and the loss of Ukrainian renewable energy sector from the annexation of the peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsidies to fossil-fuel consumption have made China's energy system fragile and unsustainable. It is necessary for China to reform fossil-fuel subsidies and reflect the resource cost and environmental cost in energy prices. Considering the life-cycle external costs, this paper estimates the scale of fossil-fuel subsidy and the true cost of renewable energy in 2010 and evaluates impacts of increasing renewable energy subsidies and phasing out fossil fuel subsidies on macro-economy and energy system in China based on scenario analysis. Simulation results show that the negative impacts on economic growth can be reduced from 4.460% to 0.432%, if only 10% of fossil fuel subsidies were removed. Increasing subsidies for renewable energy has positive impacts on macroeconomic variables. Although the economic benefits per unit of subsidies for renewable energy are lower than those for fossil fuels by 0.06-0.19 CNY, the revenue gap can be narrowed by shifting more subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables. Increasing subsidies for renewable energy helps optimize China's energy system in three ways: the first is making energy consumption structure cleaner; the second is improving energy efficiency; and the third is addressing the problem of imbalanced distribution and consumption of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Energy is essential for our preservation and the improvement of our life-style. Today all major production of energy is generated from fossil fuels, which are non-renewable and significantly pollute the environment. Access to clean and reliable energy is crucial for assuring the development of countries such as Mexico. Mexico's economy is based on producing energy from fossil fuels 1 [1] 91% of Mexico's energy is produced from non-renewable energy sources. Moreover, 36% of primarily renewable energy corresponds to the use of firewood for cooking used in a non-healthy and non-sustainable way [42]. GTZ is the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH (German Technical Cooperation, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development). and the change to sustainable ways of life is still uncertain. It becomes essential to look at developed countries where the transition to sustainability has been rapidly increasing. This paper gives an overview of energy policies and the potential of solar photovoltaic energy in two countries: Germany, a world leader in the generation and development of photovoltaic technology; and Mexico, a country with great solar photovoltaic potential. It also describes the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of photovoltaic technology, including BIPV systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two processes are widely viewed as fundamental to the transition from conventional fossil-fuelled energy systems to renewable powered systems that is under way. There is firstly the progressive reduction in costs as investment, or production/energy generating capacity, grows. To see the uptake itself we need a second process, captured as a logistic curve (or S-shaped curve) that depicts the uptake of the new technology as an industrial substitution process unfolding over time. In this paper we put these two processes together, deriving a single expression that depicts uptake as a function of both cumulative investment and time, where the key parameter can be related to the learning coefficient. We display this expression in the form of a 3-dimensional surface that we dub the Logistic Industrial Surface. It is applied to a real case involving cost reduction and logistic uptake of solar PV (photovoltaic) cells. In this specific case, we estimate the learning curve involved and on this basis calculate that (for an initial time period) early in the trajectory a cost reduction of 8.7% would be associated with an increase in investment of 10%, leading to an increase in uptake by 4.35%; whereas a cost reduction of 44% (corresponding to a doubling of investment) would lead to a more rapid uptake of 41.95%. We claim that this is the first demonstration in the literature of a direct connection between investment levels, cost reductions and consequent levels of uptake according to logistic industrial dynamics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The outcome of COP15, the conference on climate change in Copenhagen, was the Copenhagen Accord which was recognised by the 193 countries that attended. The Accord set no compulsory limits on carbon emissions, and none of the countries that introduced it – USA, China, India [with Brazil and South Africa] – has signed the Annexe to the Kyoto Agreement, committing them to limit their emissions. Climate change is only of secondary importance to them compared with eradicating poverty. Nevertheless three of these countries are in the lead currently for installing renewables, far ahead of most of those [only 37 out of 187 countries world-wide] who are committed to limiting their emissions. This paper explains why. The main function of renewable energy is to save fuel, thereby reducing energy imports and maintaining security of energy supplies without the need to fight world wars over them. Also, being capital intensive with all the money paid up-front, renewables avoid the price fluctuations that bedevil the oil and other fossil fuel industries. As capacity is doubling every 3 years, renewables prices will come down with savings of scale, so wind power in particular will soon be the cheapest form of power. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: During the last two decades, Rwanda has experienced an energy crisis mostly due to lack of investment in the energy sector. With the growing of the population and increasing industrialization in urban areas, energy provided by existing hydro and thermal power plants has been increasingly scarce with high energy costs, and energy instability. Furthermore, as wood fuel is the most important source of energy in Rwanda, the enduring dependence on it and fossil fuel consumption as well, will continue to impact on the process of environmental degradation. Rwanda is rich with abundant renewable energy resources such as methane gas in Lake Kivu, solar, biomass, geothermal; and wind energy resource is currently being explored. Recently, the Government has given priority to the extension of its national electrical grid through development of hydro power generation projects, and to rural energy through development of alternative energy projects for rural areas where access to national grid is still difficult. This paper presents a review of existing energy resources and energy applications in Rwanda. Recent developments on renewable energy are also presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Averting the impending harms of climate change requires to replace fossil fuels with renewables as a primary source of energy. Non-electric renewable potential being limited, this implies extending the use of electricity generated from wind and solar beyond the power sector, either by direct electrification or synthetic fuels. Modeling the transformation towards such an energy system is challenging, because it imposes to consider fluctuations of wind and solar and the manifold ways the demand side could adjust to these fluctuations. This paper introduces a graph-based method to formulate energy system models to address these challenges. By organizing sets in rooted trees, two features to facilitate modeling high shares of renewables and sector integration are enabled. First, the method allows the level of temporal and spatial detail to be varied by energy carrier. This enables modeling with a high level of detail and a large scope, while keeping models computationally tractable. Second, the degree to which energy carriers are substitutable when converted, stored, transported, or consumed can be modeled to achieve a detailed but flexible representation of sector integration. An application of the formulation demonstrates that the variation of temporal detail achieves an average reduction in computation time of 70%. • A graph-based formulation for modeling renewable energy-systems is introduced. • The method allows the level of temporal and spatial detail to vary by energy carrier. • The degree to which energy carriers are substitutable can be modeled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]