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The Russo-Ukrainian war has highlighted concerns regarding the European Union's (EU) energy security, given its heavy dependence on Russian natural gas for electricity and heating. The RePowerEU initiative addresses this challenge by targeting a significant increase in biomethane production (up to 35 billion m 3 by 2030) to replace natural gas, aligning with the EU methane strategy's emission reduction and air quality improvement goals. However, the use of energy crops as biogas feedstock has raised land-use concerns, necessitating a policy shift towards alternative sources such as agro-residues, livestock manure, and sewage sludge. This study investigates the environmental impacts of using roadside grass clippings (RG) as an alternative feedstock for biogas production, focusing on selected regions in Northwest Europe (Belgium, Netherlands). The aim is to evaluate the environmental performance of RG as a mono- or co-substrate for biogas production, comparing it to the current practice of composting. Additionally, the study assesses the environmental impacts associated with biogas end-use in these regions. The results indicate that co-digestion of RG with pig manure offers a more environmentally friendly alternative compared to mono-digestion of RG or the existing composting practice. This finding is primarily attributed to the avoided emissions resulting from conventional pig manure management. Furthermore, in terms of climate change impacts concerning biogas end-use, the study identifies that combined heat and power (CHP) systems are preferable to biomethane recovery in regions with a natural gas-based electricity mix. However, for reducing fossil resource use, biomethane recovery emerges as the preferred option. By providing insights into the environmental performance of RG as a biogas feedstock and evaluating the impacts of different biogas end-use options, this study offers insights to policymakers for the development of sustainable energy strategies in Northwest Europe., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Rahul Ravi reports financial support was provided by European Regional Development Fund, (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The growth in population, economic expansion, and urban dynamism has collectively driven a surge in the use of public and private transport, resulting in increased energy consumption in this sector. Consequently, the transport sector requires an energy transition to meet mobility demands, foster economic growth, and achieve emission reduction. The main objective of this article is to systematically review the literature on energy transition in transportation, categorizing research, identifying barriers, and providing analysis to guide future steps, with a special focus on developing countries. The methodology used in this study follows a sequence for a systematic review based on an evidence-informed approach and specific guidelines for systematic reviews, exploring the concepts, methodologies, and policies within the context of the energy transition, considering transport modes and geographical scope. The findings indicate that electricity is the predominant energy source in this transition, although its prevalence varies by transport mode. Biofuels present an alternative, primarily contributing to emission reduction associated with fossil fuel use. Natural gas emerges as a cost-effective option for heavy transport, while hydrogen represents another alternative, with the challenge of developing recharging infrastructure. Determinants of this transition include recharging infrastructure, tax and nontax incentives, public policies, the generation of electric power from renewable sources, and the management of battery life cycles from mineral extraction to disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formulating energy policies at national, European, and global levels is extremely challenging. The move away from fossil fuels is associated with a variety of technological, economic, and social implications, each of which is subject to dynamic changes and societal scrutiny and can hardly be predicted with certainty. Therefore, a fact-based assessment for the path to a sustainable green energy future is sought out in this paper, using the road-based mobility sector of the Federal Republic of Germany as an example. The analysis performed in this paper is built on publicly accessible, reputable sources like DESTATIS and EUROSTAT. In addition, some very simple calculations were made, e.g., on the potential for wind and photovoltaic energy within Germany. Such an analysis needs to start with the overall energy consumption of any one country. A basic assumption of the paper is that the energy system of the future will be based to a large extent on electricity and its storage in chemical energy. It is assumed that, in addition to hydrogen, liquid energy sources will play a significant role due to the simplicity of their logistics and the subsequent implications on cost. Examples of green, electricity-based fuels with great potential are methanol, methane, and ammonia. Additionally, biomass plays an important role, either for direct use as a fuel or as a source of non-fossil carbon. Today, biofuels, i.e., biodiesel and bioethanol, deliver the largest contribution to climate protection in the EU transport sector. The main goal—the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions—often collides with geopolitical circumstances or national political necessities. This includes, for example, the current world market situation and its national impacts caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine. The prospect for a green, sustainable, and defossilized energy supply are discussed in this context. The paper concludes that a defossilized world energy supply and trade based on renewable electricity and its derivatives, eHydrogen and refuels, and on biomass, is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is committed to using sustainable energy sources due to the limited availability of traditional fuel and their environmental damage. This study examines the viability of biofuels as an alternative fuel source in Ethiopia for community’s sustainable transition to cleaner energy. The research reviews relevant publications, policies, initiatives, and programs, identifies barriers to implementation, and collects data through literature reviews, community discussions and observations of energy experts. Ethiopia has 8.6 million hectares available for energy crops and governmental policies are encouraging the use of clean fuels. The study suggests that biofuel can support rural development and environmental sustainability. However, challenges to the widespread adoption of alternative fuels by communities exist such as flawed policies, limited technical skills, insufficient maintenance experts, a scarcity of biofuel production companies, and inadequate markets for biofuel seeds. To achieve a sustainable future through the use of clean energy in the country, policy interventions and investment strategies are necessary. All stakeholders must adopt policies and develop capacity-building programs while providing incentives for developers and users.

The pulp and paper industry (PPI) has several opportunities to contribute to meeting prevailing climate targets. It can cut its own CO2 emissions, which currently account for 2% of global industrial fossil CO2 emissions, and it has an opportunity to produce renewable energy, fuels, and materials for other sectors. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of the decarbonization prospects of the PPI. The study provides insights on the magnitude of needed annual renewal rates for several possible net-zero target years of industrial fossil CO2 emissions in the PPI and discusses decarbonization opportunities, namely, energy and material efficiency improvement, fuel switching, electrification, renewable energy production, carbon capture, and new products. The effects of climate policies on the decarbonization opportunities are critically evaluated to provide an overview of the current and future business environment of the European PPI. The focus is on Europe, but other regions are analyzed briefly to widen the view. The analysis shows that there are no major technical barriers to the fossil-free operation of the PPI, but the sector renovates slowly, and many new opportunities are not implemented on a large scale due to immature technology, poor economic feasibility, or unclear political environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formulating energy policies at national, European, and global levels is extremely challenging. The move away from fossil fuels is associated with a variety of technological, economic, and social implications, each of which is subject to dynamic changes and societal scrutiny and can hardly be predicted with certainty. Therefore, a fact-based assessment for the path to a sustainable green energy future is sought out in this paper, using the road-based mobility sector of the Federal Republic of Germany as an example. The analysis performed in this paper is built on publicly accessible, reputable sources like DESTATIS and EUROSTAT. In addition, some very simple calculations were made, e.g., on the potential for wind and photovoltaic energy within Germany. Such an analysis needs to start with the overall energy consumption of any one country. A basic assumption of the paper is that the energy system of the future will be based to a large extent on electricity and its storage in chemical energy. It is assumed that, in addition to hydrogen, liquid energy sources will play a significant role due to the simplicity of their logistics and the subsequent implications on cost. Examples of green, electricity-based fuels with great potential are methanol, methane, and ammonia. Additionally, biomass plays an important role, either for direct use as a fuel or as a source of non-fossil carbon. Today, biofuels, i.e., biodiesel and bioethanol, deliver the largest contribution to climate protection in the EU transport sector. The main goal—the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions—often collides with geopolitical circumstances or national political necessities. This includes, for example, the current world market situation and its national impacts caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine. The prospect for a green, sustainable, and defossilized energy supply are discussed in this context. The paper concludes that a defossilized world energy supply and trade based on renewable electricity and its derivatives, eHydrogen and refuels, and on biomass, is feasible.

There is an urgent need to switch from fossil to bio-based fuels in the transport sector, particularly in shipping and aviation. The growth of the world's population has resulted in a significant impact on passenger transport, with a noticeable increase in greenhouse gas emissions, depletion of fossil resources and associated risks in all three pillars of sustainability. In this context, new policies, standards and targets have been developed to reduce this environmental damage, which is mainly caused by the use of fossil fuels. Therefore, the alternative of using biofuels seems to be the most appropriate solution, to the extent that important targets have been set and specific directives have been developed for the integration of biofuels in the maritime and aviation sectors. However, to demonstrate that switching to biofuels is indeed beneficial, it is necessary to evaluate new biofuel scenarios from a life-cycle perspective, with particular emphasis on analyses that provide information beyond the present, such as prospective life-cycle assessments. To this end, the focus of this review is on the current trends in the production of biofuels for the marine and aviation sectors, taking into account the main targets set, the existing regulations and directives on the subject, and an analysis of the type of technologies used for their production. It also addresses biofuel Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) scenarios and future LCA approaches, and how these analyses should be carried out to be effective. Finally, key policies, standards and certifications are analyzed. The trends and bottlenecks discussed in this review concerning the actual and future development of the biofuels sector could be used by policy makers and stakeholders to identify efforts that favor the integration of biofuels into the value chain. Furthermore, it could be concluded that the evaluation of the guidelines foreseen in the development of competitive scenarios based on emerging technologies, as well as the adoption of policies and restrictions on the use of fuels, are key conditions to establish the roadmap for the widespread implementation of biofuels. • Reducing shipping and aviation carbon intensity by using sustainable fuels. • Standards and policies should promote and enhance biofuel market penetration. • Main challenges: reduction on production costs and higher technological mature. • Higher fuel quality for aviation than for shipping sector is required. • Prospective LCA to assess the future prospect on biofuel emerging technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although legacy nuclear energy has been the safest form of electricity generation, it has been demonized as unsafe since the 1960s. The three well-known nuclear accidents, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, were legacy nuclear designs. Even with the best safety record of all types of electricity generation, it is time to move away from legacy nuclear to reap the benefits of a truly renewable source of safe clean energy, advanced nuclear. Solar and wind cannot hold a renewable candle to the vast renewable potential of advanced nuclear energy. The transition to carbon-neutral energy can best be made with advanced nuclear, in safety, waste minimization, true renewability for thousands of years, process heat for manufacturing, and a viable means of replacing our chemical manufacturing dependence on fossil fuels. Some of my colleagues tell me, "There are few opportunities for chemical engineers in nuclear". I disagree. Opportunities include design and operation of high-temperature (550–750 °C) plants involving molten salts, liquid metal, and helium; application of this high-temperature capability for industrial process heating; recycling legacy nuclear 'waste' to provide fuel for advanced reactors; integration of the hydrogen economy into nuclear plant design and operation; improvement in moving pebble-bed advanced reactor technology; mining improvements for uranium and thorium, including mining uranium from seawater; molten salt storage systems for improving load following functionality and to provide process heat functionality; resolving corrosion challenges in molten salt reactors; and retrofitting existing oil-and-gas-based refineries to operate as nuclear biorefineries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By employing historical case study methodology, this paper examines the transition towards renewable energy and increased energy efficiency in the Swedish pulp and paper industry (PPI) during the 1970s and 1980s. Between 1973 and 1990, CO emissions were cut by 80 % in this sector, and this was mainly achieved by substituting away from oil to biofuels in the form of by-products from the pulp manufacturing process. The CO reduction was also a result of energy efficiency improvements and increased internal production of electricity through back-pressure turbine power generation. Sweden was highly dependent on oil at the advent of the first Oil Crisis in 1973, and the increased oil prices put pressure on the Swedish government and the energy-intensive PPI to reduce this oil dependency. Of central importance for the energy transition was the highly collaborative strategy of the PPI, both internally among pulp mills as well as between the sector as a whole and the corporatist Swedish state administration. The Swedish government chose a proactive strategy by emphasizing knowledge management and collaboration with the industry along with the substitution of internal biofuels for oil. The transition was also characterized by a strong focus on unutilized potentials in the PPI; a previous waste problem now could be transformed into energy savings and improved energy efficiency. Energy taxes and fees also played an important role in Swedish energy policy during the 1970s and the 1980s. All in all, the study illustrates the central role of governments and their ability to push industrial sectors into new technological pathways through a wide palette of mutually reinforcing policy instruments. The results further point at the importance of a more holistic understanding of the interplay between different policies and their impacts in the longer run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy transition requires a legal system that promotes the most sustainable forms of energy. This requires a holistic approach that accounts for all effects of energy production throughout the energy chain. This article analyses the presence of holistic elements in the current legal framework of biomass used for energy purposes. It finds that the most advanced example, sustainability criteria for biofuels, applies to only a fraction of all biomass uses, as the applicability is dependent on the production process used and the manner of consumption. Furthermore, the legal framework for biomass accounts for neither all direct effects, nor any indirect effects of production, nor the carbon debt resulting from biomass combustion. All this undermines the assumed sustainability of biomass. As a result, the current legal framework is far from holistic and poorly equipped to promote the most sustainable forms of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have formalized and parameterized a model for the production of six transport fuels and six fuels blends from six feedstocks through 13 different production chains, and their adoption of by 11 distinct subpopulations of motorists. The motorists are represented by agents that use heuristics to choose a fuel on the basis of three attributes and a social feedback loop. Adoption of specific fuels is mostly driven by price differences, but other factors play a role if prices are similar. The results are not always intuitive and do not always show up immediately. We find that sustained combinations of interventions are required to bring about a transition away from petrol or diesel. Adoption of alternative fuels was most often confined to niche markets with a share of 5% or lower. Only in a single case was a complete fuel transition observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to achieve the goal of a carbon neutral EU by 2050 and meet the climate targets of the Paris Agreement, a sustainable, efficient, competitive and secure energy system needs to be developed. This paper presents the synthesis of sustainable renewable energy supply networks within the EU-27, proposing a stepwise energy transition in the transport and power sectors, achieving a carbon net neutral target by 2050. A multi-period mixed-integer programming model is developed, with the objective of maximizing sustainability net present value, considering different biomass and waste resources for the production of biofuels, renewable electricity, hydrogen, food and bioproducts, employing different types of technologies. The results show that, with further development of existing technologies, the goal of a carbon-neutral EU can be achieved without compromising food production. Wind farms have proven to be the most promising solution at present for the rapid expansion of electricity generation from renewable energy sources, while the importance of solar photovoltaics is increasing over the years, reaching the 43% share of electricity generation from RES in 2050. Moreover, the energy transition within the EU could have a significant positive impact on the economic, environmental and also social aspects of sustainability, with more than 1.5 million new job opportunities created across the EU over the next 30 years. [Display omitted] • Mathematical programming approach for the transition to carbon-neutral EU by 2050. • Critical review of technologies and synthesis of renewable energy supply networks. • Sustainable multi-period selection of locations, products and types of technologies. • Large economic, eco and social benefits if optimization is carried out at EU level. • Carbon-neutral EU can be achieved through further development of technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]