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After booming from 2009 to 2012, the German photovoltaic (PV) industry suffered from drastically reduced feed-in tariffs (FITs). With around 3 GWp of newly installed nominal PV capacity in 2013 and a predicted drop to around 2 GWp of additional nominal capacity in 2014 (there had only been 1.03 GWp added by July), the growth of the German PV market has reached 2008 levels (see Figure 1). But with more than 1.5 million PV plants and a total of approximately 38 GWp of nominal capacity, Germany is still the country with the largest amount of installed PV capacity in the world. The political aim is to reach 52 GWp by 2020. In 2013, PV systems provided 6.5% of nationwide electricity consumption (see Figure 2) (RES in total 24%) and covers regularly with up to 20?23 GW on sunny summer days around one-third of the noon peak of around 50?75 GW. As of today, PV systems are already the major source of electricity in Germany when installed capacity is viewed broken down by specific electricity source (see Figure 3).

In this paper we introduce the notion of themes as an additional investment dimension beyond asset classes, regions, sectors and styles, and we propose a framework to allocate to thematic investments at a strategic asset allocation level. The goal of thematic investments is to provide the means to invest in assets that have their returns significantly impacted by the structural changes underlying the theme. Such changes come about through megatrends that shape societies: Demographic shifts, social or attitudinal changes, environmental impact, resource scarcity, economic imbalances, transfer of power, technological advances and regulatory or political changes. Allocating to themes requires discipline because thematic investments are not only exposed to the theme but also to the traditional risk factors. Our approach to allocating to thematic investments uses a framework based on robust portfolio optimisation, which takes into account the expected excess return derived from the exposure to the theme as well as exposures to traditional risk factors. As an illustration, we provide an example where thematic investments in energy transition, environmental sustainability, healthcare innovation, consumer innovation and disruptive tech are added to a traditional multi-asset portfolio.

China’s energy system requires a thorough transformation to achieve carbon neutrality. Here, leveraging the highly acclaimed The Integrated MARKAL-EFOM System model of China (China TIMES) that takes energy, the environment, and the economy into consideration, four carbon-neutral scenarios are proposed and compared for different emission peak times and carbon emissions in 2050. The results show that China’s carbon emissions will peak at 10.3–10.4 Gt between 2025 and 2030. In 2050, renewables will account for 60% of total energy consumption (calorific value calculation) and 90% of total electricity generation, and the electrification rate will be close to 60%. The energy transition will bring sustained air quality improvement, with an 85% reduction in local air pollutants in 2050 compared with 2020 levels, and an early emission peak will yield more near-term benefits. Early peak attainment requires the extensive deployment of renewables over the next decade and an accelerated phasing out of coal after 2025. However, it will bring benefits such as obtaining better air quality sooner, reducing cumulative CO2 emissions, and buying more time for other sectors to transition. The pressure for more ambitious emission reductions in 2050 can be transmitted to the near future, affecting renewable energy development, energy service demand, and welfare losses.

South Africa power system has undergone several power reforms from the pre-apartheid to post-apartheid era under various administrations in a bid to meet the increasing energy demand of its populace. Her enormous available renewable energy sources give hope for a revolutionized power sector with minimal environmental pollution. This research will therefore review the energy transition phases of South Africa power sector from the pre-apartheid to post-apartheid era, highlighting the various strides made by South African government towards the realization of a dominant renewable energy sourced grid. Furthermore, performance evaluation of the renewable energy driven programmes and its impact in promoting renewable energy sourced grid will be carried out based on five key performance metrics which are energy accessibility, energy diversification and enhancement, energy governance, environmental impact, and economic impact. In addition, the prevailing challenges of the South Africa energy system is highlighted, while a proposed model towards achieving a dominant renewable energy sourced grid is put forward.

Smart grids are electricity networks that deliver electricity in a controlled way, offering multiple benefits such as growth and effective management of renewable energy sources. The present article is a review of smart grids/smart technologies in relation to Photovoltaic (PV) systems, storage, buildings and the environment. In the frame of PV/smart applications, factors such as promotion of building-integrated PV/smart-grid configurations and evaluation of the systems in different countries/markets play a pivotal role. Regarding storage, parameters such as recycling and non-interconnected territories are critical. Moreover, the development of smart grids/smart systems in the building sector is associated with zero-energy buildings, indoor-environment control, polygeneration, policy and so on. From an environmental point of view, the vast majority of the investigations discuss general environmental issues (CO2 emissions; energy savings) and there is a lack of environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies based on multiple life-cycle impact assessment methods and environmental indicators. In light of the issues mentioned above, it can be seen that smart grids/smart systems pose many challenges: residential microgeneration, flexibility and active participation of the users, promotion of renewable energy systems (offshore wind power plants, building-integrated solar systems, etc.), energy transition and so on.

Over the years, Governments of South Asia have faced the challenge of achieving the goal of sustainable development. On the one hand, they must satisfy the ever-growing demand for energy and, on the other hand, the interminable deterioration of the environment is causing great concern among political economists. The widening gap between the demand and supply of energy, over-reliance on the use of fossil fuels, and increasing import bills due to rising global prices are the challenges that South Asia is facing. These can be overcome by using its great potential in renewables. This paper uses SWOT methodology to identify that the poor financial situation of the distribution companies, due to power losses and non-cost-reflective tariffs, and the lack of credit opportunities, due to high interest rates and inaccessibility of loans for the long-term, are the major impediments to the growth of the renewable energy sector of the region. Moreover, there is a conflict of interest between the manufacturers of renewable energy equipment and the developers of renewable energy projects in terms of Government policy concerning the imposition of import duties. India is moving towards protection of the former, while the latter see opportunities in the renewable energy sector of Pakistan.

The energy transition which refers to shift of the energy system from fossil-based resources to renewable and sustainable energy sources becomes a global issue to mitigate the progression of climate change. Hydrogen can play an important role in long-term decarbonization of energy system and achievement of carbon neutrality. Currently, the utilization of hydrogen in the energy system is focused on a road transportation sector as a fuel in a vehicle fleet. Compressing gaseous hydrogen is the most well-established technology for storage in hydrogen-fueled vehicles. The refueling hydrogen requires short filling time while ensuring the safety of storage tanks in a vehicle. However, a fast filling of hydrogen in high pressure leads to a rapid temperature rise of hydrogen stored in tank. Therefore, many numerical and experimental studies have been carried out to analyze the filling process. Various thermo-physical properties of gaseous hydrogen such as density, viscosity, and thermal conductivity are required for the numerical studies and the accurate hydrogen properties are essential to obtain reliable results. In this work, a polynomial equation is proposed with respect to temperature and pressure in ranges of 223.15 K Results of the study can provide accurate and reliable hydrogen property values in a fast and robust means specifically for simulation of hydrogen refueling process, but not restricted only to the process. Correlation equations proposed in the present work can aid in optimizing a hydrogen value chain including production, storage, and utilization by providing accurate hydrogen property.

The changing energy mix under the integration of wind and solar power widens the load peak-valley difference of the power grid and poses great challenges in power grid operation, especially for peak shaving. Hydropower has a crucial role to play in enabling the integration of more variable renewables. To explore a reasonable approach for the changing roles of hydropower and the development of wind and solar power in response to energy transition, a long-term typical daily aggregate model is developed for hydro-wind-solar power with peak shaving operation. Scenarios of integrated wind and solar power proportions under increasing penetrations are simulated by incrementally increasing the installed wind and solar power capacity. The model is converted to a mixed integer linear programming formulation. Groups of numerical experiments divided by influencing factors are used to analyze the complementary influence and optimization mechanisms. The results demonstrate that (1) the proposed model decouples hydro-wind-solar sources at temporal scales and conducts peak shaving effectively. (2) Different scales of wind and solar power have notable impacts on both long-term and short-term hydropower operation. (3) Developing wind and solar power in reasonable proportions could effectively utilize the complementarity and reduce hydropower output fluctuations on different time scales.

Energy transition has been a global trend for decades, but very little literature can be found on how energy shipping is affected. Particularly, the coal-to-gas transition of China has intensified the nation's reliance on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipping import, especially through a strategic maritime link, the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS). If the SOMS is blocked in conflicts or incidents, energy supplies of China will be disrupted. Driven by practical significance and the literature gap, a case study of China is formulated to investigate how shocks in natural gas supply and demand will impact LNG shipping import volumes of China and its reliance on the SOMS, especially in the context of energy transition and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). An innovative System Dynamics model is developed to simulate natural gas supply and demand of China based on historical data, policies, and market information (i.e. energy prices, BRI projects and LNG contracts). It is recommended for China to create financial incentives to support renewable energy and shale gas development, enhance natural gas pipeline utilization and encourage overseas LNG infrastructure investments. BRI members are recommended to diversify export routes, expanding shares in global pipeline natural gas and LNG markets.

Photovoltaic poverty alleviation (PVPA), an innovative and unique policy in China aiming at green development and poverty alleviation, has attracted increasing attention from both the public and government. It is therefore useful to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of PVPA and its policy implication. By means of a systematic review, this study constructed the expected causal chain of PVPA based on the Theory of Change (TOC), and verified the extent to which the causality matches the existing 44 literature on China’s PVPA from English and Chinese scholarly databases. Results indicate that the identification of PVPA targets is generally accurate, but the annual revenue of 3,000 yuan per household cannot be fully guaranteed. The beneficiaries of PVPA cover individuals/households, villages/communities and counties/areas, and there are positive effects on income, employment, local capability building, industrial development, carbon emissions reduction, environmental and energy consciousness and living environment. However, excessive investment inhibits the promotion efficiency of poverty alleviation, and the causality between PVPA and energy transition needs strong evidence. We emphasize a comprehensive evaluation in the pilot period to avoid widespread disorder among different departments, which claims for high governance capacity and more attention to the households’ sense of gain. Policymakers should give full consideration to the participation of poor households to provoke their initiative out of poverty and design systematic policies with diversified livelihood strategies for the poor to fight against the multi-dimensional poverty. Moreover, the characteristics of the poor and their external living environment need to be taken into account to formulate targeted policies.

Islands have the potential to be precursors in the transition to clean energy, by adopting new technologies and applying innovative solutions that can serve as showcases at an international level. This paper is a contribution towards understating the importance of community engagement on energy transition processes. It covers multiple aspects of a green transition process, including technical, environmental, social, and economic issues. Starting by a participatory diagnosis process, the community of a small island located in Portugal (Culatra Island, Algarve), was challenged to lead the transition process and define different pillars of energy transition. The process brought together local authorities, academia, citizens and companies. Using practical examples, it is shown how the community is succeeding in tailoring new technological solutions for a green transition, according with the specific needs of the island, as expressed by the islanders themselves, including batteries, electric vehicles, retrofitting of homes, or heat pumps, which, when combined, could lay the foundations for the creation of a Renewable Energy Community and leverage socioeconomic benefits. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Mitigation of global warming, energy security and industrial competitiveness urge the energy-intensive pulp and paper industry (PPI) to transform energy use practices. This study investigates how the PPI has responded to the need for the energy transition in the 2000s. Finland and Sweden as forerunners of energy-efficient operation and decarbonization of the PPI are used as target countries. Understanding of changes in energy consumption is complemented using decomposition analysis (Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index Method) and the energy efficiency index approach. Analysis of companies’ investments in energy technologies is used for explaining changes in energy production. Evidence of significant development towards the more sustainable operation of the PPI was found. Energy consumption per produced unit has decreased, i.e., energy efficiency has improved. Fossil fuels have been partially replaced with bio-based alternatives. Thus, the CO2 intensity has decreased substantially. The generation of renewable electricity has increased in both countries. Examples of Finland and Sweden indicate that the PPI has great potential to contribute to CO2 emission reduction worldwide in the future as energy efficiency can be further improved, and the share of fossil fuels can be decreased increasing the use of biofuels and self-generated green electricity at least in kraft pulp mills.

This article presents some of the main findings from the SDEWES conferences of 2021 within the field of renewable energy. More specifically, results are summarized and contextualised within solar energy and thermal comfort, wind power resource assessment, and biogas and biomass resources and technology. The two last sections deal more broadly with energy systems and energy systems transition issues; the systems analyses used to design complex renewable energy systems and the investment strategies and barriers associated with the transition. This article presents some of the main findings from the SDEWES conferences of 2021 within the field of renewable energy. More specifically, results are summarized and contextualised within solar energy and thermal comfort, wind power resource assessment, and biogas and biomass resources and technology. The two last sections deal more broadly with energy systems and energy systems transition issues; the systems analyses used to design complex renewable energy systems and the investment strategies and barriers associated with the transition.

This paper argues that, although Japan’s and Germany’s energy transition paths differ in detail, a trend towards decentralisation is clearly evident in both countries. Based on comprehensive screening, own stocktaking and the results of a stakeholder dialogue, this paper highlights the motivation for different local actors to enter the energy market in both countries. Although there are challenges to success in a market dominated by large energy companies, this paper argues that the benefits to local communities outweigh the efforts. Overall, it is shown that democratisation and the decentralisation of the energy system are suitable to facilitate a successful transformation process in both countries.

Climate change has become a global non-traditional security challenge.There is a long way to go for China's energy structure to go through a green and low-carbon transition.As the key to “peak carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality”, the energy industry should have a comprehensive understanding of the general trend of the world’s energy transition and be fully aware of China’s resource endowment which is “enriched coal, insufficient oil and gas, and abundant new energy”.It should firmly adhere to energy saving and efficiency improvement, insist on supply and demand coordination, strengthen the top-level design, implement energy saving projects, decarbonization projects, innovation projects, efficiency improvement projects, emergency response projects and support projects.Efforts should also be given to the acceleration of energy consumption structure transformation from coal-oriented (with oil, gas and new energy accounting for less than 20% respectively while coal over 50%) to new-energy-oriented ( with coal, oil and gas accounting for less than 20% respectively while new energy over 50%). Speed up the construction of a clean, lowcarbon, safe and efficient smart energy system.

The global oil industry has entered into a period of debilitating uncertainty. Two forces – renewable energy and price volatility – call into question the profitability of investing in the massive, decades-long conventional projects which form the backbone of global production. Facing a volatile, unknown future, energy financiers are retracting from long-term projects. United States (US) hydraulic fracturing has offered a partial solution. The unique material properties of hydraulic fracturing give it—relative to conventional production—a small investment scope with a short cycle of production. This flexible production process has helped sections of the industry avoid the commodity’s uncertain outlook by narrowly focusing on the near term. However, hydraulic fracturing, while offering a different temporal and financial scale of investment, is often more expensive per barrel. Confronted by COVID-19 disruptions, massive debt, and public contestation, some predict the end of fracking, as the least profitable, most indebted players go under. This paper hypothesizes that intensifying uncertainty over the future of oil – above all from the renewable energy transition – will, however, ironically further stimulate this destructive form of extraction.

The aluminum industry consumes about 4% of global electricity but requires stable power supply as long power outages are catastrophic. We investigate how the aluminum industry can maximally integrate variable renewable energy resources while remaining competitive. This can be achieved by (i) modulating production and (ii) utilizing storage. We develop an hourly linear optimization system for integrating variable energy sources and apply it for identifying the optimal configuration and operational profile for UAE-located smelter. Operating with the optimal renewable energy and fossil mix and a novel power modulation scheme, consistently reduces costs between 2.2% and 5.3% for fuel prices ranging between $2.4-$8 per MMBtu and integrating more than 40% of power by solar PV without storage. This reduces process emissions intensity from 5.13 to 2.87 tCO2/tAl. In all cases of RE integration, modulation confers a significant cost advantage with savings ranging from 7.5% to 10% for the fuel price range. Operating the smelter with 100% renewable energy portfolio could be achieved by installing 5.4 GWp single-axis tracking PV, 0.2 GWp wind, 18 GWh of battery storage and 47 GWh of hydrogen storage but with a 26% premium for 2020 high gas-price system costs.

There is a clear need for improving justice and sustainability in the implementation of renewable energy projects. Assessing energy justice in contexts with high cultural and ecological diversity a...

Climate change is upon us. The exponential use of fossil fuels for over two centuries is changing the world as we know it. An energy transition towards a greener world is needed and it may entail the decarbonization of several sectors, such as the passenger transport sector. This work aims to evaluate the role of four vehicle technologies, based on six vehicle penetration scenarios. This assessment is made using the comparison of three indicators for these scenarios, energy consumption, water consumption, and required infrastructural change. It was found that a pure battery-electric fleet would require the least amount of energy in 2050. There is also the issue with the loss of jobs in the sugar and alcohol sector, which can be reduced in this scenario of a battery electric vehicle fleet. The opportunities to maintain ethanol production as an energy vector in the transport sector are apparent. Resumen El cambio climático está sobre nosotros. El uso exponencial de combustibles fósiles durante más de dos siglos está cambiando el mundo tal como lo conocemos. Se necesita una transición energética hacia un mundo más verde y puede implicar la descarbonización de varios sectores, como el sector del transporte de pasajeros. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo evaluar el papel de tecnologías de vehículos, a partir de escenarios de penetración. Esta evaluación se realiza mediante la comparación de tres indicadores para estos escenarios, consumo de energía, consumo de agua y cambio de infraestructura requerido. Se encontró que una flota puramente eléctrica a batería requeriría la menor cantidad de energía en 2050. También está el problema de la pérdida de puestos de trabajo en el sector del azúcar y el alcohol, que se puede reducir en este escenario de una flota de vehículos eléctricos a batería. Las oportunidades para mantener la producción de etanol como vector energético en el sector del transporte son evidentes.

Public acceptance is one important aspect of broader social acceptability of renewable energy. Using a national, representative survey dataset of Canadian citizens (n = 1407), we examine public sup...

Coupling innovations in everyday social and technological practices to close energy poverty delivers local sustainable development. Although case studies on the linkages between energy access and s...

Aerial view of Tokyo, Japan, with Mount Fuji in the background.Since the 1970s oil crises, the world has become more aware of global energy challenges, and as environmental concerns come to the for...

In its contribution towards fighting climate change, Tunisia aims at reducing greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors through reducing carbon intensity in the country by 41 per cent in 2030, relative to the base year 2010 The Tunisia energy sector mitigation scenario is proactive and incorporates ambitious programs for improving energyefficiency and developing renewable energy resources. This paper reviews the prospects of one of the major renewable energy sources in the country: wind energy. It presents the state of wind energy sector in the world and tracks in particular, the evolution of wind power development in Tunisia since its initiation in 2000 till the present. The paper outlines the prevailing climatic conditions, the regulatory and legal instruments on renewables as well as national policies and strategies on the energy transition. The pathways to sustainable wind energy sector development is analyzed and discussed. Additionally, the wind energy research status in Tunisia is presented and the gaps in research are explored.

Energy economics and environment protection are important issues in a modern society that aspires to aim at sustainable development. The evaluation of environmental and operational efficiency would be an important first step towards sustainable development. Renewable energies, especially hydroelectricity, geothermal, solar and wind, are playing an increasingly important role in the energy sector. Therefore, oil & gas companies are progressively transforming into energy companies following an energy transition policy. This raises the question whether the renewable energies promote the environmental and operational efficiency of petroleum companies. First, this paper examines two types of efficiency measures – operational and environmental – for 45 US oil & gas companies during the period 2000–2018 using on the true fixed effect (TFE) model. Second, this research aims to study the effect of renewable energies on both types of efficiency. The results reveal that the overall average operational efficiency (desirable output) of the US oil & gas companies is 76% for a period of 19 years, while the overall average level of CO2 emissions efficiency (undesirable output) of the oil & gas companies is 79%. The results highlight that US oil & gas companies have begun to transition to low CO2 emission in recent years. Furthermore, the renewable energies and biomass energies contribute to destroying the operational efficiency and to promote the environmental efficiency of oil & gas companies.

Driven by the development of global Energy Internet and the requirement of energy transition, the sharing economy mode in energy sector has turned into a novel inspiration. This paper aims to explore whether the sharing economy model advance China’s energy transition effectively. We describe the system of Energy with Uber-like mode, and introduce the Uber-like Mode into the PV power sector. By using the Analytic Network Process method, a set of comprehensive benefit evaluation system for the Uber-like mode plus renewables project is put forward from aspects of the technical and economic benefit, the social and environmental benefit, the energy benefit and the safety (reliability) benefit. The Uber-like mode plus PV project, as one specific application, is chosen as a case study to verify the effectiveness of the evaluation model. Based on the evaluation results, SWOT is adopted to discuss the internal conditions and the external environment for Renewables Sharing Economy in China. Finally, this article puts forward a series of suggestions to realize the goal of the proper adjustment of energy structure with respect to the renewables’ sharing economy mode.

New regulations allow peer-to-peer energy trading worldwide, empowering users while recognizing the prosumer as a critical stakeholder. In recent years, microgrids have surfaced as a distributed and embedded energy production alternative. This literature review analyses agent-based model systems with distinct approaches that model, control, and supervise microgrids, establishing a viewpoint for the transition to renewable energy, which engulfs energy security, and technology adoption. Procurement of microgrids utilizing energy transactions between end-users and implementing agent-based models has derived a better understanding of local and micro-energy markets. This literature review explores community microgrids deployment’s social dynamics and technical performance from a micro point of view. Finally, we present a roadmap for long and short-term use of agent-based models to access energy security via local energy markets, energy storage systems and community-based microgrids in rural areas. The results of this comprehensive review give way to further research questions on the use of agent-based models to improve the adoption of energy storage systems, the use of technologies to accelerate the creation of local energy markets, and the successful deployment of community-based microgrids.

Background Norway is currently in the process of replacing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with electric vehicles (EVs). A steadily increasing number of EVs being charged in the evening when the demand peaks are already high has added to the strain on local electricity grids. Smart charging is proposed as a solution to peak-load challenges of this kind, as it can delay charging until evenings and nights when demand peaks are generally low. However, current knowledge of the preferences and motivations of EV owners regarding the installation and use of smart chargers is lacking. Accordingly, the study aims to contribute an improved understanding in this respect. Methods The authors conducted a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews, in which they gained information on householder’s experiences following their participation in a pilot project to test smart charging of EVs. The interviews explored the interviewees’ motivation for participating in the project, their experiences of using and charging EVs, and their thoughts on flexibility in the timing of EV charging. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, after which a domestication theory approach was employed to perform an in-depth analysis of the interview data. Results The analysis of the interviews revealed that the study participants had four motivations for participating in the smart charging demonstration project and engaging in the further use of smart charging: (1) the fire-safety aspect and speed of charging devices for EVs was better than charging from a socket; (2) they derived a broader interest in and more joy from using smart home technology; (3) attractive practical and economic benefits; and (4) the flexibility offered by smart charging had the potential to have a positive impact on physical comfort. Conclusions The study revealed key domestication processes unfolding in the Norwegian energy transition with the increasing numbers of EVs and the corresponding grid peaks. The findings clearly indicate that users’ motivations go much further than simple economic rationalization, which should be of interest to policymakers, smart home developers, and all others that work with end-user flexibility in the grid.

The energy market today is turbulent. Nations follow different energy trends and shape their policies towards Energy Transition and sustainable development. To avoid risks and pursue opportunities, oil and gas companies must adapt their longterm strategies to macro-trends and national regulations.The study's objective is to investigate how major oil and gas companies’ development trends correlate with trends and strategies at the national level. The hypothesis is that oil and gas companies’ operations and innovation portfolios are linked to national energy mixes and environmental regulations. To do this, the authors examined the energy markets of 54 countries with the focus on Brazil, Canada, China, EU, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the UK, the USA, operational indicators, and innovation development trends of 18 major oil and gas companies. The production volumes have been translated into an ordinal scale and analyzed with the use of Spearman correlation.The study confirmed a weak correlation between oil and gas companies' operational indicators and national strategies. Companies operating in countries with strict environmental regulations, primarily in the European Economic Area, have been more likely to adapt their businesses to energy transition while building up oil and gas production; they also have had more diversified innovation portfolios. As more countries moved towards later generations of environmental regulations, the increase in renewable energy investments was found in more oil and gas majors.

Bioeconomy, as a key strategic innovation pillar, supports energy transition and involves biomass resource assessment and its application. Biomass has an enormous potential to fulfil the domestic energy demand in Brazil. Hence, this study aims to quantify the theoretical, technical and techno-economic potential of agricultural and forestry residues to generate electricity via thermochemical processes in Brazil for the 2018–2050 timeframe. The analysis was carried out via an integrated approach, according to statistical reports and literature data. Conversion technologies for the estimation of technical potential consist of organic rankine cycle, combustion with conventional rankine cycle and gasification with an internal combustion engine. The results showed that Brazil’s theoretical potential is 7185.39 PJ and 16,708.12 PJ in 2018 and 2050. The technical potential in 2018 is 1795.16 PJ, generating 71,236.47 MWe, while the potential in 2050 is projected as 5771.49.4 PJ providing 229,027.31 MWe. The main restrictions are dispersed distribution of biomass over a large area, supply costs, and low efficiencies for energy conversion. Therefore, the techno-economic potential is around 19,704.01 MWe and 63,348.95 MWe for 2018 and 2050. The north region has the lowest electricity generation potential, while the southeast region takes a prominent position to generate electricity mainly from sugarcane residues. Levelized costs of electricity values varied from 10.532 to 15.507 US$/MWh for 2018 and from 7.320 to 13.002 US$/MWh for 2050, which highly influenced by the biomass price. The results of this study can support policy-making towards future planning on Brazilian bioenergy.

The aim of study is to estimate the role of energy financing for energy retrofit in COVID-19, with the intervening role of green bond financing. For this, Kalman technique is applied to infer the empirical findings. It is found that energy financing is significantly dependent on green bonds, and green bonds have a significant role in energy retrofit in E-7 economies specifically. It is further found that E-7 economies gained significant rise in energy efficiency financing green bonds financing, that has supportively extended energy retrofit - before and during COVID-19 crises. It is further found significant that the E-7 nations have to put alot of money into hydro and nuclear energy for energy retrofit, with low carbon emissions. In the light of COVID-19 crises, this study offers policy recommendations for effective energy management. However, such policy recommendations are expected to finely serve the financial intermediaries and national governments of E-7 economies to better optimize energy financing through green bond financing. The novelty of the study exists in topical framework and research directions, talking about the way forwards for energy efficiency financing - which is one of the latest issue of the recent times. Hence, this research provides some empirical verifications about energy financing in COVID-19 crises for energy retrofit, and shares some suggestions for stakeholders.