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Countries of the Middle East and North African (MENA) region such as Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia, are facing challenges which require systems analysis. These challenges are connected with the growing energy demand and the need to diversify energy supply while addressing targets of climate change mitigation and energy security policies. At the same time the countries of the MENA region are also facing challenges of socio-economic development, such as the need in creation of jobs and multiplier effects for national economies as well as of further technological development and political transformation. Deployment of new and upgrading of existing electricity infrastructure, including generation, transmission and distribution systems, is an important prerequisite for sustainable development and economic growth. Energy policy solutions are needed for further upgrading of electricity system, which should be cost efficient, should support multiple development objectives and be based on compromise solutions involving a variety of views as well as perceptions of risks and benefits of various technologies from different stakeholders’ groups. The goal of this research was to explore economic, social, political and environmental effects on national and local levels of different electricity pathways for the period of up to the year 2050 in three countries of the MENA region. The methodology of this research was based on integrated and interdisciplinary approach while applying various methods of stakeholders’ dialogue such as multi criteria decision analysis, participatory modeling and others.

This reference article gives an overview of social acceptance (acceptance by all relevant actors in society) of all relevant aspects of implementation and diffusion of wind power. In social acceptance three dimensions of acceptance are distinguished (socio-political -; community -; market acceptance) and two objects of acceptance: the application of wind power as a source of energy, and the acceptance of projects in which wind power is applied. This article explains why these two -in contrast to common sense expectations- are only weakly associated. Moreover, issues of acceptance are -again in contrast to common sense 'knowledge'- more pressing in policy realms and among the incumbents in the exisiting energy supply sector than among residents of communities hosting wind power infrastructure. Article Outline 1. Definition of the subject2. Introduction: four starting points 2.1 Socio-technical systems2.2 Acceptance of distinguishable aspects2.3 Institutional change2.4 Beyond common sense3. Dimensions of social acceptance of energy innovation4. Actors 5. Subjects of acceptance5.1 Attitude objects and attributes5.2 Two types of objects5.3. Attitude object: Energy source5.4 Attitude object: Wind development project5.5 Mind the ‘gap’5.6 The backyard6. Socio-political acceptance6.1 Institutional conditions6.2 Public opinion6.3 Economic conditions and financial support6.4 The impact of spatial planning and of location decision making7. Community acceptance7.1 Two dimensions of community involvement7.2 Identity of place7.3 Benefits7.4 Fairness and trust8. Market acceptance9. Significant attributes connected to identity9.1 Landscape/seascape9.2 Wildlife9.3 Annoyance by wind turbines: noise10. Future directions

Late 2005 and during 36 months, the ENGINE European project aimed to coordinate the efforts of those involved in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) development. The main products of ENGINE are a handbook defining best practices and a strategy proposing a road map for future demonstration projects. The enhancement challenge requires the development of innovative methods for exploring, developing and exploiting geothermal resources that are not economically viable by conventional methods. This definition embraces different methods for enlarging access to heat at depth in order to provide continuous base load-power and to contribute to reach the target of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (i.e. 20% renewable market penetration in 2020). It is important on one hand to evaluate the investment and the expected savings on cost operation for each Research and Development initiative and industrial project. On the other hand, it must be demonstrated that geothermal energy can contribute to achieving the goals defined in the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan through EGS demonstration projects. ENGINE built up a task force motivated to develop EGS at the European scale, willing to work within the international community, and also eager share information about geothermal energy.

Für biogene Festbrennstoffe (z. B. Holz, Stroh) hat die direkte Verbrennung in Feuerungen bis heute die weitaus grösste Bedeutung unter den Energiewandlungsprozessen und -verfahren. Verbrennungsanlagen werden eingesetzt zur Produktion von Wärme, die genutzt werden kann als Sekundärenergie (z. B. Dampf, der dann weiter in elektrische Energie umgewandelt werden kann), als Endenergie (z. B. Fernwärme) oder als Nutzenergie (z. B. Strahlungswärme eines Kachelofens). Unter einer Verbrennung wird dabei hier die Oxidation eines Brennstoffs unter Energiefreisetzung verstanden. Dabei entstehen Abgase und Asche. Vor diesem Hintergrund werden im Folgenden die mit der direkten thermischen Umwandlung biogener Festbrennstoffe zusammenhängenden Aspekte diskutiert. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf der Darstellung der Feuerungsanlagentechnik. Auch wird auf die Techniken für die Abgasreinigung eingegangen. Zusätzlich werden die Möglichkeiten einer Stromerzeugung bzw. einer Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung (KWK) diskutiert. Zuvor werden jedoch spezielle Anforderungen und Besonderheiten erläutert.

The European Commission support for geothermal energy research has been constant since the end of the 1980s and has significantly increased within its 6th R&D Framework Program. One of the most prominent activities co-financed by EC-funds is the ENGINE Coordination Action (ENhanced Geothermal Innovative Network for Europe), which is aimed at co-ordinating present R&D initiatives for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), ranging from the resource investigation and assessment stage to exploitation monitoring. Thirty five partners are involved in ENGINE, representing 15 European Countries plus Mexico, El Salvador and Philippines. By mid-term, the project has organised 2 conferences and 4 specialised workshops. After one year, materials available on the web site http://engine.brgm.fr already show the work that has been completed revealing a strong motivation of the scientific community for updating the framework of activities, preparing a Best Practice Handbook and defining new ambitious research projects. In relation with the increasing price of energy and the goal of limiting greenhouse gas emissions, there is a noticeable increase in interest from industry in Europe in geothermal energy. ENGINE is now well known as a scientific exchange platform for promoting past and on-going experien-ces by making them visible and reproducible. Through a recently established stakeholder committee, ENGINE could also become a "political" platform. It could, for example, establish a permanent working group that would have the technical and economic background to set up an industrial and public European consortium and define an ambitious strategy for 2030 proposing shared-risk projects at the scale of Europe. The proposal to evaluate the geothermal potential of former oil and gas field could also be one way to limit the risk and start new demonstration projects.

Leben und Arbeiten mit einem Energiebedarf, der deutlich unter dem heutigen liegt, erscheint vielen kaum vorstellbar. Mehr Wohlstand mit einem geringeren Energieverbrauch ist jedoch möglich, wenn die Innovationspotenziale rationeller Energienutzung und Energiegewinnung aus erneuerbaren Quellen konsequent genutzt werden. Besonders spannend ist dabei, dass innovative Impulse hier eine große Bandbreite von Technologien, aber auch weitreichende gesellschaftliche Veränderungen betreffen. Die Herausforderungen, denen sich Energietechnik und -anwendung stellen müssen und die der Grund für die notwendigen Innovationen sind, werden vielfach unterschätzt: Die Abhängigkeit vom Import fossiler Energieträger wird weiter zunehmen, die Erdölressourcen werden knapper und ihre Preise deutlich steigen. Zum Schutz des Klimas müssen die energiebedingten Emissionen von Treibhausgasen in den kommenden Jahrzehnten deutlich gesenkt werden, um hohe Anpassungsinvestitionen soweit möglich zu vermeiden. So zielen die Pionieraktivitäten des Impulskreises Energie vor allem darauf ab, den Einsatz der Energie erheblich zu senken. Hierzu sollen durch innovative Techniken und Dienstleistungen die Verluste bei der Umwandlung und Nutzung von Energie deutlich reduziert und die erneuerbaren Energien wettbewerbsfähiger werden und sich besser in das Energiesystem integrieren.

A critical review is presented of biomass gasifier systems presently commercially available or under development. Advantages and possible problem areas are discussed in relation to particular applications. Both large and small scale technologies are reviewed. Catalysed by the EC JOULE and AIR programmes, a rather spectacular increase in interest in small scale fixed bed gasification technology, particularly for combined heat and power generation, is noted. Also, co-gasification of biomass and coal attracts interest. Several initiatives are undertaken to raise power from co-combusting producer gas from biomass in conventional power stations. Also combusting producer gas for indirectly heating-up the automotive air for a gas turbine asks for attention. Both counter current fixed bed and fluidized bed gasification for heat applications appear to be commercially available. Gas turbine driven combined heat and power units based on (circulating) fluid bed technology are under development under the EC THERMIE programme at a scale of 10 Mwe. Rapid progress is made in improved gas cleaning technology, particularly also under the JOULE and ATR Programmes of the European Commission. An increasing number of pilot plant test facilities is available for testing the gasification of difficult fuels in various integrated systems.