Articles

Energy transition looming behind the headlines? Newspaper coverage of biogas production in Finland

Media coverage can play an important part in energy transitions. It creates awareness of landscape-level megatrends affecting energy systems. It influences and is influenced by public and policy agendas on a r...

Authors: Jari Lyytimäki, Nina A. Nygrén, Anna Pulkka and Salla Rantala

Environmental consciousness and choice of bulb for lighting in a developing country

Most countries in the world especially those in Asia and Africa have been undertaking policies meant to help promote science, technology and innovation towards meeting some provisions of the Sustainable Develo...

Authors: Anthony Amoah, George Hughes and Paragon Pomeyie

Contributions of flexible power generation from biomass to a secure and cost-effective electricity supply—a review of potentials, incentives and obstacles in Germany

With wind power and photovoltaics, volatile renewables have emerged as central pillars of the energy transition. This increases the demand for flexibility options to compensate fluctuations in power generation...

Authors: Alexandra Purkus, Erik Gawel, Nora Szarka, Markus Lauer, Volker Lenz, Andreas Ortwein, Philip Tafarte, Marcus Eichhorn and Daniela Thrän

Residential solar electricity adoption: how households in Sweden search for and use information

As a renewable energy solution, photovoltaics (PVs) are crucial in the transition to a more sustainable energy system. Besides large PV installations, household adoption of PVs will be an important contributio...

Authors: Jenny Palm and Elina Eriksson

A potential phosphorous fertilizer for organic farming: recovery of phosphorous resources in the course of bioenergy production through anaerobic digestion of aquatic macrophytes

A major problem with farming systems is the deficiencies in phosphorus (P) due to fixation in soils, erosion and run-off, and exports of herbal and animal products. P resources for the compensation of these lo...

Authors: Nele Stabenau, Andreas Zehnsdorf, Helmut Rönicke, Harald Wedwitschka, Lucie Moeller, Bachar Ibrahim and Walter Stinner

A qualitative evaluation approach for energy system modelling frameworks

The research field of energy system analysis is faced with the challenge of increasingly complex systems and their sustainable transition. The challenges are not only on a technical level but also connected to...

Authors: Frauke Wiese, Simon Hilpert, Cord Kaldemeyer and Guido Pleßmann

Sustainability assessment of the German energy transition

The goal of the energy transition in Germany is to achieve a sustainable supply of energy. Providing advice for decision-makers to either continue the current transition pathway or implement strategic adjustme...

Authors: Christine Rösch, Klaus-Rainer Bräutigam, Jürgen Kopfmüller, Volker Stelzer and Annika Fricke

A change in the wind? US public views on renewable energy and climate compared

Renewable energy development is a necessary step toward climate change mitigation, so these topics have often been linked. In US public discourse, however, they have somewhat different profiles—climate change ...

Authors: Lawrence C. Hamilton, Erin Bell, Joel Hartter and Jonathan D. Salerno

Social innovations in the German energy transition: an attempt to use the heuristics of the multi-level perspective of transitions to analyze the diffusion process of social innovations

For a successful transition to a sustainable energy system, not only technical but also social innovations are required. A major challenge to social innovation research is how to translate the social innovatio...

Authors: Rick Hölsgens, Stephanie Lübke and Marco Hasselkuß

Evaluation of various means of transport for urban areas

Personal transportation in urban areas is characterised by different transportation technologies with significantly varying properties regarding usability, infrastructural requirements and environmental impact...

Authors: Helmut Brunner, Mario Hirz, Wolfgang Hirschberg and Kurt Fallast

Mixed silage of Elodea and wheat straw as a substrate for energy production in anaerobic digestion plants

Waterweeds (Elodea nuttallii and Elodea canadensis) are invasive neophytes, which have been proliferating at a phenomenal rate during the last decades in German waterways. In case of overgrowth, the strong coveri...

Authors: Daniela Gallegos, Harald Wedwitschka, Lucie Moeller, Sören Weinrich, Andreas Zehnsdorf, Michael Nelles and Walter Stinner

Correction to: Balanced renewable energy scenarios: a method for making spatial decisions despite insufficient data, illustrated by a case study of the Vorderland-Feldkirch Region, Vorarlberg, Austria

In the publication of this article [1], there is an error in the Figures 4, 5 and 6 which are missing the map design and data source of the copyright owners.

Authors: Pia Nabielek, Hartmut Dumke and Kurt Weninger

Sustainability assessment of a micro hydropower plant in Nepal

Many rural electrification projects around the world employ micro hydropower plants (MHPs). These installations provide immediate and direct benefits to the local people. However, the sustainability of their o...

Authors: Ramchandra Bhandari, Lena Ganda Saptalena and Wolfgang Kusch

Anaerobic digestion of mixed silage of waterweed biomass and wheat straw in a long-term semi-continuous biogas production process

As part of the maintenance of lakes and rivers, large quantities of aquatic biomass are produced every year. Neophytes, such as Elodea nuttallii, compete with native species and cause a disturbance to the ecosyst...

Authors: Aline Bauer, Lucie Moeller, Harald Wedwitschka, Walter Stinner and Andreas Zehnsdorf

Carbon capture and sequestration in power generation: review of impacts and opportunities for water sustainability

This article reviews the use of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) as a viable mitigation strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in fossil-fuel power plants and discusses the impacts on the s...

Authors: Hisham Eldardiry and Emad Habib

Balanced renewable energy scenarios: a method for making spatial decisions despite insufficient data, illustrated by a case study of the Vorderland-Feldkirch Region, Vorarlberg, Austria

An increasing production of renewable energy requires planning strategies that are able to coordinate the higher-level energy goals with local-level land use interests. While the spatial scope of energy object...

Authors: Pia Nabielek, Hartmut Dumke and Kurt Weninger

Scenario-based stochastic optimal operation of wind/PV/FC/CHP/boiler/tidal/energy storage system considering DR programs and uncertainties

Micro-grid (MG) can be described as a group of controllable loads and distributed energy resources that can be connected and disconnected from the main grid and utilized in grid-connected or islanded modes con...

Authors: Ehsan Jafari, Soodabeh Soleymani, Babak Mozafari and Touraj Amraee

A real options approach to renewable electricity generation in the Philippines

The Philippines is making a significant stride to become energy independent by developing more sustainable sources of energy. However, investment in renewable energy is challenged by competitive oil prices, ve...

Authors: Casper Boongaling Agaton and Helmut Karl

How expensive is an energy transition? A lesson from the German Energiewende

The Paris climate agreement of December 2015 is generally considered a breakthrough on the way to a sustainable future for mankind. In particular, the agreement calls for fundamental transitions in the energy ...

Authors: Thomas Unnerstall

Analysis of the development of the wind power industry in China — from the perspective of the financial support

The wind energy industry is an important part of the renewable energy industry. Helpful financial support plays an essential role in the process of its development. This study analyzes the financial support ef...

Authors: Lin Wu and Han Li

Democratic institutions and the energy intensity of well-being: a cross-national study

Energy consumption is necessary for human well-being, yet the growth of energy consumption also contributes to climate change and a range of negative externalities. Thus, a key sustainability challenge is to e...

Authors: Adam Mayer

Impacts of wind power development on Oklahoma’s public schools

The development of wind energy in western Oklahoma has expanded dramatically in recent years, as the amount of installed capacity has gone from 0 in 2002 to enough turbines to generate approximately 20% of Okl...

Authors: Becca Castleberry and J. Scott Greene

Technical and economic assessment of wind power potential of Nooriabad, Pakistan

Pakistan is a developing nation and heavily spends on the development of conventional power plants to meet the national energy demand. The objective of this paper is to investigate wind power potential of site...

Authors: Zahid Hussain Hulio, Wei Jiang and S. Rehman

Alternative energy supply system to a rural village in Ethiopia

Most households in rural developing countries do not have access to modern energy supply. Household level biogas energy was considered as an option but failed due to lack of sufficient resources for its instal...

Authors: Gudina Terefe Tucho and Sanderine Nonhebel

Modeling, testing, and parametric analysis of a parabolic solar cooking system with heat storage for indoor cooking

In an ever-changing world where needs increase daily due to economic growth and demographic progression, where prices are unstable, where reserves are running out, where climate change is topical, the energy i...

Authors: Ndiaga Mbodji and Ali Hajji

Determinants of efficiency in residential electricity demand: stochastic frontier analysis on Japan

Rapidly increasing residential electricity demand has made raising energy efficiency an important policy issue in controlling electricity demand.

Authors: Akihiro Otsuka

Energy consulting services in the information age - literature review

The institution of energy consulting services is one of the several government instruments for improving the efficiency of energy usage in many European countries. Various forms of advice on energy issues are ...

Authors: Are E. Kjeang, G. Venkatesh, Magnus Ståhl and Jenny Palm

In gov we trust: the less we pay for improved electricity supply in Ghana

Ghana is bedeviled with the lack of 24-h supply of electricity. This holds back economic growth and sustainable development prospects. Several studies have investigated varied factors that account for househol...

Authors: Anthony Amoah, Davis Adu Larbi, Daniel Offei and Anthony Panin

The natural and capital infrastructure of potential post-electrification wealth creation in Kenya

It is widely accepted that electricity is an important element for improving levels of human development and wealth creation in rural areas. Yet, little research has explored the conditions under which electri...

Authors: Diego Ponce de Leon Barido, Simone Fobi Nsutezo and Jay Taneja

Invisible transportation infrastructure technology to mitigate energy and environment

Traditional transportation infrastructure built by heat trapping products and the transportation vehiles run by fossil fuel, both causing deadly climate change. Thus, a new technology of invisible Flying Transpor...

Authors: Md. Faruque Hossain

Renewable energy in emergent countries: lessons from energy transition in Morocco

Morocco, which has no conventional energy resources, depends entirely on the international primary energy market to satisfy its growing demand due to its economic growth and demographic progression. The countr...

Authors: Karim Choukri, Ahmed Naddami and Sanaa Hayani

Opportunities for lignin valorization: an exploratory process

For decades, the pulp industry has struggled to create sustainable value-added opportunities for lignin, and the issue is now at the forefront of second-generation biorefinery research and development efforts....

Authors: Stephen P. Cline and Paul M. Smith

Legal governance of smart heat infrastructure development under modes of liberalization; how to analyze and overcome deadlocks in heat projects

The background of this article is how the challenge to accomplish a sustainable energy transition—in service of various objectives, such as environmental and geopolitical concerns—has recently brought the develop...

Authors: Michiel A. Heldeweg, Maurits Ph.Th. Sanders and Anne V. Brunnekreef

Microwave pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass––a contribution to power Africa

Worldwide efforts are being made to increase the use of renewable energy in order to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Africa is blessed with abundant resources of fossil fuels as well as renewable ener...

Authors: Saifuddin Nomanbhay, Bello Salman, Refal Hussain and Mei Yin Ong

A new approach to semantic sustainability assessment: text mining via network analysis revealing transition patterns in German municipal climate action plans

Various monitoring approaches have shown that urban areas and their energy systems are major contributors to climate change. Corresponding observations have mostly been based on physical data. However, text da...

Authors: Manuel W. Bickel

Understanding the expansion of energy crops beyond the global biofuel boom: evidence from oil palm expansion in Colombia

The global palm oil market experienced a remarkable boom since the year 2000. Since palm oil can be used for biodiesel production, the global expansion of oil palm cultivation has been associated with the glob...

Authors: Victoria Marin-Burgos and Joy S. Clancy

Performance assessment of an improved cook stove (Esperanza) in a typical domestic setting: implications for energy saving

Much of the Malawi’s energy source, which is biomass, is consumed using traditional household technologies. These technologies contribute to over consumption of biomass leading to increased forest degradation,...

Authors: Mapereka Francis Chagunda, Caspah Kamunda, Justice Mlatho, Chomora Mikeka and Lobina Palamuleni

The impact and challenges of sustainable biogas implementation: moving towards a bio-based economy

Engineers face increasing pressure to manage and utilize waste (whether of animal, human or municipal origin) in a sustainable way. We suggest that a solution to the problem of organic waste in rural communiti...

Authors: Ralph Muvhiiwa, Diane Hildebrandt, Ngonidzashe Chimwani, Lwazi Ngubevana and Tonderayi Matambo

Potential water requirements of increased ethanol fuel in the USA

To mitigate climate impacts associated with energy consumption, renewable fuel policies have been established in the USA that encourage production and use of corn ethanol. Current fuel usage of corn ethanol is...

Authors: Xiaowei (Vivian) Liu, S. Kent Hoekman and Amber Broch

Biogas between renewable energy and bio-economy policies—opportunities and constraints resulting from a dual role

Biogas plays a major role in two policy domains: the renewable energy domain and the bio-economy domain. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of current biogas practices with the two policy...

Authors: Swinda F. Pfau, Janneke E. Hagens and Ben Dankbaar

Erratum to: Renewable energy, energy efficiency, and eco-friendly environment (R-E⁵) in Nigeria

Authors: Joshua Sunday Riti and Yang Shu

The study of the variability of biomass from plants of the Elodea genus from a river in Germany over a period of two hydrological years for investigating their suitability for biogas production

Aquatic plants are an important component of aquatic ecosystems. They are valuable for the oxygen and carbon dioxide household and generate habitats especially for small fish and other small organisms. However...

Authors: Andreas Zehnsdorf, Lucie Moeller, Hans-Joachim Stärk, Harald Auge, Markus Röhl and Walter Stinner

Biofuel research: perceptions of power and transition

Whether biofuels represent a sustainable innovation, a creative alternative, or a gold rush, very much depends on our perception of power and change with regard to sustainability. This article provides an over...

Authors: Lena Partzsch

From cumulated energy demand to cumulated raw material demand: the material footprint as a sum parameter in life cycle assessment

Global targets for reducing resource use have been set by organizations such as the International Resource Panel and the European Commission. However, these targets exist only at the macro level, e.g., for ind...

Authors: Klaus Wiesen and Monika Wirges

From the fuel versus food controversy to the institutional vacuum in biofuel policies: evidence from West African countries

Since the early 2000s, biofuel production has been developed in West Africa with the encouragement and support of notably Europe, Brazil, and China. Yet the development of biofuels can also be viewed from the ...

Authors: Charly Gatete and Marie-Hélène Dabat

Low-carbon development strategy for the West African electricity system: preliminary assessment using System dynamics approach

Policy makers seek to understand the trade-offs needed between economic growth and climate change. This provides the context to explore low-carbon development (LCD) pathways for the West African electricity sy...

Authors: Abiodun Suleiman Momodu, Ahmad Addo, John-Felix Kayode Akinbami and Yacob Mulugetta

Factors influencing the adoption of biogas digesters in rural Ethiopia

Increasing energy demands on farm households in Ethiopia have escalated challenges related to land degradation, indoor air quality, and rural economic development. Soil deterioration followed by reduced carbon...

Authors: Melaku Berhe, Dana Hoag, Girmay Tesfay and Catherine Keske

Assessing the energy justice implications of bioenergy development in Nepal

The emerging concept of energy justice has focused on the justice implications of conventional energy systems (oil, gas, coal, etc.). Instead, we focus on the meaning of energy justice in the context of unconv...

Authors: Caroline Damgaard, Darren McCauley and Jed Long

The production of hydrogen as an alternative energy carrier from aluminium waste

Aluminium dross is a valuable resource that is often redirected to landfill as there are no real viable solutions for the utilisation of this industrial waste. A study has been conducted to provide a recycling...

Authors: Esam Elsarrag, Ammar Elhoweris and Yousef Alhorr

A case study of a procedure to optimize the renewable energy coverage in isolated systems: an astronomical center in the North of Chile

Renewable energy resources show variabilities at different characteristic time scales. For a given resource and demand pro le, there is an absolute maximum achievable coverage (when limiting the fraction of en...

Authors: H. Abos, M. Ave and H. Martínez-Ortiz