Energy Research & Social Science最新文献

Minerals at the margins and the new geopolitics of critical minerals 边缘矿产和关键矿产的新地缘政治

IF 7.4 2区经济学

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-17 DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104601

Raphael Deberdt , Jessica DiCarlo

{"title":"Minerals at the margins and the new geopolitics of critical minerals","authors":"Raphael Deberdt , Jessica DiCarlo","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104601","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104601","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The new resource geopolitics is not solely a race against China; it is a test of foresight, adaptability, and the ability to invest in futures not yet fully visible across the full spectrum of ‘critical’ resources. While Western powers rush to counter China's dominance in <em>mainstream critical minerals</em>—such as rare earths, lithium, and cobalt—policy, research, and public attention tend to overlook <em>minerals at the margins</em>: materials recognized as critical and with emerging strategic importance that are already mined and refined largely within member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). These minerals, though peripheral today, have the potential to underpin the next generation of disruptive technologies. In this perspective, we outline a new resource geopolitics in which Western and OECD countries mobilize existing strengths to future-proof dependencies. The objective is not to downplay current vulnerabilities but to advance a more holistic understanding of criticality, one that looks beyond today's technological and defense imperatives. Complete decoupling is neither feasible nor desirable, and zero-sum competition offers little value in an era of planetary crisis. What is possible, however, is a rebalancing of dependencies through strategic foresight, diversification, and the cultivation of underrecognized advantages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104601"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147401694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Stranded futures? Quantifying the asset risks of industrial decarbonisation in developed economies 困期货?量化发达经济体工业脱碳的资产风险

IF 7.4 2区经济学

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-21 DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104621

Abbas AbdulRafiu

{"title":"Stranded futures? Quantifying the asset risks of industrial decarbonisation in developed economies","authors":"Abbas AbdulRafiu","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104621","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104621","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Industrial decarbonisation is accelerating across developed economies, raising concerns about the premature retirement of carbon-intensive assets. This study provides a cross-sector assessment of stranded-asset risks across five hard-to-abate industries ‑iron and steel, oil refineries, chemicals, pulp and paper, and electricity generation - in six major economies (EU, US, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia). The analysis integrates 36 expert interviews, surveys of 207 industry professionals and 500 technology adopters, and asset-level modelling based on emission intensity, asset age, technology type and carbon -pricing exposure. In doing so, the paper seeks to broaden conceptual debates about potential stranded assets from the deployment of new technologies to decarbonise energy-intensive industries that often being rarely discussed which is important to estimate both probabilistic risk scores and potential stranded values under three policy scenarios. The analysis quantifies sectoral risk scores, stranded-value estimates, and transition pressures associated with carbon pricing and regulatory change. Results show that chemicals and refineries exhibit the highest average stranded-asset risk, while steel and electricity hold the greatest total value at risk under accelerated policy scenarios. Regional comparison underscores the EU's stringent climate policies and investment levels as mitigating long-term exposure relative to Australia and South Korea. The findings highlight the need for coordinated policy design, transition finance, and managed asset retirement strategies to reduce financial losses and support equitable industrial decarbonisation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104621"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147401695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Developing a capabilities-based low carbon transition framework: Insights from an empirical study of home improvement practices in Australia 发展以能力为基础的低碳转型框架：来自澳大利亚家装实践实证研究的见解

IF 7.4 2区经济学

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104606

Nicola Willand , Bhavna Middha , Sarah Robertson , Ralph Horne , Lisa de Kleyn , Trivess Moore , Ananya Majumdar , Hector Padilla Gil

{"title":"Developing a capabilities-based low carbon transition framework: Insights from an empirical study of home improvement practices in Australia","authors":"Nicola Willand , Bhavna Middha , Sarah Robertson , Ralph Horne , Lisa de Kleyn , Trivess Moore , Ananya Majumdar , Hector Padilla Gil","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104606","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104606","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Low carbon dwelling improvements combine upgrades to thermal envelopes and appliances with renewable energy systems. Despite proven cost-effective options for emissions reductions and quality of life enhancements, widespread adoption remains elusive. Instead, such projects are often isolated, with uneven distribution across locations, housing contexts and socio-economic groups. Many literature and stakeholder-informed models of upscaling low carbon housing improvements are grounded in the logic that households can and will make optimising choices around long-term cost savings, and that markets of supply and demand for such home energy improvements are mature, functioning, and effective. In this paper, we demonstrate that, in reality, the achievement of low carbon home improvements is situational, social and contextual - shaped by the complexity of dwelling and householder characteristics and multiple market failures. Our study involved interviews with 161 Australian households to explore their past and planned home improvements. We focus on the socio-material dimensions of low carbon housing improvements and present an empirically-based model designed to more accurately reflect diverse societal capabilities. By combining elements of Social Practice Theories and the Capabilities Approach, we identified how social structures, norms and routines along with materials and shared understandings created and perpetuated inequalities in achieving energy-efficient, low carbon homes. Our framework suggests low carbon housing improvement policies and industry practices should address technical and affordability aspects while also considering the relational and emotional dimensions of home making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104606"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Retrofitting Scotland's private rented sector: Challenges and landlord attitudes 改造苏格兰私人租赁行业：挑战和房东态度

IF 7.4 2区经济学

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-04 DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104578

Azlizawati Ibrahim , Kate Carter , John Brennan , Julio Bros-Williamson

{"title":"Retrofitting Scotland's private rented sector: Challenges and landlord attitudes","authors":"Azlizawati Ibrahim , Kate Carter , John Brennan , Julio Bros-Williamson","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104578","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104578","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Retrofitting Scotland's private rented sector to achieve energy efficiency standards presents significant challenges, not only because of the high proportion of flats (67%) and older properties (42%), but also due to wider technical, socio-economic, and regulatory constraints that demand further research. This study aims to deepen understanding of these challenges and to provide insights into private landlords' attitudes towards retrofitting. Using a mixed-methods online survey, ten interconnected challenges are identified, explaining their root causes and how they influence landlords' decisions and retrofit strategies. The integration of energy compliance data and cost-based retrofit scenarios into the methodology expands current perspectives on the retrofit challenges faced by private landlords. The findings provide valuable evidence to support targeted improvements in the private rented dwellings sector by addressing the key retrofit challenges, including difficulties associated with hard-to-treat dwellings, high retrofit costs, flaws in the compliance energy assessment, and complications with mixed tenure retrofit. These challenges shape private landlords' attitudes towards retrofit approaches, reflected in two main patterns: 1) hesitation to undertake retrofits due to policy uncertainty and perceived post-retrofit property risks; and 2) a low preference to adopt key energy efficiency and carbon-reduction measures such as fabric upgrades and heat pumps. This study highlights the need for robust policy design, financial incentives, and tailored support to enable effective retrofitting across the sector.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104578"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146175078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Politics of scarcity: Energy crisis and discursive practices in wartime France (1914–1918) 稀缺政治：战时法国的能源危机与话语实践（1914-1918）

IF 7.4 2区经济学

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-18 DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104604

Marcela Hennlichová , Markéta Votoupalová , Klára Lancová

引用次数: 0

Are positive energy districts more prevalent in wealthier European regions? 正能量区是否在较富裕的欧洲地区更为普遍？

IF 7.4 2区经济学

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-12 DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104603

Drilona Shtjefni , Giulia Ulpiani , Andreas Uihlein , Silvia Bossi , Christopher Gollner , Giorgos Koukoufikis , Paolo Bertoldi

{"title":"Are positive energy districts more prevalent in wealthier European regions?","authors":"Drilona Shtjefni , Giulia Ulpiani , Andreas Uihlein , Silvia Bossi , Christopher Gollner , Giorgos Koukoufikis , Paolo Bertoldi","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104603","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104603","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the spatial relationship between renewable energy potential, economic prosperity, and the establishment of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) across European regions. PEDs are connected clusters of buildings that generate a surplus of renewable energy on a yearly basis through local energy production and consumption, energy storage, and direct management of renewable energy sources. Beyond their technical contribution to energy transitions, PEDs are also positioned as mechanisms for economic development, energy citizenship, democracy, and energy justice. While existing literature has predominantly focused on the technical dimensions of PEDs (e.g., energy efficiency, renewables, flexibility), little attention has been devoted to their territorial dimensions, specifically, where PEDs are implemented and under what local conditions they emerge. This study aims to investigate whether PEDs are more frequently installed in areas with higher GDP per capita and/or renewable energy potential compared to non-PED areas. A comparative analysis using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests indicates that PEDs are primarily concentrated in areas with high GDP per capita, but not necessarily in regions with high renewable energy potential. These findings underscore the need to investigate further on the enabling conditions which shape the design and geographic distribution of PEDs, ensuring that their benefits extend beyond high-income regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104603"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The widening gap between copper supply and demand will have an impact on economic development and energy futures 铜供需差距的扩大将对经济发展和能源期货产生影响

IF 7.4 2区经济学

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-02 DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104581

Adam C. Simon , Lawrence M. Cathles , Dan Wood , Morgan Bazilian

引用次数: 0

Shining light on the scale, use, and impact of household solar for achieving energy access in rural Malawi 关注家庭太阳能的规模、使用和影响，以实现马拉维农村地区的能源获取

IF 7.4 2区经济学

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-26 DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104616

Ryan McCord , Katerina E.B. Beach , Andrea Mahieu , Thabbie Chilongo , Charles Jumbe , Pamela Jagger

{"title":"Shining light on the scale, use, and impact of household solar for achieving energy access in rural Malawi","authors":"Ryan McCord , Katerina E.B. Beach , Andrea Mahieu , Thabbie Chilongo , Charles Jumbe , Pamela Jagger","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104616","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104616","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Globally over 760 million people, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, lack electricity access. Off-grid solar is central to electrification strategies, yet most evidence treats all solar adoption as equivalent, without distinguishing between system capacity or household use patterns. This obscures a critical policy question: do small solar devices meaningfully advance progress toward global energy access, or are greater capacity and specific uses required to unlock impacts on household welfare? Using two waves of survey data from 1,030 rural Malawian households, we combine difference-in-differences estimations with an innovative energy budgeting exercise and latent class analysis to assess how households use their energy supply and how device capacity impacts households' experiences. Small solar devices (<5 W) are predominantly used for phone charging, reducing charging-related travel by 1 h/week but yielding no other direct impacts. Households adopting 5–50 W devices gain 20 extra hours of lighting/week and primarily use solar for security while sleeping or for lighting while undertaking domestic tasks. The largest benefits accrue to households adopting >50 W, increasing lighting by 35–50 h/week and time for productive activities by 3.5 h. Our findings show that tracking solar adoption without considering capacity risks overstating progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 (modern energy for all). To reflect this reality, national surveys should report device capacity and use, and electrification strategies should prioritize affordable, modular pathways for households to reach at least Tier 2 status (>50 W). Framing policies around capacity and use, not just adoption, will ensure off-grid solar products are able to deliver social and economic benefits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104616"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147702953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

One plug fits all? Multi-sectoral complementarities, operator diversity, and geographies of transition in Spain's electric vehicle recharge networks 一个插头适合所有人？西班牙电动汽车充电网络的多部门互补性、运营商多样性和转型地域

IF 7.4 2区经济学

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104579

Andrea Ferloni

{"title":"One plug fits all? Multi-sectoral complementarities, operator diversity, and geographies of transition in Spain's electric vehicle recharge networks","authors":"Andrea Ferloni","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104579","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104579","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The acceleration of the Electric Vehicle (EV) transition requires upscaling recharge infrastructure, creating localized economic opportunities around new sociotechnical configurations. Existing studies have investigated the technical aspects of EV recharge but not the multi-sectoral interactions and complementarities that chargers involve, with their geographical foundations. Research on the geography of transitions is developing across transition studies and economic geography, but a framework to connect innovation, technology diffusion, and the emergence of new markets and institutions is still lacking. This paper aims to identify the activities, constraints, actors, and strategies that are involved in EV recharge, and reflect on how the diffusion of chargers relates to the emergence of new local development paths. Expert interviews showed that EV recharge involves six interconnected domains ranging from electric generation to recharge demand. Operators differ in the tasks they perform and the strategies they pursue, according to whether they engage in high- or low-speed recharge and if recharge is their core or secondary business. Diversity of technological and business approaches by recharge operators involves different geographical orientations. Understanding the geography of new sociotechnical configurations requires embracing this variability and building on it to devise place-sensitive policies and recommendations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104579"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Seeking recognition justice in Arizona coal country 在亚利桑那州煤炭之乡寻求正义

IF 7.4 2区经济学

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104575

Will Niver , Andréanne Doyon

{"title":"Seeking recognition justice in Arizona coal country","authors":"Will Niver , Andréanne Doyon","doi":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104575","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.erss.2026.104575","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The 2019 closure of a coal-fired coal plant within the Navajo Nation was economically ruinous for many communities. A just transition funding package – negotiated between representatives of the Navajo Nation and the electric utility Arizona Public Service – would have delivered nearly $150 million to rural and Indigenous coal-impacted Arizona communities, but Arizona's utility regulators opposed the use of ratepayer funds in such a plan, resulting in years-long controversy. This paper examines stakeholders' appeals to moral arguments from both sides of the funding controversy and describes why the funding package stalled despite apparent popularity. Methodologically, the paper uses content analysis of public testimony to catalogue appeals to distribution, procedural, and recognition justice. The paper complements that analysis with semi-structured interviews conducted in and around Arizona. Proponents of the transition funding appealed to distribution, procedural, and recognition justice, but opponents relied exclusively on distribution and procedural justice. A critical aspect of recognition justice is its emphasis on equalizing power imbalances; the energy and political landscape of Arizona is rife with such disparity. Appeals to recognition justice, with its emphasis on restoration and leveling socio-political hierarchies, are ill-suited for maintaining an unjust status quo. The paper's discussion section further explores the use of “sacrifice” as a framing for Black Mesa's role in the American Southwest's energy systems. Finally, the paper suggests further avenues for research, including the ways in which injustice has been compounded by the federal government's recent seizure of funding and issues of power, politics, and demographics in underexamined political races.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48384,"journal":{"name":"Energy Research & Social Science","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104575"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0