Energy for Sustainable Development最新文献

{"title":"Measuring biogas venting from over-pressurisation of household scale dome biogas digesters: A case study in Kenya and Uganda","authors":"Joel Chaney ,&nbsp;Benjamin L. Robinson ,&nbsp;Mike Clifford","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101815","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101815","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Methane emissions from household-scale biogas digesters represent a potentially significant climate concern that has been largely overlooked in rural energy access programmes. This study presents the first assessment of biogas venting patterns, resulting from over-pressure, across 53 household-scale biogas digesters in Kenya and Uganda. We develop and apply a methodology for estimating venting using digital monitoring technology known as ‘Smart Biogas’, which continuously measures pressure and flow data to quantify both the volume and timing of biogas loss.</div><div>Our findings reveal a complex picture of household biogas use. By measuring the Biogas Utilisation Factor (BUF) - the ratio of consumed to generated biogas, where a lower BUF indicates higher venting rates - we found that households can achieve excellent performance during optimal periods, with venting rates below 3 % across all digester sizes, which demonstrates the potential for optimised biogas use. However, although most households maintain good biogas utilisation most of the time, periodic episodes of underuse significantly impact overall performance. The mean pressure-driven venting rates ranged from 10.8 % ± 12.7 % for 10 m³ digesters to 20.9 % ± 20.9 % for 6 m³ digesters (overall mean: 15.9 % ± 20.2 %). Temporal patterns also emerge, with increased venting likely during afternoon and nighttime hours, and during agricultural planting seasons when cooking patterns change. Drawing from these insights, we propose strategies to help households maintain the consistent high biogas utilisation they achieve during optimal periods.</div><div>The methodology developed in this paper can be applied across other biogas programmes to build a broader understanding of patterns of biogas use and the likelihood of venting. These findings have implications for biogas programme design, carbon credit methodologies, and efforts to maximise both the climate benefits and household value of small-scale biogas systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101815"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145160350","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fueling the transition: The infrastructure and retrofitting hurdles to natural gas uptake","authors":"Majah-Leah V. Ravago ,&nbsp;Karl Robert L. Jandoc ,&nbsp;Brian Jason H. Ponce ,&nbsp;Mithi Maria Peñaranda ,&nbsp;Renzi G. Frias ,&nbsp;Raul V. Fabella","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101879","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101879","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We examine how technical characteristics influence firms' decisions to adopt natural gas as an alternative fuel in their production processes. Using firm-level data, we first identify key drivers of adoption through probit models, highlighting the roles of heating equipment, cost competitiveness, and prior knowledge of natural gas. To extend the analysis, we apply LASSO regression to incorporate a wider set of predictors, including infrastructure access, retrofitting costs, electricity source, environmental awareness, and firm characteristics. Our results show that proximity to fueling or regasification stations is strongly associated with a higher probability of adoption, while high retrofitting costs show a robust negative correlation. Firms reliant on major grid-based electricity providers or familiar with renewable energy sources are less open to switching, suggesting perceived reliability of existing energy sources or a preference for technologies more directly aligned with renewable commitments. Conversely, firm-level familiarity with natural gas consistently exhibits a positive and significant association with adoption. We observe moderate heterogeneity in openness to switch to natural gas across firm types, with the highest propensity among those using heating equipment in core operations. These findings emphasize the importance of infrastructure access, technical knowledge, and financial constraints in shaping the transition to cleaner fuels in industrial sectors. We highlight the “renewable energy commitment effect,” which is the reluctance to switch to a fuel less committed to renewables.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101879"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145467294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trade-offs in energy policy: Evidence from a best-worst discrete choice experiment in Pakistan","authors":"Qaisar Shahzad ,&nbsp;Kentaka Aruga","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101843","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101843","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluates preference for energy reforms among a sampled group of participants in Pakistan, focusing on coal-dependent regions and transition-vulnerable groups to reduce CO₂ emissions using a best-worst scaling (BWS) experiment. We examined five key policy attributes: CO₂ emission reduction, energy independence, employment impact, transition time, and changes in energy price. The findings reveal a modest willingness to pay for reducing CO₂ emissions (0.47 % of energy bills per 1 % reduction) and other policy attributes, though effect sizes are small compared to economic priorities like employment and affordability. Subgroup analysis identifies demographic variations in these trade-offs within the sample. Meanwhile, survey participants exhibited significant sensitivity to potential increases in energy bills, with affordability concerns outweighing environmental preference in most subgroups. This study contributes to the literature by quantifying preferences for energy transition attributes among a sampled Pakistani population using a BWS choice experiment, offering insights for policymakers in similar developing economies. The study recommends diversifying energy sources, including nuclear and hydro-energy, as a strategic approach to balance environmental goals with economic priorities for transition-vulnerable groups in Pakistan (e.g., coal-region residents, unemployed respondents). However, these recommendations are indicative and should be validated through broader engagement and research before nationwide implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101843"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ready or not: An assessment of energy transition willingness of marine fishing communities in Ghana towards the blue economy","authors":"Elizabeth Nsenkyire ,&nbsp;Jacob Nunoo ,&nbsp;Joshua Sebu","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101853","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101853","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given the evidence that eco-unfriendly cooking energy behaviours contribute to coastal ecosystem deterioration in Africa, this study examines the willingness of coastal communities to transition from such energy behaviours amidst the blue economy dialogue. The effects of economic conditions, locus of control, well-being concerns, and environmental attitudes are examined together with the mediating role of energy perceptions. Using structural equation modelling, we analysed data from 1076 households in Ghana's coastal marine fishing communities. The study statistics indicate that modern energy types are favourably perceived in coastal Ghana, with most respondents (above 50%) unwilling to transition. The regression results also reveal that energy perceptions influence energy transition willingness by a 0.268 (<em>p</em>&lt;0.01) standard deviation and act as a mediator. Thus, economic conditions, locus of control, well-being concerns, and environmental attitudes were found to influence energy transition willingness by ‐0.038(<em>p</em>&lt;0.01), ‐0.058(p&lt;0.01), 0.057(p&lt;0.01), and 0.039(p&lt;0.01) standard deviations through perceptions, respectively. Significant differences were also found between heads and non-heads, adults and elders, males and females, and rural and urban groups. These findings underscore the importance of these socio-economic-environmental factors in promoting energy transition to mitigate further eco-unfriendly energy-related degradation of the coastal ecosystem, thereby enhancing readiness for Africa's blue economy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101853"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"At-scale adoption of floating solar PV technology: The case of India","authors":"Abhinav Jindal ,&nbsp;Pradhuman Shaktawat ,&nbsp;S. Abhilash Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101830","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101830","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To achieve net zero targets, countries worldwide are focusing on scaling renewable energy. While India has made substantial strides in solar power capacity, the adoption of Floating Solar PV (FPV) remains limited. Despite apparent benefits, scaling FPV technologies presents several challenges including identifying suitable reservoirs for FPV implementation, and higher than ground-based solar PV costs. This study addresses these challenges and provides insights into the technological, financial and other related aspects for its at-scale adoption. To address the technological aspect of FPV adoption, this study develops a novel selection framework based on specific necessary and conducive conditions to select reservoirs suitable for FPV deployment in India. Applying this framework to a comprehensive dataset of 130 reservoirs in India, 17 reservoirs were identified. We also developed a reservoir ranking framework, to evaluate and rank the 17 identified reservoirs. The analysis revealed that while <em>Almatti</em> reservoir is the most suitable reservoir, <em>Maharashtra</em> emerged as the state with the maximum number of reservoirs, followed by <em>Odisha</em>. To address the financial aspect of FPV adoption, we carried out a levelized cost based economic assessment and found that LCOE for FPV systems ranges from INR 3.16–3.80/kWh which is much lower than the national average. Among the 17 reservoirs, FPV at the <em>Tungabhadra</em> reservoir has the least LCOE of INR 3.16/kWh. For reducing LCOE of FPV vis-à-vis ground-based PV systems, we suggest policies such as interest rate subsidy, capital expenditure subsidy and Generation Based Incentives. The study's framework and insights could be useful for countries with high FPV potential looking to scale up FPV technology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101830"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maximizing solar generator output through reactive power management: A case study from rural India","authors":"Naureen Siddiqui,&nbsp;Priyanka Paliwal","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101829","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101829","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Decentralized solar generation plays acritical role in enhancing energy access and grid resilience. While conventional solar inverters operate at unity power factor, delivering only active power, this study examines the underexplored potential of using these inverters for reactive power support. Specifically, it investigates how decentralized reactive power management (DRPM) affects active energy injection, especially under low-voltage conditions that often lead to feeder losses and inverter disconnections. By implementing an inverter-based Volt/VAr control strategy, the study quantifies both the reduction in system losses and the increase in active energy delivery. A case study on a 1 MW solar generator at Raipura, India, demonstrates that DRPM not only mitigates curtailment but also yields a 16.69 % increase in economic returns. These findings establish the technical and financial viability of treating reactive power as an ancillary service in solar-dominant distribution networks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101829"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145159822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive techno-economic assessment of biomass power generation for sustainable solution of Pakistan's energy crisis","authors":"Syed Usama Ali ,&nbsp;Talha Bin Nadeem ,&nbsp;Syed Muhammad Asad Akhter Naqvi ,&nbsp;Malik Kamran","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101856","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101856","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As global energy demands escalate and fossil fuel reserves dwindle, the need for reliable alternative energy sources becomes critical. While solar and wind energy offer environmental benefits, their intermittency poses challenges for grid stability and long-term energy planning. Biomass power generation emerges as a dependable, weather-independent renewable option. This study assesses the technical and economic viability of biomass energy in Pakistan using a combined approach involving literature review and laboratory analysis. Proximate and ultimate analyses were conducted on various biomass types, including agricultural residues, wood, and organic waste, to determine moisture content, calorific value, and ash composition. Results show that Pakistan's biomass resources have the potential to generate up to 609,964 GWh per year, which is more than four times the country's current annual electricity consumption. Electricity from biomass was found to cost PKR 14.79/kWh (0.051 $/kWh), substantially lower than the PKR 37/kWh (0.132 $/kWh) from conventional sources, with a payback period of around one year. The study also explores fuel enhancement through flue gas drying and pelletization, enabling the production of high-quality fuel pellets with moisture content reduced to as low as 4 %. Blending high and low-calorific value biomass further improves combustion efficiency and energy output. Thermodynamic modeling, including enthalpy calculations, supports the integration of biomass into conventional power cycles such as the Rankine cycle. Additionally, replacing coal with biomass could reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 143,148 metric tons annually. These findings confirm that biomass power plants are a technically feasible, economically sound, and environmentally sustainable solution for Pakistan's growing energy needs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101856"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145269460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Roadmap toward carbon neutrality in Pakistan: Policy challenges and strategic measures","authors":"Hamad Hussain Shah,&nbsp;Giuseppe Piso,&nbsp;Erasmo Mancusi,&nbsp;Piero Bareschino,&nbsp;Francesco Pepe","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101861","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101861","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stabilizing global mean temperature requires all countries to align with pathways that achieve carbon neutrality by the middle of the century. For late-industrializing economies, this objective is particularly demanding, since their energy demand and emissions continue to rise. This study provides a systematic assessment of Pakistan, a country ranked among the most climate-vulnerable globally and lacking a defined pathway to mid-century carbon neutrality. The analysis first establishes clear conceptual distinctions among carbon neutrality, net-zero greenhouse gases, and climate neutrality, terms that are often used interchangeably in international policy debates. Using a backcasting framework, we establish 2050 carbon neutrality as the target year and identify the intermediate stages required for convergence. The analysis integrates national energy and emissions data (2013−2023), international statistical reviews, and comparative trajectories from the European Union, the United States, and regional peer economies. The results outline a three-stage, four-step strategy that incorporates accelerated electrification, industrial decarbonization, renewable energy expansion, circular economy practices, and natural sequestration. Our findings demonstrate that a late peaking (≈2030) can still converge to carbon neutrality by mid-century, provided that policy alignment and investment mobilization occur within the next decade. This framework informs transition strategies across similarly placed economies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101861"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145269462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"GIS–MCDM integrated location–allocation analysis for optimizing biomass power facility siting and supply chain: Case study of Moga District, Punjab, India","authors":"S.K. Saraswat ,&nbsp;Deepika Swami","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101871","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101871","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biomass offers a reliable, year-round energy supply, but its large-scale adoption is hindered by the unorganized supply chain compared to coal, leading to the increasing cost of energy generation from biomass. The study aim is to design a framework to bring the cost of bioenergy at par with coal, which involved performing a case study of decentralized biopower plant in Moga, Punjab, India with four key objectives: (i) analysis of crop residue availability at farm level (30 m × 30 m), (ii) calculation of the optimal transportation distance threshold, (iii) identification of suitable land for biomass power facilities, and (iv) optimization of the transport between farms and power facility. First, the study estimated a total fam-level biomass availability of 1.30 million tonnes (MT), with an average crop yield intensity of 4563 kg/ha. Further, the study calculated an optimal transportation distance threshold of 12.67 km and 1275.72 km² (56.78 %) of the land area as suitable for the installation of biomass power plants. Finally, location-allocation analysis optimized biomass transport between supply centers and power plants. The findings reveal a substantial biomass-based power generation potential of 112.52 MW and an estimated CO₂ reduction of 1.64 MT. The study highlights the viability of biomass as a sustainable and cost-effective energy source.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101871"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145364015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Who spends more on energy? Examining energy inequality among elderly households","authors":"Ruining Zhang ,&nbsp;Hui Li ,&nbsp;Sheng Zhong ,&nbsp;Yue Li ,&nbsp;Yangyang Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101859","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101859","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ensuring energy equity is central to sustainable development and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The rapid aging of China's population has made elderly households an expanding demographic group. However, while energy expenditure is widely recognized as a key dimension of social equality, existing research on aging has paid limited attention to energy-related disparities and heterogeneity within the elderly population. To address this gap, we build a six-dimensional heterogeneity framework spanning age groups, income levels, rural-urban divides, climate zones, energy types, and survey years. Using large-scale longitudinal data, we find elderly households spend more per capita on residential energy than those in other age groups. Energy structures are similar across age groups but vary by climate zones. Energy equality has improved across age groups but remains lowest among elderly households, particularly those living alone. Among elderly households, energy equality has improved most in the cold climate zone but least in the rural temperate climate zone. Our results highlight the need for targeted support for solitary elderly households, promotion of clean energy in temperate climate zones, and energy-efficiency retrofits of older dwellings to reduce expenditures and improve living conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101859"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145364017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}