Energy for Sustainable Development最新文献

{"title":"Optimizing battery energy storage and solar photovoltaic systems for lower-to-middle-income schools amidst load-shedding","authors":"T. Michael-Ahile ,&nbsp;J.A. Samuels ,&nbsp;M.J. Booysen","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101675","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101675","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Energy reliability and cost efficiency are critical challenges for lower-to-middle-income schools in developing regions, where frequent power outages hinder academic activities and strain finances. This study presents a robust methodology to determine the optimal size of the photovoltaic (PV) system coupled with battery storage, under two distinct demand scenarios: “stable” and“intermittent”. The stable scenario assumes consistent year-round demand, while the intermittent scenario models 50% demand during load-shedding periods.</div><div>A proposed Unified Rule-Based (URB) scheduling approach was evaluated across different electricity pricing schemes. Optimal PV sizes managed with the URB strategy achieved up to 22% lifetime savings, reduced total energy demand by 47%, and peak-hour demand by 63%, while supporting 98% of the load-shedding requirements. This approach offers a scalable and practical solution for improving energy reliability, reducing costs, and enhancing environmental sustainability in low-income educational institutions. The findings underscore the effectiveness of the URB strategy and provide actionable insights for future policy implementations and the advancement of climate-neutrality targets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 101675"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143474289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Local content requirements for the transfer of knowledge and skills in the solar photovoltaic industry in Ghana","authors":"Paula Edze","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101682","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101682","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The implementation of local content requirements (LCRs) to drive local manufacturing of renewable energy technologies in developing economies have produced mixed results. LCRs facilitate the development of linkages that enable the transfer of skills, technology, and finance between countries and businesses. In Ghana, full enforcement of the LCRs for the solar industry is challenged by issues such as limited local capability, infrastructure, and incentives to support local manufacturing of solar components. Research on the impact of LCRs in the solar industry, particularly in facilitating linkages between foreign and domestic companies remains sparse. The growing involvement of multinational companies in Ghana’'s solar industry raises critical questions about their impact on linkages development and local capability building in solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies. This study employs a case study design and draws on interviews with 16 persons across 11 solar companies, 2 associations, 2 development finance institutions (DFIs) and a public institution. The findings show mutually beneficial linkages between foreign and local solar companies, resulting in the development of a pool of skilled labour. The procurement practices of solar companies are shaped by environmental, sustainability and governance policies of DFIs, and they contribute to local capability building in solar PV technologies. The study also identified niche markets for local supply of auxiliary products such as direct current (DC) cables and mounting structures which have the potential to evolve into regional supply chains leveraging mechanisms under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). It is recommended that LCRs for goods be reviewed to target local supply of auxiliary products, while leveraging foreign investments under AfCFTA to establish regional supply chains for these products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 101682"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143464477","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":"Evaluation of methanol stove usage, health and safety impacts in four South African informal settlements: Users perspective","authors":"David Kimemia,&nbsp;Ashley Van Niekerk","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101673","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101673","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In South Africa about two million people depend primarily on kerosene combustion in simple stoves. Due to poor construction of these stoves and fuel characteristics, the users are regularly exposed to risks of burn injuries, conflagrations, and obnoxious emissions. The wellbeing of the affected populations could be improved through kerosene substitution with cleaner and safer energy technologies. Candidate technologies for kerosene replacement in the country include electricity, LPG and emergent methanol stoves. This study reports on a post-intervention evaluation of methanol stoves in four informal settlements in Rand West Local Municipality in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The evaluation was accomplished through a quantitative survey that was administered to a random sample of 186 households in May 2023. This descriptive evaluation apprised users' interaction with the stoves, particularly satisfaction with safety, thermal and emissions performance, fuel affordability and availability. In addition, the study interviewed four government officials on programme objectives vis-à-vis outcomes and four vendors on the fuel supply situation and status thereof. Quantitative data was analysed with IBM SPSS Statistics Version 28, while thematic analysis was utilised to make sense of textual responses. The findings indicated that users were highly satisfied with the performance of the methanol stoves especially its ease of use (99 %), clean combustion (98 %), safety (97 %), reliability (93 %), and fast cooking (89 %). However, people were dissatisfied with the eventual fuel scarcity and comparatively higher cost of the fuel per cooking cycle. Overall the results suggest that a scaled-up methanol stove intervention is possible if fuel distribution and costing are adequately addressed. The lessons learnt in this study are useful to domestic energy planners across the African continent and the Global South.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 101673"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143464476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Abandoning renewable energy projects in Europe and South America: An emerging consideration in the recycling of energy landscapes","authors":"Marina Frolova ,&nbsp;Juan Carlos Osorio-Aravena ,&nbsp;Belén Pérez-Pérez ,&nbsp;Martin J. Pasqualetti","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101676","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101676","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Landscape legacies of conventional energy development are vast. Mines, well fields, power plants, sub-stations, refineries, and disposal sites have been accumulating for more than a century. We know these energy landscapes exist, but we are uncertain what to do with them once their initial function is completed. Can they be used for any future purpose; that is, can they be “recycled”? As we gradually shift to renewable energy resources for all the benefits they promise, we are becoming aware that we will be facing similar end-of-life questions about the unique landscapes they are creating. What is their landscape legacy? This paper expands on growing attention to recycling <em>conventional</em> energy landscapes by introducing the circumstances regarding <em>renewable</em> energy landscapes. It addresses the first stages in consideration of these questions as they pertain to the abandonment of renewable energy infrastructures in Europe and South America. Based on reconstructive and comparative analysis of examples of abandoned wind farms, we found that there are barriers to formal decommissioning of these facilities, leaving recycling options as open questions. The main conclusion is that abandoned wind farms are consequences of gaps and weaknesses in the regulations on decommissioning of renewable energy infrastructures, in particular in case of installations abandoned before reaching their operational end-of-life. The need to improve those regulations will be crucial to ensure the restoration and recycling of renewable energy landscapes going forward.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 101676"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143454825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Projection of Electricity Generation Profiles and Carbon Emissions Towards 2050: A Malaysia Context","authors":"Malcolm Isaac Fernandez ,&nbsp;Yun Ii Go ,&nbsp;Wolf-Gerrit Früh ,&nbsp;Dennis M.L. Wong","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101681","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101681","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The planning of future energy systems that incorporate a significant share of renewable energy (RE) is gaining importance as a solution to energy security and environmental issues. In bottom-up energy system modelling, there are two primary approaches: one focuses on optimising the energy mix for a specific target year (static), while the other seeks to optimise the transition from the current reference to a target year (long-term). This paper aims to model and analyse Malaysia's renewable energy transition towards 2050 with both static and long-term approaches. The Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) was used to develop five Malaysian national energy system models from 2020 to 2050 with primary focus on the power sector. Optimal energy storage capacities were investigated in the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR 2050) model using the coupling of LEAP with Next Energy Modelling system for Optimization (NEMO). For the Reference Model (2020), the total electricity generation was at 153.8 TWh/year mainly driven by coal and natural gas. With LEAP-NEMO optimisation in the NETR 2050 model with the integration of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and pumped hydro storage (PHS), the total annual electricity generation was 270.6 TWh/year with contributions from natural gas and solar. For the total emissions in all sectors, the results for models 1 to 5 resulted in 287.5, 321.5, 382.1, 404.5, and 466.3 Mt. CO2 respectively. With LEAP-NEMO optimisation and energy efficiency for demand reduction, model 5 was improved to be at 449.7 Mt. CO2 mainly due to the smaller electricity generated by natural gas in the power sector. Based on the economic results of the two long-term scenarios, the total net present value was calculated to be 1210.7 billion USD for NETR 2050 with respect to Ref (2020). With the LEAP-NEMO optimisation, the total net present value resulted in 1005.7 billion USD. Based on the LEAP results, a significant shift in the technological landscape will be required, with RE, energy storage systems (ESS), and energy efficiency taking on key roles. The findings from this paper can aid researchers and policymakers in creating strategic plans in RE and ESS development that can be applied to the case of Malaysia and other countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 101681"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143444759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Smart integrated aquaponics system: Hybrid solar-hydro energy with deep learning forecasting for optimized energy management in aquaculture and hydroponics","authors":"Tresna Dewi ,&nbsp;Pola Risma ,&nbsp;Yurni Oktarina ,&nbsp;Suci Dwijayanti ,&nbsp;Elsa Nurul Mardiyati ,&nbsp;Adelia Br Sianipar ,&nbsp;Dzaki Rafif Hibrizi ,&nbsp;M. Sayid Azhar ,&nbsp;Dini Linarti","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101683","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101683","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global pursuit of sustainable energy and food production has led to the creation of integrated systems that maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impact. This research introduces the Smart Integrated Aquaponics System, combining hybrid solar-hydro energy with AI-driven forecasting and IoT-based monitoring to optimize aquaponics. By harnessing renewable energy and artificial intelligence, the system addresses challenges such as energy variability, resource efficiency, and scalability, particularly relevant to urban farming in land-scarce regions like Indonesia. The system integrates photovoltaic (PV) and micro-hydro sources with a hybrid energy management system for uninterrupted power. A long short-term memory recurrent neural network (LSTM-RNN) ensures precise energy forecasting, achieving mean absolute errors of 0.0579 for voltage and 0.1109 for power output. IoT sensors and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) monitor fish health and plant growth, providing accurate resource management and scalability. Experimental results highlight its effectiveness: solar irradiance peaked at 1200 W/m², while micro-hydro turbines maintained stable power. Water treatment reduced turbidity below 10 NTU and total dissolved solids to 50 ppm, ensuring optimal water quality. Fish growth classification confidence ranged from 0.92 to 0.95, while plant monitoring accurately tracked development. Challenges remain, including seasonal energy variability and scalability. Enhancing energy storage, improving forecasting, and streamlining integration can address these issues. This research sets a benchmark for sustainable agriculture by demonstrating how hybrid energy systems, AI, and IoT can create scalable, efficient, and eco-friendly solutions, advancing global food and energy security.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 101683"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143444748","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":"Business models and access to finance for mini grid development in sub-Saharan Africa","authors":"A. Fajardo ,&nbsp;L.H. Baker ,&nbsp;T. Sesan ,&nbsp;S. Bhattacharyya ,&nbsp;D. Kerr ,&nbsp;M. Katyega ,&nbsp;A. Barnett","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101666","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101666","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drawing from a comprehensive literature review of publications from academia, industry, government and international institutions, this paper presents a critical analysis of the different business models and modes of finance for mini grids in SSA, alongside the operational risks and challenges faced by these emerging systems. First, we investigate the different business models that currently exist for mini grids in SSA, providing insights into the opportunities and challenges of each approach. Second, we identify access to finance as a prominent challenge to the expansion of ‘third generation’ or solar/ solar-hybrid mini grids in the region. In so doing, we explore the different configurations of actors, institutions and processes involved in the provision of finance and investment. Third, we examine key investment, regulatory and operational risks and challenges to the sector's current and future development.</div><div>Despite a notable growth in the deployment of solar and solar-hybrid mini grids in SSA and elsewhere, progress in bridging the rural electrification gap has been slow. More than 750 million people globally still lack access to electricity in the region, particularly in remote areas considered too poor to afford cost-reflective tariffs. As this paper argues, more clarity is needed between the enthusiasm expressed regarding the potential of mini grids and the level and quality of finance available for such systems.</div><div>While the literature points to hybrid ownership, partially subsidised models, a focus on anchor customers, and the bundling of projects into financial portfolios as the most promising business strategies, we argue that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for mini grid business models in SSA. An optimistic narrative towards private sector participation may not always translate into greater accessibility and affordability, particularly for geographically remote and low-income users. While the mini grid sector in SSA has grown significantly in recent years, securing adequate and appropriate external finance remains a key challenge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 101666"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143438100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comprehensive exploration of electric vehicles: Classification, charging methods, obstacles, and approaches to optimization","authors":"R. Sriabisha ,&nbsp;J. Aravind Kumar ,&nbsp;J. Jayaprabakar ,&nbsp;V.C. Deivayanai ,&nbsp;A. Saravanan","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101671","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101671","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This comprehensive review explores the advancement of new electric vehicle (EV) technologies and addresses the challenges they face, with a particular focus on the evolution of EV charging infrastructure and its impact on the electricity distribution network. Beyond reducing reliance on fossil fuels, EVs play a pivotal role in transforming power generation and distribution. This facilitates a shift towards sustainable energy use. The review discusses the emergence of various EV technologies, ranging from plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) to self-charging systems, and highlights their potential to drive innovation in transportation. It also provides an overview of cutting-edge methods, including charging optimization techniques and smart grid integration. Hence showcases their contributions to improve both efficiency and reliability within the industry. This analysis aims to provide a deeper understanding of the current state and future prospects of EVs, emphasizing their critical role in advancing green transportation and supporting the transition to sustainable energy systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 101671"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143429692","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":"Analysing the barriers to renewable energy adoption in Ghana using Delphi and a fuzzy synthetic evaluation approach","authors":"Gregory A. James ,&nbsp;Frederick S. Ahiabor ,&nbsp;Emmanuel M. Abalo","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101667","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101667","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the critical barriers to renewable energy adoption in Ghana, where reliable and sustainable energy access remains critical to achieving development goals and addressing climate change. Drawing from the existing literature, 44 barriers were identified and grouped into six categories: policy, institutional, economic/financial, structural/technical, political/legal/regulatory, and social. A two-round Delphi survey was implemented to gather consensus among 17 Ghanaian experts on renewable energy and climate change, resulting in 22 of the statements reaching consensus. A fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) was used to rank these barriers based on their relative and overall importance in impeding the adoption of RE. The results show that policy, economic/financial, and institutional barriers are Ghana's main barriers to RE adoption. Key impediments include the lack of market-driven support, high commercial rates, and issues related to land litigation and availability. The study recommends regulatory and policy changes incorporating market-driven strategies and subsidies, and prioritising renewable energy in Ghana's power mix. Additionally, there is a need for training and awareness programmes to enhance social acceptance of RE sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 101667"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143419774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Energy optimization of a residential building for electricity, cooling, and heating: A path to Net Zero Energy","authors":"Olivier Mekila Mbayam,&nbsp;Tijani Bounahmidi","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101672","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101672","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research investigates the feasibility of achieving a zero-energy residential building through the optimization of building design and the integration of a photovoltaic (PV) system. A 50 m² two-bedroom home in Fes, Morocco served as the case study. A sensitivity assessment using BEopt/EnergyPlus software analyzed the impact of materials and utilities on building energy consumption, costs, and savings. Parametric analysis identified closed-cell spray foam as the most effective for insulation and energy reduction. H-Gain low-E double-glazed insulated windows were found to be the most energy-efficient for energy savings. Additionally, a refrigerator with an EF of 19.9 was highlighted as highly efficient, consuming minimal energy relative to its cooling capacity, even in high-demand scenarios. Also, PVsyst was utilized for PV system design and energy generation analysis. The PV system produced 6325 kWh/year, with 5255 kWh used to meet energy demand, and 878 kWh/year excess energy not being used resulting in performance ratio of 68.88 % with a return on investment of 106.1 % and internal rate of return of 15.27 % with a payback period of 7.7 years simulated over 25 years period. The optimization process also contributed to substantial environmental benefits, avoiding 215.59 kg/year of CO2 emissions for the optimized building. This study demonstrates the potential for zero-energy residential buildings in Morocco, combining energy-efficient design with renewable energy solutions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 101672"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143394824","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}