Energy Efficiency最新文献

{"title":"An assessment of electricity consumption flexibility from cabin thermal management systems in electric buses","authors":"Narjes Faghih,&nbsp;John Bowman,&nbsp;Ryunhee Kim,&nbsp;Yunyang Ye,&nbsp;Kaiwen Chen","doi":"10.1007/s12053-026-10416-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-026-10416-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Optimizing thermal management systems (TMS) in electric buses (E-buses), including HVAC systems, battery thermal management, motor, and power electronics systems, can improve their energy efficiency, cabin thermal performance, and overall mileage throughout their battery life. Although integrated TMS have been studied in previous research, performance optimization in their cabin thermal management systems (CTMS) is often overlooked and has not been thoroughly investigated. To fill this research gap, this study transfers knowledge from a building energy modeling approach to assess CTMS electricity consumption flexibility, a fundamental step toward future TMS designs. Three pioneering contributions of this paper are: (1) creating a physics-based E-bus prototypical CTMS model, (2) determining the distributions of four key factors (i.e., air change per hour (ACH), indoor air temperature setpoints, number of people, and ambient environment) to affect the flexibility of CTMS electricity consumption in E-buses, and (3) quantifying the impacts of these key factors on the flexibility through four typical cities in the United States with various climate features (i.e., Miami, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Baltimore, MD; and Helena, MT). The results reveal that changing the number of occupants significantly impacts CTMS electricity consumption, with the largest variation (up to ± 50%) observed in Baltimore (mild and humid climate) during cooling days. In heating days, ACH is the dominant factor influencing electricity consumption in cold climates, with a magnitude similar to that of other factors. Conversely, the indoor air temperature setpoint in heating days contributes the least to electricity consumption flexibility. This study provides a foundation for improving the future energy efficiency of CTMS in E-buses by highlighting cabin-specific thermal dynamics.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147339814","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated approaches to renewable energy: assessing the economic feasibility of PV, BESS, and DSM in Mediterranean public buildings","authors":"Marina Grigorovitch,&nbsp;Grigor Vlad,&nbsp;Angelos Nousdilis,&nbsp;Nikos Kelepouris,&nbsp;Alexandros Arsalis,&nbsp;Gianni Celli,&nbsp;Susanna Mocci,&nbsp;George Christoforidis,&nbsp;George Georghiou,&nbsp;Erez Gal","doi":"10.1007/s12053-026-10420-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-026-10420-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Policy incentives for self-consumption of solar energy are driving widespread adoption of photovoltaic (PV) systems, battery energy storage (BESS), and demand-side management (DSM) in public buildings, yet guidance on optimal sizing and integration of these technologies remains limited. This study analyzes operational data from six Mediterranean public buildings to quantify how PV capacity, BESS, and DSM jointly affect energy performance and economic returns. Results show that the PV-to-load ratio and seasonal solar availability determine the attainable level of self-sufficiency, with summer values approximately 10–30 percentage points higher than in winter across sites. The temporal alignment between PV generation and electricity demand, enhanced through load shifting, governs how closely buildings approach this limit. Battery storage provides the greatest gains when sized to cover late-afternoon and evening demand; beyond this range, additional capacity yields diminishing benefits unless combined with increased winter PV generation or demand flexibility. Shifting flexible loads toward midday consistently improves the utilization of on-site PV generation and reduces the storage capacity required to achieve similar performance. From an economic perspective, configurations that prioritize the use of midday PV surplus to offset evening grid imports yield the highest net present value (NPV) under self-consumption tariffs, while net-billing schemes allow greater PV oversizing. Optimal configurations, PV sized for winter yield, storage for evening-shoulder coverage, and DSM shifting 25–50% of flexible loads, raise self-sufficiency by 10–30% and maximize NPV across tariff regimes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147337890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding regional energy consumption patterns in Japanese households through factor analysis","authors":"Yukiko Yoshida,&nbsp;Yujiro Hirano","doi":"10.1007/s12053-026-10415-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-026-10415-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Environment in Japan revealed significant disparities in energy consumption between urban and rural regions. Since 2017, data have been collected annually from 13,000 households across ten regions under varying climatic conditions. This study analysed regional energy use by conducting factor analysis using a covariance structure, a method rarely employed in Japan. The analysis identified five to seven key factors that collectively accounted for 50–56% of the observed variance in energy use. In all regions, \"lifestyle\" (e.g. city type, household size) emerged as the predominant factor, followed by \"standard of living\" (e.g. building structure, floor area). These results are consistent with those reported previously. The occupation of compact apartments has been demonstrated to engender a reduction in energy consumption, thus representing a low-carbon model lifestyle. The third factor exhibited a regional discrepancy: in cold climates, the heating and lighting measures that contributed to the evaluation of building performance were significant, whereas in non-cold regions, indoor activity schedules, such as cooking times on weekdays or holidays, exerted a greater influence. This study provides an accurate approach to the issue of decarbonised residential CO₂ emissions in cold and non-cold climates. It is imperative to acknowledge that the approach adopted is not a simulation but rather a real-world investigation. The concept of a sustainable lifestyle, as evidenced by shared living, minimal car use, and efficient cooking hours in dense housing, has been identified as a key factor in decarbonisation. This approach, which has been modelled as an ideal sustainable lifestyle for developed countries, such as Japan, is considered a significant step towards achieving environmental sustainability.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12053-026-10415-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147337192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Efficiency under low-carbon transition: renewable energy and sustainability insights from largest oil and gas companies","authors":"Sami Jarboui,&nbsp;Arwa Abuhaimed","doi":"10.1007/s12053-026-10412-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-026-10412-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aims to explore the effects of low-carbon transition policy on both economic and environmental efficiency of the 20 largest OGCs during the period 2010–2019. Using a combined approach of TFE modelling and PLS-SEM, this research analyses the role of various renewable energy sources and corporate sustainability practices. The results show that renewable energy adoption generally improves both economic and environmental efficiency, though the effects vary by source. Biofuels, solar, wind, and hydropower significantly reduce environmental inefficiency, while economic gains are mainly driven by biofuels. Corporate sustainability efforts, particularly strong sustainability policies and active committees, were found to enhance environmental efficiency, highlighting the importance of governance over financial spending. On the operational side, only sustainability policy had a notable positive effect. Policy implications include the need for supportive regulations, incentives for renewable energy investments, and stronger governance frameworks within firms. Encouraging internal sustainability structures and linking environmental goals with performance metrics will be vital for a successful low-carbon transition in the OGC sector.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147337459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Creating green shared value: How energy-efficient technologies are transferred across borders through clean development mechanism and international cooperation","authors":"Su-Yol Lee,&nbsp;Yongjin Park","doi":"10.1007/s12053-026-10411-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-026-10411-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>As the world accelerates the transition to a carbon–neutral economy, the business circle has been increasingly under pressure to address climate change issues at a strategic level. Companies have paid attention to international technology transfer and clean mechanism development (CDM) as a strategic means to facilitate low-carbon innovation and help emerging countries manage carbon emission reductions at the same time. This study explores dynamic processes of low-carbon technology transfer through CDM and international cooperation. An in-depth case study about a pioneering refrigerator CDM project presents lessons on successfully implementing and creating benefits to all stakeholders engaged in cooperation. Firms should approach consumer product-focused CDM from market competition and strategy perspective, not government expenditure. Governments' role is to provide product- and market-based regulatory schemes. Technology transfer utilizing adequate-level technologies and international cooperation could generate mutual benefits for all stakeholders, creating shared value.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146096308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of emission reduction policies and the role of corporate governance","authors":"Michael König-Sykorova","doi":"10.1007/s12053-026-10414-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-026-10414-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between corporate emission reduction policies (ERPs), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the moderating role of corporate governance. Using a dataset of 18,559 firm-year observations from 28 developed and emerging countries from (Mollick, and Haidar, 2011) and 2022, the study finds that for firms with stronger corporate governance, higher ERPs are associated with more substantive emission intensity reductions. Findings remain robust across multiple specifications. Firm-level trend regression confirms that if a firm’s ERPs improve over time compared to the sector average, emission intensity decreases. Results underscore the importance of strong corporate governance in mitigating greenwashing risks and ensuring the credibility of corporate climate commitments. The study contributes to the growing literature on climate governance, and corporate environmental strategy by highlighting the interplay between corporate governance and ERPs in achieving emission intensity reductions. Research avenues, limitations, and recommendations are presented, emphasizing specifically the need for investors and regulators to not only focus on the level of ERP adoption, but scrutinize governance structures that determine ERP effectiveness in practice.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12053-026-10414-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146082726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Bridging the energy efficiency gaps: Lessons from the Swedish PFE programmes","authors":"Malin Grönberg,&nbsp;Therese Nehler,&nbsp;Lina La Fleur,&nbsp;Maria Andersson,&nbsp;Patrik Thollander","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10410-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10410-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Sweden implemented a unique policy instrument over two consecutive five-year periods aimed at promoting industrial energy efficiency: a voluntary agreement programme (VAP) known as the Programme for Improving Energy Efficiency in Energy-Intensive Industries (PFE). This paper evaluates the second programme period using process and impact evaluation approaches. The impact evaluation revealed that the programme generated numerous benefits beyond the implementation of energy efficiency measures. The second programme period demonstrated impacts comparable to the first, underscoring the pivotal role of energy management within policy frameworks. Moreover, the findings suggest that VAPs may be among the few policy instruments capable of achieving substantial impact within industrial production processes. The process evaluation identified two critical gaps: a policy gap and a knowledge gap. Many of the positive elements present in the evaluated programme are currently absent from Sweden’s industrial policy mix. The role of the policy operator—as facilitator or intermediary—proved essential, particularly in the context of policies involving energy audits and certified energy management systems. In this case, the Swedish Energy Agency played a central role. The study concludes that continuous energy management, when integrated throughout the entire organization, significantly enhances companies’ capacity to identify and implement energy efficiency measures. This approach not only deepens internal knowledge but also fosters the development of more structured and effective routines. Furthermore, the findings suggest that financial incentives may be essential to ensure the long-term persistence of energy efficiency practices. Consequently, future policy design should include a strong facilitator and incorporate mechanisms that both reinforce organizational knowledge of energy end-use processes and promote sustained engagement over time, preferably involving a financial incentive.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12053-025-10410-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146082725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Projections in hindsight for the building sector: understanding drivers for future policymaking","authors":"Annabel Vella,&nbsp;Kelsey van Maris,&nbsp;Nele Renders,&nbsp;Tom Dauwe","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10404-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10404-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Energy and emissions projections are essential for effective climate policymaking, yet their alignment with actual developments is rarely evaluated. This study retrospectively assesses carbon dioxide emissions projections for the buildings sector in Belgium and the Netherlands between 2000 and 2020. Using a mixed-methods approach, it combines decomposition analysis with a review of policy and socio-economic contexts to compare 43 national scenarios against historical data. Emissions were decomposed into four drivers, weather, socio-economic activity, energy intensity, and emission intensity, to identify causes of deviations. Projections in both countries consistently overestimated emissions and energy use when compared to historical data, with 2020 deviations averaging + 22% for Belgium and + 15% for the Netherlands in residential buildings, and + 29% and over in the service sector. Energy intensity was the most uncertain and typically overestimated driver, which likely reflects a combination of modest efficiency improvements embedded in the policy package at the time and limitations in how scenarios represented future savings. Emission intensity trends were more accurately captured, while socio-economic and heating degree day assumptions varied in precision. Scenarios with higher policy ambition showed notably smaller deviations. All scenarios assumed uninterrupted activity growth or swift rebounds after disruptions, which contributed to the observed deviations. This comparative assessment demonstrates the value of systematic hindsight analysis to improve projection methodologies and policy design. It highlights the need for more ambitious scenarios that move beyond prevailing concerns, draw on past policy impact assessments to improve modelling of energy intensity and behavioural change, and incorporate dynamic assumptions on economic, demographic, and weather-related uncertainties.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146082548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of models for estimating air infiltration in dwellings and their impact on heating demand","authors":"Í. Vera Alves,&nbsp;M. Romero Rincón,&nbsp;J. Tudela,&nbsp;P. Martínez Beltrán","doi":"10.1007/s12053-026-10413-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-026-10413-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Buildings are not airtight, leading to air infiltration, defined as the uncontrolled flow of outdoor air into indoor spaces. These airflows have a detrimental impact on energy demand and consumption, making their accurate estimation in building energy performance assessment tools essential. In Spain, the current tools allow the use of four infiltration models: N-factor, LBL, AIM-2, and EN 16798–7. This study compares these four approaches using TRNSYS energy simulations applied to a real single-family dwelling. The building envelope was characterized by performing a Blower Door Test, and the analysis was extended to eight cities with different climatic conditions. The maximum difference in the estimated energy impact among the models ranged from 6.1% to 12.2%. In climates with mild winters and higher wind intensity, the differences between models were less pronounced, ranging from 1.29 to 2.57 kWh/m²·year. Conversely, in colder climates with lower wind intensity, the differences were substantially higher, ranging from 2.8 to 7.37 kWh/m²·year. These results highlight the importance of selecting an appropriate infiltration model based on climatic conditions. For colder climates with low wind intensity, the AIM-2 and EN 16798–7 models are recommended.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12053-026-10413-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146082617","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Connectivity, diversity, and proximity: analysing information networks of professional actors for the diffusion of energy innovations","authors":"Gloria Serra-Coch,&nbsp;Romano Wyss,&nbsp;Maria Anna Hecher,&nbsp;Claudia R. Binder","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10409-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10409-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Energy innovations play a central role in driving the ongoing energy transition towards a renewable-based system. Whereas innovative energy technologies exist, their broad diffusion is still missing. Coordinated professionals are key to offering integrated services to potential adopters, thus, supporting the diffusion of innovative energy technologies. However, limited attention is paid to the role of information networks and coordination among professional actors to support the diffusion. This study analyses information networks in the sector of energy technologies in Switzerland to determine levers to improve information flows and coordination among professional actors to support innovation-diffusion. We identified and characterised relevant actors in the field and surveyed them collecting data on their geographical location, interactions, and events or associations used to exchange information. By constructing socio-spatial information networks, we measured diversity, connectivity and geographical proximity. The findings show that professional networks diffusing information on energy technologies are characterised by (i) asymmetric information flows, (ii) potential of events and associations in disseminating information and bridging different professionals, (iii) diversity of actors tightly connected, and (iv) limited relevance of geographical proximity. Strategies to support further innovation-diffusion should focus on nurturing clusters of professional actors independent from each other, fostering bi-directional information flows, leveraging events and associations to link diverse actors, and utilising proximity dimensions alternative to the geographical one to connect professionals. We also identify a need to further explore the circumstances that bring actors together into a situation of interaction.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12053-025-10409-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146027475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}