Energy Efficiency最新文献

{"title":"Composite index for the evaluation of energy vulnerability of micro-enterprises: relevant indicators and results","authors":"Ivana Rogulj,&nbsp;Saša Žiković,&nbsp;Pavle Jakovac","doi":"10.1007/s12053-026-10417-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-026-10417-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The proclaimed goal of European energy policies is a just and sustainable energy transition. While extensive research has focused on energy transition and efficiency, micro-enterprises, a critical segment of the European economy, remain underexplored. Micro-enterprises account for 93.7% of EU companies and nearly 17% of total EU turnover. They are also a contributing factor to welfare, where entire families rely on the stability of a single micro-enterprise. Due to their size and supply chain positioning, they are disproportionately vulnerable to energy price fluctuations, supply disruptions and regulatory changes. We investigate the energy vulnerability of micro-enterprises in the EU, highlighting their unique challenges in energy transition policies, financial constraints, and market dynamics. A composite vulnerability index (MEVI) is developed, integrating factors like energy dependency, market access and business vulnerabilities, to rank EU Member States based on their micro-enterprise energy vulnerability. The findings suggest variations in vulnerability across countries, influenced by energy market structure, macroeconomic conditions or sector-specific energy needs. The research underscores the necessity for tailored policies and further data collection to better address the energy vulnerability of micro-enterprises, a sector often overlooked in energy policies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12053-026-10417-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146027452","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":"Assessing energy-saving potential of building automation and control systems: contrasting the application of EN ISO 52120–1 with advanced numerical simulations","authors":"Lukas Vandenbogaerde,&nbsp;Amaryllis Audenaert,&nbsp;Stijn Verbeke","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10408-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10408-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>With buildings accounting for 30% of global energy use, improving operational energy efficiency is critical to achieving climate goals. In addition to conventional retrofitting strategies, Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS) offer significant potential to reduce energy use while preserving comfort. The European standard EN ISO 52120–1 supports BACS integration using the BAC-factor method, a simplified, factor-based estimation of energy savings. However, these generic efficiency factors do not account for variations in building typologies and building characteristics, this variability has not been systematically quantified. This study provides an innovative simulation-based approach for an initial exploration of the variance in BACS savings, over multiple office typologies and building characteristics. Simulated savings show large variability across different BAC functions: 19–71% for heating emission control, 1–58% for cooling emission control, 6–46% and 4–94% respectively for heating and cooling energy in ventilation control, 14–65% for lighting energy control, and -27–74% for cooling energy with shading control. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and effect size analysis are used to quantify how key building characteristics, i.e. typology, window-to-wall ratio, and envelope insulation, drive the variability of BACS energy savings. The findings provide quantitative evidence that BACS performance is highly context-dependent and that a uniform, fixed-factor approach like the BAC-factor method fails to capture this diversity. These findings emphasize the importance of developing context-aware evaluation methods that account for building-specific characteristics to more accurately predict BACS energy savings.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146026861","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":"Optimizing urban solar photovoltaic potential expansion using top-down and bottom-up approaches: the example of Budapest","authors":"Bálint Hartmann,&nbsp;Viktória Sugár,&nbsp;Kinga Biró,&nbsp;Tamás Soha","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10406-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10406-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study develops a spatially optimized solar photovoltaic (PV) expansion strategy for Budapest, Hungary, which aims to increase PV capacity from 200 MW to 1,500 MW by 2030 in line with its climate and urban development goals. Using an integrated top-down and bottom-up approach, the study combines GIS and LiDAR-based data with building typology analysis to assess technical feasibility and prioritize deployment. Results show that the raw technical PV potential of 5,000 MW reduced to 2,200 MW deemed realistically installable after spatial and regulatory constraints. Public institutions and prefabricated panel buildings offer the highest deployment efficiency, while World Heritage visibility restrictions reduce the potential by 170 MW. Two implementation scenarios (1,500 MW and 2,200 MW) highlight the importance of standardized installations and public sector involvement to reduce cost and time. The findings inform policy design by linking spatial planning, urban morphology, and economic feasibility, offering a replicable model for other EU Mission cities.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145983139","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":"Beyond energy labels: estimating housing energy efficiency and energy underconsumption using administrative microdata","authors":"Lydia Geijtenbeek,&nbsp;Peter Mulder,&nbsp;Robin Niessink","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10405-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10405-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A reliable measure of the energy efficiency of housing is essential, both for evaluating the effectiveness of energy efficiency policies and for assessing energy poverty. Across the EU, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) or energy labels are commonly used for this purpose. However, these data are often outdated or incomplete, and only weakly correlated with actual energy consumption —a discrepancy known as the performance gap. As a result, EPCs are poorly suited for evaluating energetic housing quality or measuring energy poverty. We address these limitations by developing and implementing a model that estimates housing energy efficiency by combining EPC data with additional administrative resources. Our approach improves upon previous studies through richer data integration and more precise model calibration. The resulting model explains 51% of the variation in energy expenditure based on housing characteristics, compared to 40% when using EPCs alone. We demonstrate the model’s application in assessing energy poverty through the LILEQ indicator (i.e. Low Income, Low Energy Quality), showing that it correlates more strongly with survey-based consensual indicators of energy poverty (e.g. EU-SILC), than commonly used indicators based on actual expenditure (e.g. share of energy expenditure). Finally, we illustrate how the model can be used to detect energy underconsumption and monitoring housing quality over time. In summary, we present a calibrated, data-driven model of housing energy efficiency that outperforms EPCs and enables the development of higher-quality, policy-relevant measures of energy poverty and housing conditions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12053-025-10405-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145982614","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":"Approaches to address the gap in research on energy use and racialization in the UK","authors":"Uttara Narayan,&nbsp;Sarah Higginson,&nbsp;Nick Eyre","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10390-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10390-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper shares findings from research at the intersection of energy use and racialization — an under-researched topic in the UK. Existing literature can be further strengthened by emphasising the energy use experiences of those who are racially disadvantaged, the role played by structures in contributing to or addressing these disadvantages, and what achieving racial justice can look like, in the UK’s context. We sought to understand the reasons for this gap and identify potential approaches to address it in the UK, through semi-structured interviews, whose responses were analysed thematically and validated through a workshop. Participants for the semi-structured interviews (n = 27) and workshop (n = 45) were identified among energy and social researchers and practitioners in the UK. Interview questions explored reasons for the dearth in research, understanding the current state of energy and racialization research (at an experiential and structural level), and aspiring for racial justice in energy research (through a pluralistic definition of racial justice). Thematic qualitative analysis of the interviews, that were further validated by the workshop, revealed the following areas for further investigation—(a) Energy services where people demonstrably experience racialized disadvantages, namely in the built environment, transport, health, and food; (b) Processes through which racially disadvantaged people are disproportionately impacted by how the energy system is governed, especially with respect to norms around how energy use is managed, trust and acceptance of low-carbon technologies, and access to energy advice services; and (c) Methods to strengthen the evidence’s explanatory power in a non-extractive manner. The paper concludes with a call to further research about the diverse energy practices and needs of racially disadvantaged people, thereby challenging assumptions around an archetypal low-carbon energy consumer, and its implications for energy justice in the path to decarbonise.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12053-025-10390-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145930627","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":"Analyzing solar installations: a catalyst or barrier to subsequent residential retrofits?","authors":"Marek Bohacek","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10402-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10402-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In response to climate change, Ireland aims to increase renewable energy generation, with solar photovoltaics (PV) playing a key role. This study investigates whether installing solar PV in Irish homes encourages further energy retrofitting, using a comprehensive dataset of over 375,000 retrofits. The research compares the impact of solar PV installations with that of roof insulation and heating controls upgrades on subsequent retrofit, employing chi-square tests and survival analysis. The findings reveal that solar PV installation is not significantly associated with subsequent retrofitting. While solar PV contributes to renewable energy adoption, it does not effectively drive the comprehensive energy efficiency improvements needed to meet Ireland’s climate targets. The study highlights the need for integrated energy strategies that prioritize both renewable technology adoption and holistic energy performance upgrades, such as insulation and heating system retrofits.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12053-025-10402-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145930600","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":"Measuring China`s smart energy network development: a regional analysis","authors":"Zhou Lu,&nbsp;Chuangye Yan,&nbsp;Hongqian Cheng,&nbsp;Giray Gozgor","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10407-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10407-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>To achieve the \"dual carbon goals\", China has recently substantially promoted the development of a Smart Energy Network (SEN). This paper develops an index to measure the development level of SENs across 31 regions of China. A composite index approach is adopted to examine the four key dimensions of SEN development: the construction of new energy infrastructure, industrial scale, R&amp;D in SENs, and market penetration. Using the composite index, the paper assesses the impact of the development level of SENs on carbon emission intensity across 31 regions of China. The results show that there are significant regional disparities in China's dual-carbon performance. The integrated development of the SEN significantly enhances dual-carbon performance.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145831004","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":"Energy efficiency in times of geopolitical uncertainty: A global analysis across income levels","authors":"Bless Kofi Edziah,&nbsp;Sun Huaping,&nbsp;Emmanuel Anyigbah,&nbsp;Bright Akwasi Gyamfi,&nbsp;Simplice Asongu","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10381-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10381-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Macroeconomic uncertainties—such as political risk and economic policy instability—have been widely examined in relation to energy transition, security, and environmental performance. However, their impact on energy efficiency remains underexplored. A key question emerges: do geopolitical risks impede energy efficiency or do they compel governments to enhance efficiency and reduce import dependence? This paradox calls for empirical investigation. While recent studies suggest that geopolitical threats may still improve energy efficiency in Europe due to their advanced infrastructure and technological capacity, it is unclear whether these findings hold globally and how outcomes differ across income groups. To address this gap, we employ a news-based geopolitical risk index and endogenous stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to provide a comprehensive global assessment across income levels and time periods for 1985–2022. The results show that geopolitical risks significantly increase global energy inefficiency, with low-income countries most severely affected. However, evidence indicates that, over time, countries may adapt by improving efficiency and diversifying energy sources. Counterfactual scenarios analysis further demonstrates that reducing geopolitical risks could lower global energy inefficiency by at least 13%. These findings highlight the importance of policies that both mitigate geopolitical risks and strengthen the resilience of energy systems worldwide.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12053-025-10381-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145754349","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":"Ceramic solar absorbers, collectors, and building-integrated systems: A systematic review and evaluation","authors":"Ding Ding","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10403-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10403-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Solar energy serves as an alternative energy source to partially replace traditional fossil fuels. For solar absorbers, ceramic materials are ideal raw materials due to their good thermal properties and temperature stress stability. Vanadium-titanium black ceramic (VTBC) solar collectors were developed to overcome the disadvantages of evacuated tube collectors (ETCs) and metal flat-plate collectors (MFCs). Through a systematic synthesis and data evaluation, this review contributed to the scientific area of ceramic solar collection of recent trends in application types, research methods, collection efficiency, and design and optimization. Laboratory tests show VTBC collectors have an average heat collection efficiency of 39% – 83%, with working fluid outlet temperatures peaking at 75—80 °C. Moreover, VTBC collectors have a service life exceeding 50 years and a manufacturing cost of approximately €22/m². More importantly, this work evaluated the passive thermal performance and economic investments of different building-integrated VTBC collection systems based on systematic data extracted from literature review, expert interviews, and field investigations. Future directions of building-integrated ceramic collection technologies encompass two main aspects: one is the integration method of VTBC with specific building categories or its application in specific geographical areas; the other focuses on the efficiency improvement mechanism of novel types of ceramic collection components.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"18 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145730074","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":"Financing the green shift: the role of financial inclusion and policy stringency in OECD energy transition","authors":"Irsa Azam,&nbsp;Yongsheng Guo,&nbsp;Chi Keung Lau","doi":"10.1007/s12053-025-10401-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12053-025-10401-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The transition toward sustainable energy systems has become a global priority, especially among OECD countries that account for a significant share of global emissions. This study examines how financial inclusion influences the pace of energy transition within these economies and examines how environmental policy stringency and global uncertainty conditions this relationship. Using panel data for 20 OECD countries from 2004 to 2023, the study applies fully modified and dynamic ordinary least squares estimators as well as the two-step System Generalized Method of Moments to address potential endogeneity and heterogeneity. The results reveal that financial inclusion significantly promotes energy transition by facilitating access to capital for renewable energy investment and efficiency improvements. Moreover, stringent environmental policies enhance this positive relationship, while higher global uncertainty weakens it by discouraging long-term green investment. These findings highlight the importance of combining inclusive financial systems with consistent environmental regulation to accelerate the shift toward low-carbon energy in advanced economies. The study provides policy insights for governments and financial institutions to design instruments such as green bonds, de-risking mechanisms, and targeted financial inclusion strategies that foster sustainable energy transformation and climate resilience.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":537,"journal":{"name":"Energy Efficiency","volume":"18 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145675050","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}