Energy, Sustainability and Society最新文献

{"title":"Do current energy policies in Germany promote the use of biomass in areas where it is particularly beneficial to the system? Analysing short- and long-term energy scenarios","authors":"Matthias Jordan,&nbsp;Kathleen Meisel,&nbsp;Martin Dotzauer,&nbsp;Harry Schindler,&nbsp;Jörg Schröder,&nbsp;Karl-Friedrich Cyffka,&nbsp;Niels Dögnitz,&nbsp;Karin Naumann,&nbsp;Christopher Schmid,&nbsp;Volker Lenz,&nbsp;Jaqueline Daniel-Gromke,&nbsp;Gabriel Costa de Paiva,&nbsp;Danial Esmaeili Aliabadi,&nbsp;Nora Szarka,&nbsp;Daniela Thrän","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00464-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00464-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Policymakers are tasked with both driving the rapid expansion of renewable energy technologies and, additionally channelling the limited national potential of biomass into areas where it can provide the greatest benefit to the energy system. But do current policy instruments promote the use of biomass in these areas? As biomass is limited, its use must be sustainable without leading to further biodiversity loss or depleting forest or soil resources. In this study, short-term energy scenarios are generated using the BenOpt model, which take into account both current and alternative policy instruments under limited biomass utilisation. The results are compared with long-term, cost-optimal energy scenarios for the use of biomass.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The analysis reveals that the instrument of a GHG quota does not promote the use of biofuels in hard-to-electrify areas of the transport sector, where they should be cost-optimally allocated according to long-term energy scenarios. Biofuels are promoted for use in passenger road transport and not in the shipping or aviation sector. In contrast, alternative policy scenarios indicate that the sole instrument of a high CO2 price is more conducive to direct electrification and could displace more fossil fuels by 2030 than the GHG quota alone. This instrument also promotes the optimal use of biogas plants in the power sector in accordance with long-term cost-optimal developments.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The instrument of a GHG quota might lead to counterproductive developments in passenger road transport, but it also helps to ramp up the biofuel capacities required in shipping and aviation in the long term. However, it does not provide the necessary incentives for the ramp-up of battery electric vehicles, which would be the cost optimal solution in passenger road transport according to the long-term scenarios. Even though alternative policy scenarios show that the sole instrument of a high CO2-price is more conducive to direct electrification, a high CO2 price alone is not enough (e.g. in the heat sector) to promote the efficient use of biomass instead of simply covering the base load demand.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00464-1","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141298337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Public support and willingness to pay for a carbon tax in Hungary: can revenue recycling make a difference?","authors":"Daniel Muth,&nbsp;Csaba Weiner,&nbsp;Csaba Lakócai","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00463-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00463-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>To curb human-made carbon-dioxide emissions, the European Union will introduce carbon pricing for buildings and transport in 2027. Central and East European (CEE) countries are pressured to embark on ambitious decarbonization pathways leading to carbon-neutral economies by 2050. This paper is the first to investigate the public acceptance of and the willingness to pay (WTP) for a carbon tax in a CEE country, Hungary. It analyzes the support-increasing effects of five revenue-recycling mechanisms (tax cuts, green spending, support for poor households, funding for health care and education, and debt reduction), a wider range than covered in previous studies. A national face-to-face survey of 3013 adults on public attitudes to climate change, conducted in summer 2022, is the main method of data collection. This is combined with secondary analysis of related statistics and documentary analysis of relevant materials.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The results show low public acceptance, with only a modest increase from 20.3% to 27.3% due to revenue recycling. This is accompanied by low WTP values and WTP increases. All these are lower than those found in Western surveys. A novel empirical result is the relative popularity of public health care and education in revenue recycling, though differences in revenue-recycling preferences are apparent between those who accept a carbon tax even without a redistribution mechanism and those who are willing to pay only if redistribution is included. Green spending also performed relatively well, while supporting the poor fared less well, albeit with relatively high WTP values. Reducing taxes and public debt were the least likely to instigate carbon-tax acceptance.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The results highlight the importance of carefully assessing the distributional impact of implementing carbon pricing mechanisms and thoroughly integrating social considerations into climate policy. Based on this, as well as the analysis of the social conditions and political economy of climate policy development in Hungary, policies—such as a gradually increasing carbon tax, social cushioning, legal earmarking of carbon-tax revenues, and policy bundling—are proposed to make carbon pricing socially tolerable and politically acceptable. The findings and conclusions might also be relevant for other parts of the CEE region.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00463-2","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141264547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Experimental assessment and optimization of the performance of a biodiesel engine using response surface methodology","authors":"Prasheet Mishra,&nbsp;Taraprasad Mohapatra,&nbsp;Sudhansu S. Sahoo,&nbsp;Biranchi N. Padhi,&nbsp;Nimay Chandra Giri,&nbsp;Ahmed Emara,&nbsp;Kareem M. AboRas","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00447-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00447-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Biodiesel is a renewable and ecofriendly fuel for internal combustion engines. However, fuel standards need to be adapted for efficiency and commercial use. This paper deals with a novel process of its production using a purification step that counters the high costs of production and experimental analysis using multiresponse optimization.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Soybean oil was chosen as a biodiesel of 5%, 10%, and 15% blend with common diesel fuel and is experimentally tested in a variable compression ratio compression ignition engine. The biodiesel is blended with common diesel fuel to run the engine without any modification in its setup, which also solves most of the operational problems. The functional relationship between the input parameters and the performance characteristics of the engine is evaluated by statistical response surface methodology using the Box–Behnken design model, which generates a design of experiment resulting in an optimum experimental run that reduces the overall cost of the experimental investigation. Uncertainty analysis is done to minimize the gap between the results considering the errors of each piece of equipment. Validation of the results is also carried out.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The analysis of variance is used to measure the acceptability of the model and the competency of the model to predict output performance. The optimum value of input parameters which are obtained are 4.5 kg for the load, the compression ratio of 18, and B05 for the fuel blend, which results in maximum performance of brake power of 3 kW, minimum fuel consumption and emissions of CO and NO_x, which are 0.39 kg/kWh, 0.01%, and 50 ppm.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Cost analysis reveals that biodiesel produced from the novel process of transesterification is reasonable as compared with the conventional process. It is also environmentally more sustainable, which cannot be ignored. This technique can be used in future research for cost-effective production fields such as combustion parameters and biofuels produced from waste, which need to be explored.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00447-2","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141251240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Investigating the determinants of household energy consumption in Nigeria: insights and implications","authors":"Ismaila Rimi Abubakar,&nbsp;Andrew Adewale Alola,&nbsp;Festus Victor Bekun,&nbsp;Stephen Taiwo Onifade","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00451-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00451-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The present study draws motivation from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and explores the nexus between access to modern cooking energy sources, responsible energy consumption, climate change mitigation, and economic growth. Using 2018 demographic and health survey data, the study examines the influence of key socioeconomic and demographic factors on household choice of cooking energy in Nigeria.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The empirical results show that traditional energy sources are dominant among Nigerian households (74.24%) compared to modern energy sources (25.76%). Regarding energy demographics, male-headed households show more usage of modern energy sources (19.86%) compared to female-headed households (5.90%). Regional analysis reveals that the northwest region predominantly uses traditional energy sources (18.60% of the share of total traditional energy sources), while the southwest region shows the greatest usage of modern energy sources (10.52% of the share of total modern energy sources). Binary logistic regression analysis reveals the positive and statistically significant influence of wealth index, education, and geopolitical region on the likelihood of utilizing modern energy sources. Conversely, household size and place of residence indicate an inverse relationship with the likelihood of adopting modern energy sources.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>These findings have important policy implications for energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and improving the quality of life in Nigeria, which is currently plagued with significant energy poverty, especially in rural communities.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00451-6","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141251839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Harder, better, faster, stronger: understanding and improving the tractability of large energy system models","authors":"Manuel Bröchin,&nbsp;Bryn Pickering,&nbsp;Tim Tröndle,&nbsp;Stefan Pfenninger","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00458-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00458-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Energy system models based on linear programming have been growing in size with the increasing need to model renewables with high spatial and temporal detail. Larger models lead to high computational requirements. Furthermore, seemingly small changes in a model can lead to drastic differences in runtime. Here, we investigate measures to address this issue.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>We review the mathematical structure of a typical energy system model, and discuss issues of sparsity, degeneracy and large numerical range. We introduce and test a method to automatically scale models to improve numerical range. We test this method as well as tweaks to model formulation and solver preferences, finding that adjustments can have a substantial impact on runtime. In particular, the barrier method without crossover can be very fast, but affects the structure of the resulting optimal solution.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>We conclude with a range of recommendations for energy system modellers: first, on large and difficult models, manually select the barrier method or barrier+crossover method. Second, use appropriate units that minimize the model’s numerical range or apply an automatic scaling procedure like the one we introduce here to derive them automatically. Third, be wary of model formulations with cost-free technologies and dummy costs, as those can dramatically worsen the numerical properties of the model. Finally, as a last resort, know the basic solver tolerance settings for your chosen solver and adjust them if necessary.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00458-z","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141245319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Synthetic natural gas in the private heating sector in Germany: match or mismatch between production costs and consumer willingness to pay?","authors":"Benedikt Rilling","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00459-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00459-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The residential heating sector in many European countries requires a fundamental transformation if it is to become climate neutral. Besides the introduction of efficiency measures and updating heating systems, scholars and practitioners consider replacing fossil fuels in existing heating systems a viable approach. Drop-in renewable gases such as biomethane and synthetic natural gas (SNG) cause considerably fewer carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions than natural gas and can be used in natural gas boilers, the dominant heating system in many European countries. To move the ongoing debate around e-fuels forward, this study reports on a Discrete Choice Experiment with 512 respondents in Germany that analyzed consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for SNG. I build on these insights by comparing WTP to the production costs, making evidence-based decision-making possible.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The results show that consumers prefer renewable gases over natural gas. Comparing the two types of renewable gases, SNG and biomethane, reveals that consumers clearly favor the latter despite the criticism it has come under in the last 10–15 years. Consumers show a surprisingly high WTP for increasing shares of SNG, with premia of 40 to almost 70% over a natural gas-based tariff. Comparing production costs to the WTP reveals that only tariffs with small shares of SNG (5% and 10%) can be offered at cost-covering prices.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Given the urgent need for a fundamental transition of the residential heating sector, marketers and policymakers should consider carefully whether it is worth channeling a rather unknown and expensive product like SNG into the voluntary market for heating gas, especially as biomethane is already established in the market and clearly a cheaper and more popular alternative.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00459-y","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141096238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Key forecasts and prospects for green transition in the region of Central Asia beyond 2022","authors":"Sanja Filipović,&nbsp;Andrei Orlov,&nbsp;Andrea Andrejević Panić","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00457-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00457-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The transition to energy-sustainable systems is a globally accepted concept, but it is implemented with various degrees of success around the world. The aim of this paper is to determine the status of green transition in five Central Asian countries (Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and the Kyrgyz Republic) that are among the highest energy consumers globally and the most vulnerable to climate change. Despite a notable improvement in living conditions across all countries over the past two decades, the region remains underdeveloped. Economic growth is based on the export of natural resources and remittance inflows, but the structure of the economy is monolithic.</p><h3>Main findings</h3><p>Upon analysing transition indicators for the period 2000–2020, no evidence of significant changes towards a sustainable energy transition is found. All countries in the region (except Uzbekistan) have recorded an increase in carbon emissions, while the carbon intensity of the energy mix is almost the same. While there has been visible progress in reducing energy intensity, the countries in the region remain among the most energy-intensive economies. Despite the region’s substantial potential for renewable energy production, it remains underutilized.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>A multitude of varied problems accompanies the green transition in Central Asian countries. The energy market that has not yet been liberalised, along with significant subsidies and low energy tariffs, discourages investments in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency initiatives. A high level of corruption, rigid legislative and institutional infrastructure, and insufficient capital are additional factors that determine the speed, scope, and effectiveness of the green transition. Thus far, the primary focus in these countries has been on ensuring energy security. However, there has been a discernible surge in investments (particularly from China) in renewable energy projects. Although energy efficiency and climate change issues are formally defined, the energy transition goals are often declarative without an action plan that provides concrete steps in transition process. Strategic planing of economic development that includes all related sectors (not only the energy sector) and paying attention to socio-economic and environmental indicators of sustainable development are prerequisites for successfully implementating the energy transition in these countries.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00457-0","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141073678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Decreasing the energy demand in public buildings using nature-based solutions: case studies from Novi Sad (Republic of Serbia) and Osijek (Republic of Croatia)","authors":"Stevan Savić,&nbsp;Hrvoje Krstić,&nbsp;Ivan Šećerov,&nbsp;Jelena Dunjić","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00455-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00455-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Nature-based solutions (NBS) in urban areas offer an opportunity to improve environmental conditions and to reduce CO₂ emissions towards establishing climate-neutral cities in the next few decades. Furthermore, the implementation of NBSs—vertical or horizontal green infrastructures on public facilities—could in particular improve both climate, including outdoor thermal conditions on a micro-scale (especially during the summer season) and the energy demand of buildings as well as save heating energy during the winter period.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>On both selected buildings, extensive green roofs were implemented as an NBS intervention. The analysed data were obtained using the monitoring systems (from 2019 to 2022) installed on two public buildings in Novi Sad (Republic of Serbia) and Osijek (Republic of Croatia), with a focus on climate/bioclimate characteristics and thermal transmission capacities. Four automatic weather stations (AWS) were used for microclimate monitoring, along with the heat flow meter (HFM) method, to measure the alterations in the thermal transmittance (<i>U </i>value) of a flat concrete roof before and after energy refurbishment and the installation of a green roof. The outcomes of this study show that the air temperatures (<i>Ta</i>) and globe temperatures (<i>Tg</i>) near the green roof are lower by 0–3 °C for <i>Ta</i> and by 0–16.5 °C for <i>Tg</i> than the values captured by the AWSs at other locations. An even more interesting fact is that the green roof has a constant cooling potential during tropical nights, and based upon this research, the cooling value is around 2 °C for <i>Tg</i> (the <i>Ta</i> value is not distinct). The thermal transmittance results show that more savings can be achieved by applying a green roof with an 8 cm thick substrate: <i>U</i> values decreased by 50–69%, as measured by two different heat flux sensors.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Nature-based solutions, such as the implementation of an extensive green roof, have positive effects on diverse aspects of urban environments and building energy savings, which are particularly evident in extreme seasons, both summer and winter. Applying the proposed monitoring and assessment system could help local communities in their efforts to reduce carbon-based emissions. This paper provides a good example of the implementation of NBSs on a local- and a micro-scale.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00455-2","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140844574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Worlds apart? Investigating acceptance and usage demands of carbon-based cosmetics and clothing across European countries","authors":"Wiktoria Wilkowska,&nbsp;Imke Tabea Haverkämper,&nbsp;Martina Ziefle","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00454-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00454-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Global warming and the increasing risk of natural disasters force us all to act. As the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions has been proven effective but insufficient on its own, Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technologies emerged to fill the gap. Using CCU technologies, CO₂ is captured and further processed into valuable products instead of being emitted into the atmosphere.</p><h3>Method</h3><p>This study investigates the prevailing public perception of such CCU-based products by the example of clothing and cosmetics. We applied the method of conjoint measurement to experimentally examine context-related factors (= attributes) in different usage settings and explored the consumers’ decision profiles for or against the usage of CCU-based products (cosmetics and clothing). Conjoint measurements were realized as an online experiment, addressing acceptance patterns and preferences in four European countries (Germany, Norway, Spain, and Poland). In addition, we assessed general attitudes and affective assessments of the CCU products. A total of <i>N</i> = 828 participants took part in the study, and the international subsamples were comparable.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Results revealed that health compatibility is the main adoption-driving factor in the decisions for or against the use of the products. Still, attributes like the environmental impact, product quality, and information flow play an important role as well, even though to a lesser extent. Participants from different countries significantly differ in their cognitive and affective evaluations of acceptance-related attributes.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The outcome provides insights into differences in Pan-European comparison and helps to understand the public motives and country-specific terms of use for CCU-based products, effectively establishing recommendations for policy and governance.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00454-3","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140844584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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 efficiency as a driver of the circular economy and carbon neutrality in selected countries of Southern Europe: a soft computing approach","authors":"Alma Ramčilović Jesih,&nbsp;Goran Šimić,&nbsp;Ljubiša Konatar,&nbsp;Zoran Brljak,&nbsp;Polona Šprajc","doi":"10.1186/s13705-024-00456-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13705-024-00456-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The main goal of the paper is to define the level of energy efficiency in the economies of selected countries in the Balkan region that have opted for the EU Green Deal, a circular economy, and a transition to carbon neutrality. Energy efficiency, as a determinant of carbon neutrality, was selected as an indicator for analysis because it records particularly unfavorable indicators in the region under observation. The research was carried out on a sample of seven Balkan countries and their surrounding areas. An initial qualitative analysis was followed by a quantitative analysis based on a combination of statistical methods and soft computing. Six indicators were selected for the analysis covering a period of 30 years (1990–2020).</p><h3>Results</h3><p>A significant obstacle to the green transition and the region’s transition to a circular economy and carbon neutrality is energy efficiency and energy related pollution—the reliance of most countries on coal-fired thermal power plants for electricity generation. The research results showed the following: (a) the degree of economic development and membership in the European Union are not significantly related to the level of energy efficiency; (b) most of the sampled countries are in the initial stages of introducing activities to achieve carbon neutrality; and (c) only Slovenia has documented consistent indicators and evident advancements in its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality. Based on the research findings, proposals for improvements were made in the direction of policymaking and in a methodological sense.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The implementation of circularity and carbon neutrality as a long-term goal of the European Union is not necessarily related to the level of economic development, nor can its trajectory be exclusively ascertained by means of data processing and monitoring. A more precise understanding of a carbon-neutral future can be achieved through the incorporation of qualitative data to a greater extent, a realistic evaluation of historical facts and their repercussions, as well as projections of the effects that reality and global developments after 2022 will have on each country.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":539,"journal":{"name":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13705-024-00456-1","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140826083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}