Renewable energy planning for India in 21st century

Energy is a vital input for economic and social development of any country. With increasing industrial and agricultural activities in the country, the demand for energy is also rising. Solar, wind and biomass are accepted as dependable and widely available renewable sources of energy. Development of an energy model will help in the proper allocation of these renewables in meeting the future demand of energy in India. The present work deals with the development of an Optimal Renewable Energy Model (OREM) for the effective utilisation of renewable energy sources in India for the year-2020-21. The objective of the Optimal Renewable Energy Model (OREM) was minimising cost/efficiency ratio based on social acceptance, reliability, demand and potential constraints. The OREM model allocated renewable energy sources for different end-uses such as lighting, cooking, pumping, heating, cooling and transportation for the year 2020-21.     

A multi-criteria methodology for energy planning and developing renewable energy sources at a regional level: A case study Thassos,Greece

Rational energy planning under the pressure of environmental and economic problems is imperative to humanity. An evaluational framework is proposed in order to support energy planning for promoting the use of renewable energy sources. A multi-criteria decision analysis is adopted, detailing exploitation of renewable energy sources (including Wind, Solar, Biomass, Geothermal, and small Hydro) for power and heat generation. The aim of this paper is the analysis and development of a multilevel decision-making structure, utilizing multiple criteria for energy planning and exploitation of Renewable Energy Sources of at the regional level. The proposed evaluation framework focuses on the use of a multi-criteria approach as a tool for supporting energy planning in the area of concern, based on a pool of qualitative and quantitative evaluation criteria. The final aim of this study is to discover the optimal amount of each Renewable Energy Source that can be produced in the region and to contribute to an optimal energy mix. In this paper, a case study for the island of Thassos, Greece is analyzed. The results prove that Renewable Energy Sources exploitation at a regional level can satisfy increasing power demands through environmental-friendly energy systems that combine wind power, biomass and PV systems.     

The German Renewable Energy Sources Act—an investment into the future pays off already today

While the success of the German Renewable Energy Sources Act in supporting the use of renewable energy sources for electricity generation is widely acknowledged, it is partly criticised for imposing unjustified extra costs on society. Based on the well established ExternE methodology for the quantification of environmental externalities the paper makes an attempt to estimate the external costs avoided in the German energy system due to the use of renewable energies for electricity generation, and to compare them against the compensation to be paid by grid operators for electricity from renewable energies according to the Renewable Energy Sources Act. In spite of existing uncertainties associated with the assessment of external costs, results clearly indicate that the reduced environmental impacts and related economic benefits do outweigh the additional costs for the compensation of electricity from renewable energies.     

Humankind’s detour toward sustainability: past,present, and future of renewable energies and electric power generation

Renewable energies have been the primary energy source in the history of the human race. During the last 200 years, industrialized countries have shifted their energy consumption toward fossil fuels. Contemporary electric power generation is based on non-renewable resources such as oil, coal, and nuclear power. New efficient and cost-effective small-scale renewable energy generation options are commercially available today. Market distortions are to be overcome in order to make renewable energies cost-competitive in today’s economic environment. Social, environmental and also economic reasons will reverse the worldwide primary energy use back to renewables and thus reapproach a sustainable economic system based on traditional and new high-tech technologies.     

A new tailored scheme for the support of renewable energies in developing countries

Historically the promotion of renewable energy technologies in isolated areas has involved international donors or governments subsidising the initial capital investment. This paper proposes an alternative support mechanism for remote villages based on the generation of renewable electricity. This communication presents an evaluation of the Renewable Energy Premium Tariff (RPT) scheme, a locally adapted variation of the Feed-in Tariff tailored for decentralised grids of developing countries. The RPT scheme stimulates the deployment of renewable energy technologies by paying for renewable electricity generated. A good-quality performance is secured since the support is given based on the electricity produced by renewables, not for the initial capital investment.     

The causal relationship between energy resources and economic growth in Brazil

This study investigates the causal relationship between clean and non-clean energy consumption and economic growth in Brazil over the period of 1980–2009. Clean energy consumption at aggregated level of total renewable energy consumption and disaggregated levels of hydroelectric, new renewables, and nuclear energy consumption are tested within a production function framework. A cointegration test reveals a long-term equilibrium relationship between real output, capital, labor, and renewable and non-renewable energy consumption at aggregated level, and a long-term equilibrium relationship between real output, capital, labor, and hydroelectric/new renewables/nuclear and fossil fuel energy consumption at disaggregated level. The capital, labor, and new renewables elasticities of real output are positive and statistically significant, other energy consumption item's elasticities are insignificant. The results from error correction model reveal the interdependencies between new renewables, nuclear, fossil fuel, and total non-renewable energy consumption and economic growth, the unidirectional causality from hydroelectric/total renewable consumption to economic growth, the substitutability between new renewables and fossil fuel consumption, and the substitutability between new renewables and nuclear energy consumption. Additionally, nuclear and new renewables energy consumption responds to bring the system back to equilibrium. Overall, aggregated analysis may obscure the relationship between different types of clean energy consumption and economic growth.     

Optimal regulation of renewable energy: A comparison of Feed-in Tariffs and Tradable Green Certificates in the Spanish electricity system

Incentives for renewable energy based on Feed-in-Tariffs have succeeded in achieving high levels of renewable installed capacity. However, these incentives have not been responsive to market conditions or price signals, imposing in some cases a great financial burden on consumers when Renewable Energy Sources reached significant levels. A way out of this problem could be a market mechanism where incentives respond to the level of investment on renewables. We explore this issue comparing a regulatory system based on Tradable Green Certificates, able to react to market changes, to a Feed-in-Tariffs incentive scheme. We model the strategic interaction between participants in the electricity pool and the Tradable Green Certificates market and focus on the optimal regulation for the retailer segment, which generates the desired demand for green certificates as a decreasing function of the certificate price. We then calibrate our theoretical model with data from the Spanish electricity system for the period 2008–2013. Simulations show that a green certificate scheme could both achieve the 2020 targets for renewable electricity and reduce regulatory costs. However, the role of regulators is still important, since setting the right target for renewable electricity affects the cost burden of the system.     

德国《可再生能源法》实施及调整对其沼气产业发展的影响分析

德国《可再生能源法》是推动其可再生能源发展的重要法律文件。本文介绍了该法规的出台背景,着重量化分析了自2004年以来德国《可再生能源法》四次修改调整对沼气产业发展的影响,包括德国新增沼气发电站数量和总装机容量、能源作物种植面积的变化以及补贴措施。分析结果表明,《可再生能源法》的调整对沼气产业的发展影响显著,该法规EEG-2004和EEG-2009强烈刺激了沼气产业的快速发展,而EEG-2012和EEG-2014则修正了沼气产业的过快发展。《可再生能源法》对上网电价补贴的合理制定,实施效果评估机制的建立和逐步引导沼气产业市场化机制的设计保障了德国沼气产业的健康有序发展。本文同时还讨论了德国案例对我国沼气发展的启示,对我国发展沼气产业政策提出了包括后端补贴在内的建议。     

Germany's solar cell promotion: Dark clouds on the horizon

This article demonstrates that the large feed-in tariffs currently guaranteed for solar electricity in Germany constitute a subsidization regime that threatens to reach a level comparable to that of German hard coal production, a notoriously outstanding example of misguided political intervention. Yet, as a consequence of the coexistence of the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), the increased use of renewable energy technologies does not imply any additional emission reductions beyond those already achieved by ETS alone. Similarly disappointing is the net employment balance, which is likely to be negative if one takes into account the opportunity cost of this form of solar photovoltaic (PV) support. Along the lines of the international energy agency [IEA, 2007. Energy policies of IEA countries: Germany, 2007 review. International Energy Agency, OECD, Paris, p. 77], we recommend the immediate and drastic reduction of the magnitude of the feed-in tariffs granted for solar-based electricity. Ultimately, producing electricity on this basis is among the most expensive greenhouse gas abatement options.     

Costing electricity supply scenarios: A case study of promoting renewable energy technologies on Rodriguez, Mauritius

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) import increasing amounts of fossil fuel to meet their rising energy demand. This places an unnecessary financial burden on their budget, as abundant Renewable Energy Sources (RES) are often available. The introduction of Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) can harness these resources, providing sufficient electricity as well as maintaining a high degree of independence. However, one of the principle barriers to their application has been the high cost of installing them. This paper argues that the economics of instigating RETs on SIDS are potentially favourable over the application of fossil fuel technologies if the full life-cycle costs are considered. A case study conducted in 2001, modelling three alternative electricity provision scenarios on Rodrigues, Mauritius supports these assumptions. The findings are based on a comparative economic model using Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analyses, as well as a variety of sensitivity analyses, to predict changing economic environments. This provides crucial guidance for the formulation of energy policy and planning. This work is part of a tripartite research project that connects the economics with renewable resources assessment and a multi criteria analysis investigating the social and environmental consequences to provide a transferable framework assessment of renewable energy supply options on SIDS.     

Bioenergy production and use in Italy: Recent developments,perspectives and potential

The renewable energy policies in the European Union have already led to a significant progress; the energy mix should further change until 2020. Italy is planning to meet the 2020 targets on renewable energies also thanks to a relevant paradigm shift in renewable energy exploitation. Indeed, in 2005 the sector where RES were more present in Italy was electricity production with 203 PJ of renewable origin, while in the heating and cooling sector renewable energy penetration was limited to 80 PJ. On the contrary, in 2020 heating and cooling is expected to absorb the highest amount of renewable energy (438 PJ) with renewable electricity expected to count for 356 PJ. Bioenergy, a renewable energy resource particularly suitable for electricity, heating & cooling and in transport, will be at the core of this sectorial shift in renewable energy production and use and is expected to become the dominant form of RES before 2020. The paper makes a detailed analysis of the recent developments and expected evolution of the Italian energy mix in next decade. It provides an overview of the Italian bioenergy sector in comparison with other Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and with leading countries in the European Union with a special focus on the production, exploitation and potentials on the basis of the analysis of the Italian National Renewable Action Plan.     

How the next US president should slow global warming

This paper addresses the energy technologies and policies that the next US president should immediately implement to slow global warming. Increased reliance on renewable energy through deployment of a National Renewable Portfolio Standard will help meet increased electrical demand in a sustainable way. Carbon regulation through an internationally fungible cap and trade system will help make renewables more cost competitive with conventional energy. Mandating National Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards will also help decrease electrical demand and reduce the need for large investments in new generation. Within the transportation sector, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles should be rapidly deployed to shift this sector's liquid fuel requirements to the electrical grid.     

Prof. S. Shcheklein – One of the founders of the scientific and methodical school of energy saving,increasing energy efficiency and hydrogen energy in the Urals

The article gives the main results of scientific and educational activities of a prominent and well-known scientist in the field of energy saving and energy efficiency improvement, hydrogen energy, development of methods and technologies for the use of renewable energy sources, environmentally efficient projects, head of the Department of Nuclear Power Plants and Renewable Energy Sources of Ural Federal University (UrFU), Honored Power Engineer of Russia, Full Member of the International Energy Academy, Dr. Tech. Sciences, Professor Sergei Shcheklein. It is shown the achievements of the Ural Scientific and Methodological School in this area of knowledge, as well as the history of the creation of the first in Russia Department of Energy Saving at UrFU, the Center for the Training and Certification of Specialists in the Field of Energy Saving, the Regional Educational and Methodological Center for Energy Saving. The results of the work of the Interuniversity Coordination Council on Energy Saving in educational institutions of the Ural Region under the Regional Energy Commission of the Government of the Sverdlovsk Region on the implementation of the Energy Saving Program of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation in 1999–2005 are described. The article expounds twenty years of experience in organizing and holding all-Russian, and recently – international student olympiads, youth scientific and practical conferences, exhibitions of scientific and technical creativity of students, graduate students and young scientists on energy and resource saving, renewable energy sources and nuclear energy. We have presented some results of scientific research of the laboratory “Eurasian Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Saving”, created and operated under the guidance of prof. Sergei Shcheklein and described briefly the textbooks published in recent years in the field of hydrogen energy, on the safe use of nuclear energy at modern and promising nuclear power plants, the development of a methodology for calculating complex energy systems based on the use of renewable energy sources, the classification of renewable energy clusters, performed in collaboration and under the guidance of prof. Sergei Shcheklein. Moreover, references to the main federal and regional regulatory documents, scientific publications and educational publications related to the scientist's many years of work in this area, scientometric indicators are given.     

India and renwable energy : A future challenge

India is endowed with a very vast renewable energy potential. Significant progress has been made in development, field trials and commercialisation of several renewable energy technologies. The Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources is responsible for formulation of policies, support to R&D and industries and large scale applications. The present paper gives a brief outline of Indian National programme on renewable energy, potential of renewables, achievements, related Government policies and discusses various issues related to financing, large scale dissemination, after sales service etc.     

Are the alternative energy strategies achievable?

The constraints on penetration of energy technologies are time and information, net energy, and capital cost. As D. Spreng has pointed out, time, energy, and information constitute a triad: energy can be substituted for time, information can be substituted for energy. That energy can save time follows from irreversible thermodynamics, but the principle can be extended to the social sphere. Related to the energy-time exchange is the economic cost of intermittency of energy supply. Renewable energy sources, particularly solar sources, are characteristically intermittent. To eliminate intermittency imposes a cost which must be considered in planning energy futures based on renewable sources. Two other constraints on penetration of energy technologies—net energy and capital cost—are briefly considered. As for net energy, estimates of energy paybacks for solar thermal electric converters differ by factors of three; this introduces large uncertainties in the energy subsidy required for this technology. As for capital cost, the Peterka theory of technological change is shown to place limits on the amount of subsidy required to introduce a new energy technology.     

Are government policies effective in promoting deployment of renewable electricity resources?

Using a panel data over 50 US states and years 1991–2007, this paper uses a state fixed-effects model with state-specific time-trends to estimate the effects of state policies on the penetration of various emerging renewable electricity sources, including wind, biomass, geothermal, and solar photovoltaic. Renewable portfolio standards with either capacity or sales requirements have a significant impact on the penetration of all types of renewables—however, this impact is variable depending on the type of renewable source: it is negative for combined renewables, wind, and biomass; and positive for geothermal and solar. Further, clean energy funds and required green power options mostly result in increasing the penetration of all types of renewables. On the other hand, voluntary renewable portfolio standards as well as state green power purchasing programs are found to be ineffective in increasing the penetration of any type of renewable source. Finally, economic variables, such as electricity price, natural gas price, and per capita GDP as well as structural variables, such as league of conservation voters rating and the share of coal-generated electricity are found to be generally insignificant, suggesting the crucial role of policy in increasing the penetration of renewables.     

德国最新《可再生能源法》及其对我国的启示

可再生能源法是推动可再生能源发展的重要制度保障,本文详细介绍了德国最新修订后的《可再生能源法》（EEG-2012）,EEG-2012首次明确了2050年德国可再生能源在电力供应中的份额要达到80％,同时EEG-2012对可再生能源电力的并网、收购、传输、配送等环节,对不同技术类型可再生能源电力的上网电价,对可再生能源发电的平衡方案、信息通报和公开义务、可再生能源发展追踪等都进行了详细和明确的规定.通过对德国EEG-2012的解析和思考,本文提出了对我国可再生能源电力发展的一些重要启示和政策建议.     

Additional renewable energy growth through small-scale community orientated energy policies

This paper summarises the energy policies that the UK Government has enacted in order to achieve its renewable targets by 2010. Current policies are designed primarily to support large-scale renewable projects through Renewable Obligation Certificates, Levy Exemption Certificates and capital grant schemes. Non-profit domestic and non-profit community renewable projects are also eligible for grant support. First-hand experience of privately owned renewable projects indicate that existing renewable policy is insufficient in its support of both small-scale and community-based profit oriented renewable energy (RE) schemes. Primary and secondary survey information suggests that people living in regions where RE will be situated may generally be inclined to support broader uses of renewables in these regions. Small-scale renewables can make a significant cumulative contribution to the RE mix. The results reported in this paper support the contention that the Government could go further towards approaching its targets through rural-focused changes to its energy incentive programmes.     

Complementarity and substitution of renewable energy in target year energy supply-mix plannin–in the case of Taiwan

Renewable energies are eco-friendly and sustainable. However, their development faces two critical issues: the uncontrollable generation variability, and the high levelized cost. These two issues impede the development of renewables substitution for a government from lacking of clearly argument of how to promote renewables substitution, and what is the role of traditional generation resources should play to back up the renewable energies in a target year. This study aims to depict the possibility of the concerned topic from the aspects of economy, security, and environment, taking a top–down viewpoint of policy-making to address an energy supply problem, and proposes an Energy Supply-Mix Model by considering the complimentary and substitution possibilities between renewable and non-renewable energies, and also among the renewable energies. The solution provides an overall assessment of three aspects under the conditions of supply and demand balance, desired generation percentage of renewable energies, and also ensure no shortage in peak-hour demand. Parametric analysis on the carbon tax is particularly conducted for policy making reference.This study takes Taiwan as a case and performs the scenario analysis according to the recent energy policies. The results have shown that the proposed model can effectively support a decision body for policy formulation.     

The UK Renewable Energy programme

The UK Government has supported a programme on Renewable Energy since 1975. In 1988 progress was reviewed and this led to some redirection of the programme with greater emphasis on the commercial development of renewables, as published in Energy Paper 55.The climate in which Renewable Energy operates has been influenced recently by a number of factors including privatisation of the UK electricity supply industry, when the Government introduced the New Fossil Fuel Obligation and publication of the Government's 1990 White Paper on the Environment which noted that the Government is working towards a figure of new renewable energy generating capacity of 1000 MW by 2000.The paper aims to give an overview of the present state of development of the renewable technologies in the UK and to discuss some of the factors - technical and non-technical - which will affect their likely future development.