Green energy strategies for sustainable development

In this study we propose some green energy strategies for sustainable development. In this regard, seven green energy strategies are taken into consideration to determine the sectoral, technological, and application impact ratios. Based on these ratios, we derive a new parameter as the green energy impact ratio. In addition, the green energy-based sustainability ratio is obtained by depending upon the green energy impact ratio, and the green energy utilization ratio that is calculated using actual energy data taken from literature. In order to verify these parameters, three cases are considered. Consequently, it can be considered that the sectoral impact ratio is more important and should be kept constant as much as possible in a green energy policy implementation. Moreover, the green energy-based sustainability ratio increases with an increase of technological, sectoral, and application impact ratios. This means that all negative effects on the industrial, technological, sectoral and social developments partially and/or completely decrease throughout the transition and utilization to and of green energy and technologies when possible sustainable energy strategies are preferred and applied. Thus, the sustainable energy strategies can make an important contribution to the economies of the countries where green energy (e.g., wind, solar, tidal, biomass) is abundantly produced. Therefore, the investment in green energy supply and progress should be encouraged by governments and other authorities for a green energy replacement of fossil fuels for more environmentally benign and sustainable future.     

Cladophora sp. as a sustainable feedstock for dark fermentative biohydrogen production

Macroalgae are rich in carbohydrates which can be used as a promising substrate for fermentative biohydrogen production. In this study, Cladophora sp. biomass was fermented for biohydrogen production at various inoculum/substrate (I/S) ratios against a control of inoculum without substrate in laboratory-scale batch reactors. The biohydrogen production yield ranged from 40.8 to 54.7 ml H₂/g-VS, with the I/S ratio ranging from 0.0625 to 4. The results indicated that low I/S ratios caused the overloaded accumulation of metabolic products and a significant pH decrease, which negatively affected hydrogen production bacteria's metabolic activity, thus leading to the decrease of hydrogen fermentation efficiency. The overall results demonstrated that Cladophora sp. biomass is an efficient fermentation feedstock for biohydrogen production.     

Assessment of sustainable biomass resource for energy use in China

This paper assesses the sustainable biomass resource for energy in China. Assessment has been carried out for the following resources: (i) agricultural residues, (ii) forest residues, and (iii) municipal solid waste (MSW). The potential of each resource is estimated for the base years 2008, 2008, and 2007. The energy potentials of these resources in 2008, 2008, and 2007 are estimated to be 14.7, 3.9, and 0.2 EJ, respectively. The total potential including the energy of 6.4 EJ from the proposed low-input high-diversity (LIHD) grassland biomass on the untilled lands for the base years 1996 is equal to about 30.2% of China’s energy consumption in 2008. Furthermore it is projected that sustainable biomass use for energy will reduce net emissions of green house gases (GHG) of 3276.7 million tonnes, and help in emission-reduction target of China and the world.     

The future of hydrogen energy: Bio-hydrogen production technology

The widespread use of non-renewable energy has caused serious environmental problems such as global warming and the depletion of fossil fuels. Hydrogen, as a well-known carbon-free gaseous fuel, has become the most promising energy carrier for future energy. Hydrogen has an excellent mass-basis calorific value and no carbon atom contained, which makes it to be an attractive fuel for various power devices (like the internal combustion engine, gas turbine, and fuel cell). Nowadays, the production of hydrogen is still predominated by fossil-based techniques, which is considered undesirable due to low conversion efficiency and release of greenhouse gases. It is necessary to find green and sustainable hydrogen production routes with low energy consumption and cost. In this paper, the different hydrogen production technologies via fossil routes or non-fossil routes are reviewed in general, and it is found that bio-hydrogen production has certain environmental advantages and broad prospects compared with other hydrogen production technologies. Then, the characteristics and research status of different bio-hydrogen production technologies are discussed in depth. It is found that each bio-hydrogen production technique has its own advantages, challenges, and applicability. The economic analysis of bio-hydrogen energy is also performed from the aspects of production, storage, and transportation. The results show that bio-hydrogen production technology could be a good possibility way for producing renewable hydrogen, which is of high efficiency and thus competitive over other hydrogen production methods both in economics and environmental benefits.     

SWOT analyses of the national energy sector for sustainable energy development

A holistic perspective of various energy stakeholders regarding the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOTs) of the energy sector in Macedonia is utilized as baseline to diagnose the current state and to sketch future action lines towards sustainable energy development. The resulting SWOT analyses pointed to the progressive adoption of European Union (EU) standards in energy policy and regulation as the most important achievement in the energy sector. The most important problems the national energy sector faces are scarce domestic resources and unfavorable energy mix, low electricity prices, a high degree of inefficiency in energy production and use, as well as insufficient institutional and human capacities. The formulated portfolio of actions towards enabling sustainable energy development urges the adoption of a comprehensive energy strategy built upon sustainability principles, intensified utilization of the natural gas, economic prices of electricity, structural changes in industry, promotion of energy efficiency and renewables, including Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects, enforcement of EU environmental standards and meeting the environmental requirements, as well as institutional and human capacity building.     

Shaping a sustainable energy future for India: Management challenges

Most of the studies on the Indian energy sector focus on the possible future scenarios of Indian energy system development without considering the management dimension to the problem—how to ensure a smooth transition to reach the desired future state. The purpose of this paper is to highlight some sector management concerns to a sustainable energy future in the country. The paper follows a deductive approach and reviews the present status and possible future energy outlooks from the existing literature. This is followed by a strategy outline to achieve long-term energy sustainability. Management challenges on the way to such a sustainable future are finally presented. The paper finds that the aspiration of becoming an economic powerhouse and the need to eradicate poverty will necessarily mean an increase in energy consumption unless a decoupling of energy and GDP growth is achieved. Consequently, the energy future of the country is eminently unsustainable. A strategy focussing on demand reduction, enhanced access, use of local resources and better management practices is proposed here. However, a sustainable path faces a number of challenges from the management and policy perspectives.     

Renewable energy for sustainable development in Africa: a review

Renewable energy usage in Africa has been reviewed using South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Mali as case studies. The various national energy policies of these countries were analysed and areas that require attention to achieve sustainability were highlighted. On the overall, the success of sustainable development in Africa lies in addressing the imminent energy crisis in the continent. Excessive usage of fuel wood is already creating considerable environmental problems especially in the Sahel. Africa has all the potentials to solve its energy problems if appropriate infrastructural support can be provided for harnessing the abundant renewable resources in the continent, and if skills are pooled together and experiences shared in addressing the key issues.     

Hydropower for sustainable water and energy development

Turkey has a total gross hydropower potential of 433 GWh/year, but only 125 GWh/year of the total hydroelectric potential of Turkey can be economically used. By the commissioning of new hydropower plants, which are under construction, 36% of the economically usable potential of the country would be tapped. Turkey presently has considerable renewable energy sources. The most important renewable sources are hydropower, biomass, geothermal, solar and wind. Turkey's geographical location has several advantages for extensive use of most of these renewable energy sources. Over the last two decades, global electricity production has more than doubled and electricity demand is rising rapidly around the world as economic development spreads to emerging economies. Not only has electricity demand increased significantly, it is the fastest growing end-use of energy. Therefore, technical, economic and environmental benefits of hydroelectric power make it an important contributor to the future world energy mix, particularly in the developing countries.     

Energy for sustainable development in Malaysia: Energy policy and alternative energy

Energy is often known as the catalyst for development. Globally, the per capita consumption of energy is often used as a barometer to measure the level of economic development in a particular country. Realizing the importance of energy as a vital component in economic and social development, the government of Malaysia has been continuously reviewing its energy policy to ensure long-term reliability and security of energy supply. Concentrated efforts are being undertaken to ensure the sustainability of energy resources, both depletable and renewable. The aim of this paper is to describe the various energy policies adopted in Malaysia to ensure long-term reliability and security of energy supply. The role of both, non-renewable and renewable sources of energy in the current Five-Fuel Diversification Strategy energy mix will also be discussed. Apart from that, this paper will also describe the various alternative energy and the implementation of energy efficiency program in Malaysia.     

Hydropower in Turkey for a clean and sustainable energy future

Over the last two decades, global electricity production has more than doubled and electricity demand is rising rapidly around the world as economic development spreads to emerging economies. Not only has electricity demand increased significantly, it is the fastest growing end-use of energy. Therefore, technical, economic and environmental benefits of hydroelectric power make it an important contributor to the future world energy mix, particularly in the developing countries. This paper deals with policies to meet increasing energy and electricity demand for sustainable energy development in Turkey. Turkey has a total gross hydropower potential of 433 GWh/year, but only 125 GWh/year of the total hydroelectric potential of Turkey can be economically used. By the commissioning of new hydropower plants, which are under construction, 36% of the economically usable potential of the country would be tapped. Turkey's total economically usable small hydropower potential is 3.75 GWh/year.     

Selection of natural bacterial communities for the biological production of hydrogen

Current processes used for the production of hydrogen consume a great part of the energy they produce and/or depend on fossil fuel consumption, making them inefficient and harmful to the environment. Obtaining hydrogen from living systems by fermentation of organic matter considered waste is a promising alternative for the future. Especially when you take into account that the biological production of hydrogen is intrinsically linked to the degradation of said organic matter. In this paper, we explore the efficiency of different bacterial communities (also called consortia) for anaerobic fermentation of carbohydrates. The evaluated consortia were obtained from soil, commercial compost and sludge from a sewage treatment plant. The cultures that produced the highest amounts of hydrogen were those in which the inoculums used came from sludge and compost. Both reached a maximum accumulated concentration of approximately 30% of biological hydrogen in the gas mixture on day 8 of the fermentation process, as estimated by gas chromatography.     

Impact assessment for a sustainable energy future—Reflections and practical experiences

As energy issues are at the top of the policy agenda worldwide, policy-makers increasingly need better decision-supporting processes to assist them in fostering a sustainable energy future. This paper reflects on the interpretation of sustainable development, and links these reflections with the theory and practice of impact assessment applied on energy issues. An analysis of existing impact assessment approaches with regard to their contribution to sustainable development leads to a set of principles for ‘sustainability assessment’. Through a study of a participatory impact assessment supporting the development of a radioactive waste management plan in Belgium, the interpretational limits of sustainable development in a nuclear energy context are discussed. This paper sheds light on the complex context in which impact assessment exercises must contribute to sustainable energy development, with a focus on the nuclear energy—(un)sustainability nexus.     

Integrated energy strategy for the sustainable development of China

We propose in this paper an integrated energy strategy based on a systems approach to address the energy challenges and energy dilemma in China. First, we give a review of existing approaches to energy planning and strategic management, followed by a discussion on the major relationships among energy, economical, environmental and societal systems. Next, we present a conceptual system model with alternative solutions and clarify corresponding concepts. Based on the results, we propose, summarize, and present strategic ideas as policy implications for China’s decision makers. In conclusion, we determine that China should enhance strategic planning and regulation from a life cycle viewpoint of the whole society, prioritize energy saving, continuously improve incumbent energy, and rationally develop alternative energy.     

Energy supply for sustainable rural livelihoods. A multi-criteria decision-support system

Energy supply to the rural poor in developing countries is a complex activity that transcends the simple selection of a best technology. This paper explains the outcomes achieved by using a new multi-criteria decision-support system to assist in calculating the most appropriate set of energy options for providing sufficient power to fulfil local demands that improve livelihoods. The elicitation of the priorities of future users, which are subsequently integrated into the energy selection process, is seen as a mechanism for the promotion of energy policies that ensure that technological developments reduce poverty. The sustainable rural energy decision support system (SURE DSS), a methodological package and software designed by the research team RESURL builds upon technical and non-technical features of energy development in remote poor areas, drawing on a sustainable livelihoods approach as part of its rationale. SURE enables simulations and calculation of the disparities that may arise between current and potential livelihoods after specific energy solutions have been installed, as well as measuring potential trade-offs among alternative livelihoods. The paper reports the outcome of an application of SURE to the case of a remote Colombian rural community whose total energy demands are only partly met through a diesel generator.     

Using novel compressed‐air energy storage systems as a green strategy in sustainable power generation–a review

The main driving forces behind the efforts to utilize various sources of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and reducing energy waste are the increasing level of greenhouse gasses and the climb in fuel prices. Energy storage is now gaining continuously increasing importance. It develops new sources of energy. The storage of energy in a suitable form, which can be converted into the required form, is a high challenge. Energy storage not only reduces the mismatch between supply and demand but it also improves the performance and reliability of energy system and contributes toward conserving energy. In this work, some research works carried out by the author and associates over the last 10 years are reviewed along with some other relevant works. These articles cover different systems involving energy sustainability, energy efficiency, green energy, and power augmentation related to compressed air energy storage, with and without humidification, plus with and without cooling (adiabatic). Comparison of the potential methods shows that compressed air storage with humidification is superior to other methods in energy ratio and primary energy efficiency. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of bioethanol for sustainable electrical energy production

Nowadays, the climatic change has addressed the research targets to find renewable energy sources and in order to develop more efficient technologies in a simultaneous way, with the object of promoting a rational use of the energy in the frame of the sustainable development. In this case, an integrated process for sustainable electrical energy production from bioethanol was designed, taking advantage of hydrogen fuel as an energy carrier and fuel cells as efficient and clean devices. The calculated efficiency for this process is better than traditional power cycles, which constitutes a starting point for future developments of this technology.     

Canada’s energy perspectives and policies for sustainable development

A regression analysis is performed to make projections for the Canadian energy production and consumption. These have been increasing and are projected to increase even further in the near future. The primary energy production and consumption are projected to increase by 52% and 34%, respectively, by 2025 over 2004 if business as usual. The amount of fossil energy resources is finite and the extraction, transportation and combustion of fossil fuels cause environmental pollution and climate change. On the other hand, energy plays an important role in the economic and social development of Canada. Canada can develop further from an energy balance point of view, but this alone cannot be sustainable, because of the negative consequences of the major energy use on the environment. Application of energy localization and diversification is a promising solution, but in order to reach that, better energy efficiency and more use of renewable energy are necessary. Instead of non-compulsory policies Canada’s policy approach should have more compulsory policies. Only then Canada can be made to develop further in a sustainable manner.     

Bases for a sustainable energy model. Case study: Basque autonomous community

The current Spanish energy model has become obsolete for social, economic and environmental reasons. This conditions the economic and social model of the country. To change the model, a transition period is required and the identification of energies available in the vicinity, citizen commitment, the mobilisation of technological and economic resources, a model of efficiency, generation and distribution. In this new model, compliance with environmental commitments, the generation of economic activity and the guarantee that the transition will not involve uncertainty in terms of availability and security of supply, must be unquestionable commitments. To this end, the possibilities of implementing a sustainable energy model, of proximity, that allows maintaining an industrial economic structure, has been studied in a region of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spain). This article presents the different phases of the study, the methodology used, conclusions and the bases for a sustainable model.     

Multi-objective optimization model for sustainable Indonesian electricity system: Analysis of economic,environment, and adequacy of energy sources

This paper presents a multi-objective optimization model for a long-term generation mix in Indonesia. The objective of this work is to assess the economic, environment, and adequacy of local energy sources. The model includes two competing objective functions to seek the lowest cost of generation and the lowest CO₂ emissions while considering technology diffusion. The scenarios include the use of fossil reserves with or without the constraints of the reserve to production ratio and exports. The results indicate that Indonesia should develop all renewable energy and requires imported coal and natural gas. If all fossil resources were upgraded to reserves, electricity demand in 2050 could be met by domestic energy sources. The maximum share of renewable energy that can be achieved in 2050 is 33% with and 80% without technology diffusion. The least cost optimization produces lower generation costs than the least CO₂ emissions, as well as the combined scenario. Total CO₂ emissions in 2050 are five to six times as large as current emissions. The least CO₂ emissions scenario can reduce almost half of the CO₂ emissions of the least cost scenario by 2050. The proposed multi-objective optimization model leads some optimal solutions for a more sustainable electricity system.     

Solar energy education - a viable pathway for sustainable development

The growing consumption of limited reserves of fossil fuels and their impact to the environment have raised global interest in harnessing solar energy. Proper knowledge of solar energy is lacking in many levels of society. Recently, the Energy Research Institute (ERI) of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) have conducted a survey on the availability of solar energy education program around the world. It has been observed that a considerable amount of work has been done for developing solar energy technologies but relatively little attention has been paid on the role of solar energy education. This paper gives an overview of the current status of solar education program available around the globe and it also highlights the importance of the energy information network for solar education program.