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This research presents a 100% renewable energy (RE) scenario by 2050 with a high share of electric vehicles on the grid (V2G) developed in Ecuador with the support of the EnergyPLAN analysis tool. Hour-by-hour data iterations were performed to determine solutions among various features, including energy storage, V2G connections that spanned the distribution system, and long-term evaluation. The high participation in V2G connections keeps the electrical system available; meanwhile, the high proportions of variable renewable energy are the pillar of the joint electrical system. The layout of the sustainable mobility scenario and the high V2G participation maintain the balance of the electrical system during most of the day, simplifying the storage equipment requirements. Consequently, the influence of V2G systems on storage is a significant result that must be considered in the energy transition that Ecuador is developing in the long term. The stored electricity will not only serve as storage for future grid use. Additionally, the V2G batteries serve as a buffer between generation from diversified renewable sources and the end-use stage.

The use of renewable energy in Latin America has increased significantly in recent years as a result of social pressure due to the negative effects generated by the use of polluting energy. However, there is still limited empirical evidence on the effect of clean energy on the output. The objective of this research is to examine the causal link among the growth rates of sustainable energy consumption, non-sustainable energy and the real per capita output in Latin America, a region with a high potential to generate clean energy. We used Pedroni (1999) and Westerlund (2007) cointegration techniques, and Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) causality test to evaluate the relationship among the variables. In order to evaluate the strength of the cointegration vector, we applied the dynamic ordinary least squares for individual countries and the panel dynamic ordinary least squares model for country groups. We find robust empirical evidence that suggests that the growth rate of renewable energy consumption, non-renewable energy and the rate of growth of real per capita output have a short-term and long-term equilibrium relationship. The force of the cointegration vector among the output and the renewable energy is more forceful in the countries of medium-high and medium-low incomes. The cointegration vector among the output and non-renewable energy is stronger in high-income countries. The results of the causality test suggest that renewable energy and the real per capita output have a bidirectional relationship in low-middle income countries. The output causes renewable energy in all groups of countries. Likewise, there is a unidirectional causality from the real per capita output towards non-renewable energy. One possible policy implication derived from this research is that high-income countries in the region should look for alternative sources of energy to achieve sustainable growth, and medium-high and medium-low income countries should encourage the use of energy clean, which does not limit the economic growth. Keywords: Energy. output. Cointegration. Causality. Panel data. Latin America, JEL classification: F43, P28, C23

Although traditional agriculture carried out by ethnic groups is considered for its high biodiversity and important for food security and sovereignty, few studies have investigated the potential of these systems in the interest of promoting a sustainable agricultural development policy according to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Using the FAO's Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture (SAFA) methodology, this study analyzed the sustainability of four traditional agricultural systems, three indigenous (Waorani, Shuar, and Kichwa) and one migrant settler populations in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve (YBR) and identified synergies and trade-offs among the dimensions of sustainability. The results showed different dynamics in all dimensions of sustainability-specifically, trade-offs in the dimensions of good governance with environmental integrity and social well-being, economic resilience, and social well-being. It was identified that the differences in terms of sustainability are narrowing between the indigenous Shuar people's traditional agricultural systems and those of migrant settlers, which provides policymakers with specific information to design sustainable development policies and rescue traditional agricultural systems in the Amazon region.

The present work is a survey on aircraft hybrid electric propulsion (HEP) that aims to present state-of-the-art technologies and future tendencies in the following areas: air transport market, hybrid demonstrators, HEP topologies applications, aircraft design, electrical systems for aircraft, energy storage, aircraft internal combustion engines, and management and control strategies. Several changes on aircraft propulsion will occur in the next 30 years, following the aircraft market demand and environmental regulations. Two commercial areas are in evolution, electrical urban air mobility (UAM) and hybrid-electric regional aircraft. The first one is expected to come into service in the next 10 years with small devices. The last one will gradually come into service, starting with small aircraft according to developments in energy storage, fuel cells, aircraft design and hybrid architectures integration. All-electric architecture seems to be more adapted to UAM. Turbo-electric hybrid architecture combined with distributed propulsion and boundary layer ingestion seems to have more success for regional aircraft, attaining environmental goals for 2030 and 2050. Computational models supported by powerful simulation tools will be a key to support research and aircraft HEP design in the coming years. Brazilian research in these challenging areas is in the beginning, and a multidisciplinary collaboration will be critical for success in the next few years.

Road traffic accidents are currently between the seventh and tenth leading cause of death in the world, with approximately 1.35 million people killed per year. Despite extensive efforts by governments, according to the World Health Organization, road accidents still cause far too many deaths, especially among pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheel motor vehicle riders, who together account for almost 50% of road traffic fatalities. In particular, Spain had 410,974 traffic accidents between 2016 and 2019, involving 722,516 vehicles and 61,177 pedestrians with varying degrees of injury. This study uses the Bayesian network method to understand how the pedestrians’ responsibility and actions at the time of the traffic accident affect the injury suffered by said pedestrian, also considering the variables of the road infrastructure and vehicles at the accident site. The results confirm that the variables linked to the unsafe behavior of pedestrians, and their responsibility in traffic accidents, increase the risk of suffering serious or fatal injuries during an accident; for example, if a pedestrian is distracted this increases his/her probability of suffering a severe injury (27.86%) with respect to not being distracted (20.73%). Conditions related to traffic in high-speed areas, areas with no or poor lighting, and areas lacking sidewalks, also record increases in pedestrian injury, as is the case in the age group of pedestrians over 60 years of age.

Abstract A technical, financial, economic and environmental analysis of geothermal power plant developments in the Ecuadorian context was analysed by RETScreen-International Geothermal Project Model. Three different scenarios were considered. Scenario I and II considered incentives of 132.1 USD/MWh for electricity generation and grants of 3 million USD. Scenario III considered the geothermal project with an electricity export price of 49.3 USD/MWh. Scenario III was further divided into IIIA and IIIB case studies. Scenario IIIA considered a 3 million USD grant while Scenario IIIB considered an income of 8.9 USD/MWh for selling heat in direct applications. Modelling results showed that binary power cycle was the most suitable geothermal technology to produce electricity along with aquaculture and greenhouse heating for direct use applications in all scenarios. Financial analyses showed that the debt payment would be 5.36 million USD/year under in Scenario I and III. The corresponding values for Scenario II was 7.06 million USD/year. Net Present Value was positive for all studied scenarios except for Scenario IIIA. The equity paybacks were 3.2, 3.7, 16 and 5.6 years for Scenario I, Scenario II, Scenario IIIA and Scenario IIIB, respectively. Overall, Scenario II was identified as the most feasible project due to positive NPV with short payback period. Interestingly, Scenario IIIB could become financially attractive by selling heat for direct applications. Direct applications, public incentives and clean funding mechanisms are essential for the success of geothermal energy projects in the Ecuadorian context. The total initial investment for a 22 MW geothermal power plant was 114.3 million USD (at 2017 costs). Economic analysis showed an annual savings of 24.3 million USD by avoiding fossil fuel electricity generation. More than 184,000 tCO2 eq. could be avoided annually. Thus, greenhouse emissions avoided by using geothermal energy would bring out environmental benefits and improve the socio-economic benefits in communities.

Sharp pricefluctuations and increasing environmental and distributional concerns, among other issues, have led to a renewed academic interest in energy demand. In this paper we estimate, for the first time in Spain, an energy demand system with household microdata. In doing so, we tackle several econometric and data problems that are generally recognized to bias parameter estimates. This is obviously relevant, as obtaining correct price and income responses is essential if they may be used for assessing the economic consequences of hypothetical or real changes. With this objective, we combine data sources for a long time period and choose a demand system with flexible income and price responses. We also estimate the model in different sub-samples to capture varying responses to energy price changes by households living in rural, intermediate and urban areas. This constitutes a first attempt in the literature and it proved to be a very successful choice.