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Purpose This study aims to consider environmental sustainability, a global challenge under the preview of sustainable development goals, highlighting the significance of knowledge economy in attaining sustainable aggregate demand behavior globally. For this purpose, 155 countries that have data available from 1995 to 2021 were selected. The purpose of selecting these countries is to test the global responsibility of the knowledge economy to attain environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach Results are estimated with the help of panel quantile regression. The empirical existence of aggregate demand-based environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) was tested using non-linear tests. Moreover, principal component analysis has been incorporated to construct the knowledge economy index. Findings U-shaped aggregate demand-based EKC at global level is validated. However, environmental deterioration increases with an additional escalation after US$497.945m in aggregate demand. As a determinant, the knowledge economy is reducing CO2 emissions. The knowledge economy has played a significant role in global responsibility, shifting the EKC downward and extending the CO2 reduction phase for every selected country. Further, urbanization, energy intensity, financial development and trade openness significantly deteriorate the environmental quality. Originality/value This study contains the empirical existence of aggregate demand-based EKC. The role of the knowledge economy is examined through an index which is calculated by using four pillars of the knowledge economy (technology, innovations, education and institutions). This study is based on a combined panel of all the countries for which the data was available.

A key factor in social development and sustainable urban expansion is the establishment of sustainable and affordable transport systems. This study aims to investigate the impact of transport infrastructure investment on environmental degradation and economic growth and to test the validity of the EKC hypothesis in China, India, Russia, and Japan over the period 1995-2020. The results show that GDP has a significant positive effect, and GDP2 and GDP3 have significant adverse effects on environmental degradation, respectively. These results confirm the validity of the inverted U-shaped EKC hypothesis in selected emerging Asian economies. Rail infrastructure investment has significant adverse effects, while road infrastructure investment and aviation infrastructure investment have significant positive effects on environmental degradation. Likewise, the impact of investment in transport infrastructure system (roads, rail, and aviation) on economic growth is positive and statistically significant. Country-level estimates confirm the validity of the inverted U-shaped EKC hypothesis in China, India, and Russia, while the N-shaped EKC is only valid in Japan. Investments in rail infrastructure based on modern rail systems that run on electricity are believed to be less polluting in the transport mix, help create sustainable and safe transport systems, and reduce emissions at the urban and intercity levels in emerging Asian countries. In addition, the growing impact of free trade on environmental pollution should be strengthened to harmonize the strict enforcement of environmental conditions dominated by trade agreements.

Abstract Smart Grid is the seamless integration of advance digital communication network, state of the art control technologies, and power system infrastructure working together as an entity to ensure the reliability, sustainability, and stability of the power infrastructure. Digital communication network with is the key to the reliability of Smart Grid as all control actions are deemed upon the data transmitted by a communication network. With false data, however, the same digital communication network can lead to anomalies like abnormal disruptions, load shedding, malicious attacks and power theft. Robust False data injection attack methods proposed till now demand for the complete knowledge of interconnected power grid network topology. In this paper, three network topology independent techniques for false data injection into the smart grid are proposed based on linear regression, linear regression with time stamp, and by using delta thresholds. To make injected false data more unlikely to be detected, it is constructed to fill up the missing measurements in real-time data. The robustness of proposed attack algorithms are stated by state-of-the-art defence techniques, i.e. Bad Data Detection, AC State estimation, Support Vector Machine, and Temporal Behaviours based False data detection.

Abstract The electrification of hybrid electric vehicle reduces the reliance of transportation on fossil fuels and reduces Green House Gas emissions. The economic and environmental benefits of the hybrid electric vehicles are greatly reshaping the modern transportation sector. The transportation electrification (TE) brings various challenges to the Smart Grid (SG), such as power quality, reliability, and control. Thus, there is a need to explore and reveal the key enabling technologies for TE. Moreover, the intermittent nature of Renewable Energy Resources (RER) based generation demands for efficient, reliable, flexible, dynamic, and distributed energy storage technologies. The Electrical Vehicles (EVs) storage battery is the promising solution in accommodating RER based generation within SG. The most efficient feature of transportation sector is Vehicle to Grid (V2G) concept that will help in storing the surplus energy and feeding back this energy to the main grid during period of high demands. The storage technology is an integral part of the SG that helps in attaining the proper utilization of RER. In this paper, our goal is to explore the TE sector and its impact on economy, reliability and eco-friendly system. We reviewed the V2G technology and their implementation challenges. We further reviewed various energy storage technologies deployed in EVs within SG, considering attention to their influence on the environment. Moreover, this paper presented a detailed overview of the on board and off board charging infrastructure and communication necessities for EV. The paper also investigated the current issues and challenges of energy storage technologies in EVs. The technical and economic benefits of storage technologies are also considered. Our analysis reviews the role of EVs in decarbonizing the atmosphere. Lastly, the survey explains the current regulation, Standard, and interfacing issues within SG.

Abstract The fourth industrial revolution known as Industry 4.0 has paved the way for a systematical deployment of the modernized power grid (PG) to manage continuously growing energy demand by integrating renewable energy resources. In the context of Industry 4.0, a smart grid (SG) by employing advanced Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), intelligent information processing (IIP) and future-oriented techniques (FoT) allows energy utilities to monitor and control power generation, transmission and distribution processes in more efficient, flexible, reliable, sustainable, decentralized, secure and economic manners. Despite providing immense opportunities, SG has many challenges in the context of Industry 4.0 (I 4.0). To this end, this paper presents a comprehensive presentation on critical smart grid components with international standards and information technologies in the context of Industry 4.0. In addition, this study gives an overview of different smart grid applications, their benefits, characteristics, and requirements. Also, this research investigates and explores different wired and wireless communication technologies used in smart grid with their benefits and characteristics. Finally, this article discusses a number of critical challenges and open issues and future research directions.

Abstract The economic giant China, enjoying miraculously high economic performance since the 1980s, is currently facing an economic performance slowdown, along with environmental sustainability challenges. Energy-industry investments might serve as a potential driver of economic performance, indirectly inducing environmental sustainability through investments in the energy-industry transition from old technology to a renewable one. This research provides an empirical assessment of the causal bond between energy-industry investment and economic performance across the regional development levels, employing a dynamic longitudinal data modeling on China’s 27 provincial and municipality units from 1997 through 2017. It developed an economic performance model to incorporate energy-industry investment as an aggregate production growth input. The core empirical findings are as follows. Firstly, the energy-industry investment and economic performance induced a positive and statistically significant mutual influence, manifested from their parameter estimates. Secondly, a bilateral causal bond is unveiled between energy-industry investment and economic performance based on the Dumitrescu-Hurlin technique, confirming the feedback hypothesis of a causal bond between the two variables. The results are consistent across the under-analysis panels in terms of the nature of the influence; however, the induced degrees of their influence significantly differed across the regional development levels. The intensity of the direct influence of energy-industry investment (0.049) on economic performance lags behind the feedback influence of economic performance (1.069) on energy-industry investment. Additionally, considerable heterogeneities are detected in influence intensities across the regional panels. Eastern China (region of high development) displayed the most substantial direct (0.058) and feedback influence (1.193), while western China manifested the least substantial intensity of direct (0.030) and feedback influence (0.836). After that, the central China (region of medium development) demonstrated a medium intensity of direct (0.037) and feedback influence (0.996). Finally, among other regressors, human capital, physical capital, inflation rate, and trade presented a positive and significant influence on economic performance. In contrast, the foreign direct investment significantly influenced the economic performance only in the eastern China. The empirical findings implied that energy-industry investment might serve as a vital driver of economic performance, with the most significant role in the highly developed regions and the least significant in the low developed regions, given the important explanatory variables. Based on empirical findings, policies are suggested.

Environmental degradation is significantly studied both in the past and the current literature; however, steps towards reducing the environmental pollution in carbon emission and haze pollution like PM2.5 are not under rational attention. This study tries to cover this gap while considering the carbon emission and PM2.5 through observing the role of renewable energy, non-renewable energy, environmental taxes, and ecological innovation for the top Asian economies from 1990 to 2017. For analysis purposes, this research considers cross-sectional dependence analysis, unit root test with and without structural break (Pesaran, 2007), slope heterogeneity analysis, Westerlund and Edgerton (2008) panel cointegration analysis, Banerjee and Carrion-i-Silvestre (2017) cointegration analysis, long-short run CS-ARDL results, as well as AMG and CCEMG for robustness check. The empirical evidence in both the short- and long-run has confirmed the negative and significant effect of renewable energy sources, ecological innovation, and environmental taxes on carbon emissions and PM2.5. Whereas, non-renewable energy sources are causing environmental degradation in the targeted economies. Finally, various policy implications related to carbon emission and haze pollution like PM2.5 are also provided to control their harmful effect on the natural environment.

Abstract This article gives a general picture of the small hydropower (SHP) sector in the European Union's new Member States (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia—EU-10) and those wishing to join (Candidate Countries—CC)—Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey). The differences and similarities of the SHP sectors mainly related to the technical aspects, on one hand—the former EU-15, on the other hand—EU-10 and CC are revealed in particular (except legal, regulatory, environmental and other issues). SHP technical aspects expressed by quantitative estimates are briefly discussed here, namely: SHP potential; plants in operation and contribution to the gross and renewable electricity generation mix; manufacturing industry and support mechanism; SHP development environmental issues; forecast of SHP installed capacity and electricity generation. SHP legal, regulatory framework, economic and main barriers to the SHP promotion, which are crucial for sector development are also briefly considered in this article. The approach of this study was mainly focused on a questionnaire distributed to key SHP experts in each country. It addresses SHP, i.e. hydropower plants of installed capacity less than 10 MW. In most investigated countries this SHP capacity limit is officially approved. The indicated capacity is lower in Hungary and Poland—5 MW, in Latvia—2 MW and Estonia—1 MW. For more than 100 years SHP has been harnessed in most of the surveyed countries, with the exceptions of Malta and Cyprus. The leading countries are the Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Slovakia. The biggest share of SHP economically feasible potential has been exploited in the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovenia and Bulgaria (between 40% and 60%). A very small part of this potential has been harnessed in Turkey (only 3%). The remaining economically feasible potential amounts to some 26 TWh/year in the surveyed countries. There are approximately 3200 plants installed in these countries, corresponding to a capacity of about 1430 MW of SHP. Conversely, a much larger number of SHP plants are installed in the EU-15 (some 14 000 with the total capacity of 10 000 MW). The average size of a SHP plant is about 0.44 MW (0.70 MW in EU-15). In almost all analyzed countries hydropower is a dominant source of energy in renewable electricity production. SHP is the second largest (after large hydro) contributor. The Czech Republic and Slovenia are the main countries with highest levels of turbine manufacturing industry. In some surveyed countries some opposition to SHP, mainly related to fish protection, visual impacts, enlargement of protected areas, has been identified. The current technical state of the SHP sector in the surveyed countries in terms of generating capacities and contribution to total electricity generation is relatively low by comparing with that of the former EU-15. Despite the fact that in the EU-10 and CC so far has been exploited just about 30% and 6% of economically feasible potential, they will never achieve the strength in terms of generating capacities of the SHP sector of the former EU-15 (more than 82% developed so far). The CC may slightly bridge this gap by harnessing their untapped SHP potential (especially in Turkey). A brief profile of SHP sector of the surveyed countries is provided at the end of the paper.

AbstractSustainable and inclusive development aims to achieve long‐term economic growth while ensuring environmental and social sustainability. This study investigates the significance of the Belt and Road Initiative (B&R) in promoting sustainable and inclusive development in Chinese provinces along its route, considering it a quasi‐natural experiment. To assess the effects, we construct an index system that captures critical dimensions of sustainable and inclusive development. The results reveal that the B&R has positively influenced sustainable and inclusive development in the Chinese provinces along the route. This impact is facilitated through transmission mechanisms such as technological innovation and upgrading industrial structures. However, variations exist between provinces along the Silk Road Economic Belt and those along the Maritime Silk Road, with the former experiencing more pronounced effects. These findings provide a valuable foundation for the government to leverage the B&R and develop comprehensive sustainable, and inclusive development strategies. Furthermore, this study offers insights into promoting high‐quality development in an open economy context.