• Energy Research
• engineering and technology close
• UA close
• Sustainability close

Decentralization in Ukraine was actualized due to the inability of the local self-government system to satisfy the needs of the rural population in public services for the comprehensive development of a person, their self-realization, and the protection of their constitutional rights. The purpose of this empirical study is to examine development of rural areas in Ukraine in the context of decentralization. The methodology used was exploratory qualitative in nature and used a multiple case study, wherein data analysis were applied. We have found that the first result of decentralization in 2015–2018 is a slowdown in the decline of the proportion of the rural population, in the rate of decline of the available rural population, and the employment rate of the rural population. Our study refutes the hypothesis that the rural development targets, which were defined at the beginning of decentralization and fixed in the current legislation, have been achieved. Rural development targets have not been achieved, and economic modeling shows that there are no prospects for achieving them in the near future. The research results presented in the paper are of considerable importance for developing economic policy and the social development of rural areas, by addressing the needs of these rural areas.

Human civilization depends on energy sources, mainly fossil fuels. An increase in the prices of fossil fuels and their exhaustibility limit economic growth. Carbon dioxide emission causes global environmental problems. Global crises (including COVID-19) have sharpened food and energy supply problems. The decentralized energy supply systems as well as the expedition of the application of renewable energy may solve these challenges. The economic shift to renewable power generation intensifies the competition between food crop production and green energy for land. This paper applied an open-source spatial-based model to quantify the solar power generation (the ground-mounted photovoltaic panels) for the southern regions of Poland (the Opole region) and Ukraine (the Mykolaiv region). The model used technical, economic, and legal constraints. This study compared economic indicators of the solar power generation and the crop production projects for rain-fed land. The net present value (NPV) and the profitability index (PI) were used for the economic evaluation. Additionally, the coefficients of variation were determined to assess investment risks. The use of r.green.solar model to find the spatial distribution of the reduction of carbon dioxide emission was the novelty of this study. The analysis revealed that the PV projects have higher NPV, but lower PI compared to the crop production. The PV projects have lower coefficients of variation. This fact testifies that these projects are less risky.

The present work aims to describe and analyze the results of the interventions carried out in the Barcelona pilot site of the EmpowerMed project. The overall objective of EmpowerMed is to tackle energy poverty and to help improve the health of people in coastal areas of Mediterranean countries, with a particular focus on women. The main support approach implemented in Barcelona is Collective Advisory Assemblies (CAA), in the framework of Alliance against Energy Poverty. CAA is an innovative, collaborative empowering engagement tool that offers an alternative to the more traditional one-off individual household advice and support approaches. CAAs take place together with a monitoring campaign where: electricity consumption is analyzed to optimize the supply contracts, and indoor environmental comfort to provide recommendations for wellbeing improvement. Through the different approaches, a characterization of the people that have participated in the Barcelona pilot site was completed, from a socioeconomic, energy, thermal comfort and air quality perspective. Additionally, it was compared with a group of energy poverty non-affected households, which are involved in the monitoring campaign. Finally, the impact was quantified in terms of empowerment of energy poverty population and, potential economic savings.

Multimodal transport terminals are the elements of transport systems that ensure the interaction of enterprises of various modes of transport. The effective functioning of transport terminals significantly affects the efficiency of the material flow servicing in a supply chain and the sustainability of the whole transport system. The paper proposes an approach to determine the optimal parameters of production resources in multimodal transport terminals, based on numerical computer simulations of technological operations in a transport terminal for the given parameters of incoming and outgoing material flows. The practical use of the proposed approach is shown on the example of the Amur Harbor cargo area of the Dnipro River Port.

Industrial parks (IPs) are a frequently used regional policy tool to increase economic viability and social equality. Successful functioning of such areas can increase land use efficiency and, by attracting investment, create high added value nationwide. However, the creation of IPs requires significant initial investments in the installation of their infrastructure and the preparation of plots of land, which is often realized through public financial instruments. The overall objective of the research is to present the different strategies for IP development in three different countries’ economies, to discuss the outputs and added value created by such areas, and to provide insights and suggestions for the planning and development of efficient industrial land as well as to increase its value in the developing and middle-income countries. To achieve these aims, the authors of the research present and analyze IP development practices and policy tools in the developed countries of Lithuania and Portugal, and provide suggestions for the developing country of Ukraine. In this study, the authors use statistical and spatial GIS and economic data, and analyze and compare them. The results show that IPs are being developed all over Europe and the world, but each country is creating its own legal framework and appropriate incentives for companies operating in these areas, so the performance of such areas varies a great deal.

The main goal of this study was to provide a critical analysis of the oil and fat sub-complex for deep walnut processing, to determine and compare the profitability of enterprises’ activities under different business models for implementation in the agro-food value chain. The latter was considered as an important factor for the development of the domestic market of walnuts and export opportunities. Business modeling of the enterprise activity in the oil and fat sub-complex for deep walnut processing was carried out. The stages of production and marketing activities of the enterprise from the garden planting or the purchase of the processed raw materials to the sale of the processed raw materials and products obtained from walnut processing depending on the chosen business model were considered. A comparative analysis of profitability of the enterprise activity and absolute values of income and profitability indicators under various business models of the enterprise activity were shown. The most cost-effective business-model entailed the combination of walnut production and its processing, which will provide profitability of up to 4640.32% in the 20th year of the project implementation. The results of the given study are intended for the agricultural enterprises of central region of Ukraine.

Due to urbanization, large portions of vegetated territory have been replaced by waterproof surfaces. The consequences are greater outflows, lower infiltration, and lower evapotranspiration. Pavement systems made with permeable surfaces allow the infiltration of water, ensuring reduction of runoff volume. In this paper, the methods of analysis of the hydrological and environmental performance of the pavement systems are reviewed in the context of urban drainage and regarding their durability. The purpose is to present an overview of the studies published during the last decade in the field. The Pubmed and Web Science Core Collection electronic databases were used to conduct the scientific literature survey. This generated 1238 papers, of which only 17 met the criteria and were included and discussed in this review. The evidence drawn from the knowledge on which the document is based provides useful critical interpretations of existing studies to progress the current understanding on hydrological performance and environment impacts in terms of conventional pollutant removal efficiency and the current permeable pavement systems.