• Energy Research
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Abstract Switzerland has voted for a gradual nuclear phase-out, starting in 2019 with the decommissioning of a first nuclear reactor; however, there is still a debate about how the country will replace nuclear generation. Electricity markets are transitioning towards renewable sources such as hydro, wind and solar. The latter two could produce a mismatch between demand and supply. Combining renewables with storage is one way to address this challenge. This paper analyzes the feasibility of 100% renewable generation in Switzerland. We consider hydro and PV generation, combined with pumped hydro storage, to address the timing problem between demand and PV generation. We explore several combinations of installed solar capacity, reservoir levels and pumping capacity. Our findings indicate that given current technological development, Switzerland would need to double its pumping capacity, increase solar generation capacity by a factor between 13 and 25, while increasing reservoir size up to 100% depending on the installed solar capacity.

uch of the social housing stock in southern Europe is obsolete in energy terms, with users who also present very specific socio-economic profiles requiring in-depth study. Proposals for this type of housing stock of current energy retrofitting policies, based on standardized user patterns, will only contribute to increasing the ‘performance gap’ between real and estimated consumption. This study evaluates the thermal comfort conditions and energy consumption in the specific case of social housing in southern Spain, under a severe summer climate. This evaluation is based on in-situ data measurements of three housing units in use. This paper aims to test which adaptive comfort models work best in the specific conditions of the case studies and to identify the user behaviours which reduce thermal comfort. Thus, real user patterns were established and measured data were analysed. The results show that the case studies are in discomfort conditions during a high percentage of occupied hours, mainly due to the severe climate and the unsuitable use of passive measures including natural night-time ventilation and solar protection. This situation worsens with limited use of local cooling systems due to financial constraints. National regulations should define different retrofitting targets based on climatic and socio-economic conditions.

Decarbonisation of energy systems requires deep structural change. The purpose of this research was to analyse the rates of change taking place in the energy systems of each Member State of the European Union (EU), and the EU in aggregate, in the light of the EU's climate change mitigation objectives. Trends on indicators such as sectoral activity levels and composition, energy intensity, and carbon intensity of energy were compared with decadal benchmarks derived from deep decarbonisation scenarios. The methodology applied provides a useful and informative approach to tracking decarbonisation of energy systems. The results show that while the EU has made significant progress in decarbonising its energy system. On a number of indicators assessed the results show that a significant acceleration from historical levels is required in order to reach the rates of change seen on the future benchmarks for deep decarbonisation. The methodology applied provides an example of how the research community and international organisations could complement the transparency mechanism developed by the Paris Agreement on climate change, to improve understanding of progress toward low-carbon energy systems.

Abstract Life cycle assessment (LCA) of slow pyrolysis biochar systems (PBS) in the UK for small, medium and large scale process chains and ten feedstocks was performed, assessing carbon abatement and electricity production. Pyrolysis biochar systems appear to offer greater carbon abatement than other bioenergy systems. Carbon abatement of 0.7–1.3 t CO2 equivalent per oven dry tonne of feedstock processed was found. In terms of delivered energy, medium to large scale PBS abates 1.4–1.9 t CO2e/MWh, which compares to average carbon emissions of 0.05–0.30 t CO2e/MWh for other bioenergy systems. The largest contribution to PBS carbon abatement is from the feedstock carbon stabilised in biochar (40–50%), followed by the less certain indirect effects of biochar in the soil (25–40%)—mainly due to increase in soil organic carbon levels. Change in soil organic carbon levels was found to be a key sensitivity. Electricity production off-setting emissions from fossil fuels accounted for 10–25% of carbon abatement. The LCA suggests that provided 43% of the carbon in the biochar remains stable, PBS will out-perform direct combustion of biomass at 33% efficiency in terms of carbon abatement, even if there is no beneficial effect upon soil organic carbon levels from biochar application.

This paper illustrates the main results of an expert elicitation survey on advanced (second and third generation) biofuel technologies. The survey focuses on eliciting probabilistic information on the future costs of advanced biofuels and on the potential role of Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) efforts in reducing these costs and in supporting the deployment of biofuels in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and non-OECD countries. Fifteen leading experts from different EU member states provide insights on the future potential of advanced biofuel technologies both in terms of costs and diffusion. This information results in a number of policy recommendations with respect to public RD&D strategies and is an important contribution to the integrated assessment modelling community.

Abstract Iran's demographic profile is sharply youth oriented and this upcoming generation's needs for employment and housing, coupled with low-energy efficiency vectors and consumption patterns, has created a constant rise in energy demand and greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions in the residential sector. Improved energy efficiency as a national policy lynchpin for demand reduction and GHGs mitigation, has become commonplace. OPEC countries however, Iran included, suffer an obvious lack of consumer incentive because of low fuel prices. This study evaluates the twin impacts of price reform and efficiency programs on energy carriers’ consumption and GHGs mitigation in the Iranian housing sector. For this purpose, the demand functions for energy carriers, has been developed by econometrics process models. The results reveal that price elasticity for electricity demand in the Constant Elasticity Model for the short-run while the long-run is −0.142 and −0.901, respectively. In the Variable Elasticity Model the 250% increase in electricity rates in the short-run resulted in a price elasticity change from −0.02 to −0.475, hence the 250% increase in electricity pricing for the long-run resulted in the price elasticity change from −0.15 to −2.0. Finally, aided by a Scenario-Based Approach the impact of fuel pricing and efficiency improvement in trends of energy demand and GHGs emission were assessed in a Scenarios Base, developed on two different cases of Business-as-Usual (BAU) and Management. The results indicate that in the BAU case between 2000 and 2011, the energy demand and CO2 emission increases with an annual growth rate of 7.5% and 6.8%, respectively. Comparatively, if the energy carriers’ price is increased to border price and energy efficiency programs are implemented, they will stimulate carriers’ demand and CO2 emissions growth rate decreases to 4.94% and 3.1%, respectively.

Resilience is receiving increasing scientific attention, albeit its notion is still in progress and not univocal, especially when it comes to specific sectors such as energy. Energy and resilience policy is detected as a dominant strategy to achieve international development objectives throughout long-term sustainability and wellbeing goals. Energy resilience also crosses major energy policy issues – namely energy vulnerability, security, poverty, and justice. Making use of the Web Of Science 2018 release, this work aims at contributing to a clarification of the concept of energy resilience, proposing a taxonomy. The bibliometric outputs show a sharp increase in scientific publications on the issue. The bibliometric analysis suggests a taxonomy of energy resilience based on 7 approaches or strategies. The results suggest an evolution of the conceptual contributions, that enlarge resilience early use, merely applied to technical and hard sciences. Resilience is today used in different disciplines, including social sciences and sustainability studies, as part of a holistic approach centered on sustainable development.

Abstract Suggestions that energy efficiency improvements cannot reduce energy demand are wrong. First, such suggestions are not even justified by available historical evidence. Second, the general argument that increasing living standards can only be based on increasing energy demand is based solely on the assumption that what has generally happened in the past must always apply to the future. In the past governments have not seen the need to accelerate the rate of energy efficiency improvements by intervening in the market and by changing attitudes. However, with mounting concerns about the environmental impact of energy sources there is now the motivation to reverse this general trend. The means to do this are available. What we need to do is to make a political choice to embark on a non-nuclear response to global warming.