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Energies
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Energy Transition and Environmental Sustainability: 3rd Edition
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Energy Transition and Environmental Sustainability: 3rd Edition

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "C: Energy Economics and Policy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 2566

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. David Borge-Diez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Electrical, Systems and Automation Engineering, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
Interests: energy efficiency; energy economics; renewable energy; energy simulation; energy optimization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental sustainability for the energy industry, and especially oil and gas, is of great concern for governments and policy makers. The demand for oil and gas remains high, and policies are required to reduce the demand for these non-renewable resources to more sustainable forms of energy. Sustainability is now at the centre of strategy and investment decisions, with major investments being made towards renewable energy.

Many players in the oil and gas industry are making increasingly sizable investments in companies and technologies that bring renewable, low-carbon energy to consumers and attempt to reduce their own environmental and carbon footprints.

Technology advancements have also broadened the scope and pace of growth for low-carbon energy, autonomous and electric vehicles, energy efficiency, and distributed energy. Transportation is still heavily reliant on petrol and diesel, and policies are encouraging the shift toward sustainable and reduced carbon usage.

This Special Issue of Energies seeks to attract articles on policy, law, and taxation that address the opportunities of energy transition that are sustainable as well as economically and socially acceptable. We encourage the submission of articles that explore issues involved in advancing the oil, gas, and renewable energy community in order to meet the world’s energy demand in a safe, environmentally responsible, and sustainable manner.

Prof. Dr. David Borge-Diez
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • energy transition
  • energy security renewable energy
  • oil and gas
  • climate change
  • energy storage
  • future batteries industry
  • energy policy
  • environmental sustainability
  • energy efficiency
  • low-carbon energy
  • autonomous and electric vehicles

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 3941 KiB  
Article
The Pushback Against Canada’s Carbon Pricing System: A Case Study of Two Canadian Provinces, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia
by Larry Hughes and Sarah Landry
Energies 2024, 17(22), 5802; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17225802 - 20 Nov 2024
Viewed by 376
Abstract
As part of its plan to transition to an energy secure and environmentally sustainable future, Canada has had a national carbon pricing system since 2019. When first introduced, the $20 (‘$’ refer to Canadian dollars (CAD) in this paper) per tonne price was [...] Read more.
As part of its plan to transition to an energy secure and environmentally sustainable future, Canada has had a national carbon pricing system since 2019. When first introduced, the $20 (‘$’ refer to Canadian dollars (CAD) in this paper) per tonne price was widely accepted by most Canadians and seen as a way of helping Canada meet its emissions reduction pledges made at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in Paris. The Canadian system is novel in that it both charges consumers for their emissions and reimburses them for their expected emissions; this is intended to raise awareness of their emissions and encourage those who can afford to opt for lower-emissions energy services to do so. By 2023, the combination of the carbon price reaching $65 per tonne and the post-pandemic economic slowdown was seized on by numerous politicians as a way of pushing back against the carbon pricing system, with most demanding the entire system be scrapped. The debate intensified in late 2023 and into 2024, when the federal government removed the carbon tax on home heating oil because the reimbursement was insufficient to cover the cost of the tax. In this paper, we consider the recent actions of two Canadian provinces, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, embroiled in the federal carbon pricing system debate due to the removal of the carbon tax on fuel oil for space heating. The objective of this paper is to identify how some of the reasons, including global post-pandemic inflation and other challenges facing Canadians, such as those cited in third-party polls, have contributed to a rise in the system’s unpopularity. Our method estimates and compares the impacts of the carbon tax on the household energy services for space and water heating, lighting and appliances, and private (i.e., household) transportation for different types of housing (apartment, single-attached, and single-detached) and number of occupants (two, three, and four) in Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. The results of this work show that while Saskatchewan households have higher energy intensities than those in Nova Scotia, the impact of the carbon tax on Nova Scotians using fuel oil for heating was greater than in Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, natural gas and electricity, respectively, are used for heating. This paper concludes with a summary of our findings and potential options for improving perceptions of the system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Transition and Environmental Sustainability: 3rd Edition)
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30 pages, 1338 KiB  
Article
Comparative Approaches to Energy Transition: Policy Guideline for Enhancing Thailand’s Path to a Low-Carbon Economy
by Kamonphorn Kanchana
Energies 2024, 17(22), 5620; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17225620 - 10 Nov 2024
Viewed by 428
Abstract
Thailand’s transition to a low-carbon economy faces significant challenges, including a dependency on fossil fuels, fluctuating energy costs, and limited policy clarity. This study conducts a comparative analysis of energy transition policies in Germany, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore to derive actionable lessons [...] Read more.
Thailand’s transition to a low-carbon economy faces significant challenges, including a dependency on fossil fuels, fluctuating energy costs, and limited policy clarity. This study conducts a comparative analysis of energy transition policies in Germany, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore to derive actionable lessons that can be adapted to Thailand’s socio-economic and energy contexts. Using the Integrated National Energy Planning (INEP) framework and Network Governance Theory, the research identifies key strategies, such as setting clear and achievable renewable energy targets, establishing robust legal frameworks, fostering multi-stakeholder engagement, and encouraging decentralized governance. The findings highlight the importance of long-term vision, inclusive governance, and targeted investments in renewable technologies to accelerate energy transitions. This paper presents policy guidelines to enhance Thailand’s energy security and contribute to its climate goals by promoting public awareness and strengthening institutional capacities. By adapting these strategies, Thailand can align with global energy trends, reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, and advance toward a resilient and sustainable energy system, aligned with global energy trends while addressing its unique socio-economic context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Transition and Environmental Sustainability: 3rd Edition)
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20 pages, 845 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Sustainability Reporting Transparency and Engagement of European Energy Companies
by Ana Zrnic, Dubravka Pekanov and Djula Borozan
Energies 2024, 17(19), 4934; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17194934 - 2 Oct 2024
Viewed by 704
Abstract
Energy companies are facing increasing pressure from institutional and industry stakeholders to prioritize their responsibility to the environment and society, including providing accurate, reliable, and comprehensive reports on their sustainability practices. Three metrics were developed in this study: the average sustainability reporting score [...] Read more.
Energy companies are facing increasing pressure from institutional and industry stakeholders to prioritize their responsibility to the environment and society, including providing accurate, reliable, and comprehensive reports on their sustainability practices. Three metrics were developed in this study: the average sustainability reporting score and two sustainability performance reporting indices based on two different performance measurement methodologies. These were designed to assess the effect of mandatory non-financial disclosure on sustainability reporting and the level of transparency and engagement of energy companies. The study also examined the relationship between the level of sustainability reporting and sustainability performance in the period of 2016–2019 by correlating these metrics. The analysis sheds light on the effectiveness of non-financial disclosure regulations in promoting sustainability practices in the energy industry. The results revealed no difference in metric scores prior to, or even following, the adoption of Directive 2014/95/EU. Energy companies performed better in terms of sustainability when more indicators were reported. Their primary focus was on the economic aspect of sustainability, particularly corruption. They gave less importance to the environmental aspect, mainly reporting on emissions. The social aspect received the least attention, although indicators for employee education and training were mentioned most frequently. The analysis showed that the metrics are statistically significantly correlated and complement each other, highlighting the need to consider a variety of metrics when assessing sustainability performance in the energy industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Transition and Environmental Sustainability: 3rd Edition)
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20 pages, 4209 KiB  
Article
How Not to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions: An Unbalanced Focus on Energy Efficiency in Germany’s Building Rehabilitation Policies
by Ray Galvin
Energies 2024, 17(17), 4524; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17174524 - 9 Sep 2024
Viewed by 701
Abstract
Germany needs to reduce CO2 emissions from space heating in its old buildings to net zero by 2045 to fulfil its climate goals. However, direct CO2 reduction measures in existing buildings receive relatively little subsidy support from the federal government’s German [...] Read more.
Germany needs to reduce CO2 emissions from space heating in its old buildings to net zero by 2045 to fulfil its climate goals. However, direct CO2 reduction measures in existing buildings receive relatively little subsidy support from the federal government’s German Development Bank, compared to generous subsidies for energy efficiency measures. This interdisciplinary paper evaluates this phenomenon by comparing costs and CO2 abatement effects of ever higher energy efficiency measures, alongside the costs of direct CO2 reduction through heat pumps and onsite photovoltaics. It uses a set of carefully selected reports on the costs and benefits of renovation to a range of energy efficiency standards in three common types of multi-apartment buildings in Germany, updating these for 2024 construction, energy, and finance costs. The cost of the CO2 saved is extremely high with energy efficiency measures and absurdly high with the highest energy efficiency standards, up to 20 times the cost of CO2 abatement through other means, such as offsite renewables. This reduces markedly with onsite CO2 reduction measures. This paper sets this analysis in the context of asking what social, cultural, and discursive factors extol energy efficiency so highly that policy tends to thwart its own stated goal of deeply reducing CO2 emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Transition and Environmental Sustainability: 3rd Edition)
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