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Energy Modeling Related to Sustainability
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Energy Modeling Related to Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 August 2020) | Viewed by 24539

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Brynhildur Davidsdottir

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
Interests: energy transitions; systems modeling; sustainable development; sustainability indicators; climate change mitigation and adaptation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Access to high quality energy is a driver for economic and social development, yet the current structure of energy systems is causing severe environmental problems. As a result, a transition to sustainable energy and the attainment of goal 7 of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is considered a prerequisite for reaching the other 16 SDGs. Considering the importance of the energy system in reaching the SDGs, it is the aim of this Special Issue to explore how energy modeling is used to support sustainable development, with a particular emphasis on the integrated modeling of energy systems. 
This Special Issue will comprise papers covering a wide range of methodologies and aspects related to energy modeling to support sustainable development. Topics include modeling energy transitions and trajectories at different scales, exploring the role/limitations of renewable energy and material use, modeling sustainable energy development capturing the environmental impact of energy development (e.g. GHG emissions, air quality, land-based impacts), the social impacts of energy development, and the economic implications of energy system development. Modelling consumer behavior, energy justice, energy use in urban systems and various sectors (e.g. agriculture, transport, industry households) and policy assessments to support sustainable development. We seek papers that rely on different modeling approaches including integrated modeling, system dynamics, agent-based analysis, optimization models and LCA. We particularly welcome papers that illustrate methodological advancements in energy modeling, enabling us to capture more clearly the sustainability implications of energy system development.

Prof. Dr. Brynhildur Davidsdottir
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • energy systems
  • sustainable development
  • sustainable development goals
  • energy modelling
  • integrated assessment modeling
  • system dynamics
  • renewable energy
  • climate change
  • energy justice
  • energy policy
  • climate policy

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 2449 KiB  
Article
Potential Bioenergy Production from Miscanthus × giganteus in Brandenburg: Producing Bioenergy and Fostering Other Ecosystem Services while Ensuring Food Self-Sufficiency in the Berlin-Brandenburg Region
by Ehsan Tavakoli-Hashjini, Annette Piorr, Klaus Müller and José Luis Vicente-Vicente
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7731; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187731 - 18 Sep 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4139
Abstract
Miscanthus × giganteus (hereafter Miscanthus) is a perennial crop characterized by its high biomass production, low nutrient requirements, its ability for soil restoration, and its cultivation potential on marginal land. The development of the bioenergy sector in the state of Brandenburg (Germany), [...] Read more.
Miscanthus × giganteus (hereafter Miscanthus) is a perennial crop characterized by its high biomass production, low nutrient requirements, its ability for soil restoration, and its cultivation potential on marginal land. The development of the bioenergy sector in the state of Brandenburg (Germany), with maize as the dominant crop, has recently drawn attention to its negative environmental impacts, competition with food production, and uncertainties regarding its further development toward the state’s bioenergy targets. This study aimed to estimate the potential bioenergy production in Brandenburg by cultivating Miscanthus only on marginal land, thereby avoiding competition with food production in the Berlin-Brandenburg city-region (i.e., foodshed), after using the Metropolitan Foodshed and Self-sufficiency Scenario (MFSS) model. We estimated that by 2030, the Berlin-Brandenburg foodshed would require around 1.13 million hectares to achieve 100% food self-sufficiency under the business as usual (BAU) scenario, and hence there would be around 390,000 ha land left for bioenergy production. Our results suggest that the region would require about 569,000 ha of land of maize to generate 58 PJ—the bioenergy target of the state of Brandenburg for 2030—which is almost 179,000 ha more than the available area for bioenergy production. However, under Miscanthus plantation, the required area would be reduced by 2.5 times to 232,000 ha. Therefore, Miscanthus could enable Brandenburg to meet its bioenergy target by 2030, while at the same time avoiding the trade-offs with food production, and also providing a potential for soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration of around 255,200 t C yr-1, leading to an improvement in the soil fertility and other ecosystem services (e.g., biodiversity), compared with bioenergy generated from maize. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Modeling Related to Sustainability)
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28 pages, 1873 KiB  
Article
Economic Evaluation of Large-Scale Biorefinery Deployment: A Framework Integrating Dynamic Biomass Market and Techno-Economic Models
by Jonas Zetterholm, Elina Bryngemark, Johan Ahlström, Patrik Söderholm, Simon Harvey and Elisabeth Wetterlund
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 7126; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12177126 - 1 Sep 2020
Cited by 58 | Viewed by 6805
Abstract
Biofuels and biochemicals play significant roles in the transition towards a fossil-free society. However, large-scale biorefineries are not yet cost-competitive with their fossil-fuel counterparts, and it is important to identify biorefinery concepts with high economic performance. For evaluating early-stage biorefinery concepts, one needs [...] Read more.
Biofuels and biochemicals play significant roles in the transition towards a fossil-free society. However, large-scale biorefineries are not yet cost-competitive with their fossil-fuel counterparts, and it is important to identify biorefinery concepts with high economic performance. For evaluating early-stage biorefinery concepts, one needs to consider not only the technical performance and process costs but also the economic performance of the full supply chain and the impacts on feedstock and product markets. This article presents and demonstrates a conceptual interdisciplinary framework that can constitute the basis for evaluations of the full supply-chain performance of biorefinery concepts. This framework considers the competition for biomass across sectors, assumes exogenous end-use product demand, and incorporates various geographical and technical constraints. The framework is demonstrated empirically through a case study of a sawmill-integrated biorefinery producing liquefied biomethane from forestry and forest industry residues. The case study results illustrate that acknowledging biomass market effects in the supply chain evaluation implies changes in both biomass prices and the allocation of biomass across sectors. The proposed framework should facilitate the identification of biorefinery concepts with a high economic performance which are robust to feedstock price changes caused by the increase in biomass demand. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Modeling Related to Sustainability)
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6 pages, 212 KiB  
Communication
Optimal Share of Natural Gas in the Electric Power Generation of South Korea: A Note
by Gyeong-Sam Kim, Hyo-Jin Kim and Seung-Hoon Yoo
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3705; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133705 - 6 Jul 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2563
Abstract
Natural gas (NG) not only emits fewer greenhouse gases and air pollutants than coal but also plays the role of a peak power source that can respond immediately to the variability of increasing renewables. Although the share of NG generation worldwide is increasing, [...] Read more.
Natural gas (NG) not only emits fewer greenhouse gases and air pollutants than coal but also plays the role of a peak power source that can respond immediately to the variability of increasing renewables. Although the share of NG generation worldwide is increasing, it is difficult for South Korea to increase its NG generation significantly in terms of fuel supply security, since it depends on imports for all of the NG used for power generation. Therefore, the optimal share of NG generation in electric power generation is a serious concern. This note attempts to estimate the optimal share by modelling the plausible relationship between NG generation and national output in the Cobb–Douglas production function setting and then deriving the output-maximizing share of NG generation. The production function is statistically significantly estimated using annual data from 1990 to 2016, allowing for the first-order serial correlation. The optimal share is computed to be 20.3%. Therefore, it is recommended that South Korea increases the share of NG generation slightly and makes efforts to secure a stable NG supply, given that, according to the national plan, the share will be 18.8% in 2030. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Modeling Related to Sustainability)

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33 pages, 8699 KiB  
Review
A Holistic Review of the Present and Future Drivers of the Renewable Energy Mix in Maharashtra, State of India
by Rajvikram Madurai Elavarasan, Leoponraj Selvamanohar, Kannadasan Raju, Raghavendra Rajan Vijayaraghavan, Ramkumar Subburaj, Mohammad Nurunnabi, Irfan Ahmad Khan, Syed Afridhis, Akshaya Hariharan, Rishi Pugazhendhi, Umashankar Subramaniam and Narottam Das
Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6596; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166596 - 14 Aug 2020
Cited by 69 | Viewed by 10368
Abstract
A strong energy mix of Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) is needed for sustainable development in the electricity sector. India stands as one of the fastest developing countries in terms of RES production. In this framework, the main objective of this review is to [...] Read more.
A strong energy mix of Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) is needed for sustainable development in the electricity sector. India stands as one of the fastest developing countries in terms of RES production. In this framework, the main objective of this review is to critically scrutinize the Maharashtra state energy landscape to discover the gaps, barriers, and challenges therein and to provide recommendations and suggestions for attaining the RES target by 2022. This work begins with a discussion about the RES trends in various developing countries. Subsequently, it scrutinizes the installed capacity of India, reporting that Maharashtra state holds a considerable stake in the Indian energy mix. A further examination of the state energy mix is carried out by comparing the current and future targets of the state action plan. It is found that the installed capacity of RESs accounts for about 22% of the state energy mix. Moreover, the current installed capacity trend is markedly different from the goals set out in the action plan of the state. Notably, the installed capacity of solar energy is four times less than the target for 2020. Importantly, meeting the targeted RES capacity for 2022 presents a great challenge to the state. Considering this, an analysis of the state’s strengths, barriers, and challenges is presented. Moreover, strong suggestions and recommendations are provided to clear the track to reach the desired destination. This can be useful for the government agencies, research community, private investors, policymakers, and stakeholders involved in building a sustainable energy system for the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Modeling Related to Sustainability)
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