The planned issue is centered around an integrated spatial / regional systems perspective of providing energy to society. One key tenet is the view that most renewables in the end are directly or indirectly driven by solar energy. Thus the Earth's surface, as the receiving boundary layer where most energy conversions occur, (co-)defines a region's potential for generating energy. Remote Sensing as the means for assessing and monitoring surface characteristics contributes valuable information towards developing sustainable energy systems.

Papers expected as contributions to this issue include, but are not limited to:

• (Climatological) energy balance of regions, particularly in urban contexts
• Assessment of biofuel production potentials (including a critical perspective)
• Regional logistics of biofuel production
• Regionalized assessment of energy demand (electrical, thermal)
• Analysis of solar potential in built-up areas as well as for solar farms
• Thermal assessment of buildings and built-up areas (potential for savings through isolation)
• Siting optimization for e.g. wind farms based on land use development
• Corridor analysis for energy transport (power lines, pipelines)
• Hydropower potential and risk analysis (terrain modeling)
• Green house gas emissions and energy production / usage
• Land use patterns and energy systems
• Managing conflicts (eg, conservation vs energy production)

Potential authors are encouraged to contact editors with abstracts outlining their proposals for paper submissions. Editors will provide early feedback aiming at making this issue an authoritative and broad source demonstrating the contribution of remote sensing to managing our world's energy needs.

Prof. Dr. Josef Strobl
Guest Editor

• renewable energy potentials
• solar input on surfaces / digital surface models
• thermal remote sensing
• land use and biomass for biofuel production
• land use and energy needs
• hydropower potentials
• corridor analysis for power supply