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Future Pathways for a Sustainable Energy System: Science Approaches for Identification and Assessment

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 July 2021) | Viewed by 7980

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Dirk Scheer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Interests: social-science based energy research; technology acceptance research; knowledge transfer and management at the science-policy interface; participation and risk research; future knowledge
Dr. Witold-Roger Poganietz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Interests: socio-technical energy scenarios; energy transformation pathways; sustainability of energy technologies; water-energy nexus and local energy systems; strategic energy-related resources
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Guest Editors are inviting submissions for a Special Issue of Energies on the subject area of “Future Pathways for a Sustainable Energy System: Science Approaches for Path Identification and Assessment”. Aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the end near zero, the transformation of the energy system on national and global levels is on the agenda of scientific research and political decision-making. The main driving force for reshaping energy systems is anthropogenic global warming and climate change. The role of science and research is to help identify, specify, and ex-ante assess future pathways of the energy transition in order to support social-political decision-makers and the public at large with knowledge (and non-knowledge) for successfully transforming the energy system. The complexity of the task must rely on integrating different perspectives, disciplines, and methods:

  • Identifying, characterizing, and differentiating promising transformation pathways methodologically from an interdisciplinary perspective providing also ex-ante impact assessment
  • Examining changing framework conditions, cause–impact chains, and influencing factors in future knowledge
  • Exploring method-related and content related uncertainties and non-knowledge in studies on energy futures
  • Assessing and evaluating which approaches are suitable for different transformation pathways
  • Determining the consequences of (realized) energy futures for specific social groups, and evaluating these consequences in relation to acceptability and desirability
  • Ascertaining the requirements that are needed to meet the complexity of adequate designing representations and advice and implementation instructions, and adequately considering and communicating uncertainty related to energy futures.
  • Addressing the complex and conflict-laden decision-making and steering processes within sub-systems in a multi-level governance environment
  • Determining the combinations of (policy) interventions and measurements that are best suited to realize the identified pathways. In addition, determining the aspects of a long-term governance framework which is needed for the transformation

Dr. Dirk Scheer
Dr. Witold-Roger Poganietz
Guest Editors

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

  • Climate-friendly energy transition
  • future knowledge
  • socio-technical system
  • transformation pathways

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 2526 KiB  
Article
Challenges for Energy Transition in Poverty-Ridden Regions—The Case of Rural Mixteca, Mexico
by Laura-Patricia Oviedo-Toral, Davi Ezequiel François and Witold-Roger Poganietz
Energies 2021, 14(9), 2596; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14092596 - 1 May 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2613
Abstract
This paper presents distinct scenario pathways and their storylines resulting from an analysis of interdependencies. We identified the main drivers of a proposed renewable energy transition in rural Mixteca-Puebla, Mexico. By analyzing the main factors involved in alleviating impoverished communities in the rural [...] Read more.
This paper presents distinct scenario pathways and their storylines resulting from an analysis of interdependencies. We identified the main drivers of a proposed renewable energy transition in rural Mixteca-Puebla, Mexico. By analyzing the main factors involved in alleviating impoverished communities in the rural region, we show the varying degrees to which these drivers influence, support, or hinder a promising energy transition. A Cross-Impact Balance Analysis was conducted to explore the multiple inter-relationships among a set of conditions. This methodology allowed us to evaluate the relationships between social, political, cultural, and environmental variables. The main drivers were identified as clusters of several elements, in which the uncertainties in governance and the legal system trigger the inter-relationship of forces in the area. The focus of this paper is to show how the societal aspects affect the structural energy transformation and its capacity for adaptation in future trends envisioned for the area. This research contributes to the use of technological transformation as a means to alleviate poverty in a rural area. These outcomes give insights regarding the conditions to be considered, in respect to possible–encouraging, but also pessimistic pathways for the region in coming decades. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Pathways for a Sustainable Energy System: Science Approaches for Identification and Assessment)
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14 pages, 832 KiB  
Article
Considering the Impacts of Metal Depletion on the European Electricity System
by Lei Xu, Zongfei Wang, Hasan Ümitcan Yilmaz, Witold-Roger Poganietz, Hongtao Ren and Ying Guo
Energies 2021, 14(6), 1560; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14061560 - 11 Mar 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2317
Abstract
The transformation of the European electricity system could generate unintended environment-related trade-offs, e.g., between greenhouse gas emissions and metal depletion. The question thus emerges, how to shape policy packages considering climate change, but without neglecting other environmental and resource-related impacts. In this context, [...] Read more.
The transformation of the European electricity system could generate unintended environment-related trade-offs, e.g., between greenhouse gas emissions and metal depletion. The question thus emerges, how to shape policy packages considering climate change, but without neglecting other environmental and resource-related impacts. In this context, this study analyzes the impacts of different settings of potential policy targets using a multi-criteria analysis in the frame of a coupled energy system and life cycle assessment model. The focus is on the interrelationship between climate change and metal depletion in the future European decarbonized electricity system in 2050, also taking into account total system expenditures of transforming the energy system. The study shows, firstly, that highly ambitious climate policy targets will not allow for any specific resource policy targets. Secondly, smoothing the trade-off is only possible to the extent of one of the policy targets, whereas, thirdly, the potential of recycling as a techno-economic option is limited. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Pathways for a Sustainable Energy System: Science Approaches for Identification and Assessment)
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22 pages, 1017 KiB  
Article
Streams Analysis for Better Air Quality: The German Lead City Program Assessed by the Policy Package Approach and the Multiple Streams Framework
by Lisa Schmieder, Dirk Scheer and Chiara Iurato
Energies 2021, 14(3), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14030596 - 25 Jan 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2420
Abstract
Air pollution caused by traffic and other sources remains a challenge in big cities and urbanized areas in Germany and abroad. Nitrogen dioxide emissions, particulate matter, noise emissions, and ozone are still problematic issues with negative impacts on both the environment and human [...] Read more.
Air pollution caused by traffic and other sources remains a challenge in big cities and urbanized areas in Germany and abroad. Nitrogen dioxide emissions, particulate matter, noise emissions, and ozone are still problematic issues with negative impacts on both the environment and human health. In 2018, the German Federal Government launched the “Lead City Program,” a €130-million fund to support five selected so-called Lead Cities in developing and implementing air quality policies. This article comparatively analyzes the policy-making process and policy content for better air quality in the three (out of five) Lead Cities—Essen, Herrenberg, and Reutlingen. Conceptually, we rely on two theoretical frameworks—the policy package approach (PPA) and the multiple streams framework (MSF). The objective, thus, is an ex-post analysis of policy development by means of two policy science-based concepts. Based on document-based desk research and qualitative interviews with policymakers and stakeholders in each of the three cities, we identified a number of key variables that created a window of opportunity and paved the way for the selection of the policy packages. The resulting five key variables are direct interaction between the different governance levels, long-standing non-compliance with the European Union (EU) NO2 limit values in many German cities, the resulting European and national infringement proceedings, the diesel scandal, and the Lead City Program as overall multiple stream-coupling facilitators. The results are then discussed regarding the explanatory power of MSF and PPA and the mutual potential linkages these concepts offer for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Pathways for a Sustainable Energy System: Science Approaches for Identification and Assessment)
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