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Green Innovation and Sustainable Energy Transition: Opportunities and Challenges

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 22 December 2025 | Viewed by 641

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
The Cyprus Institute, CY-1645 Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: sustainable Innovation; green economy; renewable energy; system transformation and theory of change; art and innovation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue presents a collection of studies that address the transition towards sustainable energy as the transformation of a key socio-technical system within the green innovation landscape.

The energy sector represents a determinant playground of the decabonization challenge, and mobilizes efforts in from varied fields, including engineering, digitalization, environmental science, behavioral and social sciences, policy, and economics. This collection aims to approach the topic from an innovation angle, offering a deeper understanding of the relevant opportunities arising from the transition in terms of the establishment of new industrial sectors, as well as socio-economic obstacles and resistance that impede the move away from traditional energy sources. We encourage the submission of applied empirical studies on specific innovative solutions or geographical contexts, as well as more theoretical work about the innovation dynamics in the energy sector and their relevance in achieving sustainability. We would appreciate manuscripts that address the role of innovation in addressing socio-ecological challenges in the field, such as energy poverty, lack of access to grids, market transparency, and environmental impacts of energy systems. 

This cross-disciplinary Special Issue will represent a resource for scholars, practitioners, innovators, economists and policymakers who are engaged in the transformation of the energy model to achieve its systemic sustainability.

Topics covered:

  • Uptake of innovative green solutions in the energy sector
  • Key enabling technologies for sustainable energy
  • Approaches to green finance in the energy sector
  • New business models for energy
  • Innovation policies and their role in the energy transition
  • Regional and sectoral features of sustainable energy innovation
  • Innovation management in the sustainable energy transition: patents, startups, innovation programs
  • Innovation in the energy supply chains
  • Analysis of socio-economic barriers against the energy transition
  • Innovation and energy socio-ecological challenges

Dr. Fabio Maria Montagnino
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

  • sustainable energy
  • green innovation
  • green business models
  • socio-technical transition

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 1718 KB  
Article
Green Innovation in Energy Storage for Isolated Microgrids: A Monte Carlo Approach
by Jake Elliot, Les Bowtell and Jason Brown
Energies 2025, 18(17), 4732; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18174732 - 5 Sep 2025
Abstract
Thursday Island, a remote administrative hub in Australia’s Torres Strait, exemplifies the socio-technical challenges of transitioning to sustainable energy amid diesel dependence and the intermittency of renewables. As Australia pursues Net Zero by 2050, innovative storage solutions are pivotal for enabling green innovation [...] Read more.
Thursday Island, a remote administrative hub in Australia’s Torres Strait, exemplifies the socio-technical challenges of transitioning to sustainable energy amid diesel dependence and the intermittency of renewables. As Australia pursues Net Zero by 2050, innovative storage solutions are pivotal for enabling green innovation in isolated microgrids. This study evaluates Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFBs) and Lithium-Ion batteries as key enabling technologies, using a stochastic Monte Carlo simulation to assess their economic viability through Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS), incorporating uncertainties in capital costs, operations, and performance over 20 years. Employing a stochastic Monte Carlo simulation with 10,000 iterations, this study provides a probabilistic assessment of LCOS, incorporating uncertainties in key parameters such as CAPEX, OPEX, efficiency, and discount rates, offering a novel, data-driven framework for evaluating storage viability in remote microgrids. Results indicate VRFBs’ superiority with a mean LCOS of 168.30 AUD/MWh versus 173.50 AUD/MWh for Lithium-Ion, driven by scalability, durability, and safety—attributes that address socio-economic barriers like high operational costs and environmental risks in tropical, off-grid settings. By framing VRFBs as an innovative green solution, this analysis highlights opportunities for new business models in remote energy sectors, such as reduced fossil fuel reliance (3.6 million litres diesel annually) and enhanced community resilience against energy poverty. It also underscores challenges, including capital uncertainties and policy needs for innovation uptake. This empirical case study contributes to the sustainable energy transition discourse, offering insights for policymakers on overcoming resistance to decarbonization in geographically constrained contexts, aligning with green innovation goals for systemic sustainability. Full article
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26 pages, 973 KB  
Article
Technological Readiness and Implementation Pathways for Electrifying Greek Coastal Ferry Operations: Insights from Norway’s Zero-Emission Ferry Transition
by Georgios Remoundos, Maria Lekakou, Georgios Stergiopoulos, Dimitris Gavalas, Ioannis Katsounis, Sofia Peppa, Dimitrios-Nikolaos Pagonis and Knut Vaagsaether
Energies 2025, 18(17), 4582; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18174582 - 29 Aug 2025
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Abstract
The decarbonization of short sea shipping is emerging as a critical priority for Mediterranean countries. This paper presents key findings from the ELECTRA-GR project, funded by the EEA Financial Mechanism (MIS 5202231), which aimed to evaluate the feasibility, technical readiness, and legislative requirements [...] Read more.
The decarbonization of short sea shipping is emerging as a critical priority for Mediterranean countries. This paper presents key findings from the ELECTRA-GR project, funded by the EEA Financial Mechanism (MIS 5202231), which aimed to evaluate the feasibility, technical readiness, and legislative requirements for the electrification of coastal ferry services in Greece. The study focused on two pilot routes—Salamis–Perama and Chios–Oinousses— representative of the high-frequency, short-distance ferry operations characteristic of the Greek archipelago. A comprehensive assessment was conducted combining technical fleet profiling, stakeholder consultations, legislative analysis, cost–benefit evaluations, and international benchmarking with Norway. For the base scenario of the high-traffic Salamis–Perama route, full electrification yields an annual reduction of approximately 900 tons of CO2 compared to diesel operation and achieves a Net Present Value (NPV) of €1.6 million over a 15-year period. In contrast, the Chios–Oinousses route, characterized by lower traffic volume, achieves a reduction of 85 tons of CO2 annually through hybrid conversion, but results in an NPV of €−1.69 million, underscoring the need for financial support mechanisms or targeted subsidies to ensure economic feasibility. The results indicate that electrification of short ferry routes in Greece is technically feasible and environmentally advantageous but faces significant challenges, including inadequate port infrastructure, regulatory gaps, and limited industrial readiness. The study proposes a structured roadmap toward electrification, emphasizing the modernization of shipyards, tailored policy instruments, and public–private cooperation. The findings contribute to the formulation of a scalable strategy for clean maritime transport in peripheral and island regions of Greece. Full article
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