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Global Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Challenges, Vol. 2

Scenarios, Materials, and Technology

Editors: Tessaleno Devezas, João Leitão, Askar Sarygulov, David J. LePoire, Bulat Khusainov

Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland

Book Series : World-Systems Evolution and Global Futures

Part of: Springer Professional "Business + Economics & Engineering + Technology" , Springer Professional "Engineering + Technology" , Springer Professional "Business + Economics"

Table of Contents

About this book

This two-volume book presents the challenges of the global energy transition, offering a comprehensive exploration of the policies and drivers shaping the pace and trajectory of this transformation. Highlighting regional development, the book shows how different models and scenarios of energy transition emerge. It discusses important factors, such as materials and technologies, shedding light on the opportunities and constraints for the energy transition.

Global warming and climate change influenced the change in people’s consciousness and their awareness of the need for more limited use of hydrocarbon resources. Changes in weather conditions, rising sea levels, and destructive climate events such as hurricanes, forest fires, droughts, floods, etc. have become more frequent. Many countries around the world, reacting to these changes, have developed long-term plans to actively replace fossil fuels - gas, oil, and coal with renewable energy sources, mainly solar and wind. However, the low replacement rates observed in the global energy sector over the past 30 years raise the question of how far the decarbonization scenarios and models being implemented by many countries bring us closer to the ultimate goal of creating an economy with a low carbon footprint.

Seeking answers, the volumes feature 22 chapters split across the two books, which in detail discuss various aspects of the energy transition and their impact on the sustainability of economic development and the future of energy. This second volume, "Scenarios, Materials, and Technology," explores mechanisms and technological drivers for a sustainable transition in 12 chapters, from local industries to national economies.

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Comparing Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions from Built Environments Across Developed and Developing Nations Under Various Energy Scenarios

Abstract

Consumption by the buildings sector accounts for more than 40% of global energy consumption. The consumption of energy resources by the buildings sector in developing countries is more than 60% of the total world consumption by buildings, and their share is growing. If the future energy consumption of developed countries is associated with an increase in the energy efficiency of buildings and the use of new energy-saving technologies, then in developing countries the processes of increasing energy consumption and restructuring the structure to more modern types and more energy efficient equipment will occur simultaneously. This will be influenced both by the conditions of internal and interfuel price competition, and by external pressure on developing countries in the framework of low-carbon development. The chapter proposes to form various options for saturating the energy needs of developing countries and the world (by building energy consumption model), to assess the cost, socioeconomic, and environmental consequences of different approaches to meeting the demand for energy and fuel in the building segment in the world and in developing countries.

Valery V. Semikashev, Aleksandra S. Terenteva, Maria S. Gayvoronskaya

Chapter 2. Renewable Energy and Barriers to Its Growth

Abstract

Many countries around the world have embarked on long-term plans to actively replace fossil fuels—gas, oil, and coal—with renewable energy sources (RES), mainly using solar and wind power. However, the slow pace of such substitution, which has been observed in the global energy sector over the past 30 years, casts doubt on the reality of these plans. This chapter discusses the main factors that may hinder the development of renewable energy sources, primarily solar, wind, and even batteries for electric vehicles. Along with the growing geopolitical friction, an additional factor restraining RES is the transition from a linear to a circular economy model, where the role of materials, and not just the critical ones, is dramatically increasing. The uneven economic development between countries with high technology and those with major reserves of strategically important materials necessary to reduce energy intensity can create great uncertainties in the world markets for goods and services. Taken together, these factors can become real barriers to changing the structure of energy consumption in favor of renewable energy sources.

Askar Sarygulov, Bulat Khusainov, Alissa Dubgorn, Andrea Tick, Polina Rukina

Chapter 3. International Aspects in Representation, Materials, and Modeling in Responding to the Energy and Environmental Transitions

Abstract

The transitions in energy and the environment are driving large-scale social and technological challenges and responses. These challenges include aspects of changing demographics, development, and consideration of the future (e.g., intergenerational issues). Among the approaches to address these challenges include improving energy-related material processes. These concerns have been incorporated into various models, which cover a wide variety of scenarios. Besides economic and social models, current data from energy and environmental monitoring provide insights into current scenarios, as well as long-term energy trends. Furthermore, options analysis can be used to follow the development of technologies with international implications. Among the topics discussed in this chapter are the emerging representations, energy materials processing, and modeling.

David J. Le Poire

Chapter 4. The Preponderance of Electric Vehicles and the Availability of “Green” Electricity

Abstract

The main advantage of electric vehicles, namely, their nonpolluting operation, is compromised when the electricity they use comes from burning fossil fuels. The number of electric vehicles on the road is growing much faster than the amount of “green” electricity produced. It is forecasted that in 2037 the number of electric vehicles on the road will need an amount of electricity equal to the entire “green” electricity produced at that time. Therefore, “green” operation of electric vehicles entering the market after 2037 will be impossible. The sales of hydrogen-burning vehicles are poised to overtake the sales of electric vehicles in 2041, but a nonpolluting overall operation for them is not guaranteed either at this time.

Theodore Modis

Chapter 5. No “One-Size-Fits-All” Solution for Energy Transition: Five Countries Scenario Analysis

Abstract

In the current energy situation, the discussion of a gradual transition from traditional energy sources such as oil, gas, and coal to more environmentally friendly energy sources, including renewable energy, is highly relevant. When considering this issue and developing energy transition scenarios, it is necessary to analyze for each country a number of peculiarities related to geographical location, availability of natural resources, current economic structure, and other factors. Each country has a unique combination of conditions and needs that define its unique energy transition scenario. The chapter is devoted to the development of scenarios of energy transition on the example of five countries with different input conditions for such a great change—Denmark, India, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Turkey. The scenarios were formed based on the mathematical models. Conclusions are drawn about possible energy strategies and their relation to the specifics of the analyzed countries.

Anastasia Levina, Olga Davydova, Sofia Kalyazina

Chapter 6. Advancing Sustainable Energy Transitions in Developing Countries: A Stakeholder-Informed Review of Enabling Frameworks

Abstract

This chapter reviews the existing enabling frameworks in the literature that aim to advance sustainable energy transitions in developing countries. In order to obtain a holistic understanding, a combination methodology that includes a literature review and stakeholder views of the challenges and barriers of energy transitions is employed. The chapter is organized as follows: first, a comprehensive review of the existing enabling frameworks and factors for energy transitions in both academic and gray literature is presented. Next, the crucial role of international cooperation in various forms is explored. Then, stakeholder perspectives on the challenges of energy transitions in developing countries are gathered and categorized. Based on these findings, the chapter presents an enabling framework that captures the multifaceted nature of energy transitions, including their key drivers. Overall, this chapter intends to contribute to our understanding of the complex challenges and opportunities involved in promoting sustainable energy transitions in developing countries.

João Simões

Chapter 7. The Role of Biomass in the Energy Transition: The Global Perspective

Abstract

The role of biomass in the energy transition and its global use prospects are considered. The authors analyzed the definitions of biomass in the energy sector and proposed its most general definition. The main types of biomasses that are used to develop new energy sources as an alternative to fossil fuels are studied, and their most accurate classification is highlighted. An assessment of the benefits and disadvantages of using energy from biomass and an analysis of the current state of the use of biomass in the fuel and energy complexes of various countries of the world was carried out. Offers of various types of biofuel application and its inputs to the countries included in the top countries using biomass for technological purposes. A classification of biofuels from biomass, consideration of technologies for obtaining energy from biomass, and an assessment of the prospects for their use are proposed. A general conclusion is made that the global prospects for the transition to green energy using biomass for each country.

Nikita Zibarev, Anna Oparina, Natalia Politaeva, Igor Ilin, Tessaleno Devеzes

Chapter 8. How a Battery and Key Metals Shortage Could Halt the Growth of the Electric Vehicle Market

Abstract

The future of electric vehicles (EVs) is closely tied to the development of advanced battery technologies that offer higher energy density, longer lifespan, faster charging, and lower cost. However, the mass adoption of electric vehicles requires a sustainable supply chain that addresses the ethical and environmental concerns associated with mining and processing the materials required for the production of batteries. This chapter explores the current state of battery technology and supply chain, the challenges associated with their development, and potential solutions for a sustainable future.

Johannes-Kornelius Rostovski

Chapter 9. Mathematical Modeling of the Rotational Motion of the Air Flow to Optimize the Parameters of a Vortex Wind Turbine

Abstract

The relevance of the study consists in the development of a new direction of wind devices with a vertical axis of rotation without mechanisms of pointing to the wind. The main purpose of the research was to develop a mathematical model to describe the new design of the wind turbine, the distinctive feature of which is the use of the vortex effect and the concentration of the flow at its direct supply to the blades of the wind wheel. The studied design consists of a flow concentrator, inside which is a wind wheel. A vertical pipe mounted on the concentrator is used to extract the flow. The research methods are numerical calculation and mathematical modeling of air flow. In the course of the study, a literary review and analysis of mathematical methods and existing designs of wind farms were carried out. The calculation results show that the narrowing channels of the concentrator are curvilinear in plan and are described by logarithmic dependence, which creates a stable vortex motion inside the structure and the vertical pipe. Based on the results of computational and laboratory experiments, a semi-industrial sample of a 5-kW vortex wind turbine was developed.

Marat Koshumbayev, Alisher Koshumbayev

Chapter 10. Systematic Literature and Bibliometric Analysis About Recycling, Circular Economy, Green Energy and Green Growth

Abstract

The present research aims to conduct a systematic review of Recycling, Circular Economy, Green Energy, and Green Growth looking for links between the papers published between 2005 and May 2022. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, it was possible to reach a sample of 80 articles selected in the Web of Science (WoS). The sample analysis shows that most of the articles published use a quantitative approach. The journal with the greatest impact, considering the metrics applied in this research, the American Economic Review has the largest Journal Impact Factor, h-index, and is the most cited. Research relating to this theme is developed in all continents; however, the more developed economies produce a greater number of publications, and the United States appears as the country that publishes the most studies in this sample. Finally, the research points out two hypothetical gaps that can be later explored.

H. V. E. Oliveira, V. Moutinho

Chapter 11. Exploring Alternatives: Is a Just Energy Transition Possible Without Combustion?

Abstract

A so-called energy transition is underway, and it is a complex and challenging process, at least for those who have a basic grasp of how the laws of physics and thermodynamics operate. One of the key issues is how to ensure that this transition is inclusive (“just”) and it does not jeopardize the enormous investments in people and industrial infrastructures that have been made in the past decades. Combustion is a key process technology in the current energy system, and it can continue to play a key role in a just energy transition, provided that we find ways to “de-fossilize” combustion, so that it does not contribute to climate change. While there are a number of challenges to face, these are not necessarily more difficult or costly to meet, than those that the current rush to “electrification” seems to conveniently ignore. It is therefore important to consider all potential routes to a just energy transition, taking into account all possible renewable energy carriers (electrons and chemical species of biological and non-biological origin), energy efficiency measures and technologies that enable circularity over the entire energy system. In the present study, we present an inclusive path for a just energy transition, one that does not need to impose a priori bans and recognizes the necessity of investing our necessarily limited resources based on holistic considerations.

Athanasios G. Konstandopoulos

Chapter 12. Key Performance Indicators for Sustainability Supply Chain Management of Marine Renewable Energies

Abstract

Production sustainable energy is one of the crucial issues in all countries. In this sense, marine renewable energies (MREs) can play a prominent role for the sustainable development of societies due to its abundant and sustainable characteristics. On the other hand, different sustainability limitations and less research have restricted their rapid commercialization. This study aims to identify the important indicators influencing sustainable supply chain of marine renewable technologies, using evidence from different phase of supply chain in MREs. Offshore wind, waves, tidal range, tidal currents, ocean currents, ocean thermal energy conversion, and salinity gradients are the main branches of MREs technologies, and they are related to the sustainability criteria: technical, economic, social, and environmental. From the 345 indicators generated from literature, 33 different indicators are considered relevant in with those four criteria of sustainability in four sections of supply chain (sourcing, delivery and distribution, consumption, and recycling part) using Fuzzy Delphi method. The results of the Fuzzy Delphi process showed that marine energy production to the local environment, facility cost of energy production, and consumption of energy are of highest importance. So, this research serves as a valuable guide for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers aiming to enhance the sustainability and viability of marine renewable energy supply chains.

Seyedasghar Bayatghiasi, João Carlos de Oliveira Matias, Mohamadreza Kamali, Fátima L. Alves

Title: Global Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Challenges, Vol. 2
Editors: Tessaleno Devezas
João Leitão
Askar Sarygulov
David J. LePoire
Bulat Khusainov
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-031-67587-4
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-67586-7
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-67587-4