scholarly journals Measurement of Fairness Perceptions in Energy Transition Research: A Factorial Survey Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 8084
Author(s):  
Ulf Liebe ◽  
Geesche M. Dobers
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Factorial Survey ◽  
Perceived Fairness ◽  
Energy Research ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Survey Experiments ◽  
Transition Research ◽  
Survey Approach

Justice and fairness are increasingly popular concepts in energy research and comprise several justice dimensions, including distributive and procedural justice, related to energy production and consumption. In this paper, we used factorial survey experiments—a method employed in sociological justice research—for energy transition research. In a factorial survey, respondents evaluated one or more situations described by several attributes, which varied in their levels. The experimental setup of factorial surveys is one of its advantages over simple survey items, as based on this, the relative importance of each attribute for justice evaluations can be determined. We employed the method in a study on the perceived fairness of renewable energy expansion projects related to wind energy, solar energy, and biomass in Germany, and considered aspects of procedural and distributive justice. We show that the effects of these justice dimensions can be separated and the heterogeneity in justice evaluations can be explained. Compared to previous studies applying factorial survey experiments to explain the acceptance of renewable energy projects, we employed the method to directly measure justice concerns and asked respondents to evaluate the vignettes in terms of perceived fairness. This is important because acceptance and fairness as well as inequality and injustice are different phenomena.

Reimaging the Routes to Resilience & Renewables in the CARICOM & OECS Caribbean

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-135
Author(s):  
Alana Malinde S.N. Lancaster
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Imported Oil

The states of the CARICOM and OECS Caribbean are small island developing states (SIDS) which are exceedingly vulnerable to economic and ecological shocks. Examples of vulnerability are the economic cost of a heavy reliance on imported oil & gas resources, and the pernicious effects of climate change. A key strategy to mitigate these vulnerabilities is to invest in renewables, increase resilience, and effect an energy transition for the Region. However, research and data on renewable energy and resilience in the region is still evolving. Further, it has become apparent from stakeholder fora such as CREF and IRAC that there are certain fundamental elements which need to be understood and addressed before the Region can achieve a just energy transition. The first is a clear understanding of what resilience means for the Region's renewable energy sector. The second relates to financing options which incorporate elements of resilience into renewable energy projects. Thirdly, in the rebuilding from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is recognised that reimagining full gender equality in the energy sector will be key to sustainable and competitive development. This Article explores the recent developments to re-imaging the route to resilience and renewables in the CARICOM & OECS Caribbean through collaborative efforts at the regional level. It also sets out the next steps in these three fundamental areas and outlines the role for future research to support these regional initiatives.

Energy Production and Consumption Patterns and Planning: A Case of Northeast Minnesota

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 373-392
Author(s):  
Felix Amenumey ◽  
Melissa Pawlisch ◽  
Okechukwu Ukaga
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Technical Expertise ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Set Up

The Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) is a project designed to give local citizens and other stakeholders a voice in planning and determining their energy future. In total, there are seven CERTs operating in seven regions across Minnesota, USA. CERTs connect citizens with technical expertise to facilitate planning and implementation of energy conservation and renewable energy projects. These technical resources are helping the teams identify and prioritize the most appropriate and cost-effective opportunities within their regions. This paper will describe one of these energy teams (the Northeast CERT) and its efforts in promoting clean energy production and conservation. A key product of the Northeast CERT is a strategic energy plan that highlights the region's top energy priorities. As part of its project priorities, the Northeast Minnesota CERT is working to set up demonstration projects at every school and community in the region. Toward this goal, the team is currently collaborating with two schools in the region to set up renewable energy projects such as wind and solar, which in turn would help students to understand that renewables and conservation can and should be an integral part of our energy system.

scholarly journals The Potential of Vehicle-to-Grid to Support the Energy Transition: A Case Study on Switzerland

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4812
Author(s):  
Loris Di Natale ◽  
Luca Funk ◽  
Martin Rüdisüli ◽  
Bratislav Svetozarevic ◽  
Giacomo Pareschi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Large Share ◽  
Vehicle To Grid ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
The Impact

Energy systems are undergoing a profound transition worldwide, substituting nuclear and thermal power with intermittent renewable energy sources (RES), creating discrepancies between the production and consumption of electricity and increasing their dependence on greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive imports from neighboring energy systems. In this study, we analyze the concurrent electrification of the mobility sector and investigate the impact of electric vehicles (EVs) on energy systems with a large share of renewable energy sources. In particular, we build an optimization framework to assess how Evs could compete and interplay with other energy storage technologies to minimize GHG-intensive electricity imports, leveraging the installed Swiss reservoir and pumped hydropower plants (PHS) as examples. Controlling bidirectional EVs or reservoirs shows potential to decrease imported emissions by 33–40%, and 60% can be reached if they are controlled simultaneously and with the support of PHS facilities when solar PV panels produce a large share of electricity. However, even if vehicle-to-grid (V2G) can support the energy transition, we find that its benefits will reach their full potential well before EVs penetrate the mobility sector to a large extent and that EVs only contribute marginally to long-term energy storage. Hence, even with a widespread adoption of EVs, we cannot expect V2G to single-handedly solve the growing mismatch problem between the production and consumption of electricity.

scholarly journals Sustainability, Sociocultural Challenges, and New Power of Capitalism for Renewable Energy Megaprojects in an Indigenous Mayan Community of Mexico

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amina El Mekaoui ◽  
Rasikh Tariq ◽  
Othón Baños Ramírez ◽  
P.E. Méndez-Monroy
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Power Relations ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Basic Element ◽  
Scientific Discussion ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Sociocultural Contexts

Sustainable development is an integrated blend of energetic, economic, social, environmental, and governmental actors, making it one of the most challenging and subjective aims of the United Nations. A sustainability project that does not consider any of these parameters can generate resistance among different actors of society. In this work, we have demonstrated that the traditional definition of sustainability encompassing economic development, environmental protection, and social justice does not adequately cover large-scale renewable energy projects. We have presented an illuminating case study of solar development in the Yucatan state of Mexico to show that the traditional three-legged stool of sustainable development fails to accommodate local power relations and their role in energy decision-making. This point is made through a substantive and illuminating ethnography of a solar project in the community of San José Tipceh, which involves the importance of energy democracy and understanding power relations in any assessment of sustainable development. These power relations are an important component of sustainable development, and all megaprojects, especially renewable energy projects, require special attention in the governance processes. Through an analysis of an example of implementation of a mega solar project, we argue that the methodology through which the power is exercised is an exercise of great importance because it leads us to a scientific discussion that structures an international reflection on sustainability. The case study consists of mixed methods, including several techniques to deepen the analysis of sociocultural aspects, and tries to present the limits and show the weakness of the sustainability perspective in such megaprojects. It is concluded that environmental justice as a basic element of the new era of renewable energies is limited and can generate social injustices. In the same way, this work shows how power is exercised in the implementation of energy projects and in the absence of equitable comprehensive governance that does not consider the local sociocultural contexts of the communities, resulting in the generation of new powers and permanent conflicts. At the end of this work, a framework to empower local sociocultural contexts for an equitable energy transition is recommended.

scholarly journals The Power of Co-Creation in the Energy Transition—DART Model in Citizen Energy Communities Projects

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (17) ◽  
pp. 5266
Author(s):  
Bożena Ryszawska ◽  
Magdalena Rozwadowska ◽  
Roksana Ulatowska ◽  
Marcin Pierzchała ◽  
Piotr Szymański
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Success Factor ◽  
Energy Transformation ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Creation Process ◽  
Housing Cooperatives ◽  
Energy Projects

Successful energy transformation is interconnected with greater citizenry participation as prosumers. The search for novel solutions to implement the transition to renewable energy that will neutralize the barriers to this process, e.g., the reluctance of citizens to get involved, lack of trust in decision-makers and lack of co-ownership of energy projects, is inevitable as a part of the bottom-up process. Energy communities have vast potential to scale up Renewable Energy projects. Due to the fact that in Poland, establishing citizen energy communities in the cities is not allowed, the key success factor of energy transformation is to engage housing cooperatives and other housing communities in this process. A similar legal framework prevents communities from establishing themselves in the Czech Republic and Hungary. The research problem of this paper is to identify determinants of the co-creation process in Renewable Energy project activation at the housing cooperative level. The aim is to identify key conditions that housing cooperatives should establish in order to successfully undertake Renewable Energy project implementation using a co-creation approach. The literature study shows that the term “co-creation” is not often used in energy transition projects, although many local energy transitions are indeed co-created, unfortunately not in a structured methodical manner. In the research, we apply the DART (Dialogue, Access, Risk, Transparency) model as the framework to conduct the analysis. The study has been carried out using quantitative and qualitative research methods and based on primary and secondary data. Our findings indicate that considering the different areas of the DART model, co-creation was most visible in the area of dialogue-communication between cooperative authorities and its members, while it was least visible in the area of transparency. Based on the results pertaining to the implemented project, the researchers postulate the inclusion of factors beyond the DART model that further shape the co-creation process.

scholarly journals Renewable Energy in the Pomerania Voivodeship—Institutional, Economic, Environmental and Physical Aspects in Light of EU Energy Transformation

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 8221
Author(s):  
Bartłomiej Iglinski ◽  
Karol Flisikowski ◽  
Michał Bernard Pietrzak ◽  
Urszula Kiełkowska ◽  
Mateusz Skrzatek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Green Economy ◽  
Energy Transformation ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Research Hypothesis ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
The Eu

In the era of globalization and rapid economic growth, affecting most world economies, increased production and consumption are leading to higher levels of energy production and consumption. The growing demand for energy means that energy resources from conventional sources are not sufficient; moreover, its production generates high costs and contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases and waste. In view of the above, many countries have opted to implement an energy transformation. The energy transition allows the transition from an energy system based on conventional fuels to an energy system based mainly on renewable energy (RE) and low-emission sources. In the EU, the development of a “green economy” has become a strategic goal in the fight against climate change. The development of RE offers the possibility to improve the energy security of a given country and the entire EU. New, innovative technologies of RE also increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of the economies of the Member States. In line with the EU strategy, the activities carried out aim to achieve a situation in which, in 2050, the activities of economies will not endanger the environment. The main purpose of this article was the assessment of the RE sector in the Pomerania region in the context of energy transformation. To achieve this goal, PEST analysis regarding the functioning of the RE sector in the selected Polish region was used and the potential of the RE sector was determined using GIS tools on the basis of physical conditions. The article presents the research hypothesis that the RE sector within the Pomerania Voivodeship possesses appropriate energy potential, which will allow this Voivodeship to become an energy self-sufficient region based on the use of these energy sources (according to EU strategy). The implementation of the goal set in the article allowed for the verification of the research hypothesis, where the determined energy potential from the RE sector would cover the Voivodeship’s needs due to the use of electricity and heat. The conducted research shows that the RE sector in these regions has high energy potential to meet the criteria outlined in EU legal documents and to implement them successfully within the intended period.

What Can We Learn From Factorial Surveys About Human Behavior?

Methodology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Knut Petzold ◽  
Tobias Wolbring
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Actual Behavior ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Factorial Survey ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Intended Behavior ◽  
The Social ◽  
Survey Experiments ◽  
High Level

Abstract. Factorial survey experiments are increasingly used in the social sciences to investigate behavioral intentions. The measurement of self-reported behavioral intentions with factorial survey experiments frequently assumes that the determinants of intended behavior affect actual behavior in a similar way. We critically investigate this fundamental assumption using the misdirected email technique. Student participants of a survey were randomly assigned to a field experiment or a survey experiment. The email informs the recipient about the reception of a scholarship with varying stakes (full-time vs. book) and recipient’s names (German vs. Arabic). In the survey experiment, respondents saw an image of the same email. This validation design ensured a high level of correspondence between units, settings, and treatments across both studies. Results reveal that while the frequencies of self-reported intentions and actual behavior deviate, treatments show similar relative effects. Hence, although further research on this topic is needed, this study suggests that determinants of behavior might be inferred from behavioral intentions measured with survey experiments.

Renewable Energy on Tribal Lands: A Feasibility Study for a Biomass-to-Energy Plant on the Cocopah Reservation in Arizona

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Lauren K. D’Souza ◽  
William L. Ascher ◽  
Tanja Srebotnjak
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
The United States ◽  
Biomass Energy ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Energy Plant ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Alternative Investment

Native American reservations are among the most economically disadvantaged regions in the United States; lacking access to economic and educational opportunities that are exacerbated by “energy insecurity” due to insufficient connectivity to the electric grid and power outages. Local renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and biomass offer energy alternatives but their implementation encounters barriers such as lack of financing, infrastructure, and expertise, as well as divergent attitudes among tribal leaders. Biomass, in particular, could be a source of stable base-load power that is abundant and scalable in many rural communities. This case study examines the feasibility of a biomass energy plant on the Cocopah reservation in southwestern Arizona. It considers feedstock availability, cost and energy content, technology options, nameplate capacity, discount and interest rates, construction, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, and alternative investment options. This study finds that at current electricity prices and based on typical costs for fuel, O&M over 30 years, none of the tested scenarios is presently cost-effective on a net present value (NPV) basis when compared with an alternative investment yielding annual returns of 3% or higher. The technology most likely to be economically viable and suitable for remote, rural contexts—a combustion stoker—resulted in a levelized costs of energy (LCOE) ranging from US$0.056 to 0.147/kWh. The most favorable scenario is a combustion stoker with an estimated NPV of US$4,791,243. The NPV of the corresponding alternative investment is US$7,123,380. However, if the tribes were able to secure a zero-interest loan to finance the plant’s installation cost, the project would be on par with the alternative investment. Even if this were the case, the scenario still relies on some of the most optimistic assumptions for the biomass-to-power plant and excludes abatement costs for air emissions. The study thus concludes that at present small-scale, biomass-to-energy projects require a mix of favorable market and local conditions as well as appropriate policy support to make biomass energy projects a cost-competitive source of stable, alternative energy for remote rural tribal communities that can provide greater tribal sovereignty and economic opportunities.

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