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Methods and Applications for Assessing Environmental Sustainability of Energy Technologies...
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Methods and Applications for Assessing Environmental Sustainability of Energy Technologies and Systems

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 18496

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Alexis Laurent

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division for Quantitative Sustainability Assessment (QSA), Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Interests: environmental sustainability assessment; life cycle assessment (LCA) method development and applications; environmental impact assessment; pollutant release inventories; national and sectoral footprints; absolute vs. relative sustainability; environmental sustainability of energy technologies and systems; quantification of marine plastics pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Goal number 7 of the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is specifically dedicated to energy, with, among others, an objective to achieve “sustainable energy”. Other SDGs can also be found relevant to energy systems, including SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production or SDG 13 directed at tackling climate change. Energy systems are key in supporting our socioeconomic systems, and include a large variety of technologies and systems behind the generation and provision of electricity and heat as well as transportation. In our striving to address global sustainability challenges, a transition from high-impact technologies and energy sources towards more environmentally friendly alternatives has been increasingly recognized as a necessary and urgent step. To ensure that such developments of energy systems are actually associated with more environmental sustainability, it is important to use comprehensive assessment tools and methodologies. In support of that effort, life cycle assessment (LCA) is paramount, owing to its holistic dimension in covering the entire life cycle of the systems and in encompassing all relevant environmental problems. This prevents occurrences of burden-shifting from one life cycle stage to another (e.g., use stage to production stage for example when switching from fossils to some renewables) or from one environmental impact to another (e.g., reduction of carbon footprint at the expense of other relevant impacts, like damages from toxic chemical releases on ecosystems and human health).

Over the years, LCA has been widely applied to energy systems, with a large proportion of studies applied to single technologies – typically to assist new developments with eco-design – although an increasing body of literature has also investigated entire large-scale systems, like assessments of national or regional energy policies. This Special Issue aims to gather state-of-the-art knowledge in the method development and application of LCA to energy systems, including technologies and systems related to all transportation modes and/or electricity and heat generation (either/both supply and demand sides). To meet this broad objective, I, therefore, invite you to submit contributions addressing the following topics (non-exhaustive list):

  • Overall roles that LCA can play in supporting more environmentally sustainable energy systems.
  • Use of LCA as a support to achieve UN SDGs related to energy (e.g. SGD no. 7), including development and application of life-cycle-based indicators for that purpose.
  • Different uses of LCA for eco-design, identification of environmental hotspots, comparative studies, benchmarking of technologies or systems, etc.
  • LCA applied to micro-, meso- and macro-scale systems, ranging from single technologies to power plants or entire utility company up to full systems like transportation in a given urban or (inter-)national system.
  • Provision of life cycle inventories (LCI) for emerging technologies or systems to increase the availability of LCI for future LCA studies.
  • Method development and application of LCA to energy system models as supports for energy policy-making (including both historical and prospective assessments)
  • Combination of LCA with other assessment and management tools for energy decision- and policy-making
  • Inclusion of absolute sustainability in the application of LCA to energy systems
  • Use of life cycle sustainability assessment to integrate economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability for energy systems

Assoc. Prof. Alexis Laurent
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

  • LCA
  • life cycle analysis
  • life cycle assessment
  • energy systems
  • electricity and heat generation
  • transport
  • environmental impact assessment
  • environmental sustainability
  • sustainable development goals
  • life cycle inventories
  • energy policy
  • energy transition
  • renewables
  • absolute sustainability
  • energy technologies
  • eco-design
  • prospective assessments
  • environmental burden-shifting
  • human health impacts
  • ecosystems damage

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

8 pages, 881 KiB  
Communication
Comparing Permitted Emissions to Atmospheric Observations of Hydrocarbons in the Eagle Ford Shale Suggests Permit Violations
by Joel Holliman and Gunnar W. Schade
Energies 2021, 14(3), 780; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14030780 - 02 Feb 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2751
Abstract
The recent decade’s rapid unconventional oil and gas development in the Eagle Ford of south-central Texas has caused increased hydrocarbon emissions, which we have previously analyzed using data from a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality air quality monitoring station located downwind of the [...] Read more.
The recent decade’s rapid unconventional oil and gas development in the Eagle Ford of south-central Texas has caused increased hydrocarbon emissions, which we have previously analyzed using data from a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality air quality monitoring station located downwind of the shale area. Here, we expand our previous top-down emissions estimate and compare it to an estimated regional emissions maximum based on (i) individual facility permits for volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, (ii) reported point source emissions of VOCs, (iii) traffic-related emissions, and (iv) upset emissions. This largely permit-based emissions estimate accounted, on average, for 86% of the median calculated emissions of C3-C6-hydrocarbons at the monitor. Since the measurement-based emissions encompass a smaller section of the shale than the calculated maximum permitted emissions, this strongly suggests that the actual emissions from oil and gas operations in this part of the Eagle Ford exceeded their permitted allowance. Possible explanations for the discrepancy include emissions from abandoned wells and high volumes of venting versus flaring. Using other recent observations, such as large fractions of unlit flares in the Permian shale basin, we suggest that the excessive venting of raw gas is a likely explanation. States such as Texas with significant oil gas production will need to require better accounting of emissions if they are to move towards a more sustainable energy economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Methods and Applications for Assessing Environmental Sustainability of Energy Technologies and Systems)
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18 pages, 1389 KiB  
Article
Powering a Sustainable and Circular Economy—An Engineering Approach to Estimating Renewable Energy Potentials within Earth System Boundaries
by Harald Desing, Rolf Widmer, Didier Beloin-Saint-Pierre, Roland Hischier and Patrick Wäger
Energies 2019, 12(24), 4723; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en12244723 - 11 Dec 2019
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 7818
Abstract
This study proposes a method to estimate the appropriability of renewable energy resources at the global scale, when Earth system boundaries/needs and the human demand for chemical energy are respected. The method is based on an engineering approach, i.e., uncertainties of parameters and [...] Read more.
This study proposes a method to estimate the appropriability of renewable energy resources at the global scale, when Earth system boundaries/needs and the human demand for chemical energy are respected. The method is based on an engineering approach, i.e., uncertainties of parameters and models are considered and potentials calculated with 99 % confidence. We used literature data to test our method and provide initial results for global appropriable technical potentials (ATP) that sum up to 71 TW , which is significantly larger than the current global energy demand. Consequently, there is sufficient renewable energy potentially available to increase energy access for a growing world population as well as for a development towards increasingly closed material cycles within the technosphere. Solar energy collected on the built environment ( 29 % ) and in desert areas ( 69 % ) represent the dominant part of this potential, followed in great distance by hydro ( 0.6 % ), terrestrial heat ( 0.4 % ), wind ( 0.35 % ), and biomass ( 0.2 % ). Furthermore, we propose indicators to evaluate an energy mix on different levels, from an energy mix in single products to the mix used by the global economy, against the estimated RE potentials, which allow an evaluation and consideration in the design of sustainable–circular products and systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Methods and Applications for Assessing Environmental Sustainability of Energy Technologies and Systems)
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Graphical abstract

21 pages, 1937 KiB  
Article
Performance Evaluation of Energy Transition Based on the Technique for Order Preference by a Similar to Ideal Solution and Support Vector Machine Optimized by an Improved Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm
by Zhen Li, Yun Li and Yanbin Li
Energies 2019, 12(16), 3059; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en12163059 - 08 Aug 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1947
Abstract
Energy transition is an important factor when dealing with climate change and energy crisis under resource constraints. The performance evaluation of it is significant for improving and promoting the process of energy transition. This paper explores the application of the support vector machine [...] Read more.
Energy transition is an important factor when dealing with climate change and energy crisis under resource constraints. The performance evaluation of it is significant for improving and promoting the process of energy transition. This paper explores the application of the support vector machine improved by the artificial bee colony algorithm (IABC-SVM) method in the energy transition performance evaluation process. It provides an intelligent evaluation tool for the evaluation of the regional energy transition performance. Firstly, the evaluation indicator system of energy transition is constructed from five dimensions: energy supply, demand, efficiency, institution, and environment. Then, the technique for order preference by a similar to ideal solution improved by a combination weighting (CW-TOPSIS) method and IABC-SVM are constructed. After that, according to the evaluation values of 30 provinces in China calculated by CW-TOPSIS, 10-fold cross validation is used to compare the errors of support vector machine (SVM), support vector machine optimized by the artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC-SVM), and IABC-SVM, which proves the effectiveness and accuracy of IABC-SVM in evaluating the performance of energy transition. Finally, the IABC-SVM is used to evaluate the energy transition performance of 30 provinces in 2016. Through a comparative analysis, the relevant suggestions of energy transition are put forward. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Methods and Applications for Assessing Environmental Sustainability of Energy Technologies and Systems)
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19 pages, 2587 KiB  
Article
An Air Pollutant Emission Analysis of Brazilian Electricity Production Projections and Other Countries
by Rafaella de Souza Henriques, Rodney Rezende Saldanha and Lineker Max Goulart Coelho
Energies 2019, 12(15), 2851; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en12152851 - 24 Jul 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2571
Abstract
In the face of the population’s growing awareness about environmental degradation, air pollutant emissions from electricity production become a very relevant issue. Therefore, the present work aims to evaluate the greenhouse gases (GHG), NOx and SO2 emissions in the Brazilian electricity [...] Read more.
In the face of the population’s growing awareness about environmental degradation, air pollutant emissions from electricity production become a very relevant issue. Therefore, the present work aims to evaluate the greenhouse gases (GHG), NOx and SO2 emissions in the Brazilian electricity production, using the expected capacity expansion from Ten-Year Energy Expansion Plan-2027, the current installed capacity of power generation and the electrical load factor. This study was based on data provided by official institutions that are responsible for the electricity sector as well as academic studies of the area. In order to obtain a better analysis of the most likely air pollutant emission values bounds, a Monte Carlo simulation was performed. In addition, the 2017 energy production emissions from Brazil, France, China, and the USA were evaluated and compared. The results indicate that non-renewable sources of energy have a negative environmental impact. In general, the emissions of CO2-eq and NOx per MWh are increasing according to Brazilian energy generation projections, but when compared with global indicator Brazil has an affordable electricity mix in terms of air pollutant emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Methods and Applications for Assessing Environmental Sustainability of Energy Technologies and Systems)
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15 pages, 2846 KiB  
Article
Correlation Analysis between Land Use/Cover Change and Air Pollutants—A Case Study in Wuyishan City
by Zhipeng Zhu, Guangyu Wang and Jianwen Dong
Energies 2019, 12(13), 2545; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en12132545 - 02 Jul 2019
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 2906
Abstract
Land use changes have significantly altered the natural environment in which humans live. In urban areas, diminishing air quality poses a large threat to human health. In order to investigate the relationship between land use/cover change (LUCC) and air pollutants of Wuyishan City [...] Read more.
Land use changes have significantly altered the natural environment in which humans live. In urban areas, diminishing air quality poses a large threat to human health. In order to investigate the relationship between land use/cover change (LUCC) and air pollutants of Wuyishan City between 2014–2017, an integrated approach was used by combining remote sensing techniques with a landscape ecology methods. Annual, seasonal, and weekly mean values of air pollutant (SO2, NO2, CO, PM10, O3, PM2.5, black carbon) concentration and atmospheric visibility were calculated to develop a Pearson correlation between LUCC and air pollutants concentration. Results showed an increase in forested areas (1.79%) and water areas (15.89%), with a simultaneous reduction in cultivated land (6.47%), bare land (72.61%), and built-up land (16.03%) from 2014 to 2017. The transition matrix of land use types revealed that (i) forest expansion took place mainly at the expense of cultivated land (13.94%) and bare land (27.48%); and (ii) water area expansion took place mainly at the expense of cultivated land (1.29%) and forests (0.21%). In 2017, the proportion of days with AQI level I (94.52%) was higher than that in 2014 (88.77%). Additionally, the annual average visibility in 2017 (37.42 km) was higher than 2014 (27.46 km). The concentration of SO2, CO, O3, and black carbon was positively correlated with the cultivated land. The concentration of SO2, CO, and black carbon negatively correlated with the increase of forests. PM10, and PM2.5 is negatively correlated with the water area. Visibility was found to be positively correlated with forested area, and negatively correlated with cultivated land. The findings from this study represent a valuable gain in understanding of policies aimed at improving, safeguarding, and monitoring air quality. These results can be used to inform land-use planning decisions in a comprehensive way and could be a valuable tool for LUCC rational management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Methods and Applications for Assessing Environmental Sustainability of Energy Technologies and Systems)
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