In historic centers, construction works consist of complex activities that must balance the operative requirements and lower the impacts on a delicate and sensible environment. In this urban system, especially regarding relevant reconstruction processes such as post-natural disaster scenarios, construction operations are performed through the traditional construction processes, using fuel-based generators and vehicles with limited efficiency and with relevant impacts in terms of the consumed energy, noise and vibrations. In the global transition of the construction sectors towards a zero-emission and fuel-free future, construction sites in historic centers represent a particular opportunity where the application of fuel-free strategies is particularly feasible and can provide additional value in terms of the environmental impact, productivity and health and safety. This work addresses the need for a framework to provide the basis for the application of fuel-free principles in construction within historic city centers dealing with two major concepts: the adaptive construction site as a way to reduce the energy demand and the potential adoption of fuel-free machines. The former is derived from the analysis of a real project in the historic city of L’Aquila, while the latter is defined through the identification and categorization of the applicable electric machines, equipment and vehicles and the discussion of the limits, opportunities and added value of the fuel-free strategies. Full article

In the research carried out by the authors, an approach to the assessment of the project environment of technologically integrated “European Green Deal” projects using corn waste was developed, which takes into account the changing project environment, which determines the risk of the specific cost of disposal of corn waste. On the basis of the predicted approach and the established trends of changes in the specific volume of corn food products from its yield, as well as the specific cost of disposal of corn waste from its specific volume under the condition of maintaining the balance of organic carbon in the fields, a computer program in the Python 3.9 language was developed. The program makes it possible to speed up calculations and perform a quantitative assessment of the state of the project environment in certain regions of the implementation of projects of the “European Green Deal” (TIP of the EGD) using corn waste. An approach to assessing the state of the project environment of TIP of the EGD using corn waste is proposed. A block diagram of the algorithm for assessing the state of the project environment was created, which involves the implementation of ten stages. It provides for determining the dynamics of inequality of individual regions in terms of resource potential for the production of clean energy from corn waste according to the Gini index. The Gini index was used to assess three indicators that take full account of the unevenness and dispersion of raw materials in a given area for the production of clean energy. This provides a preliminary assessment of the risks to stakeholders for stakeholders in technologically integrated projects of the “European Green Deal” using maize waste. Based on the proposed approach, a computer program in Python 3.9 was developed. It provides an opportunity to speed up the calculations and perform a quantitative assessment, according to these indicators, of the state of the project environment in some regions regarding the TIP of the EGD. The uneven distribution of raw materials in the territory of Ukraine for the production of environmentally friendly energy from corn waste and the risk of value for stakeholders were assessed. It is established that in the territory of Ukraine there are nine regions (Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Chernivtsi), which do not ensure the preservation of the balance of organic carbon in the fields during long-term cultivation of corn. In addition, four regions of Ukraine (Vinnytsia, Poltava, Kherson, Zakarpattia) have an unfavorable project environment in terms of risk. In these regions, the Gini index exceeds the critical value of the three studied indicators. The Zakarpattia region is the most unfavorable for the implementation of the TIP of the EGD. It is established that the minimum material risk for the implementation of technologically integrated projects with the use of corn waste is observed in three regions of Ukraine (Sumy, Rivne, Ternopil). Full article

The article is seeking to analyse the coal transition in three Polish lignite regions as part of the scientific discussion on a just transition, which is a big challenge, especially in the regions and countries dependent on their own coal deposits as the main source of energy. Polish lignite mines are now entering the phase-out of coal, which results from implementing the assumptions of the Green Deal and the Paris climate agreement. The article answers the following question: what is the socio-economic resilience of coal regions in the context of the projected closure of mines in the coming years? The empirical analyses are based on secondary statistical data. The analysis and comparison of basic statistical data, i.e., the level of employment and lignite extraction in three lignite regions in the period from the end of the Second World War to 2017, allowed the authors to determine the phases of the adaptive cycle in which the individual regions are. In the second part of the study, the indicator evaluation method was used in order to calculate the Socio-Economic Resilience Index for individual areas (poviats) included in the coal regions, which made it possible to assess the current resilience and its intra-regional differentiation. The obtained results, which indicate that the regions under analysis are in different phases of the adaptive cycle and reveal their territorial heterogeneity, allow us to assume that the possibilities of a just energy transition of regions depend on the diversity of local conditions and resources, emphasising at the same time the territorial dimension of the issue of the energy transition. Full article

The oil and gas industry is a major economic driver in many regions and countries, providing workers with well-paid jobs and spurring investments and economic growth. The need to transition these industries in order to meet climate commitments presents a major challenge. How can the costs and risks to workers and communities of the transition be mitigated? How can stakeholders be included in decisions that impact them? How do transitions impact the broader economy of these regions and what are they transitioning to? Importantly, how can regional development policies support this process? This comparative policy review explores just transition management in three oil and gas dependent regions that have signified the need to transition away from the oil and gas sector, i.e., Taranaki (New Zealand), the northeast of Scotland, and the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark, drawing out key lessons and leading practices. These cases are positioned within an empirically grounded, conceptual framework of national and regional just transition policies. Full article

The objective of Poland’s energy policy is to guarantee energy security while enhancing economic competitiveness and energy efficiency, thus minimizing the power sector’s environmental impact and optimizing the use of energy resources in the country. Poland is not the only European country to rely on coal for power generation. Historical factors and large coal deposits act as natural barriers to increasing the share of renewable energy in the Polish power sector. Yet, today, environmental concerns and climate change are prompting many countries to move away from fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind energy, are an alternative to traditional energy generated from fossil fuels. However, investors developing solar and wind farms in Poland encounter numerous problems at each stage of the project. These difficulties are associated mainly with the location, technical requirements, infrastructure and formal and legal documents. This study aimed to identify the key factors that influence the development of photovoltaic power stations in Poland, with special emphasis on the choice of location and technical aspects of the investment process. The demand for clean energy and the renewable energy prospects for Poland are discussed based on the example of solar farms. Sixty-seven prospective farm locations were analyzed, and the results of the analysis were used to identify the main barriers and opportunities for renewable energy development in Poland. The option of connecting solar farms to the existing power grid was also examined. This study demonstrates that the development of solar farms in Poland is inhibited mainly by technical barriers, in particular the lack of options for connecting farms to the power grid, as well as the absence of support mechanisms and dedicated legislative solutions, rather than environmental obstacles. Full article

We confront empirical data on citizen-led renewable energy capacities in Poland with results obtained from a meta-theoretical, empirical analysis of the national energy system. We elicit and rank essential disabling and enabling factors that explain the current low level of citizen energy in Poland. Altogether, we estimate the contributions of individual and collective prosumers as amounting to about 3.2 GW, with PV installations contributing more than 90%. Most activities are rather recent and come from individual prosumers. The factors with the greatest explanatory power are connected with decades of a rigid, centralized Polish energy system going hand in hand with social, regulatory, and technical lock-ins. Strikingly, factors connected with the heritage of, and transition from, the socialist period are less important, but they do explain why substantially more contributions originate from individuals compared to collective prosumers. Our results show that the currently rather small size of citizen-installed renewable capacities and the modest number of collective initiatives in Poland are due to several barriers. This paper summarizes them and provides a novel scientific method of ranking enabling and disabling factors. This approach might be helpful for policymakers and social actors, seeking an answer to the perspectives of development of citizen-installed renewable energy capacities in Poland and other former Eastern Bloc countries. Full article

Anaerobic digestion (AD) plants undoubtedly represent an integral and irreplaceable element in rural energy transition and sustainable waste management. In our study, we focus on an advanced understanding of the dynamics behind the changing perceptions of AD plants in host communities in Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. The surveyed AD plant case studies were selected to represent best-practice examples of AD plant operations in their countries. By means of a comparative survey in three host communities, we seek to learn more about the shift in perceptions of AD plants between their planning and operational phases. We find that, although our cases are considered best-practice examples of AD plant operations, their overall support in their communities dramatically dropped in the operational phase consequent to real-life experience with living in the neighbourhood of an AD plant. Additionally, our findings indicate that respondents who reported the most severe deterioration of AD plant perceptions were, surprisingly, those who had participated in the planning process more than other respondents. The most frequently mentioned type of participation in the planning phase was reported to be visits to the local administration office to inspect an AD plant’s planning documentation. We argue that deteriorating perceptions of best-practice examples of AD plant operations negatively impact the further development and acceptance of the biogas sector in Eastern Europe. The element of acceptance by the locals of AD plant operations urgently requires reflection in the definition of best practices to inspire and upgrade both existing and planned biogas energy projects. Full article

Energy supply bases (ESBs) are vital regions, intended to satisfy global energy demands and secure global energy supplies, which provide large amounts of energy products to their host countries (and even the world through trade). However, due to long-term dependency on energy trade, ESBs are facing the dual pressure of reaching emission reduction targets and securing energy supplies and have become one of the main obstacles for host countries trying to reach emission reduction targets. (1) Methods: We used the EEBT model, SDA model, and CR model to explore the spatio-temporal features and mechanisms of embodied carbon emissions in inter-provincial trade (ECEs-PT) in Shanxi. (2) Results: The spatio-temporal development characteristic of net ECEs-PT outflow in Shanxi is “from expanded coverage to enhanced agglomeration”. A total of 98% of the net ECEs-PT is highly concentrated in coal mining and washing (Coalmin), metal smelting and rolling processing (MetalSmelt) and petroleum processing, coking, and nuclear fuel processing (RefPetraol). Moreover, the ECEs-PT driving forces were technology, structure, and scale. While trade expands, the pressure of CEs reduction is increasing. We discussed optimization for different types of sectors. The results could provide scientific support for similar ESBs to reduce carbon emissions more efficiently with less disturbance to energy supply stability. Full article

One of the main trends in the development of modern engine building is the use of biodiesel fuel, which can lead to a decrease in the reliability of engines that are not adapted to it. However, at present there is no general method for determining the reliability of fuel systems of internal combustion engines. In this paper, a reliability model of engine fuel systems when operating on biofuel has been developed. Comprehensive indicators for assessing the reliability of diesel engine fuel systems are the coefficient of readiness and technical use. The availability factor of the fuel system when operating on biodiesel fuel without the replacement of structural materials was 0.66, while with the replacement it was 0.71, and the coefficient of technical utilization without replacement of materials was 0.36, and with the replacement of 0.4. Recommendations are given to improve the reliability of the engine fuel system components. The resulting model allows for complex comparisons of the effectiveness of various ways to improve the reliability of engines running on biodiesel fuel. Full article

Manufacturing and the further utilization of biogas is an efficient way of complementing or replacing primary energy resources. Ukraine has followed the global tendency to substitute fossil energy sources with renewable ones, which particularly includes biogas. Considering the experience of European countries, as well as the potential and needs of Ukraine, the necessity of biogas plant building implies three main factors: obtaining the energy sources, selling agricultural products and by-products of biogas production, and managing the environmental issues surrounding biogas generation. The growth dynamics of biogas plants and their productivity were analyzed for the period of 2012–2019. In doing so, the capacity and potential capabilities of biogas production in Ukraine by means of biological waste and agricultural raw materials were assessed. The article focuses on the importance of resolving the issues of sanitary and technogenic protection in biogas plant building and biogas manufacturing. It also points out the reasons that prevent Ukraine from going forward with biogas projects, as well as the main factors that affect biogas plant viability and efficiency. Based on the statistical data of previous years and regression analysis, the authors calculated the production output and biogas transformation. Herein, the trend model and Excel software were applied. Full article

The essence of the research was to model the actual energy storage system obtained from photoelectric conversion in a phase change accumulator operating in a foil tunnel. The scope of the work covered the construction of four partial models, i.e., electricity yield from solar radiation conversion for three types of photovoltaic cells (mono- and polycrystalline and CIGS), energy storage in a PCM battery, heat losses in a PCM battery and energy collection from photoelectric conversion in PCM battery. Their construction was based on modelling methods selected on the basis of literature review and previous analyses, i.e., artificial neural networks (ANN), random forest (RF), enhanced regression trees (BRT), MARSplines (MARS), standard multiple regression (SMR), standard C&RT regression trees (CRT), exhaustive CHAID for regression (CHAID). Based on the analysis of the error values (APE, MAPE, ΔESR_t), the best quality models were selected and used in the further part of the work. Based on the developed models, a simulation of the influence of the size of the photovoltaic power plant and the type of cells on the process of storing energy from photoelectric conversion in a PCM battery was carried out. For the battery under study, a PV power output of 9 kWp for mono and polycrystalline panels and 13 kWp for CIGS panels is recommended for reasons of energy storage efficiency. The obtained results made it possible to develop a model determining the amount of energy stored in a phase change battery depending on the power of a photovoltaic power plant and variable solar conditions. In order to store the greatest amount of energy, we should choose a source with a capacity to produce at least 70 kWh of electricity per day. In the final stage of the work, the indicators of solar radiation energy storage in the tested phase change accumulator were determined. For the battery tested, the solar energy storage efficiency can reach 12–13% for mono and polycrystalline panels and less than 7% for CIGS panels. Full article

The essence of the research was the modeling of a real electric energy storage system in a phase change battery operating in a foil tunnel. The scope of the work covered the construction of two partial models, i.e., energy storage in the PCM accumulator and heat losses in the PCM accumulator. Their construction was based on modeling methods selected on the basis of a literature review and previous analyses, i.e., artificial neural networks, random forest, enhanced regression trees, MARS plines, standard multiple regression, standard regression trees, exhaustive for regression trees. Based on the analysis of the error values, the models of the best quality were selected. The final result of this study was the construction of such a model of the process of storing electricity in a PCM battery, characterized by the mean absolute percentage error forecast error of 1–2%. The achievement of this goal was possible thanks to the use of the artificial neural networks model for which the input variables were the amount of energy supplied to the accumulator and the temperature of the heat storage medium. Full article

Shifting from fossil to renewable energy sources is a major global challenge, and in this context, the European Union has promoted sustainable and environmentally friendly growth as early as the Maastricht Treaty of 1992. To date, European institutions have promulgated a series of environmental regulations and directives aimed at promoting and imposing adoption by member states of internal regulations. This paper is focused on Western Europe, and it explores, for each state under analysis, energy policies adopted, the results achieved and recommendations for the future growth of renewable energy. The results show that in countries where energy policy is not fragmented, the yield in renewable energies has been higher, and also in the states where more and various forms of subsidies are foreseen, growth seems to be greater. Finally, the paper provides useful recommendations and future policy implications for states that have not met the 2020 targets. Full article

Today, electricity tariffs play an essential role in the electricity retail market as they are the key factor for the decision-making of end-users. Additionally, tariffs are necessary for increasing competition in the electricity market. They have a great impact on load energy management. Moreover, tariffs are not taken as a fixed approach to expense calculations only but are influenced by many other factors, such as electricity generation, transmission, distribution costs, and governmental taxation. Thus, electricity pricing differs significantly between countries or between regions within a country. Improper tariff calculation methodologies in some areas have led to high-power losses, unnecessary investments, increased operational expenses, and environmental pollution due to the non-use of available sustainable energy resources. Due to the importance of electricity tariffs, the authors of this paper have been inspired to review all electricity tariff designs used worldwide. In this paper, 103 references from the last ten years are reviewed, showing a detailed comparison between different tariff designs and demonstrating their main advantages and drawbacks. Additionally, this paper reviews the utilized electricity tariffs in different countries, focusing on one of the most important countries in the Middle East and North Africa regions (Egypt). Finally, some recommended solutions based upon the carried-out research are discussed and applied to the case study for electricity tariff improvement in this region. This review paper can help researchers become aware of all the electricity tariff designs used in various countries, which can lead to their design improvements by using suitable software technologies. Additionally, it will increase end-users’ awareness in terms of deciding on the best electricity retail markets as well as optimizing their energy usage. Full article