Editorial

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4 pages, 183 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

The Role of Spatial Policy Tools in Renewable Energy Investment

by Maciej J. Nowak, Valentine Udoh James and Oleg Golubchikov

Energies 2022, 15(7), 2393; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15072393 - 24 Mar 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1325

Abstract

There is an extensive and rapidly growing body of literature on renewable energy [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Spatial Policy Tools in Renewable Energy Investment)

Research

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17 pages, 330 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Premises and Key Conditions for the Use of UAVs for Delivery of Items on the Example of the Polish Courier and Postal Services Market

by Jacek Buko, Marek Bulsa and Adam Makowski

Energies 2022, 15(4), 1403; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15041403 - 15 Feb 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2288

Abstract

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the delivery of courier and postal items has the potential to provide benefits in breaking down terrain barriers and reducing congestion in urban areas. In addition, the trend to move away from polluting fossil fuels [...] Read more.

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the delivery of courier and postal items has the potential to provide benefits in breaking down terrain barriers and reducing congestion in urban areas. In addition, the trend to move away from polluting fossil fuels prompts delivery companies to invest in low- and zero-emission means of transport. Electric UAVs reduce environmental contamination in the delivery area and can also be directly powered by renewable energy sources. The aim of this study is to identify the premises and conditions of UAV implementation on the example of companies delivering courier and postal items in Poland. The basic research methods used for the preparation of this study are critical analysis of the literature on the subject, synthesis, and generalisation, which led to the authors’ own research conducted through partially categorised oral interviews. The conducted considerations confirm the existence of premises and the ability of UAVs for the effective delivery of items. In Poland, the most important limitation in the implementation and dissemination of this delivery method is the high level of social scepticism, reaching 43%. If actions are not taken to neutralise this attitude of society, this factor may effectively prevent the use of UAVs for delivery services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Spatial Policy Tools in Renewable Energy Investment)

20 pages, 2048 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Linking the National Energy and Climate Plan with Municipal Spatial Planning and Supporting Sustainable Investment in Renewable Energy Sources in Austria

by Susanne Geissler, Abraham Arevalo-Arizaga, David Radlbauer and Peter Wallisch

Energies 2022, 15(2), 645; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15020645 - 17 Jan 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2448

Abstract

The Austrian National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) refers to spatial planning as an important instrument to achieve 2030 targets because the technical potential of renewable energy sources (RES) are closely related to the types of land use. In Austria, land use is [...] Read more.

The Austrian National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) refers to spatial planning as an important instrument to achieve 2030 targets because the technical potential of renewable energy sources (RES) are closely related to the types of land use. In Austria, land use is regulated by the spatial planning laws of the nine provinces, whereby the municipalities play an important role. It was the objective of the transFORMAT project to understand the scope for action of the municipalities with regard to promoting renewable energy use, and to understand the practical implications for renewable energy projects. To this end, the consolidated versions of spatial planning laws were analyzed and supported by a software tool (transFORMAT-Analyzer) that was developed to facilitate this process and the resulting follow-up activities. Responsible administrative departments were approached for supplementary information when deemed necessary. As a conclusion, the legal instrument (municipal ordinance), called a municipal development plan or concept, represents a long-term plan for the development of the municipality with the obligation or the option for revision under specific conditions. In theory, these revision intervals could be used to better align municipal plans with the NECP. In practice, however, significant barriers exist and opportunities for improvement have been identified, leading to recommendations on how investments in renewable energy systems can be planned more realistically and, thus, more sustainably. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Spatial Policy Tools in Renewable Energy Investment)

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18 pages, 461 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Harvesting Technologies and Costs of Biomass Production from Energy Crops Cultivated on Farms in the Małopolska Region

by Dariusz Kwaśniewski, Aleksandra Płonka and Paweł Mickiewicz

Energies 2022, 15(1), 131; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15010131 - 24 Dec 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2482

Abstract

This study aimed to assess biomass production costs from perennial energy crops, such as Miscanthus giganteus, Sida hermaphrodita, and coppiced willow, in selected agricultural holdings. This assessment was based on applied technologies for harvesting the biomass of the energy crops mentioned [...] Read more.

This study aimed to assess biomass production costs from perennial energy crops, such as Miscanthus giganteus, Sida hermaphrodita, and coppiced willow, in selected agricultural holdings. This assessment was based on applied technologies for harvesting the biomass of the energy crops mentioned above. The scope of the study included research on ten farms located in Małopolska and establishing the possibility of biomass production from selected energy crops in these entities. Biomass production costs have been estimated using the computer application “Bioalkylation”. The result of the research was the answer to the question: what can be the cost range of biomass production from perennial energy crops for the crops Miscanthus giganteus, Sida hermaphrodita, and coppiced willow as the most popular plants? The study shows that production costs depend primarily on the harvesting technology used and the machinery used in the farm. The harvest with rotary mowers, small presses, and windrows was applied regarding Miscanthus giganteus and Sida hermaphrodita. The costs of biomass production were, on average, 424.7 EUR ha⁻¹ for Miscanthus giganteus and 278.9 EUR ha⁻¹ for Sida hermaphrodita. Concerning tonne, this was 37.6 EUR t⁻¹ for Miscanthus giganteus and 30.0 EUR t⁻¹ for Sida hermaphrodita, respectively. In the case of harvesting energy willow, in the form of whole shoots, inefficient and labour-intensive technologies using chainsaws and combustion cutters were applied. The biomass production costs were thus the highest among the assessed plants and amounted, on average, to 612.1 EUR ha⁻¹, which in terms of tonne corresponded to a value of 30.6 EUR. The obtained results and the analysis presented in the paper may help in planning the cultivation of perennial energy crops in order to obtain biomass used for heating purposes on a farm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Spatial Policy Tools in Renewable Energy Investment)

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19 pages, 2392 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Local Spatial Plans as Determinants of Household Investment in Renewable Energy: Case Studies from Selected Polish and European Communes

by Krystyna Solarek and Marta Kubasińska

Energies 2022, 15(1), 126; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15010126 - 24 Dec 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2158

Abstract

Although many factors affect the investment of individual households in renewable energy sources, we highlight one of them: the local spatial development plan. It is one of the planning tools for implementing development policies at the local level. Since it is on the [...] Read more.

Although many factors affect the investment of individual households in renewable energy sources, we highlight one of them: the local spatial development plan. It is one of the planning tools for implementing development policies at the local level. Since it is on the basis of local spatial plans that investments are carried out on the ground, their role in the implementation of renewable energy sources is one of the most important. This article presents the results of a study of local spatial plans in terms of facilitating, on the one hand, and limiting, on the other hand, the implementation of various renewable energy investments. To a large extent, the focus was on examples of planning acts adopted in Polish communes, but they were compared with examples from other European countries. The authors focused on qualitative assessment, taking into account the regulations applicable to all investors, containing generally binding standards, which specify the development’s land use and detailed building principles. The conclusions include recommendations for the provision of local development plans. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Spatial Policy Tools in Renewable Energy Investment)

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25 pages, 2907 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Photovoltaic Solar Energy from Urban Sprawl: Potential for Poland

by Artur Hołuj, Mateusz Ilba, Piotr Lityński, Karol Majewski, Marcin Semczuk and Piotr Serafin

Energies 2021, 14(24), 8576; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14248576 - 20 Dec 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3880

Abstract

Urban sprawl is a process that shapes contemporary urban spaces. Generally, this process is associated with negative effects due to the generation of high costs. However, not all the effects of urban sprawl should be considered in the context of the increasing costs [...] Read more.

Urban sprawl is a process that shapes contemporary urban spaces. Generally, this process is associated with negative effects due to the generation of high costs. However, not all the effects of urban sprawl should be considered in the context of the increasing costs of the use of space; some of them should be regarded as cost cutting factors, for example, the possibility of the use of roofed areas in generating energy from sunlight. Solar energy is believed to be one of the sources of clean energy that reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. However, solar energy generation necessitates the development of large areas for the purpose of installing photovoltaic modules and substantial funds for creating large solar farms. For this reason, a significant role in state energy policies is played by small dispersed installations mounted on the roofs of buildings. There is a gap in existing research on the assessment of urban sprawl in terms of the potential use of rooftops for solar installations in suburban areas. This research gap has not yet been filled, either conceptually and methodologically. Hence, the contribution of the research to the development of the current state of knowledge involves the identification of economic and environmental benefits of usually negatively perceived urban sprawl. The proposal of a method for the identification of suburban housing potential for solar energy generation constitutes another addition to the state of knowledge. The main objective of this article is to analyse the energy generating potential of buildings located in suburban and urban areas characterised by the confirmed occurrence of urban sprawl phenomena. CityGML data were used to conduct an analysis of the exposure of roofs to sunlight using algorithms based on vector data. The authors estimated the dynamics of changes in time and referred the existing photovoltaic installations to the total potential of a selected area. The use of the energy potential of the analysed roofs of buildings was used to evaluate the external costs and benefits of spatial planning. The discussion presented the current conditions of the energy sector and energy policies in Poland and the EU. In addition, recommendations were proposed for local spatial policies concerning the mitigation of the effects of suburbanization in the context of developing the system of PV micro-installations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Spatial Policy Tools in Renewable Energy Investment)

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18 pages, 3317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investments in Renewable Energy Sources in the Concepts of Local Spatial Policy: The Case of Poland

by Małgorzata Blaszke, Maciej Nowak, Przemysław Śleszyński and Bartosz Mickiewicz

Energies 2021, 14(23), 7902; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14237902 - 25 Nov 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2151

Abstract

The paper aims to determine the role and formula of investments in renewable energy sources in Poland’s concepts of local spatial policies. It analyses 12,777 planning documents of local spatial policy (these are resolutions adopted by municipalities—in Poland there are two types of [...] Read more.

The paper aims to determine the role and formula of investments in renewable energy sources in Poland’s concepts of local spatial policies. It analyses 12,777 planning documents of local spatial policy (these are resolutions adopted by municipalities—in Poland there are two types of these instruments: studies of spatial development conditions and directions and local spatial development plans) in Poland enacted in 2005–2020. On this basis, local concepts were classified and related to the geographical and functional characteristics of municipalities. Poland is an interesting case study in this respect, providing a good reference point for broader international considerations. It was found that only 58.4% of Polish municipalities include renewable energy sources in their spatial policy concept. These are definitely more often urbanised municipalities. The degree of approach to renewable energy sources is also determined by the location of the municipality in the given province. The authors diagnose serious weaknesses in the Polish spatial planning system, consisting in the lack of skilful implementation of renewable energy sources into it. This is one of the reasons for the weaker development of renewable energy sources in the country. The authors consider as an innovative element of the research the analysis of the content of all spatial policy instruments in a given country, from the perspective of renewable energy sources, including proposing a way to verify these instruments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Spatial Policy Tools in Renewable Energy Investment)

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20 pages, 2390 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Relationship among Economic Growth (GDP), Energy Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Emission: Evidence from V4 Countries

by Janusz Myszczyszyn and Błażej Suproń

Energies 2021, 14(22), 7734; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14227734 - 18 Nov 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3228

Abstract

The main objective of the research was to determine the long-term and short-term correlation between CO₂ emissions per capita, energy consumption per capita, and the level of economic growth of GDP per capita in the V4 countries. These countries, being EU members [...] Read more.

The main objective of the research was to determine the long-term and short-term correlation between CO₂ emissions per capita, energy consumption per capita, and the level of economic growth of GDP per capita in the V4 countries. These countries, being EU members since 2004 and previously being in the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union, have introduced a number of economic reforms, but in the area of climate protection, including decarbonization, they struggle with many problems, as their economies are largely dependent on energy from non-renewable resources. The results of the research are varied, but the authors confirmed, especially in the case of Poland, the long-term correlations between the studied variables. In the short term, such interdependencies also occurred, especially between the level of energy consumption per capita and the level of CO₂ emissions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Spatial Policy Tools in Renewable Energy Investment)

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