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This paper aims to explore Turkey’s current energy status with a on renewable energy sources (RES) cooperation mechanisms, within the framework of RES Directive 2009/28/EC. The study uses the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis for drawing results about perspectives of RES cooperation between Turkey and European Union (EU) Member States. In particular, the SWOT analysis provides a clearer view of expanding RES in Turkey, as well as the level of utilization and potential of cooperation mechanisms and renewable energy in the country.

The approach followed incorporates desktop analysis, stakeholders’ mapping and involvement, key factors’ identification and results analysis and validation. The adopted approach is based on research conducted within the context of the “Bringing Europe and Third countries closer together through renewable Energies (BETTER)” (project number: IEE/11/845/SI2.616378) project, co-financed by the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme.

Based on the SWOT analysis conducted for Turkey, there are huge opportunities for RES deployment and cooperation in the country, because of its large unexploited RES potential. Turkey is a country with strategic importance, e.g. regarding energy security. Substantial savings can occur for the EU28 Member States through this cooperation, whereas Turkey will also benefit through income and investments, as well as technology transfers and further synergies associated with the cooperation. For the above potentials to be reached, nevertheless, national policies for RES development would have to be strengthened substantially, and non-economic barriers mitigated.

The potential of Turkey to utilise cooperation mechanisms provides opportunities for RES exporting between the country and EU countries. An analysis of these opportunities for cooperation will allow drawing clearer conclusions on cooperation potentials and business cases for Turkey.

Following the issuance of the Renewable Energy Directive in 2009, the European Union (EU) is explicitly pushing for member states to cooperate with third countries to meet their EU 2020 targets. So far, no single joint project is planned or in place yet. This paper aims to look at the opportunities for and barriers to possible RE exports from North Africa into the EU through the concept of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis.

Thus, the SWOT for a possible implementation of Article 9 projects are analyzed using expert and stakeholder knowledge. A qualitative assessment was undertaken using data collected through one stakeholder workshop in North Africa, in-depth interviews and a qualitative literature review. The analysis was structured within a three-tier analyzing concept distinguishing between macro, micro and acceptance parameters.

From the SWOT analysis, some lessons are drawn, future possible measures are identified and conclusions for policymakers are discussed. The authors find that no easy solutions exist as most parameters can be both a strength and a weakness or a threat and an opportunity at the same time depending on future developments and the specific ideological perspective.

This paper provides new information and analysis of renewable energy sources projects in North Africa – application of the SWOT method on Article 9 cooperation projects – application of a three-tier analysis to cope with the complexity of the topic – taking into account often neglected socio-political aspects such as public acceptance.

The purpose of the paper is to provide estimation results for feasibility of renewable energy source (RES) deployment in Turkey, the Western Balkans and North Africa. From these results, the potential for cooperation in renewables production between the countries and the European Union (EU) is assessed and evaluated, in a mid- (2030) and long-term (up to 2040) perspective.

The authors focus on the quantitative assessments undertaken on the extent to which RES cooperation can create mutual benefits, identifying costs and benefits for both sides, but in particular with respect to RES target achievement (2020 and 2030) at EU level. The potentials for RES generation in Turkey, North Africa and the Western Balkans are calculated under different policy pathways, taking into account different levels of economic and non-economic barriers that could occur.

Overall, the authors found that increasing RES deployment in the three analysed regions and initiating or intensifying cooperation with EU28 Member States leads to mutual benefits. Concretely, these benefits become apparent in terms of the EU Member States importing renewable energy sources for electricity with a good resource quality and adding on to their targets for RES deployment. At the same time, substantial savings occur for the EU, in turn leading to income and investments in the cooperating regions.

The assessment underlying this paper is the first of its kind to the authors’ knowledge that opens up the geographical spread in comparison to merely assessing cooperation between Europe and the Middle East and North Africa. Furthermore, the multitude of policy parameters analysed provides detailed and robust insights concerning a broad variety of different possible scenarios.

This paper aims to investigate the current energy status in the West Balkan countries and the related perspectives for renewable energy sources (RES) cooperation mechanisms, within the framework of RES Directive 2009/28/European Commission (EC), through the elaboration of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. Particular emphasis is laid on the case of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. The SWOT analysis provides a clearer view of expanding RES in the West Balkans, as well as the level of utilization and potential of cooperation mechanisms and renewable energy in each country.

The adopted approach is mainly based on the context of a project co-financed by the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme, titled “Bringing Europe and Third countries closer together through renewable Energies (BETTER)” (project number: IEE/11/845/SI2.616378). The adopted approach incorporates the steps of desktop analysis, stakeholders’ mapping and engagement, key factors’ identification and analysis of results.

The barriers to expand RES in the region are significant. Currently, the region is electricity importer and by far not in the position to efficiently exploit the large RES potentials. It remains to be seen whether and to what extent cooperation mechanisms may be used in the Western Balkans and the EU by 2020. The unification of the fragmented electricity system and market-oriented reforms aim to join regional power markets and then to integrate with the European Union power market. There is a multitude of market barriers for RES, resulting in a high risk perception n by investors. Cooperation mechanisms could strengthen the regions’ policy frameworks and be a starting point to integrate the region’s energy systems and to overcome the fragmentation of the past two decades.

The potential of West Balkan countries to make use of the cooperation mechanisms provides opportunities for RES exporting between West Balkan and other European countries. An analysis of these opportunities for cooperation will allow drawing clearer conclusions on cooperation potentials and business cases for the region.

Energy consumption in transportation accounted for over 29% of total final consumption (TFC) of energy and 65% of global oil usage, and it is highly connected to mobility. Mobility is essential for access to day-to-day activities such as education, leisure, healthcare, business activities, and commercial and industrial operations. This study examines the energy consumption for the transport industry, and the level of renewable energy development in some selected Sub-Saharan African (SSA) nations. This study relied on previous publications of government, reports and articles related to the subject matter. Vehicle ownership is fast increasing, particularly in cities. Still, it begins at a relatively low level because the area is home to countries with the lowest ownership rates worldwide. In its current state, the energy sector faces significant challenges such as inadequate and poorly maintained infrastructure, dealing with increasing traffic congestion in cities, large-scale imports of used vehicles with poor emission standards that affect air quality in cities, a lack of safe and formally operated public transportation systems, and inadequate consideration for women and disabled mobility needs. Motorcycle and tricycle are dominating the rural areas, accounting for a substantial amount of this growth. Aviation is the largest non-road user of energy, and this trend is predicted to continue through 2040 as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grows and urbanisation expands. This study revealed the energy consumption for the transport industry, and the level of renewable energy development in some selected SSA. Rail and navigation lag behind current global levels. The usage of biofuel and rail transport was recommended.

The Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Union provides another element to cross-border cooperation by allowing Member States to fulfill their 2020 renewable energy sources (RES) targets by implementing joint projects in third countries through the cooperation mechanisms. The purpose of this paper is to assess the country risk, to support bilateral cooperation for RES electricity generation projects.

A multicriteria decision support methodology has been developed taking into account three evaluation parameters, namely, the investment framework, the social conditions and the energy and technological status. An additive value model has been constructed, and the UTilitès Additives (UTA) – UTA* (UTASTAR) disaggregation method has been implemented to infer the criteria weights. The obtained ranking of alternatives has been subjected to robustness analysis, and finally the proposed methodology has been applied to five North Africa countries, so as to draw key results.

The pilot application of the methodological approach proposed and the model developed was fully compatible with the decision maker’s ranking on a set of fictitious countries and facilitated the assessment of a country’s current situation with regards to its investment, social conditions and energy and technological status. The results regarding the five North African countries examined, indicated the country’s investment framework as the most important factor, from foreign investors’ perspective, affecting a country’s suitability for the implementation of RES projects through a cooperation mechanism and Morocco, as well as Tunisia as the countries with the most suitable conditions for a successful implementation of such projects.

To the best of authors’ knowledge, there are only very few studies trying to assess opportunities and risks emerging from the implementation of joint projects between European and third countries in the field of electricity generation from RES. There are even less studies using (UTASTAR) method on real-world decision-making problems, and almost none are dedicated to energy sector-related problems.

Emergency humanitarian medical cold chains (HMCCs) depend heavily on their supporting energy services due to end-to-end temperature requirements in volatile disaster situations. Most energy sources powering emergency HMCCs are fossil-based due to well established processes, regardless of their environmental impact. In response to the recent energy crisis and climate change, a solution to tackle this issue relies on renewable energy sources (RES), whose use has increased to promote climate resilient development. Nevertheless, RESs’ capacity to replace conventional energy services in emergency HMCCs remains poorly understood. This study aims to investigate opportunities for, and barriers to, increasing the use of RESs in emergency HMCCs, thereby enhancing their environmental sustainability.

Based on a review of academic and practice literature, interviews with expert practitioners on emergency HMCCs and sustainable energy, and case study examples, this research aimed to analytically generalise the phenomenon by investigating opportunities for, and barriers to, increasing the use of RESs in emergency HMCCs. The phenomenon is illustrated in a novel framework of typical HMCC, that forms a contextual basis for future research.

A conceptual framework of typical emergency HMCC shows energy-consuming sections where RES can best be increased. This research is put forth in four propositions to manage the opportunities and barriers of the transition.

This research is, to the best of the author’s knowledge, the first attempt to operationalise sustainability by linking energy with HMCCs’ logistical activities in complex emergency settings. The cross-findings from literature, example cases and interviews together demonstrate the need to increase the use of RES in HMCCs, and how to do it.

The combination of desalination technology with renewable energy sources (RES) provides a sustainable approach for increasing potable water availability without imposing negative environmental effects. This paper aims to present the development of a platform, which is an internet-based tool integrating the design optimization of desalination systems with spatial modeling based on a geographic information system (GIS).

The proposed platform assists decision-makers to select the optimal location and configuration of both the energy- and water-related subsystems of desalination plants that are power-supplied by RES, such that the lifetime cost of the overall desalination plant is minimized. It enables to optimize the desalination plant site selection and sizing with various hybrid power supply (solar, wind, wave and electrical grid power systems) and desalination technologies combinations, while simultaneously exploiting spatial technologies in an internet-based GIS platform.

A pilot study for the optimal design of stand-alone and grid-connected desalination plants powered by RES is presented, which demonstrates the functionality and features of the proposed platform. It is also shown that a grid-connected desalination plant designed by the proposed software design tool exhibits significantly lower lifetime installation and maintenance costs compared to its stand-alone counterpart.

The proposed platform combines technological, scientific and industrial knowledge with information about societal/political conditions and geo-spatial technologies in a user-friendly graphical interface. Therefore, it provides a design tool enabling its users to secure water supply in a sustainable and economically viable manner.

The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding of consumer preferences and mind‐set regarding the transition to using renewable energy.

The approach taken is an experimental design of messaging (conjoint analysis).

The study uncovered different segments of individuals, with different mind‐sets, needing different types of messaging. Results show what marketing messages might best work to interest consumers in the transition to renewable energy. The study revealed two different mind‐set segments among respondents. The first segment comprised residents who preferred a gradual transition toward using 80 percent renewable energy, and 20 percent conventional energy, with no specific transition time span, and with no tax increases. The second segment comprised residents who preferred a five year, fixed‐time plan for the conversion to renewable energy sources (RES), along with service plans, and an accompanying “money back” guarantee.

The study did not include the testing of pricing elements to the messaging about the transition to “green” process. Thus, insights concerning the interaction of financial concerns with mind‐sets in the transition to “green” are yet to be studied.

After identifying the segment to which each individual belongs, data permit the creation of a “typing tool” to identify segment membership, thus allowing more targeted and effective messaging when building awareness and demand for green power.

This is a pioneering study that looks at the “mind” of the customer, to investigate how different ideas and messaging drive the consumer's comfort level regarding the use of RES, and the future of their energy consumption and transitional needs. This is a multi‐disciplinary study incorporating public policy and marketing together with practical application.

The United Kingdom (UK) Government is required to meet various renewable energy targets set by the European Union. The UK has had renewables support schemes for many years. It has become clear that the old schemes are insufficient to lead to enough new capacity to meet the target. The government has accordingly reformed the renewables obligation (RO). The purpose of this paper is to analyse whether the reformed RO will meet the targets set for 2015 and 2020.

The paper undertakes a review of the modelling literature and performs a critical, deductive analysis of the RO to answer its research issue.

The paper finds that it is too late to make any difference to the 2010 target, but that the reforms might lead to the 2015 target being met, and finds that whilst it is clear that the reformed RO will lead to more capacity being built than otherwise would have been the case, it is difficult to establish that the 2020 target will be met.

This paper shows that there may be further reform of the already‐reformed RO, and that more time is needed to see the impacts of the recent regulatory responses to the external failures. This understanding will be useful in developing new policies to promote renewable energies in the UK.