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1 – 10 of 379Juliana Pacheco Barbosa, Joisa Dutra Saraiva and Julia Seixas
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the opportunity for the energy policy in Brazil to tackle the very high cost-effectiveness potencial of solar energy to the power system…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the opportunity for the energy policy in Brazil to tackle the very high cost-effectiveness potencial of solar energy to the power system. Three mechanisms to achieve ambitious reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector by 2030 and 2040 are assessed wherein treated as solar targets under ambitious reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector. Then, three mechanisms to achieve these selected solar targets are suggested.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews current and future incentive mechanisms to promote solar energy. An integrated energy system optimization model shows the most cost-efficient deployment level. Incentive mechanisms can promote renewable sources, aiming to tackle climate change and ensuring energy security, while taking advantage of endogenous energy resources potential. Based on a literature review, as well as on the specific characteristics of the Brazilian power system, under restrictions for the expansion of hydroelectricity and ambitious limitation in the emissions of greenhouse gases from the power sector.
Findings
The potential unexploited of solar energy is huge but it needs the appropriate incentive mechanism to be deployed. These mechanisms would be more effective if they have a specific technological and temporal focus. The solar energy deployment in large scale is important to the mitigation of climate change.
Originality/value
The value of the research is twofold: estimations of the cost-effective potential of solar technologies, generated from an integrated optimization energy model, fully calibrated for the Brazilian power system, while tacking the increasing electricity demand, the expected reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the need to increase the access to clean and affordable energy, up to 2040; proposals of three mechanisms to deploy centralized PV, distributed PV and solar thermal power, taking the best experiences in several countries and the recent Brazilian cases.
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Matevz Obrecht, Rhythm Singh and Timitej Zorman
This paper aims to forecast the availability of used but operational electric vehicle (EV) batteries to integrate them into a circular economy concept of EVs' end-of-life (EOL…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to forecast the availability of used but operational electric vehicle (EV) batteries to integrate them into a circular economy concept of EVs' end-of-life (EOL) phase. Since EVs currently on the roads will become obsolete after 2030, this study focuses on the 2030–2040 period and links future renewable electricity production with the potential for storing it into used EVs' batteries. Even though battery capacity decreases by 80% or less, these batteries will remain operational and can still be seen as a valuable solution for storing peaks of renewable energy production beyond EV EOL.
Design/methodology/approach
Storing renewable electricity is gaining as much attention as increasing its production and share. However, storing it in new batteries can be expensive as well as material and energy-intensive; therefore, existing capacities should be considered. The use of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is among the most exciting concepts on how to achieve it. Since reduced battery capacity decreases car manufacturers' interest in battery reuse and recycling is environmentally hazardous, these batteries should be integrated into the future electricity storage system. Extending the life cycle of batteries from EVs beyond the EV's life cycle is identified as a potential solution for both BEVEOL and electricity storage.
Findings
Results revealed a rise of photovoltaic (PV) solar power plants and an increasing number of EVs EOL that will have to be considered. It was forecasted that 6.27–7.22% of electricity from PV systems in scenario A (if EV lifetime is predicted to be 20 years) and 18.82–21.68% of electricity from PV systems in scenario B (if EV lifetime is predicted to be 20 years) could be stored in batteries. Storing electricity in EV batteries beyond EV EOL would significantly decrease the need for raw materials, increase energy system and EV sustainability performance simultaneously and enable leaner and more efficient electricity production and distribution network.
Practical implications
Storing electricity in used batteries would significantly decrease the need for primary materials as well as optimizing lean and efficient electricity production network.
Originality/value
Energy storage is one of the priorities of energy companies but can be expensive as well as material and energy-intensive. The use of BEV is among the most interesting concepts on how to achieve it, but they are considered only when in the use phase as vehicle to grid (V2G) concept. Because reduced battery capacity decreases the interest of car manufacturers to reuse batteries and recycling is environmentally risky, these batteries should be used for storing, especially renewable electricity peaks. Extending the life cycle of batteries beyond the EV's life cycle is identified as a potential solution for both BEV EOL and energy system sustainability, enabling more efficient energy management performance. The idea itself along with forecasting its potential is the main novelty of this paper.
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Salman Ahmad, Razman bin Mat Tahar, Jack Kie Cheng and Liu Yao
Gaining independence from fossil fuels and combating climate change are the main factors to increase the generation of electricity from renewable fuels. Amongst the renewable…
Abstract
Purpose
Gaining independence from fossil fuels and combating climate change are the main factors to increase the generation of electricity from renewable fuels. Amongst the renewable technologies, solar photovoltaic (PV) is believed to have the largest potential. However, the number of people adopting solar PV technologies is still relatively low. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the household consumers’ acceptance of solar PV technology being installed on their premises.
Design/methodology/approach
To examine the solar PV technology acceptance, this study uses technology acceptance model (TAM) as a reference framework. A survey was conducted to gather data and to validate the research model. Out of 780 questionnaires distributed across Malaysia, 663 were returned and validated.
Findings
The analysis revealed that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and attitude to use significantly influenced behavioural intention to use solar PV technology.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes by extending the understanding of public inclination towards the adoption of solar PV technology. Also, this study contributes in identifying the areas which need to be examined further. However, collecting data from urban peninsular Malaysian respondents only limits the generalization of the results.
Practical implications
On the policy front, this study reveals that governmental support is needed to trigger PV acceptance.
Originality/value
This paper uses TAM to analyse the uptake of solar PV technology in Malaysian context.
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Per Johan Carlborg, Nina Hasche and Johan Kask
The purpose of this paper is to extend the knowledge on business model transformation (BMT) by developing an integrative framework for BMT dilemmas, including strategies for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to extend the knowledge on business model transformation (BMT) by developing an integrative framework for BMT dilemmas, including strategies for shaping and stabilizing market structures.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a case-based approach, with data from the Swedish electric utility industry.
Findings
The findings uncover practices related to both shaping and stabilizing market structure. The study contributes with insights for firms to overcome the BMT dilemma. Shaping strategies involve disruptive innovations while stabilizing strategies concerns incremental improvements in existing structures; by balancing these efforts, firms can find ways toward successful BMT.
Originality/value
With a focus on incumbent firms and the balancing act of BMT in a network, the study covers areas that have scarcely been addressed in the existing literature. Even though most business model literature has focused on shaping consumer markets, the need to consider BMT as a dual-directional process in an industrial context is emphasized in this study.
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Daniel de Abreu Pereira Uhr, Mikael Jhordan Lacerda Cordeiro and Júlia Gallego Ziero Uhr
This research assesses the economic impact of biomass plant installations on Brazilian municipalities, focusing on (1) labor income, (2) sectoral labor income and (3) income…
Abstract
Purpose
This research assesses the economic impact of biomass plant installations on Brazilian municipalities, focusing on (1) labor income, (2) sectoral labor income and (3) income inequality.
Design/methodology/approach
Municipal data from the Annual Social Information Report, the National Electric Energy Agency and the National Institute of Meteorology spanning 2002 to 2020 are utilized. The Synthetic Difference-in-Differences methodology is employed for empirical analysis, and robustness checks are conducted using the Doubly Robust Difference in Differences and the Double/Debiased Machine Learning methods.
Findings
The findings reveal that biomass plant installations lead to an average annual increase of approximately R$688.00 in formal workers' wages and reduce formal income inequality, with notable benefits observed for workers in the industry and agriculture sectors. The robustness tests support and validate the primary results, highlighting the positive implications of renewable energy integration on economic development in the studied municipalities.
Originality/value
This article represents a groundbreaking contribution to the existing literature as it pioneers the identification of the impact of biomass plant installation on formal employment income and local economic development in Brazil. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to uncover such effects. Moreover, the authors comprehensively examine sectoral implications and formal income inequality.
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Tarig Zeinelabdeen Yousif Ahmed, Mawahib Eltayeb Ahmed, Quosay A. Ahmed and Asia Adlan Mohamed
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) of countries has some of the highest electricity consumptions and carbon dioxide emissions per capita in the world. This poses a direct…
Abstract
Purpose
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) of countries has some of the highest electricity consumptions and carbon dioxide emissions per capita in the world. This poses a direct challenge to the GCC government’s ability to meet their CO2 reduction targets. In this review paper the current household electricity consumption situation in the GCC is reviewed.
Design/methodology/approach
Three scenarios for reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions are proposed and evaluated using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) as well as the political, economic, social, technical, legal and environmental (PESTLE) frameworks.
Findings
The first scenario found that using solar Photovoltaic (PV) or hybrid solar PV and wind system to power household lighting could save significant amounts of energy, based on lighting making up between 8% to 30% of electricity consumption in GCC households. The second scenario considers replacement of conventional appliances with energy-efficient ones that use around 20% less energy. The third scenario looks at influencing consumer behavior towards sustainable energy consumption.
Practical implications
Pilot trials of these scenarios are recommended for a number of households. Then the results and feedback could be used to launch the schemes GCC-wide.
Social implications
The proposed scenarios are designed to encourage responsible electricity consumption and production within households (SDG12).
Originality/value
All three proposals are found viable for policymakers to implement. However, to ensure successful implementation GCC Governments are recommended to review all the opportunities and challenges associated with these schemes as laid out in this paper.
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Paulo Nobre, Enio Bueno Pereira, Francinete Francis Lacerda, Marcel Bursztyn, Eduardo Amaral Haddad and Debora Ley
This study aims to exploit the abundance of solar energy resources for socioeconomic development in the semi -arid Northeastern Brazil as a potent adaptation tool to global…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to exploit the abundance of solar energy resources for socioeconomic development in the semi -arid Northeastern Brazil as a potent adaptation tool to global climate change. It points out a set of conjuncture factors that allow us to foresee a new paradigm of sustainable development for the region by transforming the sun’s radiant energy into electricity through distributed photovoltaic generation. The new paradigm, as presented in this essay, has the transformative potential to free the region from past regional development dogma, which was dependent on the scarce water resource, and the marginal and predatory use of its Caatinga Biome.
Design/methodology/approach
The research uses a pre ante design, following the procedures of scenario building, as an adaptation mechanism to climate change in the sector of energy generation and socioeconomic inclusion.
Findings
The scenarios of socioeconomic resilience to climate change based on the abundance of solar radiation, rather than the scarcity of water, demonstrates its potential as a global adaptation paradigm to climate change.
Research limitations/implications
The developments proposed are dependent on federal legislation changes, allowing the small producer to be remunerated by the energy produced.
Practical implications
The proposed smart grid photovoltaic generation program increases the country's resiliency to the effect of droughts and climate change.
Social implications
As proposed, the program allows for the reversion of a pattern of long term poverty in semi-arid Northeast Brazil.
Originality/value
The exploitation of the characteristics of abundance of the semiarid climate, i.e. its very condition of semi-aridity with abundant solar radiation, is itself an advantage factor toward adaption to unforeseen drought events. Extensive previous research has focused on weighting and monitoring drought i.e. the paradigm of scarcity. The interplay between exploiting Northeast Brazil’s abundant factors and climate change adaptation, especially at the small farmer levels constitutes a discovery never before contemplated.
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