The Role of Renewable Energy Sources in Alleviating Energy Poverty in Households in Poland

Unlocking the potential of microalgae bio-factories for carbon dioxide mitigation: A comprehensive exploration of recent advances, key challenges, and energy-economic insights

Microalgae are promising alternatives to mitigate atmospheric CO₂ owing to their fast growth rates, resilience in the face of adversity and ability to produce a wide range of products, including food, feed supplements, chemicals, and biofuels. However, to fully harness the potential of microalgae-based carbon capture technology, further advancements are required to overcome the associated challenges and limitations, particularly with regards to enhancing CO₂ solubility in the culture medium. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the biological carbon concentrating mechanism and highlights the current approaches, including species selection, optimization of hydrodynamics, and abiotic components, aimed at improving the efficacy of CO₂ solubility and biofixation. Moreover, cutting-edge strategies such as gene mutation, bubble dynamics and nanotechnology are systematically outlined to elevate the CO₂ biofixation capacity of microalgal cells. The review also evaluates the energy and economic feasibility of using microalgae for CO₂ bio-mitigation, including challenges and prospects for future development.

Energy poverty and the convergence hypothesis across EU member states

Energy poverty is an emerging issue towards global affairs. Currently, the development of energy-related policies is becoming essential, with regard to new societies, social inclusion and social rights. In this paper, we examine the dynamic patterns of energy poverty among 27 EU member states between 2005 and 2020. We use the log-t regression test to investigate the convergence hypothesis, and the P&S data-driven algorithm to detect potential convergence clubs. The empirical results of energy poverty indicators are mixed, and the convergence hypothesis of the states is rejected. Instead, convergence clubs are exhibited, implying that groups of countries converge to different steady states in the long run. In view of the convergence clubs, we suggest that the affordability of heating services is potentially explained by structural conditions of housing, climate conditions and energy costs. Besides, the adverse financial and social conditions for the European households have significantly triggered the arrears on utility bills. Moreover, a significant proportion of households do not have basic sanitation services.

Assessing the role of sustainable strategies in alleviating energy poverty: an environmental sustainability paradigm

The rapid urbanization and industrialization of India have caused a demand-supply gap in the electrical sector, leading to higher electric bills. Lower-income households face the worst energy poverty in the country. Sustainable strategies like corporate social responsibility are the most effective way to combat the energy crisis. This study aims to assess the contribution of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to energy poverty alleviation (EPA) by developing the role of mediating variables such as assessment of renewable energy resource (RER), feasibility of sustainable energy supply (SES), and sustainable energy development (SED). We used hybrid research methodology such as partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the collected data from professionals, economic experts, and directors in the country in 2022. The study proved that CSR directly affects energy poverty alleviation. Besides, the findings suggest RER, SES, and SED significantly lead the energy poverty alleviation. The findings of this study will divert the attention of policymakers, stakeholders, and economists toward the corporate social responsibility to mitigate the energy crisis in Indian context. A mediating role of a renewable energy resource (RER) as a value-added contribution to this study can be strengthened more in future research. Based on the results, the study illustrates that CSR acts as a catalyst to alleviate energy poverty.

Combating Energy Poverty in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Global Economic Uncertainty

The effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic on the energy sector and the economy as a whole are being followed by the global energy crisis, which has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. The situation is particularly difficult for European countries, which are heavily dependent on imported energy from Russia. In the face of such economic uncertainty, it is necessary to analyze and assess the energy poverty situation in the region. The article overviews the extent of energy poverty among European Union (EU) countries and determines regional differences by comparing the situation, trends and policy measures applied, followed by the challenges and opportunities to combat energy poverty among households during the global COVID-19 crisis and economic uncertainty. A scientific literature review was performed and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the energy poverty of households was identified. Moreover, a set of indicators reflecting the extent of energy poverty in different EU countries has been developed and an analysis of indicators was performed by comparing the situation, trends and policy measures applied.

The Role of Local Government in Implementing Renewable Energy Sources in Households (Podkarpacie Case Study)

The implementation of renewable energy in households can contribute to achieving climate goals, improving air quality and improving energy security. At the local level, this goal may be supported by local authorities, but in Poland, as in many countries, the use of renewable energy is not a mandatory task of local government units. The aim of this study is to analyze the role of local government, i.e., municipalities, in the adaptation of RES installations in residents’ households. The source of empirical materials was a survey of households using renewable energy installations, carried out in 2021 in the Podkarpacie region in Southeastern Poland. It has been shown that the inhabitants benefit from the support of municipalities in financing the installations, as well as information and consulting support. Municipalities support renewable energy in the “civic” segment mainly through the implementation of the so-called umbrella projects. They have a positive effect on the adaptation of RES not only in the households of the project participants, but through the imitation effect, also in other households in the immediate vicinity. The municipality effectiveness in this type of activities depends on the efficiency of project implementation and the quality of information on the conditions of participation in the project and the benefits of renewable energy.

Energy Poverty and Sustainable Economic Development: An Exploration of Correlations and Interdependencies in European Countries

The problem of energy poverty exists in practically every European country. Its size and scope are determined by a variety of factors, ranging from economic development to the direction of energy and climate policy implementation to cultural factors. Our aim in this paper was to carry out a comparative analysis of indicators related to energy poverty and sustainable development to identify correlations and links between the two issues and determine how they are related. The fact that the analysis was performed for most European countries is new and represents a broad spectrum of research; we were not limited to studies of countries bound by formal political-economic arrangements or by consideration of the degree of economic development. This approach enabled explication of how diverse the situation is in Europe. The research methods used included a critical analysis of the literature and the use of descriptive and mathematical-statistical tools. The main conclusions and findings of the analysis were that in some countries in economically developed Europe, energy poverty is a major problem, and that, in this respect, there are large differences between “old European Union” and “new European Union” countries, and in the countries that do not belong to political-economic structures in Europe. It is clear, from the research, which countries are rapidly and effectively reducing their energy poverty problems and which factors are the determinants of this. These results are linked to the new direction of energy policy and the shift towards more environmentally friendly energy use. In conclusion, it has been possible to identify the causes of energy poverty and how the energy poverty situation in Europe is changing.

A Systematic Literature Review of Indices for Energy Poverty Assessment: A Household Perspective

Both developed and developing countries face energy poverty issues today. The growing interest over the last few years at the scientific level demonstrates the importance of the problem. It was a practice for many years to measure energy poverty by calculating the economic single indicators. In recent years, this practice was increasingly criticized and new, more comprehensive indices were developed. Review and analysis of indices developed can help scholars to dig deep into the specific aspects of the problem. The paper aims to review the indices for energy poverty assessment from households’ perspectives and to provide the main insights into the indicators selection process by providing the set of indicators for sustainable energy poverty assessment. The literature search and analysis follows the SALSA (Search, Appraisal, Synthesis and Analysis) and the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodologies. The literature search was carried out in the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database. The search covered the period 1994–2020. Thirty-four developed indexes for energy poverty were identified for assessment. In order to measure the most important dimensions and to reflect the modern concept of the energy poverty, the paper proposes a set of indicators for sustainable energy poverty assessment.

Bibliometric Literature Analysis of a Multi-Dimensional Sustainable Development Issue: Energy Poverty

Energy plays a critical role in building a sustainable future—economically, socially, and environmentally. Energy poverty holds a similarly prominent position and covers certain economic, social and environmental issues that are underlined by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Due to its multidimensional role in plans for achieving sustainable development, there is a growing body of literature focusing on various aspects of energy poverty. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of this literature by utilizing more extensive data from the Web of Science, covering all information on energy poverty studies. The analysis reveals how energy poverty has attracted attention over time, who the leading authors are, which studies constitute outstanding contributions to the literature, which different sides of the research topic stand out, and also highlights the potential research gaps. The results reveal all the network flows among researchers, publications, journals, keywords, organizations, co-cited publications, and bibliographic coupling for energy poverty studies. The findings confirm the increasing popularity of energy poverty as a topic and demonstrate the increasing awareness of the issue in academia over time.