Factors Influencing the Renewable Energy Consumption in Selected European Countries

Contextual drivers of energy demand and supply from renewable sources

This study investigates the socio-economic and environmental drivers shaping renewable energy demand and supply within a meso-level setting (Italian regions, 2004-2020). Employing a panel vector error correction mechanism (PVECM) and an integrative biplot analysis, the research outcomes reveal a market equilibrium between demand and supply in the short and long run. Human capital accumulation is identified as pivotal in driving the renewable energy transition. Significant regional heterogeneities indicate challenges in achieving convergence towards sustainability and socio-economic development and well-being. Key empirical implications include enhancing education and vocational training to strengthen human capital and implementing tailored regional strategies for sustainable infrastructure development. These findings support policymakers in formulating targeted policies for a resilient, balanced energy future and addressing regional disparities in renewable energy adoption.

Role of energy transition in easing energy security risk and decreasing CO2 emissions: Disaggregated level evidence from the USA by quantile-based models

Consistent with the increasing environmental interest, the clean energy transition is highly critical to achieving decarbonization targets. Also, energy security has become an important topic under the shadow of the energy crisis,. Accordingly, countries have been trying to stimulate clean energy use to preserve the environment and ensure energy security. So, considering the leading role of economic size and volume of energy use, the study examines the USA to define whether energy transition helps decrease energy security risk (ESR) and curb CO2 emissions. So, the study applies a disaggregated level analysis by performing quantile-based models for the period from 2001/Q1 through 2022/Q4. The results demonstrate that (i) the energy transition index decreases environmental ESR at higher quantiles and reliability ESR at lower and middle quantiles, whereas it is not beneficial in declining economic and geopolitical ESR; (ii) energy transition curbs CO2 emissions in building and transport sectors at lower quantiles, whereas it does not help decrease CO2 emissions in industrial and power sectors; (iii) energy transition is mostly ineffective on ESR, whereas it is highly effective in curbing CO2 emissions in all sectors except for transport across various quantiles as time passes; (iv) the results differ according to the aggregated and disaggregated levels; (v) the results are consistent across main and alternative models. Hence, the study highlights the dominant effect of energy transition in curbing sectoral CO2 emissions rather than easing ESR. Accordingly, the study discusses various policy implications for the USA.

Evaluating the roles of energy innovation, fossil fuel costs and environmental compliance towards energy transition in advanced industrial economies

Given the dire state of climate change, investigating key elements that impact the energy transition process and help monitor progress in greenhouse gas emissions to achieve environmental sustainability is of critical importance. The current study explores the association between energy transition, compliance with environmental agreements, fossil fuels costs, environmental technologies, economic growth, and environmental degradation in G20 economies from 1995 to 2019. Our findings from extensive econometric analysis reveal that economic growth, environmental innovation, renewable energy, and environmental compliance facilitate while fossil fuels and environmental degradation hinder the energy transition process. Our findings conclude that developed countries must focus on alternate energy resources to overcome environmental challenges and subsidize renewable energy and environmental technologies to replace fossil fuels with green energy resources methodologically. Further, policy measures have been discussed in detail in the study.

Revisiting the effects of energy, population, foreign direct investment, and economic growth in Visegrad countries under the EKC scheme

This research studied the impacts of the environmental Kuznets curve and the determinants of economic growth for Visegrad countries from 1990 to 2018. This paper reflects on the effects of renewable and non-renewable energy, urban population, foreign direct investment, economic growth, and carbon dioxide emissions. According to our results, the panel of unit root tests showed that the variables under study are integrated into the first differences. Considering the empirical results for the environmental Kuznets curve, we observe that economic growth is positively correlated with pollution emissions; nevertheless, the squared income per capita is negatively impacted by carbon dioxide emissions. Energy consumption increases carbon emissions, and foreign direct investment confirms the pollution halo hypothesis. Therefore, the econometric results showed that renewable energy consumption promotes regional growth. Consequently, urban population and foreign direct investment positively correlate with economic growth.

Analyzing the nexus between energy transition, environment and ICT: A step towards COP26 targets

In line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the recent COP26 summit, energy transition, low carbon emissions and technology have become extremely important subjects in the agenda of governments and policymakers. The present study thus discusses the nexus between energy transition, economic growth, CO₂ emissions and information and communications technology (ICT) in BRICS countries applying the novel GMM-PVAR method proposed on the annual data for the period 2000-2017. This method is strong to the issue of endogeneity which is commonly faced in the context of panel data analysis but mostly ignored in the literature. The findings of this research demonstrate that carbon emissions have a positive and significant effect on energy transition; similarly, raising economic growth augments the consumption of energy transition. Furthermore, ICT is found to be a significant choice in the development of energy transition and the solution of environmental challenges. Overall, technological factors in addition to economic and environmental factors also have great roles in the development of renewable energy and energy transition. Thus, results from this study call for government supports to develop ICT across the BRICS countries.

Analysing the Impact of Human Capital on Renewable Energy Penetration: A Bibliometric Reviews

In contributing to reducing the adverse effects of non-renewable energy sources, this paper researched how human capital can enhance the penetration level of renewable energy, which is highly abundant in Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper, using qualitative research methodology through Bibliometric analysis, reviewed three hundred and three (303) papers published between the year 2000 and March 2022. The bibliometric study covered publications per author, publications per country, research focus based on co-occurrence keywords, and research thread. The findings revealed that publications on how human capital can aid renewable energy penetration have been slow and in an infant stage in the past two decades. It also shows that there have been eighteen (18) papers on the subject papers in the last twenty years, showing the low level of human capital development in the energy sector. The intellectual patterns via the co-occurrence of keywords shows five (5) clusters, which are economics of renewable energy sources, human capital factors in environmental management, economic factors in energy supply and demand, sustainable energy factors, and human capital development and economy. These cluster areas revealed how human capital could be developed to increase the penetration level of the abundant renewable energy in the world. Thus, this paper recommends intensive efforts in optimizing human capital through inter-organizational collaboration on renewable energy technologies and periodic training.

The Role of Crypto Trading in the Economy, Renewable Energy Consumption and Ecological Degradation

The rapid growth of information technology and industrial revolutions provoked digital transformation of all sectors, from the government to households. Moreover, digital transformations led to the development of cryptocurrency. However, crypto trading provokes a dilemma loop. On the one hand, crypto trading led to economic development, which allowed attracting additional resources to extending smart and green technologies for de-carbonising the economic growth. On the other hand, crypto trading led to intensifying energy sources, which provoked an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. The paper aims to analyse the connections between crypto trading, economic development of the country, renewable energy consumption, and environmental degradation. The data for analysis were obtained from: Our World in Data, World Data Bank, Eurostat, Ukrstat, Crystal Blockchain, and KOF Globalisation Index. To check the hypothesis, the paper applied the Pedroni and Kao panel cointegration tests, FMOLS and DOLS panel cointegration models, and Vector Error Correction Models. The findings concluded that the increasing crypto trading led to enhanced GDP, real gross fixed capital formation, and globalisation. However, in the long run, the relationship between crypto trading and the share of renewable energies in total energy consumption was not confirmed by the empirical results. For further directions, it is necessary to analyse the impact of crypto trading on land and water pollution.

Integrative Smart Grids’ Assessment System

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the energy sector. The new behavior of industrial and non-commercial consumers changes the energy consumption model. In addition, the constraints associated with the coronavirus crisis have led to environmental effects from declining economic activity. The research is based on evidence from around the world showing significant reductions in emissions and improved air quality. This situation requires rethinking the energy development strategy, particularly the construction of smart grids as a leading direction of energy development. Evaluating the efficiency of smart grids is a vital tool for disseminating successful experience in improving their management. This paper proposes an approach to a comprehensive assessment of smart grids based on a comparative analysis of existing methods, taking into account the changes that need to be considered after the experience gained from the COVID-19 pandemic. The approach provides an accurate set of efficiency indicators for assessing smart grids to account for the direct and indirect effects of smart grids’ implementation. This evaluation approach can be helpful to policymakers in developing energy efficiency programs and implementing energy policy.