Publisher：International Journal of Hydrogen Energy  

Japan faces a critical juncture in its energy transition as it works to achieve its carbon neutrality goals by 2050. The debate between focusing on electrification or hydrogen (H<inf>2</inf>) technologies or adopting a synergistic approach for the future energy system is a critical aspect of policy and research discussion. This study explores the opportunities, challenges, and potential synergies of electrification and hydrogen in Japan's future energy landscape. It provides quantitative analysis of energy demand, cost implications, emission reduction potential, and economic impacts under three different scenarios: Business-as-Usual (BAU), High Electrification (HE), and a Hydrogen Economy (H2E). The findings suggest that while electrification is the most cost-effective approach for reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency, hydrogen is indispensable for hard-to-electrify sectors. A balanced pathway that integrates both strategies offers the most feasible and sustainable transition to a carbon-neutral Japan by 2050.

DOI： 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.152989

Scopus

Publisher：Energy Research and Social Science  

Decarbonizing the aviation sector is a complex challenge that requires coordinated efforts across industries and the development of new value chains. This paper presents a comparative study of low-carbon aviation value chain building in Norway and Japan. We examine how industry and policy actors in these two countries approach the development of cleaner aviation technologies and infrastructure. Using interviews and document analysis, we find major differences regarding the composition of actor networks, the sequencing, focus and scale of value chain building activities, and the role of regulations. In Norway, the process is driven by start-ups and emphasizes national coordination. In Japan, large incumbent firms lead the way, often engaging with international stakeholders. These contrasting approaches reflect broader differences in political, industrial, and resource endowments. This study highlights the complex, multi-scalar nature of value chain development in hard-to-abate sectors and examines stakeholder strategies to navigate sectoral interdependencies in low-carbon innovation. It also offers insights to guide effective aviation decarbonization policies across diverse industrial and political contexts.

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104472

Scopus

Publisher：Environmental Economics and Policy Studies  

Reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO<inf>2</inf>) in the atmosphere to combat climate change is a global challenge. Direct air capture (DAC) incorporates a new set of technologies that directly remove CO<inf>2</inf> from the air; therefore, DAC can address emissions from any source. This paper begins by reviewing the literature on negative emission technologies (NET) to summarize the most recent technological developments. Further, a life cycle assessment (LCA) on one of the most recently developed technologies, the direct air capture and utilization (DAC-U) system is undertaken. DAC-U systems, like photovoltaic systems, can be installed in various locations, including homes, offices, and industrial settings, resulting in a compact, on-site system that may be suitable for modular and distributed deployment. Based on the LCA results, this article presents the CO<inf>2</inf> capture and reduction potential of the DAC-U system, with a focus on installations in households, and examines the willingness to adopt the system in Japan. Results demonstrate that DAC-U functions as a NET and, when deployed at the household scale, offers a non-trivial capture and reduction potential within the residential sector.

DOI： 10.1007/s10018-026-00473-8

Scopus

Publisher：Humanities and Social Sciences Communications  

In the global effort to address climate change, achieving carbon neutrality has become a central objective in urban planning worldwide. Compact cities, due to their potential for land conservation, resource efficiency, and carbon emissions reduction, have garnered significant attention. This study examines the core mechanisms of carbon reduction in compact cities, using Chinese cities as case studies. By employing machine learning models, we analyze how key features of compact cities—such as population density, land-use mix, and public transportation development—contribute to the achievement of carbon neutrality. Additionally, we simulate future carbon emission levels under various urban development scenarios. The results indicate that an optimal population density (2000 to 2500 persons per square kilometer) and an appropriate land-use mix (entropy value between 0.8 and 0.9) can significantly reduce carbon emission intensity and accelerate the attainment of carbon neutrality. However, excessive density or overly mixed land use may lead to negative effects. Furthermore, the carbon reduction potential of public transportation depends on energy transitions and the adoption of new energy vehicles (NEVs); merely expanding public transit does not automatically lead to a reduction in carbon emission intensity. Scenario simulations further reveal that, due to the implementation of compact development strategies, many Chinese cities have already experienced a deceleration in carbon emission growth. Some economically advanced and industrialized cities are even showing a decoupling trend between economic growth and carbon emissions. This research not only identifies the key pathways for carbon reduction in compact cities but also provides theoretical foundations and empirical evidence to support the formulation of low-carbon urban policies.

DOI： 10.1057/s41599-025-05545-w

Scopus

Publisher：Energy  

Energy poverty remains a persistent challenge in South Asia, particularly among rural populations, however limited attention has been given to the role of women's empowerment in mitigating this issue. This study addresses this research gap by introducing a novel Multidimensional Women's Empowerment Index (MWEI) and investigating the relationship with multidimensional energy poverty across five South Asian countries. Utilizing nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey data from 2001 to 2018, we apply mixed-effects logistic regression and a two-stage least squares (2SLS) estimation to control for potential endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity. The results revealed that higher levels of women's empowerment, defined through their participation in household decision-making, education, and employment, are significantly associated with reduced household energy poverty. Notably, countries such as India, Nepal, and Pakistan experienced energy poverty reductions of over 70 % in households with high MWEI scores. However, significant urban-rural disparities in energy poverty alleviation persist. This study contributes to the literature by empirically quantifying the causal link between women's empowerment and energy poverty reduction through a novel composite index and robust econometric techniques. The findings underscore the critical need for gender-inclusive energy and development policies, especially in rural areas, to effectively combat energy poverty and support the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

DOI： 10.1016/j.energy.2025.138765

Scopus

Publisher：Energies  

In the aviation industry, momentum for reducing emissions has rapidly increased in recent years. From international systems like the EU ETS and CORSIA, to the introduction of new fuels such as electricity and SAF as alternatives to conventional fuels, various approaches are being considered. Within this context, there is a further movement to reduce aviation emissions through a modal shift from air to high-speed rail. In this research, a Systematic Literature Review is undertaken to detail the nature of the modal shift from air to rail, uncovering energy policy and economic considerations. While research targeting China has increased recently, prior studies focus on Europe, leaving some regions understudied. From an emissions reduction perspective, the power source supplying rail is a critical factor. Capacity constraints on rail are also a key challenge to be addressed. Future research should address the need for additional regional studies. In the age of modal shift movements, the aviation industry is attempting to reduce emissions through the introduction of alternative low-carbon fuels. Policies to reduce emissions must consider this. Discontinuing flights could lead to unintended emissions. A synergistic approach combining modal shift and internal decarbonization is likely to be the most economically feasible and sustainable approach.

DOI： 10.3390/en18225974

Scopus

Publisher：Energy Economics  

Achieving sustainable development in the energy sector, particularly in renewable energy, requires substantial innovation funding, as it is essential for reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. This study explores how environmental policy influences the effect of energy innovation funding on renewable energy generation, addressing a key research gap in understanding policy impacts on energy transitions. Using both econometric and machine learning methods, the study analyzed data from 27 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) between 2001 and 2020. The findings reveal that while energy innovation funding accelerated renewable energy generation, poor environmental policies weaken this relationship, suggesting that strong environmental policies are essential to complement energy innovation funding for promoting renewable energy generation. Additionally, the results indicate that market-based policies are more effective in enhancing the impact of energy funding on accelerating the renewable energy generation compared to non-market-based policies. These insights highlight the importance of aligning energy innovation funding with stringent market-oriented environmental policies to fully harness their potential and expedite the transition to renewable energy. Policymakers should prioritize the development of the strategies that integrate energy funding with effective policy frameworks, ensuring that the transition to renewable energy is not only swift but also sustainable.

DOI： 10.1016/j.eneco.2025.108833

Scopus

Publisher：Journal of Cleaner Production  

Energy inequality and energy security are critical challenges in developing nations, where rural-urban disparities and unreliable energy systems hinder socio-economic progress and environmental sustainability. Although the digital economy's role in addressing energy challenges has been discussed in previous studies, empirical evidence on its potential to reduce energy inequality and enhance energy security remains limited. Previous research has largely focused on energy access, efficiency, and energy transitions, often overlooking how broader digital transformation influences energy inequality and energy security, especially in developing countries. Furthermore, most existing studies rely solely on traditional econometric methods and lack a deeper analysis of the underlying mechanisms or regional heterogeneity. To fill these gaps, this study draws on the established literature to measure relevant indices and employs both econometric and machine learning techniques to provide a comprehensive analysis. This study analyzed data from 67 developing countries between 2001 and 2021. Using econometric and machine learning approaches, the findings show that a 1 % increase in digitalization reduces electricity access inequality by 0.26 %, clean cooking inequality by 0.13 %, and improves energy security by 0.17 %. These effects are particularly pronounced in regions with severe energy disparities, demonstrating the digital economy's capacity to advance energy equity and reliability while contributing to environmental sustainability. For example, in low-income and lower-middle-income countries, a 1 % increase in digital economy reduces energy inequality by 0.48 % and 0.56 %, respectively. Mediation analysis indicates that addressing income and gender inequalities amplifies the positive impact of the digital economy on energy outcomes. For instance, reducing gender inequality in empowerment enhances digitalization's effectiveness in bridging energy access gaps and improving reliability. This study emphasizes the integration of digital infrastructure with renewable energy systems as a strategic solution for mitigating energy disparities and enhancing energy security. Policymakers should prioritize investments in digital technologies designed for rural and underserved populations, foster digital literacy, and address socio-economic barriers, including income and gender inequalities. By adopting these strategies, governments can optimize the role of the digital economy in achieving equitable and secure energy systems, aligning with sustainable development goals, and promoting environmental sustainability.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.146344

Scopus

Publisher：Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews  

Energy poverty is a critical issue globally, especially in low and lower-middle-income countries. While its effects on human health and well-being have been extensively studied, there is limited research on how it specifically impacts newborn mortality. This study seeks to fill this gap by examining the relationship between energy poverty and newborn survival in these nations. By employing econometric and machine learning (ML) technique, the study provides a comprehensive examination of this issue. Our results based on 42 low and lower-middle-income countries during the period 2001–2020 show a consistent decrease in stillbirth, neonatal, and infant mortality rates with improved energy use. Specifically, energy poverty is associated with a 13.16 % increase in stillbirths, a 9.38 % rise in neonatal deaths, and an 8.56 % increase in infant mortality. This study also demonstrates the effectiveness of ML prediction modeling, achieving over 92 % accuracy in predicting stillbirth, neonatal mortality, and infant mortality, and revealing that energy poverty significantly increases these mortality rates. Furthermore, the mediation analysis shows that energy poverty affects newborn mortality through factors like low birthweight, air pollution, and human development. This understanding highlights the urgent need for targeted actions to reduce energy poverty in the affected countries. Policymakers are urged to promote the adoption of clean cooking technologies, alternative energy sources, and raise awareness regarding the adverse effects of energy poverty.

DOI： 10.1016/j.rser.2025.115785

Scopus

Publisher：Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews  

This study investigates the impact of women's empowerment on the energy transition for sustainable development in developing nations, addressing gaps in prior research that often overlooked or lacked conclusive evidence on this relationship. While previous studies have suggested that gender equality may influence energy outcomes, they have typically either failed to quantify the impact of multidimensional women's empowerment on energy transition outcomes or ignored non-linear dynamics. This research fills this gap by combining robust econometric techniques with machine learning methods to provide a more nuanced and reliable analysis. Using data from 71 developing nations over 2001–2021, the study employs two-stage least squares, SYS-GMM, and counterfactual analysis, alongside random forest machine learning techniques. The use of random forest, which identifies non-linear relationships, offers deeper insights into how women's empowerment impacts energy access, efficiency, and sustainability, which traditional econometric methods may overlook. The results show that women's empowerment significantly drives energy transition outcomes, with a 9.03 % improvement in electricity access, a 2.0 % increase in clean cooking fuel usage, a 20.8 % rise in renewable electricity share, and a 2.9 % improvement in energy efficiency. These metrics highlight the diverse impacts of women's empowerment and their importance for policymakers aiming to meet sustainable energy goals. Notably, the effects are stronger in least developed countries, where electricity access improves by 17.2 %. This study identifies income inequality reduction as a key mediating factor amplifying these energy outcomes, emphasizing the need to integrate gender equality into energy policy frameworks for achieving inclusive and sustainable energy transitions.

DOI： 10.1016/j.rser.2025.115647

Scopus

Publisher：Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews  

This review paper explores the diverse strategies chemical companies are employing to achieve carbon neutrality amid escalating environmental regulations and societal demands for sustainability. The analysis focuses on the integration of advanced technologies, process optimization, and the transition to sustainable raw materials, with a special emphasis on the role of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technologies, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, and the development of bio-based alternatives. These measures aim to lower the chemical sector's significant carbon footprint while also contributing to a broader sustainability goal. The evaluations of CCUS technology and renewable energy integration are central to this study's analysis, since they are critical for lowering direct CO<inf>2</inf> emissions and dependency on fossil fuels. The study also examines how adopting more sustainable raw materials and improving process efficiency might reduce manufacturing waste and carbon footprints. This article highlights top chemical companies that have made great strides toward their carbon neutrality objectives, such as those using CCUS technology to significantly reduce operating emissions, through successful case studies. It also addresses the challenges and opportunities facing the industry, including advances in technology, and evolving regulatory demands. The findings provide chemical companies with practical insights for achieving carbon neutrality and offer policymakers a roadmap for creating supportive frameworks. The study emphasizes how the chemical industry is at the forefront of sustainability practices and shows how corporate goals and environmental responsibility may work together to support global sustainability initiatives.

DOI： 10.1016/j.rser.2025.115762

Scopus

Publisher：Socio Economic Planning Sciences  

Energy poverty remains a critical issue in Bangladesh, with substantial disparities in access to energy services across socio-economic and geographic groups. This study explores the socio-demographic factors driving multidimensional energy poverty and evaluates the potential of machine learning (ML) models to improve the predictive accuracy of the multidimensional energy poverty index score compared to traditional statistical models. Using national survey data, we first applied binary logistic regression to identify key determinants, such as division, place of residence, education, and financial inclusion. The results indicate that rural households, particularly in Rangpur and Barisal, face a significantly higher risk of energy poverty. In contrast, higher education and access to financial services are associated with reduced energy deprivation. Recognizing the limitations of traditional statistical models in capturing complex, nonlinear interactions and multicollinearity among socio-demographic factors, we implemented six ML algorithms—Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbor, Linear Discriminant Analysis, Extreme Gradient Boosting, and Artificial Neural Networks—to enhance predictive precision. The models demonstrated consistently high accuracy, with geographic and socio-economic factors like division, education and financial inclusion emerging as the most important predictors. Our findings emphasize the need for targeted energy policies, especially in rural areas and disadvantaged divisions. Promoting financial inclusion and improving educational access are recommended as effective strategies to further alleviate energy poverty. While the study provides valuable insights, it acknowledges the limitations of cross-sectional data and calls for further research using longitudinal approaches and an analysis of institutional factors.

DOI： 10.1016/j.seps.2025.102213

Scopus

Publisher：Sustainable Futures  

The effectiveness of environmental taxes in promoting renewable energy consumption (REC) depends on strong institutional and technological support. This study investigates how environmental taxes influence REC in OECD nations, emphasizing the mediating roles of environmental governance and environmental-related technological innovation. Econometric analyses reveal that taxes alone have a limited impact on REC, but their effectiveness increases significantly when reinforced by robust governance and innovation. Findings highlight the need for an integrated policy framework where taxation, governance, and innovation work together to accelerate the clean energy transition. These insights offer valuable guidance for achieving SDG 7 and advancing sustainable energy policies.

DOI： 10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100825

Scopus

Publisher：Energies  

Energy poverty focuses on energy affordability in developed nations but is most often used in the developing world in the context of a lack of access to electricity, clean cooking fuels, or technologies. About 1.2 billion people still lack access to electricity and nearly 40 per cent of the world’s population lacks access to clean cooking fuels. In addition, climate change mitigation strategies must be applied to a complex and diverse socio-technical landscape that varies across and within countries. Energy poverty is among the most pressing issues to be addressed within these strategies; however, due to the complexity of its causes, there is no commonly agreed upon evaluation approach or holistic set of indicators for its quantitative evaluation. In this study, a comprehensive literature review is undertaken on energy poverty measurement methods and definitions, and factors that cause energy poverty. Through this, exogenous and endogenous factors that are often overlooked in the assessment and prediction of energy poverty are identified. The need for an energy poverty prediction framework is identified, incorporating missing perspectives and elements needed to implement future energy poverty projections to enable proactive policy development. Missing perspectives included an increase in energy demand associated with the development of innovative technologies including artificial intelligence and automation, increasing fuel prices, and exogenous factors such as rising temperatures and increased acute disasters and endemic structural failures associated with climate change leading to employment impacts, all of which may be critical to the accurate prediction of energy poverty.

DOI： 10.3390/en18102516

Scopus

Publisher：Next Energy  

This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of emission trading systems (ETSs) on carbon emission reductions across 81 countries from 2001 to 2021, with a particular focus on the mediating role of environment-related technological innovation (ETI). Drawing on the Porter hypothesis, this research hypothesizes that ETS directly reduces carbon emissions and fosters green technological innovation, further contributing to emission reductions. Using advanced econometric techniques, including fixed-effects regression models, system generalized method of moment, and mediation analysis via GSEM, the study finds that a 1% increase in ETS results in an approximately 0.02% direct reduction in carbon emissions, while a 1% increase in ETS indirectly reduces emissions by about 0.003% through ETI. Although the percentage seems modest, this impact translates into significant annual CO₂ reduction at national levels, underscoring the importance of ETS in practical, large-scale decarbonization efforts. The results underscore the dual pathways through which ETS contributes to decarbonization and highlight innovation's crucial role in achieving sustainable carbon emissions reductions. The study concludes with policy implications, advocating for the urgent need for strengthened international collaboration in ETS design and implementation, investments in green technological innovation, and enhanced cooperation among countries can further amplify the effectiveness of ETS, creating a collective momentum toward sustainable development and climate resilience.

DOI： 10.1016/j.nxener.2024.100220

Scopus

Publisher：Journal of Co2 Utilization  

Technological solutions to address climate change are coalescing around renewable energy deployment. Yet, the deployment of renewables alone may not be sufficient to restrict temperature increases in line with Paris Agreement targets. The emergence of carbon negative technologies to bridge this shortfall is needed and expected to overcome this gap. Among these technologies, direct air capture (DAC) is being deployed at multiple scales using various approaches. This study investigates membrane-based DAC integrated with subsequent carbon dioxide to carbon fuel conversion, i.e., DAC with utilization (DAC-U). The DAC-U evaluation is undertaken holistically, beginning with a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment, followed by economic feasibility scenario analysis and social acceptability analysis to establish acceptable deployment pricing and necessary policy interventions. This study reveals that, although the DAC-U represents a carbon negative capable technology with positive lifestyle and environmental outcomes, high capital costs present a significant barrier to deployment. To overcome this barrier, a robust policy regime including subsidies or fuel credits may be necessary. Further technological innovation and efficiency gains will also close this gap, meaning that the membrane-based DAC-U concept may play a role in achieving carbon neutrality goals in the near future.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jcou.2024.103002

Scopus

Publisher：International Journal of Global Energy Issues  

This study examined the trade-offs among energy, the economy, amenity and education concerning the implementation of renewable energy in Indonesia. The objective was to offer a comprehensive understanding of the economic and environmental advantages associated with renewable energy and to investigate the role of education in fostering social acceptance. The data was obtained by conducting a survey among local tourists at Pangandaran Beach in Indonesia, using random sampling techniques. The research assesses the level of acceptance regarding the potential integration of wind turbines, consistent with the national energy system development policy. The results show that there is a well-informed stakeholder group who have positive toward the deployment of wind turbines. Meanwhile, some objections were raised against visual impacts, but most tourists felt that wind turbine deployment would not inconvenience or have major impacts on marine ecosystems. Furthermore, this study discussed the challenges related to stakeholder engagement in energy policy development. It also provided a contrast by comparing findings from other countries and identified potential knowledge gaps specific to the Indonesian case.

DOI： 10.1504/IJGEI.2025.143365

Scopus

Publisher：International Exchange and Innovation Conference on Engineering and Sciences  

This study investigates the combined impact of e-governance, green technology innovation, and institutional quality on Japan’s progress toward achieving net-zero emissions from 2001 to 2023. By constructing a composite NetZero Emissions Index (NZEI) using principal component analysis, the study employs both Autoregressive Distributed Lag models and machine learning techniques-including Random Forest and Support Vector Machines-to capture linear and nonlinear relationships among the key variables. The econometric results reveal that e-governance and institutional quality significantly enhance carbon neutrality in both the short and long run, while green innovation shows a strong long-term effect. Machine learning models confirm these findings, with high predictive accuracy (R2 > 0.92) and variable importance analysis indicating that e-governance is the most influential predictor of NZEI. These results underscore the critical role of digital governance, innovation, and institutional strength in shaping effective climate policy. The study offers actionable insights for policymakers aiming to integrate governance reforms and technological innovation into Japan’s carbon-neutral transition.

DOI： 10.5109/7395644

Scopus

Publisher：Energy  

Empowering women is acknowledged as a crucial factor for sustainable development and has significant potential in advancing health, education, economic opportunities, and other development sectors. Although previous research has explored the effects of women's empowerment in various fields, there remains a notable gap in studies addressing energy poverty and inequality in developing countries. This study examines the role of women's empowerment in mitigating energy poverty and inequality, for 94 developing nations from 2001 to 2020. The panel regression models and mediation analysis are used to assess the direct and indirect effects of women's empowerment on energy outcomes through financial development and human development. The research findings indicate that while women's empowerment significantly reduces energy poverty and inequality across different income groups and regions, its impact varies within these groups and regions. For instance, enhancing women's employment and education is effective in low-income countries and certain regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Moreover, the mediation analysis highlights the critical role of financial development and human development in mediating the relationship between women's empowerment and energy outcomes. Policies aimed at promoting gender equality, enhancing financial access, and improving educational opportunities for women emerge as crucial strategies for achieving universal energy access and fostering sustainable development.

DOI： 10.1016/j.energy.2024.133982

Scopus

Publisher：Sustainable Futures  

The transition toward renewable energy includes a need for equitable outcomes, yet a critical research gap exists in understanding the relationship between renewable energy deployment and energy justice within International Energy Agency (IEA) member nations. This study addresses this gap by thoroughly examining the influence of renewable energy deployment on energy justice across 23 IEA member nations from 1995 to 2020. We employ advanced econometric techniques such as the two-step system generalized method of the moment to investigate the linkage between renewable energy deployment and energy justice. By considering the various dimensions of energy justice, this study provides a holistic assessment of the positive linkage between renewable energy deployment and energy justice within IEA member nations. Significantly, we uncover that a greater share of renewable energy substantially enhances energy justice levels, highlighting the importance of renewable energy policies prioritizing social inclusion and justice. By shedding light on this relationship and addressing a critical research gap, our study contributes to advancing knowledge in renewable energy deployment and energy justice. These insights hold substantial implications for policymakers, providing valuable guidance for formulating policies and strategies that promote equitable and sustainable outcomes during the renewable energy transition.

DOI： 10.1016/j.sftr.2024.100236

Scopus

Publisher：Environmental Challenges  

The plastics sector, accounting for a significant portion of global emissions, presents a challenge and an opportunity in achieving carbon neutrality. Despite Japan's commendable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle recycling rates, most plastics are thermally recycled, creating environmental issues. This study proposes an evaluation framework to enhance recycling, aligned with end-user preferences and fostering a circular plastics economy. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study conducts fieldwork including interviews with plastic recyclers and analysis of industry data. A weighted sum multicriteria analysis integrating end-user preferences, recycling effectiveness, and market dynamics is utilized. Systemic, process, and policy challenges were shown to hinder sustainable recycling practices, while varying willingness to pay, emission and cost reduction potentials, among acceptability and sectoral diversity informed priority plastic types for recycling. Multicriteria analysis showed that although PET is favored by end users, Polyoxymethylene (POM) emerges as a potential priority target for manufacturers and recyclers. Sensitivity analysis underscores the potential impact of establishing or enhancing willingness to pay (WTP) toward certain plastic types. Moreover, manufacturer and recycler evaluations suggest a broader willingness to recycle plastics than previously assumed. The proposed evaluation framework offers insights toward plastic recycling strategies. Policy interventions such as sustained subsidies for recyclers, market incentives leveraging WTP preferences, and technological advances, including chemical recycling and the broadening of plastic type recycling in line with user and manufacturer preferences, could all contribute to promoting sustainable plastic recycling practices.

DOI： 10.1016/j.envc.2024.101040

Scopus

Publisher：Nature Communications  

Given Japan’s aging population, this study examines household food waste and life cycle greenhouse gas emissions for the six age brackets of Japanese households. Older households have higher food waste emissions than younger households.

DOI： 10.1038/s41467-024-51553-w

Scopus

Publisher：Energy Research and Social Science  

While existing literature extensively investigates the adverse effects of energy poverty on physical health, exploring its impacts on the mental well-being of school-aged children (5–14 years old) remain underexplored, particularly in the energy-deprived regions of South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. This research aims to bridge this gap by delving into the indirect pathways through which energy poverty influences the mental health of these children, explicitly examining anxiety and depression, with a particular focus on child abuse as a potential mediating factor. This study employs comprehensive data at both the country level, covering 52 energy-poor nations from 2000 to 2019, and the household level, covering 18 energy-poor nations. This study utilizes a two-step system generalized method of moment approach to unveil the significant relationships between energy poverty and heightened levels of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, the study employs advanced statistical methods to analyze household-level data, including multilevel logistic regression, Probit instrumental regression models, and mediation analysis. These analyses confirm a robust association between energy poverty and an increased likelihood of anxiety and depression among school-aged children. The study also uncovers a concerning link between energy poverty and child abuse, emphasizing its role as a contributing factor to adverse mental health outcomes in children. The findings of this study offer critical insights for policymakers, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions and policies aimed at alleviating the adverse mental health effects of energy poverty on children. By addressing this issue, policymakers can contribute to fostering children's overall well-being and development in energy-poor regions.

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103729

Scopus

Publisher：Environmental Research Communications  

Demographic aging has emerged as a global societal concern, posing a challenge to decarbonization efforts. This study investigates the impact of demographic aging on household decarbonization by first quantifying age-bracket-specific household carbon footprints (HCF) in the United States (U.S.), and comparing them to Japan, a country facing the most serious aging issues among economically developed countries. To explore future challenges, an estimation of the effects of demographic shifts on HCFs to the late 2030’s using multi-regional input-output analysis. It was revealed that the highest per-capita HCF was associated with middle-aged (45–54) households, reaching 31.9 t-CO<inf>2</inf>eq/cap in the U.S., more than double the same age bracket in Japan. Due to an influx of younger immigrants in the U.S., future demographic changes are projected to increase the total HCF by 684.5 Mt-CO<inf>2</inf>eq from 2011 to 2038. In contrast, Japan is expected to see a decrease of 28.4 Mt-CO<inf>2</inf>eq from 2011 to 2040. The comparison between the U.S. and Japan highlights two distinct pathways resulting from future demographic trends, underscoring the need for CF mitigation efforts to target U.S. household demand specifically. In response to this, policy recommendations are proposed to reduce HCFs in the U.S., particularly in light of its aging and immigration challenges.

DOI： 10.1088/2515-7620/ad82b0

Scopus

Publisher：Journal of Cleaner Production  

This research seeks to understand how people's daily behaviors and preferences may influence their perceived importance of environmental, economic, and social issues. To date, a lot of research has been grounded in survey and statistical analysis-based approaches using a broad variety of demographic, behavioral, and issue specific factors to underpin these analyses. This study builds on this body of work, seeking to contrast the merits of statistical analysis and machine learning, and to determine the efficacy of decision tree machine learning approaches that only employ non-identifiable data to estimate people's perceived issue importance based predominantly on behavioral inputs. Results show that statistical analysis can extract the critical demographics that influence perceived issue importance, as well as highlighting some behaviors which consistently influence these importance levels. On the other hand, a machine learning approach, rather than giving significance and strength of relationships, make predictions as to whether certain issues are important to people based not only on demographics but also on a suite of daily behaviors. This tool, which does away with the need for intrusive survey questions, may provide a streamlined policy instrument for policymakers to develop more effective energy policies which align with people's values.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.143486

Scopus

Publisher：Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews  

Eco-labels are one potential tool to facilitate communication between producers and consumers and to promote environmental and social policies. The main objective of this study is to investigate the successes and limitations of eco-labels through a comprehensive review of the academic literature and the label programs themselves, and to discuss the potential and directions for future academic research and eco-labels. The initial literature review examined the definition, characteristics, objectives, successes, and challenges of eco-labels and identified essential elements of successful labeling, such as consumer awareness and acceptance. The subsequent review of label programs examined the characteristics and trends of 456 label programs in 199 countries based on a large eco-label database. Several additional analyses comprehensively synthesized the results of these two studies and provided specific suggestions for future academic research and label programs. In conclusion, at this time there is limited evidence that eco-labels can serve as effective communication and policy tools. However, there also remain significant improvement opportunities for many label programs to realize their potential.

DOI： 10.1016/j.rser.2024.114708

Scopus

Publisher：Sustainability Switzerland  

The growing discourse surrounding biomass energy’s environmental ramifications has ignited debate among policymakers. While biomass remains a primary and readily accessible energy source, various studies have extensively examined its implications for health and the economy. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding its role in mitigating climate change. This study delves into the ecological footprint implications of biomass energy consumption in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, spanning from 1990 to 2017. While the existing literature predominantly relies on parametric methodologies, offering estimates of biomass energy’s average impact on ecological footprints, it fails to capture temporal variations in this relationship. Consequently, this study employs both parametric and nonparametric time-varying techniques to elucidate the evolving impact of biomass energy utilization on ecological footprints across the studied nations. Findings from both analytical approaches converge to suggest that biomass energy usage amplifies the ecological footprint of OECD nations. Notably, the nonparametric analysis underscores the dynamic nature of this relationship over time. Based on these insights, policy recommendations are given to mitigate the adverse environmental consequences of biomass energy usage while exploring cleaner alternative energy sources.

DOI： 10.3390/su16166942

Scopus

Publisher：Applied Energy  

Deploying negative emission technologies has become crucial for limiting the global temperature rise to approximately 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels. DAC technologies are being explored as one of the prospective options. These technologies have been thoroughly investigated as a potential project to capture CO<inf>2</inf> emissions and provide purified air, natural gas, or fuel oil. An applied approach, on the other hand, was not taken into consideration while evaluating the influence that this technology has on emissions. For this reason, British Columbia provides a substantial chance to examine emissions that were produced after the DAC actions were put into place in 2015. In this study, the difference-in-differences methodology is employed for the very first time to compare the emissions that are produced by the transport sectors in British Columbia with those emitted by other provinces in Canada. The role that GDP and population play in the release of emissions is also taken into consideration in this paper. Based on the research results, it can be observed that the implementation of DAC initiatives has yielded notable effects. Evidence shows that the DAC effort has led to an average reduction of 0.08 in logarithmic CO<inf>2</inf> emissions in the transport sector. By accounting for GDP and population, the empirical results indicate that DAC technology reduced CO<inf>2</inf> emissions in British Columbia compared to provinces without DAC facilities. DAC initiatives are expected to become increasingly prevalent between the mid-2030s and 2040s. Overall policy implications suggest that there is a need for DAC technologies to collaborate with alternative mitigation technologies, or alternative technologies should collaborate with DAC technologies that are more efficient to achieve the targeted goals in a short time.

DOI： 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.123112

Scopus

Publisher：Sustainable Futures  

Compact city policies have gained global attention for their potential to combat urban sprawl, conserve suburban open spaces, reduce energy consumption, and cultivate vibrant urban living environments. While these policies are widely believed to contribute to urban low-carbon objectives, empirical evidence has been lacking. This study focuses on the pivotal elements of compact city development, investigating impacts on sectoral urban carbon emissions and uncovering spatial heterogeneity. The research outcomes affirm that density and accessibility indicators exert significant negative influences on carbon intensity for the energy, industrial, household, and transportation sectors. While public transport, despite its fundamental role in compact city theory, does not show effectiveness in reducing urban carbon emissions as expected. The study highlights that as an approach toward achieving urban sustainability under the scope of climate change adaptation, compact city development strategies necessitate a careful balance in their application. Further, we underscore the importance of complementing compact city policies with greener energy strategies to effectively realize low-carbon urban transportation goals.

DOI： 10.1016/j.sftr.2024.100200

Scopus

Publisher：Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews  

Public investments in research, development, demonstration, and deployment in energy systems are crucial for accelerating the adoption of new energy technologies that can support a low-carbon just energy transition and promote the fair and equitable distribution of benefits and costs, improving social equity. However, the impact of energy innovation funding on social equity through progressing the just energy transition has not been explored in prior research for advanced economies. Thus, this research quantitively examines how energy innovation funding affects social equity in 23 developed economies for the period of 1995–2020. Employing a fixed effect, augmented mean group, and a system-generalized method of moments technique along with a mediating model, this study finds that increasing energy innovation funding significantly improves social equity directly as well as indirectly via accelerating energy justice in advanced economies. Therefore, proper allocation and utilization of public energy innovation budgets are necessary to promote clean energy technologies, advance the just energy transition, and improve social equity, inclusion, and community engagement. This study emphasizes the importance of policy interventions that promote a just energy transition and energy innovation funding to build resilient and inclusive energy systems that improve social equity while achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7, affordable and clean energy.

DOI： 10.1016/j.rser.2024.114405

Scopus

Publisher：Energy  

This study investigates the impact of effective energy policy interventions on reducing energy poverty in the emerging nations of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Existing literature lacks a detailed investigation into the connection between energy policy and sustainable energy development for addressing energy poverty. Consequently, this work explores the dynamics of energy policy interventions in alleviating energy poverty in 42 emerging economies in the APAC region by engaging enhanced econometric approaches and panel estimates covering the period of 2000–2019. Analyzing the accessibility of energy, clean cooking fuel and technologies, and energy consumption level, this paper investigates energy poverty from a macro standpoint considering energy policy interventions in APAC emerging nations. The results suggest that energy policies, comprising laws, regulations, and strategies, are negatively associated with energy poverty. Among these, well-planned, forward-looking strategies are more successful in alleviating energy poverty. The implications of this study provide a framework for formulating necessary energy policies to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG7, which focuses on affordable and clean energy for all.

DOI： 10.1016/j.energy.2024.130367

Scopus

Publisher：Energy Sources Part B Economics Planning and Policy  

Japan aims to contribute to an 80% reduction of global emissions by 2050 and has accordingly set policies to promote the acceleration of technological development for Carbon Capture and Storage. The first pilot project began operation in 2016 to demonstrate the viability and reliability of Carbon Capture and Storage. However, there are challenges faced today of a technological, social, and economic nature, leading to uncertainty in future energy scenarios. To evaluate the opportunities and challenges of further development and expansion of Carbon Capture and Storage, this paper uses a TIMES (The Integrated MARKAL-Efom System) code generator and identifies four potential scenarios: base, low penetration, high penetration, and carbon tax scenario. In the base scenario, no CO<inf>2</inf> is delivered to the reservoir, while in the low and high penetration scenarios, 1.62% and 22% CO<inf>2</inf> are absorbed, respectively, but it is not enough to reach Japan’s target. The use of carbon taxes, however, achieved a greater CO<inf>2</inf> reduction of 53%. The results of this research are useful for informing policymakers in the energy sector toward sustainable development. Overall, it provides valuable insights into the potential of Carbon Capture and Storage to mitigate climate change.

DOI： 10.1080/15567249.2024.2308839

Scopus

Publisher：Energy Engineering Journal of the Association of Energy Engineering  

One of the impacts of the Fukushima disaster was the shutdown of all nuclear power plants in Japan, reaching zero production in 2015. In response, the country started importing more fossil energy including coal, oil, and natural gas to fill the energy gap. However, this led to a significant increase in carbon emissions, hindering the efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. In the current situation, Japan is actively working to balance its energy requirements with environmental considerations, including the utilization of hydrogen fuel. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the feasibility and implications of using hydrogen power plants as a means to reduce emissions, and this analysis will be conducted using the energy modeling of the MARKAL-TIMES Japan framework. The hydrogen scenario (HS) is assumed with the extensive integration of hydrogen into the power generation sector, supported by a hydrogen import scheme. Additionally, this scenario will be compared with the Business as Usual (BAU) scenario. The results showed that the generation capacities of the BAU and HS scenarios have significantly different primary energy supplies. The BAU scenario is highly dependent on fossil fuels, while the HS scenario integrates hydrogen contribution along with an increase in renewable energy, reaching a peak contribution of 2,160 PJ in 2050. In the HS scenario, the target of reducing CO<inf>2</inf> emissions by 80% is achieved through significant hydrogen penetration. By 2050, the total CO<inf>2</inf> emissions are estimated to be 939 million tons for the BAU scenario and 261 million tons for the Hydrogen scenario. In addition, the contribution of hydrogen to electricity generation is expected to be 153 TWh, smaller than PV and wind power.

DOI： 10.32604/ee.2024.047555

Scopus

Publisher：Local Environment  

International scholarship and policy advice is gaining interest in understanding what a just transition means for communities, the lived environment and sense of place. At the same time, Japan is facing increasing pressure to accelerate its progress towards decarbonisation, which has implications for regions within Japan that rely on carbon-intensive industries for employment and economic sustainability. Previous experience within Japan of the phase-out of domestical coal extraction, and the impacts of this historical transition on host communities, has the potential to yield rich insights into how the social and cultural implications of a just transition can be managed both in Japan and globally. However, much of the existing place-based scholarship in this field has been undertaken in Japanese, and has not been published in English. The purpose of this viewpoint is therefore to summarise recent academic and policy research into a just transition in Japan, and draw insights from three former coal producing regions that have been impacted by coal phase-out in different ways: Tagawa in Kyushu, Iwaki in north-east Japan, and Yubari in Hokkaido. Our synthesis draws out several factors from the Japanese cases that contribute to “successful” just transitions at the local level: early and comprehensive planning and cooperation between different sectors; the need for leadership and vision from the local level rather than reliance on central government financial support for a transition; and the importance of social protection measures in avoiding stigma and sustaining a sense of community identity.

DOI： 10.1080/13549839.2023.2249511

Scopus

Publisher：Sustainability Switzerland  

This paper addresses the global imperative of tackling environmental challenges, particularly in the context of the carbon-intensive oil and gas (O&G) industry, which is one of the heaviest carbon-emitting industries. Competitive advantages in this industry often stem from external connections rather than internal capabilities. How companies assess their business partners, including electric vendors, from an environmental standpoint, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches, was explored using a systematic literature review approach. This literature review delves into the realm of green supply chain management, covering topics, such as carbon cap and trade, carbon offsets, renewable energy, regulations, finance, and vendor selection. Key findings from this review highlighted the limited number and lack of depth of studies regarding the presence and impact of electrical vendors, who play a crucial role in the oil and gas sector. Furthermore, our review identified a general lack of research on green supply chain management metrics, particularly in the context of the oil and gas industry and the roles and technical contributions of electric vendors.

DOI： 10.3390/su152316249

Scopus

Publisher：Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy  

The role of financial development and technological innovation on environmental quality is insufficiently examined by researchers for emerging Asian nations. Thus, this paper scrutinizes the impact of financial progress and technological innovation on the ecological footprint (EF) in the context of emerging Asian countries considering data for the period 1985–2018. The results obtained from Cross-Sectionally Augmented Autoregressive Distributed Lag approach confirm that financial development related to EF is positive, while technological innovation concerning EF is significantly negative. The Dumitrescu–Hurlin (D–H) granger causality test identified a statistically significant unidirectional relationship between financial development and EF in which technological innovation has a bidirectional association with EF. The policy implications of this paper suggest that Asian nations should undertake a proactive green investment policy to direct investment toward green projects rather than environmentally harmful ones. Further, appropriate policy and incentives must be pursued to enhance technological innovation to attain sustainable environmental and social development. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

DOI： 10.1007/s10098-023-02590-4

Scopus

Publisher：Energy for Sustainable Development  

The existing literature extensively examines the impact of energy poverty on various developmental outcomes, yet there is a dearth of research investigating the empirical relationship between energy poverty and child disability. Therefore, this study aims to examine the association between household energy poverty and disabilities in children aged 2–4 years. The analysis utilizes data from the nationally representative Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys conducted between 2017 and 2019 in 15 developing countries, encompassing three countries from South Asia and twelve countries from Sub-Saharan Africa. To measure the severity of children's disabilities, functional domains, including hearing, seeing, walking, fine motor skills, learning, understanding, speaking, and playing, were considered. Energy poverty was assessed using a multidimensional weighted approach, which accounted for access to household energies such as electricity, clean cooking fuels, television, refrigerators, mobile phones, and more. Multilevel regression models were employed to evaluate the adjusted association between energy poverty and child disability. The findings of this study reveal that children residing in energy-poor households face a higher risk of experiencing disabilities compared to those in energy non-poor households. Furthermore, Sub-Saharan Africa exhibits a greater influence of energy poverty on the development of child disabilities compared to South Asia. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using Lewbel's two-stage least squares (2SLS) regression model to predict the standardized disability score derived from principal component analysis. The results consistently indicate that households with limited access to energy are significantly more vulnerable to severe disabilities among children aged 2–4 years. Therefore, to address this issue and enhance the well-being of children and families, governments and development partners in low- and middle-income countries should prioritize policies and programs targeting energy poverty, such as increasing access to modern energy sources, promoting energy efficiency, and implementing specialized social protection initiatives.

DOI： 10.1016/j.esd.2023.101331

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Energy  

Despite extensive global efforts, energy poverty remains a persistent issue, primarily affecting developing countries. While there have been numerous policy initiatives proposed in the academic literature to alleviate energy poverty, the potential of energy poverty alleviation through financial inclusion has received limited attention. To address this issue, this study is conducted using survey data from the Bangladesh Household Income and Expenditure Survey held during 2010 and 2016. A multilevel regression model is employed to identify the association between energy poverty and financial inclusion. The results reveal that households with financial inclusion experience significantly lower rates of acute and severe energy poverty by 13% and 33%, respectively, compared to those without financial inclusion. Moreover, to establish a causal relationship between financial inclusion and energy poverty, a propensity score matching and the Lewbel two-stage least square regression methods are employed in this paper. The findings indicate that female-headed households have a lower likelihood of severe energy poverty compared to male-headed households. Moreover, when comparing education levels within households, both males and females contribute equally to reducing energy poverty through financial inclusion. These research findings can inform policymakers in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 for universal access to affordable and modern energy.

DOI： 10.1016/j.energy.2023.128452

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Energy Research and Social Science  

Energy poverty has been extensively studied in the literature regarding its impact on physical, mental, and maternity health as well as the social well-being of adults. However, there is still a research gap in understanding how energy poverty specifically affects the health of young children under the age of five, particularly toward the occurrence of acute respiratory infections (ARIs). To address this gap, this paper aims to clarify the link between energy poverty and acute respiratory illness among young children in South Asia. We utilized data from five demographic and health surveys conducted between 2015 and 2018, encompassing 292,196 young children. Employing the multidimensional energy poverty index and principal component analysis, we assessed energy poverty at the household level, considering indicators such as lack of electricity, clean cooking fuels, indoor smoke, and lifestyle-sustaining devices. Applying multilevel logistic and probit instrumental variable regression models, this study revealed that multidimensional energy poverty significantly triggers the risk of ARI among young children. Specifically, a 1 % increase in energy poverty leads to a 48 % increase in the odds of developing ARI among young children in South Asian households. Furthermore, regional disparities in the impact of energy poverty on respiratory infections were identified. Our findings remain robust across different methods and measures of energy poverty. The findings of this research work have a significant policy implication for ensuring sustainable energy services to improve children's health, contributing to sustainable development goals 3 (good health and well-being) and 7 (affordable and clean energy).

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2023.103271

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Sustainability Switzerland  

As nations around the world strive to achieve carbon neutrality, many policies have been implemented at varying costs and levels of efficacy. Although carbon emissions are dominated by the power, industry, transport, and building sectors, the plastics sector is responsible for a significant 4.5% of global emissions and is the fastest-growing material production sector. This study seeks to identify the economic and carbon-reduction potential of the greening of plastic supply chains compared to existing carbon-reduction regimes. Utilizing literature review, lifecycle analysis and multicriteria analysis cognizant of cost, carbon-reduction potential, quality, and recyclability, this paper identifies the performance of virgin, recycled, and bioplastics under a number of scenarios. We find that recycled plastics offer a low-cost carbon-reduction potential; however, concerns about perceived quality remain. While no single plastic type or source can satisfy all criteria, the satisfaction of manufacturer and end user concerns is critical to reducing CO2 via plastic supply-chain greening and the move away from crude-oil-based plastics. The reallocation of subsidies from less effective carbon-reduction policies toward supply-chain greening may offer benefits and stimulate the emergence of a quality control system to overcome manufacturer and user concerns.

DOI： 10.3390/su151713229

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Energy Research and Social Science  

As with many advanced economies, Japan is currently undergoing an energy transition, aiming to deploy the maximum amount of renewable energy in order to reduce reliance on energy imports from abroad. Ideally, this transition will not only increase energy security for Japan, but will also improve the living standards of its people and be representative of a ‘just’ transition. In order to determine the nature of the Japanese energy transition, it is important to recognize the awareness of concepts such as the Just Transition, and to understand people's desires for the future. This research investigates the relationship between these factors, i.e., uncovering whether or not awareness of the Just Transition concept affects peoples desired outcomes, personal behaviors or preferences toward energy policies which engender a transition. Here we analyze a large sample survey (n = 6000) of the Japanese public to understand desires, behaviors and preferences, to attempt to extract policy implications and effective strategies to promote desirable behaviors which promote a Just Transition. Our results show that demographics impact upon Just Transition knowledge levels, and that these knowledge levels themselves then impact upon propensity to undertake desirable behaviors, or to allow for the deployment of conducive technologies at the local or regional level. A greater level of understanding of the concept of a Just Transition, perhaps via targeted education may help to align people's behavior, desires and expectations toward the development of a fairer future energy system in Japan and more broadly for other advanced economies.

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2023.103228

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Sustainability Switzerland  

Building on the carbon reduction targets agreed in the Paris Agreements, many nations have renewed their efforts toward achieving carbon neutrality by the year 2050. In line with this ambitious goal, nations are seeking to understand the appropriate combination of technologies which will enable the required reductions in such a way that they are appealing to investors. Around the globe, solar and wind power lead in terms of renewable energy deployment, while carbon capture and storage (CCS) is scaling up toward making a significant contribution to deep carbon cuts. Using Japan as a case study nation, this research proposes a linear optimization modeling approach to identify the potential contributions of renewables and CCS toward maximizing carbon reduction and identifying their economic merits over time. Results identify that the combination of these three technologies could enable a carbon dioxide emission reduction of between 55 and 67 percent in the energy sector by 2050 depending on resilience levels and CCS deployment regimes. Further reductions are likely to emerge with increased carbon pricing over time. The findings provide insights for energy system design, energy policy making and investment in carbon reducing technologies which underpin significant carbon reductions, while identifying potential regional social co-benefits.

DOI： 10.3390/su151813447

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Energies  

The design of a desirable, sustainable energy system needs to consider a broad range of technologies, the market landscape, and the preferences of the population. In order to elicit these preferences, both toward lifestyle factors and energy system design, stakeholder engagement is critical. One popular method of stakeholder engagement is the deployment and subsequent analysis of a survey. However, significant time and resources are required to design, test, implement and analyze surveys. In the age of high data availability, it is likely that innovative approaches such as machine learning might be applied to datasets to elicit factors which underpin preferences toward energy systems and the energy mix. This research seeks to test this hypothesis, utilizing multiple algorithms and survey datasets to elicit common factors which are influential toward energy system preferences and energy system design factors. Our research has identified that machine learning models can predict response ranges based on preferences, knowledge levels, behaviors, and demographics toward energy system design in terms of technology deployment and important socio-economic factors. By applying these findings to future energy survey research design, it is anticipated that the burdens associated with survey design and implementation, as well as the burdens on respondents, can be significantly reduced.

DOI： 10.3390/en16134911

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Energy Research and Social Science  

Energy subsidies are a widespread policy instrument employed by national governments to regulate the mechanism of energy resource allocation in contemporary market economies. The economic impact of these subsidies has been quantitatively evaluated for various nations in the literature using different approaches. However, the impact of energy subsidies on social wellbeing tracked by looking at school drop-out, health status, and earning capacity through mediating effects of energy poverty employing mediation analysis using household-level data is rarely investigated, particularly for energy-poor countries. Thus, by employing mediation analysis with data from three waves of the national Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) of Bangladesh for the years 2005, 2010, and 2016, this study intends to reveal the mediating effects of energy subsidies on social wellbeing via energy poverty. The results obtained utilizing a mixed-effect regression approach suggest that energy subsidies and energy poverty are significantly linked, and energy subsidies improve social wellbeing by mediating effects of energy poverty. This finding is robust to alternative ways of addressing endogeneity using Lewbel's two-stage least squares (2SLS) method. Additionally, the richer households realize better social wellbeing and have less energy poverty, gaining more than other households from energy subsidies. The policy relevance of this paper advocates further innovation in energy subsidy reforms in energy-poor countries for combating energy poverty and ensuring clean, sustainable, and affordable energy for all in line with the aims of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) 7, affordable and clean energy.

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2023.103088

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Environmental Research Communications  

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of people’s demographics, preferred working arrangements and utilization of their free time on environmental consciousness. Such an investigation is timely because of the changing expectations around working, and the rising popularity of work-from-home arrangements leading to increased flexibility. Although the link between income and environmental impact is well understood, the mediating factors between working arrangements and environmental concerns remain unclear. Through the analysis of a nationally representative survey conducted in Japan, we clarify people’s desire to work shorter hours, subject to the maintenance of income levels, along with a desire to consider revised working arrangements if environmental improvements can be anticipated as a result. One important finding of this research is that those who prioritize their free time for family and friends have a much higher probability of valuing the environment and thus reducing their carbon footprint. These findings have implications for policy design which encourages low impact working arrangements, the sharing economy and a family friendly society.&#xD;

DOI： 10.1088/2515-7620/acddbd

Scopus

Language：Others  

DOI： 10.4337/9781839102967.00018

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Energy Research and Social Science  

When countries transition to renewable energy, why do some countries benefit in terms of social equity outcomes more than others? This study examines the effects of technology, policy toolkits and path dependence on countries' changing social equity outcomes, against alternative explanations including development, quality of governance, and demographic factors. Using a new country level measure of the social equity impacts of renewable energy deployment levels for 99 countries from 1990 to 2015, this Large-N study tests which country-level policy interventions and political conditions improve the social impacts of RE deployment regimes. Drawing on statistical models of panel data, we find renewable energy adoption is associated with greater social equity, although alternative renewable energy policies produce better social equity than feed-in tariffs. Further, social equity trajectories are constrained by countries' baseline human development indicators, highlighting that lower income countries facing greater income inequality may struggle to achieve gains in social equity equal to those of higher income countries when deploying RE.

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2023.103006

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health  

Resource-based cities (RBCs) are not only important for ensuring national resource and energy security, but they also face serious ecological and environmental problems. To achieve China’s carbon peaking and neutrality goals in the coming years, RBCs’ achievement of a low-carbon transformation has become increasingly significant. The core of this study is an investigation as to whether governance, including environmental regulations, can facilitate the low-carbon transformation of RBCs. Based on RBC data from 2003 to 2019, we establish a dynamic panel model to research the influence and mechanism of environmental regulations on low-carbon transformation. We found that China’s environmental regulations facilitate a low-carbon transformation in RBCs. Mechanism analysis identified that the environmental regulations facilitate the low-carbon transformation in RBCs by strengthening foreign direct investment, enhancing green technology innovation and promoting industrial structure upgrading. Heterogeneity analysis found that the environmental regulations play a greater role in facilitating the low-carbon transformation of RBCs in regions with more developed economies and less dependence on resources. Our research provides theoretical and policy implications for environmental regulations for the low-carbon transformation of RBCs in China, applicable to other resource-based areas.

DOI： 10.3390/ijerph20054502

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Energy  

This paper explores the impact of remittances on multidimensional energy poverty in Bangladesh by employing a nationally representative Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES)-2016 with a sample size of 46,080 households. Remittance is one of the sources of household income that can be utilized for energy services. Energy poverty is generally described and quantified at the household level, exposing potential household characteristics in terms of energy costs and benefits and access to energy services. Controlling for the relevant characteristics of investigated households, mixed-effect linear regression, two-stage least square, and generalized ordered logistic regression reveal that households with remittance income have a significantly lower level of multidimensional energy poverty in Bangladesh. The outcomes of this work advocate that an upsurge in remittance inflow engenders a strong contribution toward alleviating energy poverty in Bangladesh and likely in other developing nations. National programs should be established for devising policies to promote migrant workers, lowering energy costs at the household level, and investing remittance income into modern energy technologies to ensure and enhance access to clean energy sources.

DOI： 10.1016/j.energy.2022.125326

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Sustainability Switzerland  

Fossil fuel consumption has triggered worries about energy security and climate change; this has promoted hydrogen as a viable option to aid in decarbonizing global energy systems. Hydrogen could substitute for fossil fuels in the future due to the economic, political, and environmental concerns related to energy production using fossil fuels. However, currently, the majority of hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels, particularly natural gas, which is not a renewable source of energy. It is therefore crucial to increase the efforts to produce hydrogen from renewable sources, rather from the existing fossil-based approaches. Thus, this study investigates how renewable energy can accelerate the production of hydrogen fuel in the future under three hydrogen economy-related energy regimes, including nuclear restrictions, hydrogen, and city gas blending, and in the scenarios which consider the geographic distribution of carbon reduction targets. A random effects regression model has been utilized, employing panel data from a global energy system which optimizes for cost and carbon targets. The results of this study demonstrate that an increase in renewable energy sources has the potential to significantly accelerate the growth of future hydrogen production under all the considered policy regimes. The policy implications of this paper suggest that promoting renewable energy investments in line with a fairer allocation of carbon reduction efforts will help to ensure a future hydrogen economy which engenders a sustainable, low carbon society.

DOI： 10.3390/su15010588

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Cleaner Production Letters  

Fossil fuels continue to exacerbate climate change due to large carbon emissions resulting from their use across a number of sectors. An energy transition away from fossil fuels seems inevitable, and energy sources such as renewables and hydrogen may provide a low carbon alternative for the future energy system, particularly in large emitting nations such as the United States. This research quantifies and maps potential hydrogen fuel distribution pathways for the continental US, reflecting technological changes, barriers to deployment, and end-use-cases from 2020 to 2100, clarifying the potential role of hydrogen in the US energy transition. The methodology consists of two parts, a linear optimization of the global energy system constrained by carbon reduction targets and system cost, followed by a projection of hydrogen infrastructure development. Key findings include the emergence of trade pattern diversification, with a greater variety of end-uses associated with imported fuels and greater annual hydrogen consumption over time. Further, sensitivity analysis identified the influence of complementary technologies including nuclear power and carbon capture and storage technologies. We conclude that hydrogen penetration into the US energy system is economically viable and can contribute toward achieving Paris Agreement and more aggressive carbon reduction targets in the future.

DOI： 10.1016/j.clpl.2022.100012

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Socio Economic Planning Sciences  

This study proposes a novel objective and quantitative evaluation framework for energy-related social equity (ESE) based on data envelopment analysis. Specifically, we integrated five social indicators of 99 countries into a single composite indicator to investigate the international distribution and change of ESE, and the progress in the energy transition with the improvement of social equity. Our findings are as follows: (1) The higher the income level of a country, the higher its ESE, but the slower its growth rate; (2) the global ESE gap is reducing (although not sufficiently) due to the catch-up by low ESE countries over the analyzed period; (3) an equitable energy transition over the analyzed period is observed in most countries (although to different degrees). Fossil fuel-based social development can contribute greatly to improving the ESE of countries in the short term, while increasing the environmental burden in the long term, and can be a heavy impediment to the realization of fully equitable societies. We finally concluded that improving social equity through increasing the share of renewable energy is crucial for countries at all income levels, and especially for low-income groups, which have the potential to leapfrog towards a fully equitable society.

DOI： 10.1016/j.seps.2022.101350

Scopus

Language：Others   Publisher：Sustainability Switzerland  

Compact cities, characterized by high density and accessibility with fully developed inner-city public transport, are widely discussed and practiced around the world in response to the challenges of sustainable development and global warming. On this basis, we are committed to answering the question of how cities with varying urban growth rates adopt different policy practices, and whether these practices contribute to achieving the goal of building a sustainable, low-carbon city. Specifically, this study assesses the theoretical evidence and practical experiences on the effect of compact city characteristics and policies on urban CO2 emissions using a focused literature review and representative case studies. The results illustrate that public transportation is often strengthened in compact city policies and the density and spatial configuration of cities has a significant impact on urban carbon emissions. Moreover, there are significant differences within the impact mechanisms of compact cities on carbon emissions between small-medium-sized cities (dealing with aging populations and resource waste) and megacities (dealing with excessive urban sprawl). However, there is still insufficient quantitative evidence on the effectiveness of compact city policies and this review provides insights into future compact city planning toward policy approaches which yield lower carbon emissions.

DOI： 10.3390/su141912634

Scopus

Language：Others   Publisher：Energies  

An energy transition is in progress around the globe, notably led by an increase in the deployment of renewable energy and a shift toward less emissions-intense options, notably in the transportation sector. This research investigates the potential role that new transportation options, namely flying vehicles, may play toward progressing the energy transition. As flying vehicles are a relatively new technology yet to penetrate the market, it is also prudent to consider the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) associated with their implementation, alongside the potential energy and environmental impacts. Through a review of ELSI and energy and environmental literature, we identify research gaps and identify how flying vehicles may impact upon the energy transition over time. Our research identifies several critical aspects of both ELSI and energy and environmental academia relevant to the future deployment of flying vehicles and describes a deployment timeline and the resultant societal outcomes. We find that flying vehicles could drive the energy transition and the hydrogen economy and that their widespread adoption could engender shared socio-environmental benefits. Our findings are relevant to transportation and environmental policymakers and identify critical considerations for the planned introduction of new, shared transportation options to the market, conducive to a sustainable energy transition.

DOI： 10.3390/en15197406

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Energy Strategy Reviews  

In this research, a case study of International Energy Agency Technology Collaboration Programmes, one of the longest operating global energy technology cooperation approaches, is undertaken. Based on logical framework approach, critical factors were identified leading to positive outcomes in energy research and innovation across nations, in line with their goals. An email survey was sent to representatives of participating countries to collect data regarding inputs and outputs, and desirable outcomes. Along with survey result analysis, stepwise regression and best subsets regression were undertaken to clarify the effective factors for achievement of output satisfaction and desired outcomes. Our results show that the provision of sufficient human resources has a high probability of enhancing output satisfaction. Among the five investigated output channels for knowledge sharing (international events, documentation, newsletters, webinars, and training programs), utilizing multiple output channels (rather than in isolation) was found to be significantly associated with achieving desired outcomes of policy adoption, technology deployment, economic benefits and social acceptance. This finding identified that a broad spectrum of channels to share information and knowledge were essential to desired outcome achievement.

DOI： 10.1016/j.esr.2022.100920

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Journal of Cleaner Production  

This editorial was designed to summarize the contents and key aspects highlighted in this special issue on “Economic Analysis Underpinning Achievement of the SDGs.” The collection of twenty-one papers was partly drawn from the (1) Annual Conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, (2) the Kyushu University Platform of Inter/Transdisciplinary Energy Research (Q-Pit) international workshop on “Low-Carbon Energy Transitions,” and (3) International Conference on Energy Finance (ICEF). The novelty of this issue is the application of economic and technological analysis toward both the evaluation and achievement of the SDGs at regional and global levels. The research presented in this issue helped understand current progress and research directions in the field of economic analysis underpinning the achievement of the SDGs.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.132626

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Frontiers in Sustainability  

During the past two decades, the world has seen exponential growth in the number of companies reporting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data, and various ESG metrics have been proposed and are now in use. ESG metrics play a crucial role as an enabler of investment strategies that consider ESG factors, which are often referred to as “ESG investments”. The ESG metrics and investment market are evolving rapidly, as investors, corporations, and the public are giving more priority to the “S” in ESG, including social equity issues, such as diversity, income inequality, worker safety, systemic racism, and companies' broader role in society. In this critical, systematic review, utilizing in-depth assessments, we investigate and compare the approaches employed in major ESG metrics and studies, then, we shed light on the “S” aspect by reviewing existing approaches used to assess social equity to clarify commensurability with ESG. Through the systematic review, this paper confirms that ESG investments can be expected to provide stable and high returns especially over the long term. This paper also clarifies how elements considered in social equity studies are largely reflected in major ESG metrics.

DOI： 10.3389/frsus.2022.920955

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Energy Economics  

This research investigates the differences in awareness and preference of racial groups toward the types of energy that they would like to see incorporated into the future energy system. Based on a national survey of 3000 respondents conducted in 2020, we analyze the differences in awareness, preferences and attitudes among racial groups in the US, and how they will influence future energy system design, cognizant of a rapidly changing demographic. Utilizing robust statistical analysis methods, we ascertain cultural and demographic based differences in energy technology awareness, opinions and deployment preferences, and, building on this evidence base, develop an energy system model which allocates these preferences toward future energy system design. The findings are contrasted with current national energy system goals, highlighting the need for both bottom-up policy input which is culturally and demographically aware, alongside top-down energy system goals and guidelines.

DOI： 10.1016/j.eneco.2022.106141

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：International Journal of Hydrogen Energy  

There is a need to derive hydrogen from renewable sources, and the innovative stewardship of two natural resources, namely the Sun and forest, could provide a new pathway. This paper provides the first comparative analysis of solar-driven hydrogen production from environmental angles. A novel hydrogen production process proposed in this paper, named Solar-Driven Advanced Biomass Indirect-Gasification (SABI-Hydrogen), shows promise toward achieving continuous operation and scalability, the two key challenges to meet future energy needs. The calculated Global Warming Potential for 1 kg of solar-driven hydrogen production is 1.04 kg CO2-eq/kg H2, less than half of the current biomass gasification process which emits 2.67 kg CO2-eq/kg H2. Further, SABI-Hydrogen demonstrates the least-carbon intensive pathway among all current hydrogen production methods. Thus, solar-driven hydrogen production from biomass could lead to a sustainable supply, essential for a low-carbon energy transition.

DOI： 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.11.203

Scopus

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Utilities Policy  

The energy transition from fossil-based to renewable energy sources is one method of tackling climate change. In Japan and nations with similar, centralized energy supply systems, the challenge to shift from top-down energy planning to bottom-up, citizen-driven change remains a challenge. Thus, it is critical to understand householder preferences and how they influence energy-related behaviors. This study investigates householder consumers' preferences and behaviors regarding changing their energy supply company and their reasoning. Policy implications identified include the need to increase energy options and identify the economic and environmental benefits of market participation.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jup.2022.101379

Scopus

Language：Others  

DOI： 10.5871/just-transitions-a-p/l-m

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Energy  

Children are considered to be especially vulnerable to energy poverty; however, there has been little empirical research on how energy poverty affects early childhood development in energy-poor countries. To overcome this, here we measure energy poverty and early child development using a multidimensional approach based on data from national multiple indicator cluster surveys (MICS). Using this data, we utilize mediation techniques to empirically investigate the impact of energy poverty on early childhood development using two mediators, namely living standards and child health. The results suggest that energy poverty hampers childhood development through living standards and child health. Findings also confirm that early childhood development has a statistically significant relationship with the living standard of a household, child health, gender, age, home environment, quality of the care of the child, the mother's education level, education level of the household head and the region of residence. Finally, we propose viable policy strategies to prevent energy poverty to ensure proper child development for future generations to achieve relevant SDGs in the investigated nations.

DOI： 10.1016/j.energy.2021.123093

Scopus

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan  

Current greenhouse gas emissions suggest that keeping global temperature increase below 1.5 degrees, as espoused in the Paris Agreements will be challenging, and to do so, the achievement of carbon neutrality is of utmost importance. It is also clear that no single solution can meet the carbon neutral challenge, so it is essential for scientific research to cover a broad range of technologies and initiatives which will enable the realization of a carbon free energy system. This study details the broad, yet targeted research themes being pioneered within the International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (I2CNER). These approaches include hydrogen materials, bio-mimetic catalysts, electrochemistry, thermal energy and absorption, carbon capture, storage and management and refrigerants. Here we outline the state of the art for this suite of technologies and detail how their deployment, alongside prudent energy policy implementation can engender a carbon neutral Japan by 2050. Recognizing that just as no single technological solution will engender carbon neutrality, no single nation can expect to achieve this goal alone. This study represents a recognition of conducive international policy agendas and is representative of interdisciplinary, international collaboration.

DOI： 10.1246/bcsj.20210323

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Journal of Cleaner Production  

This study investigates how sustainable economic development in emerging nations could be enhanced by realizing opportunities presented by the demographic dividend, the digital economy, and ensuring energy efficiency. To date, the linkage between demographic dividend, digital innovation, energy intensity, and sustainable economic growth has not been examined in detail. As such, the focus of this study is to investigate the dynamic linkages among these variables in thirty emerging economies employing advanced econometric methods utilizing panel estimations for the period of 1995–2018. Long-run results suggest that demographic dividend and digitalization stimulate sustainable economic growth in all quantiles. Moreover, energy intensity and economic sustainability are negatively associated with sustainable economic growth, while urbanization, capital formation, and industrialization are positively related. The policy implications of this study suggest that realizing the opportunities of the demographic dividend and the use of digital innovation in the energy sector will boost economic performance in the digital economy era. Furthermore, the findings lay the basis for policymakers to formulate policies better to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) objectives.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129858

Scopus

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.117669

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2021.102231

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1016/j.energy.2021.121052

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1080/19397038.2021.1988187

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1016/j.eist.2021.09.002

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.3390/su131910836

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1016/j.energy.2020.119684

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105263

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

This research qualitatively reviews literature regarding energy system modeling in Japan specific to the future hydrogen economy, leveraging quantitative model outcomes to establish the potential future deployment of hydrogen in Japan. The analysis focuses on the four key sectors of storage, supplementing the gas grid, power generation, and transportation, detailing the potential range of hydrogen technologies which are expected to penetrate Japanese energy markets up to 2050 and beyond. Alongside key model outcomes, the appropriate policy settings, governance and market mechanisms are described which underpin the potential hydrogen economy future for Japan. We find that transportation, gas grid supplementation, and storage end-uses may emerge in significant quantities due to policies which encourage ambitious implementation targets, investment in technologies and research and development, and the emergence of a future carbon pricing regime. On the other hand, for Japan which will initially be dependent on imported hydrogen, the cost of imports appears critical to the emergence of broad hydrogen usage, particularly in the power generation sector. Further, the consideration of demographics in Japan, recognizing the aging, shrinking population and peoples’ energy use preferences will likely be instrumental in realizing a smooth transition toward a hydrogen economy.

DOI： 10.3390/en13174539

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd In order to achieve the Paris Agreement target of well below 2-degrees centigrade goal, developed countries have committed to reducing their emissions considerably during the coming decades. In order to achieve the ambitious target of an 80 &#37; CO2 emission reduction in Japan by 2050 (compared to 2013 levels), various energy efficient and low-carbon technologies on the supply and demand sides of the energy system must be deployed at reasonable cost. In this study, we investigate the possibility of achieving the emission reduction targets in Japan using the TIMES-Japan framework, which employs a least cost optimization approach. The contribution of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in achieving the emission reduction targets is studied in various scenarios as alongside the evaluation of two important emission reducing technologies in the same energy sector as CCS. Results of the analysis reveals the importance of hydrogen import on the supply side and the electrification of steel-making furnaces (EAF) on the demand side in order to obtain “feasible” scenarios. The minimum amount of CCS capacity is calculated for each scenario and the results vary between 5 and 150 million tons of CO2 by 2050. The range of minimum CCS capacity is wide and affected by the availability of hydrogen imports and EAF for steelmaking in various scenarios; while extremely low CCS capacity results in a very high energy system cost. Based on the results of our analysis, policy implications for appropriate levels of CCS, hydrogen import and EAF deployment are discussed.

DOI： 10.1016/j.ijggc.2020.103097

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1088/1748-9326/ab9142

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1016/j.iref.2020.06.011

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1049/iet-est.2020.0014

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Sustainability concerns have been placing public policy in the power sector under pressure to realize a radical change. However, energy policy is often subject to strong path dependency and inertia that make such change difficult. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of the conditions under which radical policy changes happen in the power sector, based on the Multiple Streams Approach. Through a case study of the Feed-in Tariff program for increasing renewable energy deployment in Japan, it is elucidated that the elevation of the generous program, which is fundamentally incompatible to previous policy processes, was a result of the intersection of problem, policy, and politics streams. The findings provide strong evidence to support our claim that political parties embrace a policy proposal that is not necessarily “softened” within the policy network when an existing policy community itself is perceived as a problem. Related Articles: Brant, Hanna K., Nathan Myers, and Katherine L. Runge. 2017. “Promotion, Protection, and Entrepreneurship: Stakeholder Participation and Policy Change in the 21st Century Cures Initiative.” Politics & Policy 45 (3): 372-404. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12201. Morris, Mary Hallock. 2007. “The Political Strategies of Winning and Losing Coalitions: Agricultural and Environmental Groups in the Debate over Hypoxia.” Politics & Policy 35 (4): 836-871. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2007.00086.x. Rawat, Pragati, and John Charles Morris. 2016. “Kingdon's ‘Streams’ Model at Thirty: Still Relevant in the 21st Century?” Politics & Policy 44 (4): 608-638. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12168.

DOI： 10.1111/polp.12357

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1111/polp.12357

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Recent research has allowed us to quantify the costs and benefits of adopting renewable energy in specific municipalities, but how do these outcomes vary among communities at the national scale? This study uses survey responses from 47 Japanese municipalities to model these impacts and identifies key technological, social, and demographic factors that shape which communities benefit more from the renewable energy transition. On average, introducing renewable energy improves social equity, any financial burden on electricity prices is born most by wealthier residents, not the poor, and towns are predisposed to benefit from renewables no matter the amount introduced. To improve these impacts, towns can increase the amount of solar they host, or they can adjust the amount of CO2 emissions, PM emissions, tax revenue, jobs gained, or unpopular renewable power plants in their town. However, preferences and demographics matter as well. Age, education, and local preferences in favor of employment and community development all significantly relate to equity potential outcomes. Policymakers should consider adjusting their local energy priorities using these levers if they hope to engineer a renewable energy transition that is both positive and popular for their constituents.

DOI： 10.1080/1523908X.2020.1740659

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Decarbonization of the energy system is a key goal of the Paris Agreements, in order to limit temperature rises to under 2° Celsius. Hydrogen has the potential to play a key role through its versatile production methods, end uses and as a storage medium for renewable energy, engendering the future low-carbon energy system. This research uses a global model cognizant of energy policy, technology learning curves and international carbon reduction targets to optimize the future energy system in terms of cost and carbon emissions to the year 2050. Exploring combinations of four exploratory scenarios incorporating hydrogen city gas blend levels, nuclear restrictions, regional emission reduction obligations and carbon capture and storage deployment timelines, it was identified that hydrogen has the potential to supply approximately two percent of global energy needs by 2050. Irrespective of the quantity of hydrogen produced, the transport sector and passenger fuel cell vehicles are consistently a preferential end use for future hydrogen across regions and modeled scenarios. In addition to the potential contribution of hydrogen, a shift toward renewable energy and a significant role for carbon capture and storage is identified to underpin carbon target achievement by 2050.

DOI： 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.12.112

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

© 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC Decarbonization of the energy system is a key goal of the Paris Agreements, in order to limit temperature rises to under 2° Celsius. Hydrogen has the potential to play a key role through its versatile production methods, end uses and as a storage medium for renewable energy, engendering the future low-carbon energy system. This research uses a global model cognizant of energy policy, technology learning curves and international carbon reduction targets to optimize the future energy system in terms of cost and carbon emissions to the year 2050. Exploring combinations of four exploratory scenarios incorporating hydrogen city gas blend levels, nuclear restrictions, regional emission reduction obligations and carbon capture and storage deployment timelines, it was identified that hydrogen has the potential to supply approximately two percent of global energy needs by 2050. Irrespective of the quantity of hydrogen produced, the transport sector and passenger fuel cell vehicles are consistently a preferential end use for future hydrogen across regions and modeled scenarios. In addition to the potential contribution of hydrogen, a shift toward renewable energy and a significant role for carbon capture and storage is identified to underpin carbon target achievement by 2050.

DOI： 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.12.112

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Modern lifestyles demand a number of products derived from petroleum-based sources that eventually cause carbon emissions. The quantification of lifestyle and household consumption impacts upon carbon emissions from both the embodied CO₂ (EC) and materially retained carbon (MRC) viewpoints is critical to deriving amelioration policies and meeting emission reduction goals. This study, for the first time, details a methodology to estimate both EC and MRC for Japan, focusing on petrochemicals and woody products utilizing the time series input-output table, physical value tables and the national survey of family income and expenditure, leveraging time series input-output-based material flow analysis (IO-MFA), and structural decomposition analysis (SDA). Findings elucidated hot spots of deleterious consumption by age of householder and the critical factors which underpin them including intensity effects, pattern effects, and demographic shifts over time. Although demographic shifts associated with an aging, shrinking population in Japan decreased EC and MRC, the negative effect reduced in size over time during 1990-2005. Policy implications identify the potential to mitigate approximately 21% of required household emission reductions by 2030 through strategies including recycling initiatives and the recovery of carbon from products covered within current recycling laws and hot spot sectors which are not currently considered such as apparel.

DOI： 10.1021/acs.est.9b02603

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd The issue of climate change and the development of international agreements around carbon targets such as the Paris agreement have engendered the prospect of a carbon constrained future. As a result, individual nations who are signatory to the Paris Agreement have developed ambitious carbon reduction targets in order to restrict temperature rises to two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. To achieve these ambitious goals, nations have a variety of policy approaches at their disposal including feed in tariffs, fossil fuel restrictions, carbon capture and storage, renewable portfolio standards and carbon trading regimes. This study investigates carbon trading, and, using Japan as a case study assesses the economic feasibility and environmental efficiency of a carbon trading scheme underpinned by renewable energy deployment. The model employed uses an optimization approach, cognizant of technological, geographic and economic constraints. Findings identify that such an approach incorporating the 47 prefectures of Japan could engender a 42&#37; reduction in emissions without resilience constraints and 34&#37; incorporating a best-mix, resilient approach. Both approaches prove feasible at moderate carbon prices, considering international norms. The findings underpin policy implications for a future national Japanese emission trading scheme to improve previous single prefecture attempts which did not engender carbon trading.

DOI： 10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.113869

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Copyright © 2019 American Chemical Society. Modern lifestyles demand a number of products derived from petroleum-based sources that eventually cause carbon emissions. The quantification of lifestyle and household consumption impacts upon carbon emissions from both the embodied CO2 (EC) and materially retained carbon (MRC) viewpoints is critical to deriving amelioration policies and meeting emission reduction goals. This study, for the first time, details a methodology to estimate both EC and MRC for Japan, focusing on petrochemicals and woody products utilizing the time series input-output table, physical value tables and the national survey of family income and expenditure, leveraging time series input-output-based material flow analysis (IO-MFA), and structural decomposition analysis (SDA). Findings elucidated hot spots of deleterious consumption by age of householder and the critical factors which underpin them including intensity effects, pattern effects, and demographic shifts over time. Although demographic shifts associated with an aging, shrinking population in Japan decreased EC and MRC, the negative effect reduced in size over time during 1990-2005. Policy implications identify the potential to mitigate approximately 21&#37; of required household emission reductions by 2030 through strategies including recycling initiatives and the recovery of carbon from products covered within current recycling laws and hot spot sectors which are not currently considered such as apparel.

DOI： 10.1021/acs.est.9b02603

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

The issue of climate change and the development of international agreements around carbon targets such as the Paris agreement have engendered the prospect of a carbon constrained future. As a result, individual nations who are signatory to the Paris Agreement have developed ambitious carbon reduction targets in order to restrict temperature rises to two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. To achieve these ambitious goals, nations have a variety of policy approaches at their disposal including feed in tariffs, fossil fuel restrictions, carbon capture and storage, renewable portfolio standards and carbon trading regimes. This study investigates carbon trading, and, using Japan as a case study assesses the economic feasibility and environmental efficiency of a carbon trading scheme underpinned by renewable energy deployment. The model employed uses an optimization approach, cognizant of technological, geographic and economic constraints. Findings identify that such an approach incorporating the 47 prefectures of Japan could engender a 42% reduction in emissions without resilience constraints and 34% incorporating a best-mix, resilient approach. Both approaches prove feasible at moderate carbon prices, considering international norms. The findings underpin policy implications for a future national Japanese emission trading scheme to improve previous single prefecture attempts which did not engender carbon trading.

DOI： 10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.113869

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Engendering a low-carbon energy transition is necessary to limit climate change impacts and temperature rises. Ideally, this transition would be inclusive, incorporating all stakeholders, however, the issue of energy or fuel poverty is a major obstacle to this goal. This research investigates energy poverty in Japan using a subjective, multidimensional energy poverty measure, clarifying the linkages between energy poverty and an inclusive, just transition in terms of energy system and policy awareness, behavior and preferences. Through the analysis of an original survey, we uncover that there is a marked difference between low-income and energy poverty households’ environmental awareness, and their subsequent attitude toward the low-carbon energy transition. Currently, the energy poor have a negative attitude toward the low-carbon energy transition in Japan, causing a lack of self-reported engagement which will not engender an inclusive, just transition. Our findings suggest that if the Japanese low-carbon energy transition were to be inclusive, a further 5 percent of households could participate in the low-carbon energy transition through access to solar or renewable energy capital. Findings identify the need for policies targeted at the energy poor, specifically promoting access to solar capital and low-carbon technologies, in addition to existing policies targeted at low-income households.

DOI： 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.111017

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (other academic)  

This research details a global model for the estimation of future hydrogen penetration into the carbon constrained energy system out to 2050. Results show that approximately 2.2% of global energy consumption needs can be met by 2050, with significant contributions in the city gas network and transportation sector. Notably, passenger FCVs dominate the transportation sector contribution, leading to a global deployment of over 100 million FCVs by 2050 across North America, Western Europe, South East Asia, China and Japan. Hydrogen production is focused in non- OECD nations, and derived mainly from fossil fuels. As a result, CCS has a strong role to play in the future energy system in order to underpin the deployment of a significant fleet of FCVs. Policy issues identified include the need for significant additional investment in the energy system and technological progress in renewables and electrolyzers to realize a shift away from a fossil fuel dominated hydrogen economy.

DOI： 10.1109/VPPC46532.2019.8952398

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (other academic)  

© 2019 IEEE. This research details a global model for the estimation of future hydrogen penetration into the carbon constrained energy system out to 2050. Results show that approximately 2.2% of global energy consumption needs can be met by 2050, with significant contributions in the city gas network and transportation sector. Notably, passenger FCVs dominate the transportation sector contribution, leading to a global deployment of over 100 million FCVs by 2050 across North America, Western Europe, South East Asia, China and Japan. Hydrogen production is focused in non- OECD nations, and derived mainly from fossil fuels. As a result, CCS has a strong role to play in the future energy system in order to underpin the deployment of a significant fleet of FCVs. Policy issues identified include the need for significant additional investment in the energy system and technological progress in renewables and electrolyzers to realize a shift away from a fossil fuel dominated hydrogen economy.

DOI： 10.1109/VPPC46532.2019.8952398

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

In order to meet climate change mitigation goals, nations such as Japan need to consider strategies to reduce the impact that lifestyles have on overall emission levels. This study analyzes carbon footprints from household consumption (i.e., lifestyles) using index and structural decomposition analysis for the time period from 1990 to 2005. The analysis identified that households in their 40s and 50s had the highest levels of both direct and indirect CO₂ emissions, with decomposition identifying consumption patterns as the driving force behind these emissions and advances in CO₂ reduction technology having a reducing effect on lifestyle emissions. An additional challenge addressed by this study is the aging, shrinking population phenomenon in Japan. The increase in the number of few-member and elderly households places upward pressure on emissions as the aging population and declining national birth rate continues. The analysis results offer two mitigatory policy suggestions: the focusing of carbon reduction policies on older and smaller households, and the education of consumers toward low-carbon consumption habits. As the aging, shrinking population phenomenon is not unique to Japan, the findings of this research have broad applications globally where these demographic shifts are being experienced.

DOI： 10.3390/en12193745

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Japan is a nation which is highly dependent on the import of raw materials to supply its manufacturing industry, notable among them copper. When extracting copper from ore, a large amount of energy is required, typically leading to high levels of CO₂ emissions due to the fossil fuel-dominated energy mix. Moreover, maintaining security of raw material supply is difficult if imports are the only source utilized. This study examines the environmental and economic impacts of domestic mineral production from the recycling of end-of-life products and deep ocean mining as strategies to reduce CO₂ emissions and enhance security of raw material supplies. The results indicate that under the given assumptions, recycling, which is typically considered to be less CO₂ intensive, produces higher domestic emissions than current copper processing, although across the whole supply chain shows promise. As the total quantity of domestic resources from deep ocean ores are much smaller than the potential from recycling, it is possible that recycling could become a mainstream supply alternative, while deep ocean mining is more likely to be a niche supply source. Implications of a progressively aging society and flow-on impacts for the recycling sector are discussed.

DOI： 10.3390/en12153021

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

We analyse subjective experiences of energy poverty to address the limitations of existing observable indicators as evidence for policy. We investigate the linkage between self-reported energy affordability and life satisfaction, health and economic inequality. A large-scale survey of 100,956 respondents across 37 nations shows that energy affordability concerns individuals in both developing and developed nations. Self-reported (perceived) values do not necessarily follow previous research and vary according to regional, economic, development and cultural factors. Contrasting this evidence with national-level data, such as healthy life expectancy and government spending on health and welfare, we identify associations between self-reported outcomes, income levels and national policy. Although national welfare spending can reduce the perceived economic gap, high income is not necessarily associated with better perceived satisfaction, health or economic outcomes. Enhancing energy access may lead to improved health outcomes in the most marginalized nations; however, lifestyle and cultural factors also play a role. Although the outcomes of less-developed nations can likely improve through development aid from more-developed nations, our results show that cultural and other factors underpin satisfaction in developing nations, which experience comparatively poorer life satisfaction. We identified that some nations had superior outcomes for health and life satisfaction despite lower income levels. This highlights the need for further research to uncover non-income-based factors that underlie life satisfaction and health, such as community connectedness or familial factors.

DOI： 10.1038/s41893-019-0303-5

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Hydrogen as an energy carrier allows the decarbonization of transport, industry, and space heating as well as storage for intermittent renewable energy. The objective of this paper is to assess the future engineering potential for hydrogen and provide insight to areas of research to help lower economic barriers for hydrogen adoption. This assessment was accomplished by creating top-level system models based on energy requirements for end-use services. Those models were used to investigate four case studies that provide a global view augmented with specific national examples. The first case study assesses the potential penetration of hydrogen using a global energy system model. The second applies the dynamic integrated climate–ecosystem–economics model to derive an estimate of the impact of the diffusion of hydrogen as an energy carrier. The third determines the required growth in renewable power and water usage to power transportation in the United States (US) with hydrogen. The fourth assesses the use of hydrogen for heating in the United Kingdom (UK). In all cases, there appeared to be significant potential for hydrogen adoption and net energetic benefit. Globally, hydrogen has the potential to account for approximately 3% of energy consumption by 2050. In the US, using hydrogen for on-road transportation could enable a reduction in rejected energy of nearly 10%. Also, hydrogen might provide the least cost alternative to decarbonizing space heating in the UK. The research highlights a challenge raised by widespread abandonment of nuclear power. It is currently unclear what the removal of nuclear would do to the cost of energy as nations attempt to limit global greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power has also been proposed as a source for large scale production of hydrogen. Finally, this analysis shows that with today's technological maturity making the transition to a hydrogen economy would incur significant costs.

DOI： 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.01.168

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Japan’s mega solar boom: quantifying social equity expectations and realities at the local scale
© 2018, Springer Japan KK, part of Springer Nature. This research aims to quantitatively identify the variation in equity and burden distribution associated with mega-solar siting at the local level in Japan, and to identify mega-solar siting outcomes in each region and prefecture, in terms of social equity and burden distribution outcomes relative to stated preferences. Methodologies employed include survey and interviews to identify critical energy policy factors associated with mega-solar siting, and their perceived importance according to local officials associated with deployment. Building on the critical factor and important findings from 29 of Japan’s largest 200 mega-solar sites, a quantitative analysis of social equity outcomes in terms of health, environmental improvement, electricity prices, employment and community development is undertaken. Additionally, an analysis of the burden distribution resultant from mega-solar deployment in each region is undertaken. In all cases explored, mega-solar deployment leads to an improvement in social equity levels, with desirable burden distribution which closes the gap between rich and poor. Regional and local factors impact upon the comparative equity and burden distribution outcomes between sites, notably pre-existing particulate matter concentrations and employment changes between fossil fuel and renewable industries, and the reduction of electricity tariffs. These findings identify challenges and opportunities for policy makers and the proactive, equitable deployment of mega solar based on national, regional and local attributes.

DOI： 10.1007/s11625-018-0613-y

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

A review of four case studies assessing the potential for hydrogen penetration of the future energy system
© 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC Hydrogen as an energy carrier allows the decarbonization of transport, industry, and space heating as well as storage for intermittent renewable energy. The objective of this paper is to assess the future engineering potential for hydrogen and provide insight to areas of research to help lower economic barriers for hydrogen adoption. This assessment was accomplished by creating top-level system models based on energy requirements for end-use services. Those models were used to investigate four case studies that provide a global view augmented with specific national examples. The first case study assesses the potential penetration of hydrogen using a global energy system model. The second applies the dynamic integrated climate–ecosystem–economics model to derive an estimate of the impact of the diffusion of hydrogen as an energy carrier. The third determines the required growth in renewable power and water usage to power transportation in the United States (US) with hydrogen. The fourth assesses the use of hydrogen for heating in the United Kingdom (UK). In all cases, there appeared to be significant potential for hydrogen adoption and net energetic benefit. Globally, hydrogen has the potential to account for approximately 3&#37; of energy consumption by 2050. In the US, using hydrogen for on-road transportation could enable a reduction in rejected energy of nearly 10&#37;. Also, hydrogen might provide the least cost alternative to decarbonizing space heating in the UK. The research highlights a challenge raised by widespread abandonment of nuclear power. It is currently unclear what the removal of nuclear would do to the cost of energy as nations attempt to limit global greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power has also been proposed as a source for large scale production of hydrogen. Finally, this analysis shows that with today's technological maturity making the transition to a hydrogen economy would incur significant costs.

DOI： 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.01.168

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

This research aims to quantitatively identify the variation in equity and burden distribution associated with mega-solar siting at the local level in Japan, and to identify mega-solar siting outcomes in each region and prefecture, in terms of social equity and burden distribution outcomes relative to stated preferences. Methodologies employed include survey and interviews to identify critical energy policy factors associated with mega-solar siting, and their perceived importance according to local officials associated with deployment. Building on the critical factor and important findings from 29 of Japan’s largest 200 mega-solar sites, a quantitative analysis of social equity outcomes in terms of health, environmental improvement, electricity prices, employment and community development is undertaken. Additionally, an analysis of the burden distribution resultant from mega-solar deployment in each region is undertaken. In all cases explored, mega-solar deployment leads to an improvement in social equity levels, with desirable burden distribution which closes the gap between rich and poor. Regional and local factors impact upon the comparative equity and burden distribution outcomes between sites, notably pre-existing particulate matter concentrations and employment changes between fossil fuel and renewable industries, and the reduction of electricity tariffs. These findings identify challenges and opportunities for policy makers and the proactive, equitable deployment of mega solar based on national, regional and local attributes.

DOI： 10.1007/s11625-018-0613-y

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems are energy-efficient technologies to provide low-carbon heating and cooling demands for the buildings. However, deployment of the GSHP systems in Japan is limited mainly due to the relatively high drilling costs for placement of the ground heat exchangers (GHEs), in comparison with EU and North American countries. This study is providing the historical data of deployment of different types of the GSHP systems in Japan, the supportive public policies and incentives for installation of GSHP systems. Finally, the barriers for the further utilization of the GSHP systems in Japanese buildings are discussed and solutions are suggested.

DOI： 10.1016/j.egypro.2019.01.902

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Considerable amount of energy is being consumed in the buildings worldwide. Space and water heating have big share in building energy consumption, account for 53.2% and 28.1% in Japanese residential and commercial buildings at 2015, respectively. Solar heating is a reliable and mature technology that experienced its remarkable success in Japan during late-1970s and early-1980s. However, during last 30 years, the number of installations in Japan is decreased, even after 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster and energy challenge in Japan. This study is presenting a historical review on the solar heating market status, policy, and research trends in Japan with focus on the Japan's glorious solar heating market at 1980's. The reasons and barriers for further deployment of solar thermal technology are investigated and suggestions are presented.

DOI： 10.1016/j.egypro.2019.01.234

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Sustainable development is an important United Nations agenda, and the determination of which of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) should be prioritized is left up to each participating nation. Stakeholder engagement including all members of society can engender a nationally representative priority SDG set. This research investigates inclusive sustainable development which incorporates an approach to stakeholder engagement. The study assesses precedential scholarship of stakeholder engagement and sustainability evaluation, identifying a gap in terms of the inclusion of householder perceived importance of lifestyle related factors in sustainable development policy making and evaluation. Utilizing a case study of the aging, shrinking population of Japan, a representative, national survey of householders is undertaken, demonstrating that lifestyle relevant factors of sustainability approximate jurisdictionally important United Nations SDGs and help to identify priority targets within these goals. Perceived importance variety across household generations is also identified, providing guidance for policy makers in terms of age-relevant policy making and jurisdictionally important cultural factors. The framework proposed has applications in the case-study nation and is also readily applicable to other jurisdictions and for use in comparative studies.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.302

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Developing national frameworks for inclusive sustainable development incorporating lifestyle factor importance
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd Sustainable development is an important United Nations agenda, and the determination of which of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) should be prioritized is left up to each participating nation. Stakeholder engagement including all members of society can engender a nationally representative priority SDG set. This research investigates inclusive sustainable development which incorporates an approach to stakeholder engagement. The study assesses precedential scholarship of stakeholder engagement and sustainability evaluation, identifying a gap in terms of the inclusion of householder perceived importance of lifestyle related factors in sustainable development policy making and evaluation. Utilizing a case study of the aging, shrinking population of Japan, a representative, national survey of householders is undertaken, demonstrating that lifestyle relevant factors of sustainability approximate jurisdictionally important United Nations SDGs and help to identify priority targets within these goals. Perceived importance variety across household generations is also identified, providing guidance for policy makers in terms of age-relevant policy making and jurisdictionally important cultural factors. The framework proposed has applications in the case-study nation and is also readily applicable to other jurisdictions and for use in comparative studies.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.302

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

This study analyzed the relationship between urban CO
₂
emissions and economic growth applying the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis. The objective of this study is to investigate how urban CO
₂
emissions and their composition have changed with urban economic growth, depending on city characteristics, using a dataset of metropolitan areas. We obtained data for 276 cities in 26 countries for the years 2000, 2005, and 2008. The dataset includes urban CO
₂
emissions, GDP, and population. Additionally, data regarding compact city variables are applied to determinants analysis using an econometric approach. The results demonstrate an inverted U-shape relationship between urban CO
₂
emissions and urban economic growth. Additionally, an inverted U-shape relationship is observed for the transport and residential & industry sectors. However, the turning points of each inverted U-shape curve varies. This result implies that we can better understand urban policies for reducing urban CO
₂
emissions by considering the characteristics of each sector.

DOI： 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.06.158

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Visualizing the shape of society: An analysis of public bads and burden allocation due to household consumption using an input-output approach
© 2018 Elsevier B.V. This study investigates how our lifestyles can cause societal issue including a reduction in social equity due to the consumption of natural resources. Based on a range of household environmental footprints and their application to a quantitative social equity evaluation framework, a methodology is proposed which identifies the creation and origin of public bads within society. This research builds on the methodologies of energy policy sustainability evaluation incorporated with environmentally extended input output analysis in order to critically assess lifestyle-based consumption impacts, and to quantify the allocation of subsequent burdens across generations. Further, the proposed methodology is applied to a case study in Japan, an aging, shrinking population. Analysis identifies the increasing burden originating with elderly generations, and due to the resolution offered by the methodology, specifically identifies commodities and services which underpin these future burdens, allowing for policy implications to be drawn. The public bads and consumption burden indicator established through the described methodology is proposed as a footprint harmonizing tool to assess sustainability and supplement the footprint family.

DOI： 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.151

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

An analysis of urban environmental Kuznets curve of CO<inf>2</inf> emissions: Empirical analysis of 276 global metropolitan areas
© 2018 This study analyzed the relationship between urban CO2 emissions and economic growth applying the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis. The objective of this study is to investigate how urban CO2 emissions and their composition have changed with urban economic growth, depending on city characteristics, using a dataset of metropolitan areas. We obtained data for 276 cities in 26 countries for the years 2000, 2005, and 2008. The dataset includes urban CO2 emissions, GDP, and population. Additionally, data regarding compact city variables are applied to determinants analysis using an econometric approach. The results demonstrate an inverted U-shape relationship between urban CO2 emissions and urban economic growth. Additionally, an inverted U-shape relationship is observed for the transport and residential & industry sectors. However, the turning points of each inverted U-shape curve varies. This result implies that we can better understand urban policies for reducing urban CO2 emissions by considering the characteristics of each sector.

DOI： 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.06.158

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

This study investigates how our lifestyles can cause societal issue including a reduction in social equity due to the consumption of natural resources. Based on a range of household environmental footprints and their application to a quantitative social equity evaluation framework, a methodology is proposed which identifies the creation and origin of public bads within society. This research builds on the methodologies of energy policy sustainability evaluation incorporated with environmentally extended input output analysis in order to critically assess lifestyle-based consumption impacts, and to quantify the allocation of subsequent burdens across generations. Further, the proposed methodology is applied to a case study in Japan, an aging, shrinking population. Analysis identifies the increasing burden originating with elderly generations, and due to the resolution offered by the methodology, specifically identifies commodities and services which underpin these future burdens, allowing for policy implications to be drawn. The public bads and consumption burden indicator established through the described methodology is proposed as a footprint harmonizing tool to assess sustainability and supplement the footprint family.

DOI： 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.151

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy (RE) is one of the core strategies in developing sustainable future energy systems. But in planning such a transition, it is common to consider primarily cost and greenhouse gas reduction, as typified by cost-mitigation curves that have become widespread. Such assessments tend to leave important considerations of energy justice on the periphery. This paper puts forward an alternative assessment technique, incorporating various indicators of social equity in order to assess the priority of power plant replacement that would lead to the greatest improvement in benefits, while placing the burden of system changes away from the most vulnerable. An example of the application of this approach is presented for prioritization of the retirement and replacement (with RE) of Australia s ageing fleet of coal-fired power plants. The assessment shows very different results from a standard cost-mitigation approach, with the retirement of the large brown coal power plants (including the recently retired Hazelwood power plant) and the replacement with wind power (where applicable) promoting the best overall outcomes on both cost and equity. Considering a selection of high priority indicators with many locally-specific data sets, the approach adds significant contextual relevance to prioritization, and is considered to offer useful findings for policy-makers.

DOI： 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.03.054

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (other academic)  

DOI： 10.24752/gre.1.0_4

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

A public survey of energy users across Japan was conducted in March of 2017. It is almost one year since liberalization of the low voltage electricity market for households and small retail premises, for whom we identified an opportunity to play a positive role through their choices and participation in the energy market, which may influence the ongoing energy system restructure in Japan. The survey asked about changing to a new power provider, and about the installation of rooftop photovoltaic systems to identify the reasoning behind these choices. Additionally, future hypothetical energy scenarios were tested. The results show that a significant portion of the public make participatory decisions to gain an economic benefit, while another group appears curious about new technology, seeking information before reaching a decision in order to satisfy their curiosity. Both groups are larger than the third significant group, whose decision making is guided by environmental reasoning. The results also show that a large portion of the public are relatively conservative in their energy choices, leading to a very passive approach, while a small portion of respondents demonstrated a more active stance. These findings have ramifications for the future energy system and implications for energy policy development.

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2017.09.026

Language：Others  

Curiosity, economic and environmental reasoning: Public perceptions of liberalization and renewable energy transition in Japan
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd A public survey of energy users across Japan was conducted in March of 2017. It is almost one year since liberalization of the low voltage electricity market for households and small retail premises, for whom we identified an opportunity to play a positive role through their choices and participation in the energy market, which may influence the ongoing energy system restructure in Japan. The survey asked about changing to a new power provider, and about the installation of rooftop photovoltaic systems to identify the reasoning behind these choices. Additionally, future hypothetical energy scenarios were tested. The results show that a significant portion of the public make participatory decisions to gain an economic benefit, while another group appears curious about new technology, seeking information before reaching a decision in order to satisfy their curiosity. Both groups are larger than the third significant group, whose decision making is guided by environmental reasoning. The results also show that a large portion of the public are relatively conservative in their energy choices, leading to a very passive approach, while a small portion of respondents demonstrated a more active stance. These findings have ramifications for the future energy system and implications for energy policy development.

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2017.09.026

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Japan's energy market has seen the siting and construction of over 2800 new mega-solar power plants since the introduction of the Feed-in Tariff policy in 2012 (Kitamoto, 2017). While scholars have highlighted the potential for community-engaged renewable power development with social benefits for local residents, many major mega-solar projects have instead resulted from industry-led initiatives in locations, largely avoiding community engagement. In this study, we draw from distributive energy justice perspectives to analyze social equity impacts of the mega-solar siting process. We employ qualitative content analysis on 29 survey responses from local officials around Japan's 200 largest mega-solar plants constructed since 2012 and contextualize results through 18 interviews with relevant actors in six case studies. We find that given the existence of the Feed-in Tariff and sufficient solar irradiation, the availability of underutilized land decreases community bargaining power compared to historical power plant siting agreements. This results in primarily land leasing benefits and municipal tax revenue with minimal additional social impacts, such as employment. We outline a model of causation for mega-solar social equity impacts, Japanese policy implications, and directions for future quantitative research.

DOI： 10.1016/j.esd.2017.11.002

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Social equity impacts in Japan's mega-solar siting process
© 2017 International Energy Initiative Japan's energy market has seen the siting and construction of over 2800 new mega-solar power plants since the introduction of the Feed-in Tariff policy in 2012 (Kitamoto, 2017). While scholars have highlighted the potential for community-engaged renewable power development with social benefits for local residents, many major mega-solar projects have instead resulted from industry-led initiatives in locations, largely avoiding community engagement. In this study, we draw from distributive energy justice perspectives to analyze social equity impacts of the mega-solar siting process. We employ qualitative content analysis on 29 survey responses from local officials around Japan's 200 largest mega-solar plants constructed since 2012 and contextualize results through 18 interviews with relevant actors in six case studies. We find that given the existence of the Feed-in Tariff and sufficient solar irradiation, the availability of underutilized land decreases community bargaining power compared to historical power plant siting agreements. This results in primarily land leasing benefits and municipal tax revenue with minimal additional social impacts, such as employment. We outline a model of causation for mega-solar social equity impacts, Japanese policy implications, and directions for future quantitative research.

DOI： 10.1016/j.esd.2017.11.002

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

This paper investigates the precedents, policies and factors relevant to a successful energy regime transition which may be applied in the Japanese case, through a review of national leaders in renewable energy deployment. The examples of Germany, Italy and Spain are of particular note for their progress along the transition pathway toward a low carbon energy regime. Transition theory is used as a framework to enable this assessment, and exogenous impacts specific to Japan such as recent and ongoing market liberalization and the Fukushima nuclear incident are considered as pertinent factors which impact upon the transition landscape. Through a comparative assessment of policy approaches, technologies deployed, and social factors impacting upon deployment, lessons are drawn for comparison with current Japanese transition progress, identifying factors critical to the future estimation of the Japanese transition pathway. Future energy transition pathway projections will need to incorporate policy approaches and mechanisms as well as being cognizant of Japan's geographic and cost-competitive RE resource deployment limitations. These limitations alongside existing generation assets (including nuclear energy) are expected to have a significant impact upon Japan's transition from the current pre-development phase toward take-off, acceleration and the stabilization of a new, low-carbon energy regime.

DOI： 10.1016/j.rser.2017.06.011

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Strategic and user-driven transition scenarios: Toward a low carbon society, encompassing the issues of sustainability and societal equity in Japan.
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd This study investigates the sustainability and social equity impacts of the ongoing transition toward a low carbon society in Japan to assess the merits of top-down and bottom-up approaches. The research uses mixed methods, incorporating householder and energy expert surveys, scenario design utilizing the Japanese MARKAL/TIMES framework, and sustainability and social equity evaluation. Surveys identify householder energy system and participation preferences, alongside energy expert input on social equity and policy design. Scenario building is undertaken to compare energy system outcomes between the strategic Japanese policy approach and a user driven approach to energy transition, both cognizant of 2050 environmental goals. Both scenarios are comparatively assessed using a holistic sustainability evaluation process. Conclusions identify the impact of liberalization and subsequent householder participation in the energy system in Japan, when compared to a strategic, policy driven approach. Both approaches have positive ramifications on social equity and policy burden distribution outcomes. However, the household participation scenario delivers a more equitable outcome, distributing energy policy burdens in a fairer manner through the realization of an energy system which is safe, stable and affordable. The findings have practical applications in participatory policy design, and the development of energy policy which can achieve transition goals while being sensitive to householder preferences and social equity concerns.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.10.225

Language：Others  

Energy transition to a future low-carbon energy society in Japan's liberalizing electricity market: Precedents, policies and factors of successful transition
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd This paper investigates the precedents, policies and factors relevant to a successful energy regime transition which may be applied in the Japanese case, through a review of national leaders in renewable energy deployment. The examples of Germany, Italy and Spain are of particular note for their progress along the transition pathway toward a low carbon energy regime. Transition theory is used as a framework to enable this assessment, and exogenous impacts specific to Japan such as recent and ongoing market liberalization and the Fukushima nuclear incident are considered as pertinent factors which impact upon the transition landscape. Through a comparative assessment of policy approaches, technologies deployed, and social factors impacting upon deployment, lessons are drawn for comparison with current Japanese transition progress, identifying factors critical to the future estimation of the Japanese transition pathway. Future energy transition pathway projections will need to incorporate policy approaches and mechanisms as well as being cognizant of Japan's geographic and cost-competitive RE resource deployment limitations. These limitations alongside existing generation assets (including nuclear energy) are expected to have a significant impact upon Japan's transition from the current pre-development phase toward take-off, acceleration and the stabilization of a new, low-carbon energy regime.

DOI： 10.1016/j.rser.2017.06.011

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

This study investigates the sustainability and social equity impacts of the ongoing transition toward a low carbon society in Japan to assess the merits of top-down and bottom-up approaches. The research uses mixed methods, incorporating householder and energy expert surveys, scenario design utilizing the Japanese MARKAL/TIMES framework, and sustainability and social equity evaluation. Surveys identify householder energy system and participation preferences, alongside energy expert input on social equity and policy design. Scenario building is undertaken to compare energy system outcomes between the strategic Japanese policy approach and a user driven approach to energy transition, both cognizant of 2050 environmental goals. Both scenarios are comparatively assessed using a holistic sustainability evaluation process. Conclusions identify the impact of liberalization and subsequent householder participation in the energy system in Japan, when compared to a strategic, policy driven approach. Both approaches have positive ramifications on social equity and policy burden distribution outcomes. However, the household participation scenario delivers a more equitable outcome, distributing energy policy burdens in a fairer manner through the realization of an energy system which is safe, stable and affordable. The findings have practical applications in participatory policy design, and the development of energy policy which can achieve transition goals while being sensitive to householder preferences and social equity concerns.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.10.225

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

This study analyzes the key drivers of the relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions in six Northeast Asian countries (China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and Russia) from 1991 to 2015. We apply a decomposition analysis approach using Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index to identify the main contributing factors toward CO₂ emission changes. To discuss the decomposition results in more in detail, we explain the energy portfolio change in each country to understand the energy and resource utilization strategy. From the results, we find that the key driving factors of CO₂ emissions change and energy portfolio trends are different among Northeast Asian countries, driven by economic growth in China and Korea, reduced by energy efficiency improvements in Russia and the DPRK, while being relatively benign in Japan and Mongolia due to a combination of these factors. This result implies that we can better understand the regional cooperation policy for improving each driving factor to achieve sustainable development and management of CO₂ emissions considering the characteristics of each country.

DOI： 10.3390/su10010244

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Hydrogen import pathway comparison framework incorporating cost and social preference: Case studies from Australia to Japan
Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Recent proposals to produce and import hydrogen from Australia to Japan for electricity generation raise questions about how to compare the costs and feasibilities of different hydrogen import pathways. This paper establishes a framework for the comparison of technological, economic, and social costs and feasibility. The framework is then applied to 3 potential production and import case studies. First, a benchmark case study is considered which uses Australian brown coal from the Latrobe Valley combined with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology. The second and third comparative case studies use renewable energy and electrolysis near port facilities in Karratha, Western Australia, using solar power exclusively as the renewable energy source, and Gladstone, Queensland, using a combination of onshore wind and solar-based generation. The study finds that comparative pilot project generation costs for the brown coal pathway are between approximately 5.9 and 15.4 yen/kWh cheaper than for solar and/or wind-based pathways. However, limitations of scaling up CCS, a limited brown coal supply, long-term reducing costs of renewables, and the prospect to develop complementary renewable infrastructure make a strong counterargument for investment in solar and wind pathways as an alternative to brown coal and CCS.

DOI： 10.1002/er.3807

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Feed-in tariff (FiT) policy approaches for renewable energy (RE) deployment are employed in many nations around the world. Although FiTs are considered effective in boosting RE deployment, the issue of increasing energy bills and social burden is an often-reported negative impact of their use. The FiT has been employed in Japan since 2012, following after many developed countries, and, as was experienced in other nations, led to a social burden imparted on society significantly higher than initial government estimates. Although policy decision making does not necessarily reflect international policy experience, it is still prudent to ask how international policy experiences of social burden increase were considered within the Japanese approach. In this research, we analyzed the transfer process by adapting a conventional model to develop more objective observations than was previously possible, by setting a benchmark for evaluation based on prior international experiences. We identified two streams of policy transfer, each led by different actors; the government and representatives of the National Diet of Japan (Diet). Both actors were exposed to the same experiences, however the interpretation, application to policy development and priority settings employed were vastly different. Although the framework can only assess policy learning processes, we have found that the government undertook a reasonable and rational process toward learning, while, on the other hand, the modified bill developed by the Diet members did not thoroughly derive learnings in the same way, due to cognitive and political reasons, and specifically, the issue of limiting social burden was not addressed.

DOI： 10.3390/socsci6040127

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Feed-in tariff pricing and social burden in Japan: Evaluating international learning through a policy transfer approach
© 2017 by the authors. Feed-in tariff (FiT) policy approaches for renewable energy (RE) deployment are employed in many nations around the world. Although FiTs are considered effective in boosting RE deployment, the issue of increasing energy bills and social burden is an often-reported negative impact of their use. The FiT has been employed in Japan since 2012, following after many developed countries, and, as was experienced in other nations, led to a social burden imparted on society significantly higher than initial government estimates. Although policy decision making does not necessarily reflect international policy experience, it is still prudent to ask how international policy experiences of social burden increase were considered within the Japanese approach. In this research, we analyzed the transfer process by adapting a conventional model to develop more objective observations than was previously possible, by setting a benchmark for evaluation based on prior international experiences. We identified two streams of policy transfer, each led by different actors; the government and representatives of the National Diet of Japan (Diet). Both actors were exposed to the same experiences, however the interpretation, application to policy development and priority settings employed were vastly different. Although the framework can only assess policy learning processes, we have found that the government undertook a reasonable and rational process toward learning, while, on the other hand, the modified bill developed by the Diet members did not thoroughly derive learnings in the same way, due to cognitive and political reasons, and specifically, the issue of limiting social burden was not addressed.

DOI： 10.3390/socsci6040127

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

The Fukushima accident has pushed Japan to further develop its renewables initiative, particularly the biomass energy commodity. Their projection for the 2030 energy mix includes a biomass share of 4%. Further, a policy was introduced in 2002 called the Biomass Nippon Strategy. This was revised in 2006, fortifying the creation of Biomass Towns. Another major step forward came in 2009 with the Basic Act for the Promotion of Biomass Utilization. New goals were set with the introduction of the Basic Energy Plan. To meet the target, an agenda for the supply of domestic and imported biomass is needed. Domestic supply, such as wood pellets and agricultural residue has a small future potential. However for import scemes including wood and Palm Kernel Shell (PKS) from Indonesia and Malaysia are currently in place. There are also several future potential sources of biomass as yet untapped. In the future, the supply of biomass energy commodity could be increased to meet the target of 4% of the energy mix including comoddities such as biodiesel from sunflower, Jatropha Curcas as well as EFB (Empty fruit bunch), Sugarcane, Bagasse, Algae, Cotton seed, Coconut oil, Coconut Shell.

DOI： 10.12720/sgce.6.2.119-126

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Biomass energy in Japan: Current status and future potential
© 2017, Engineering and Technology Publishing. All rights reserved. The Fukushima accident has pushed Japan to further develop its renewables initiative, particularly the biomass energy commodity. Their projection for the 2030 energy mix includes a biomass share of 4%. Further, a policy was introduced in 2002 called the Biomass Nippon Strategy. This was revised in 2006, fortifying the creation of Biomass Towns. Another major step forward came in 2009 with the Basic Act for the Promotion of Biomass Utilization. New goals were set with the introduction of the Basic Energy Plan. To meet the target, an agenda for the supply of domestic and imported biomass is needed. Domestic supply, such as wood pellets and agricultural residue has a small future potential. However for import scemes including wood and Palm Kernel Shell (PKS) from Indonesia and Malaysia are currently in place. There are also several future potential sources of biomass as yet untapped. In the future, the supply of biomass energy commodity could be increased to meet the target of 4% of the energy mix including comoddities such as biodiesel from sunflower, Jatropha Curcas as well as EFB (Empty fruit bunch), Sugarcane, Bagasse, Algae, Cotton seed, Coconut oil, Coconut Shell.

DOI： 10.12720/sgce.6.2.119-126

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Carbon Capture and storage may contribute as much as one-fifth of the necessary reductions to meet the IEA's emissions goals for 2050. CCS is one of the only technologies that reduces the carbon impact of "business as usual," preventing CO₂ from burning fossil fuels and certain industries from entering the atmosphere. Japan has geological, regulatory, and financial advantages encouraging investment in CCS and several demonstration projects are already underway. Using a Markel-Times system model, long-term road map results are presented for Japan's future energy mix and CCS capacity. In the short term until 2030, import prices of fossil fuels are expected to increase while renewable solar and wind power will grow rapidly. The role of nuclear power is more debatable in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, but the projection anticipates at least some nuclear power to be used in the coming decades. Two industries are modeled for CCS, steel production and cement manufacture. Launched by start-up investments, CCS is expected to begin industrially from 2015 and could grow to capture and store more than 90 PJ of carbon from the steel industry per year and another 60 PJ from cement factories every five years.

DOI： 10.1016/j.egypro.2017.12.193

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Recent proposals to produce and import hydrogen from Australia to Japan for electricity generation raise questions about how to compare the costs and feasibilities of different hydrogen import pathways. This paper establishes a framework for the comparison of technological, economic, and social costs and feasibility. The framework is then applied to 3 potential production and import case studies. First, a benchmark case study is considered which uses Australian brown coal from the Latrobe Valley combined with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology. The second and third comparative case studies use renewable energy and electrolysis near port facilities in Karratha, Western Australia, using solar power exclusively as the renewable energy source, and Gladstone, Queensland, using a combination of onshore wind and solar-based generation. The study finds that comparative pilot project generation costs for the brown coal pathway are between approximately 5.9 and 15.4 yen/kWh cheaper than for solar and/or wind-based pathways. However, limitations of scaling up CCS, a limited brown coal supply, long-term reducing costs of renewables, and the prospect to develop complementary renewable infrastructure make a strong counterargument for investment in solar and wind pathways as an alternative to brown coal and CCS.

DOI： 10.1002/er.3807

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

The sustainability of energy policy performance is determined by a combination of environmental, economic and equity impacts on society. To date, analysis of the equity impacts of energy policy have been largely overlooked in favour of environmental and economic impacts. As equity is an important issue within sustainability and energy justice considerations, this paper sets out to provide a framework and methodology which allows an assessment of both policy effectiveness in terms of an environmental and economic evaluation, followed up by an assessment of resultant quantitative equity impacts on society, in order to engender a holistic policy sustainability evaluation. Following an investigation of prominent energy policy equity issues and Australian peoples preferences towards equity, multiple scenarios are evaluated for effectiveness within the Australian National Electricity Market. The results of this evaluation provide an evidence base for the development of an alternative energy scenario which addresses the identified equity issues whilst meeting policy goals. The equity evaluation demonstrates the comparative equity resultant from each scenario and identifies the apportioning of burden according to income level. The proposed evaluation processes allow the policy maker to develop policies sensitive to both effectiveness and equity, and can be applied in energy justice conscious jurisdictions.

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2016.06.021

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Proposing an evaluation framework for energy policy making incorporating equity: Applications in Australia
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd The sustainability of energy policy performance is determined by a combination of environmental, economic and equity impacts on society. To date, analysis of the equity impacts of energy policy have been largely overlooked in favour of environmental and economic impacts. As equity is an important issue within sustainability and energy justice considerations, this paper sets out to provide a framework and methodology which allows an assessment of both policy effectiveness in terms of an environmental and economic evaluation, followed up by an assessment of resultant quantitative equity impacts on society, in order to engender a holistic policy sustainability evaluation. Following an investigation of prominent energy policy equity issues and Australian peoples preferences towards equity, multiple scenarios are evaluated for effectiveness within the Australian National Electricity Market. The results of this evaluation provide an evidence base for the development of an alternative energy scenario which addresses the identified equity issues whilst meeting policy goals. The equity evaluation demonstrates the comparative equity resultant from each scenario and identifies the apportioning of burden according to income level. The proposed evaluation processes allow the policy maker to develop policies sensitive to both effectiveness and equity, and can be applied in energy justice conscious jurisdictions.

DOI： 10.1016/j.erss.2016.06.021

Language：Others  

Renewable Energy Policy Efficacy and Sustainability: The Role of Equity in Improving Energy Policy Outcomes

DOI： 10.1007/978-981-10-0471-1_51

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

The importance of moving towards sustainable energy systems is critical to achieving societal sustainability. Transitions theory is a useful approach to look at the potential and limitations of systemic transitions, and has been applied in a number of alternative contexts. In the current study, we examine transitions theory and its implications for the progress of decentralized energy systems in Japan in the period after the Fukushima accident of 2011. Empirical data from a targeted nation-wide survey is used to examine the progress and change in consumer preference and behavior since the disaster, as possible evidence for the potential transition paths likely to be occurring. Importantly, this study utilizes data that examines a spectrum of urban–rural and disaster–non-disaster areas in order to explore whether any differences in response patterns were present. Results indicate that although the desire of stakeholders has been to change the energy system, there are barriers to transformation. Variation between rural and urban sites and between disaster-affected and unaffected areas was examined, indicating that (at least under the chosen classification) there was surprisingly little difference. The results have implications for understanding transitions at a much broader level, and imply that, if the empirical data is a useful indicator, Japan is within a locked-in or reorganization transition. In order to move to a more radical conversion type change a new approach is likely to be required to nurture niche innovations effectively.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.12.092

Language：Others  

Strengthening the Energy Policy Making Process and Sustainability Outcomes in the OECD through Policy Design

DOI： 10.3390/admsci6030009

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Residential or 'rooftop' solar PV can play an important role in providing renewable energy, thus offsetting fossil fuel based generation and associated greenhouse gas emissions. In Australia, subsidies are offered to encourage the deployment of residential PV in the form of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs). This paper provides a literature review of existing work which assesses renewable energy in Australia, and delves deeper into a residential PV specific analysis of available data across the five criteria of installation, employment, market maturity, FiT settings and environmental outcomes to assess successes, failures and impacts of Australian residential PV policies between 2001 and 2012. This analysis identifies overall success with regard to environmental and deployment goals, and limited success in the goal of renewable energy industry promotion, which is devoid of indigenous manufacturing. In addition, impacts, including the dominance of the FiT as the initial stimulus for rapid PV deployment, cost impacts on electricity bills for various FiT settings, and the dependence of PV employment numbers on the continuation of the FiT are also identified. Finally, inequitable outcomes due to the FiT, such as cross-subsidisation from non-solar to solar households are also detailed.

DOI： 10.1016/j.renene.2015.09.061

Language：Others   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Residential solar PV policy: An analysis of impacts, successes and failures in the Australian case
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Residential or 'rooftop' solar PV can play an important role in providing renewable energy, thus offsetting fossil fuel based generation and associated greenhouse gas emissions. In Australia, subsidies are offered to encourage the deployment of residential PV in the form of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs). This paper provides a literature review of existing work which assesses renewable energy in Australia, and delves deeper into a residential PV specific analysis of available data across the five criteria of installation, employment, market maturity, FiT settings and environmental outcomes to assess successes, failures and impacts of Australian residential PV policies between 2001 and 2012. This analysis identifies overall success with regard to environmental and deployment goals, and limited success in the goal of renewable energy industry promotion, which is devoid of indigenous manufacturing. In addition, impacts, including the dominance of the FiT as the initial stimulus for rapid PV deployment, cost impacts on electricity bills for various FiT settings, and the dependence of PV employment numbers on the continuation of the FiT are also identified. Finally, inequitable outcomes due to the FiT, such as cross-subsidisation from non-solar to solar households are also detailed.

DOI： 10.1016/j.renene.2015.09.061