Understanding the interactions between energy efficiency and industrial structure is conducive to sustainable urban development. The coupling mechanism in between remains to be unraveled in depth for ...forming a positive cycle. With the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration as the empirical target, first the total-factor energy efficiency (TFEE) of the 26 cities of the YRD urban agglomeration during 2010–2017 is estimated by slacks-based measure model. The redefined Theil index, industrial advancement index and Lorentz curve statistics are then adopted to quantify industrial reasonability, industrial advancement and industrial concentration of cities. Finally, a coupling coordination degree model is employed to measure the comprehensive coupling level between energy efficiency and industrial structure. The results indicate that the TFEE of cities has great differences. Observed overall, the industrial reasonability and industrial advancement of cities reach a high level, while the industrial concentration is at a middle-lower level. In 2017, the comprehensive coupling of all cities is at high coordination running-in level and above. The results are expected to offer decision-making support on energy efficiency improvement and industrial restructuring for the YRD region, as well as other urban agglomerations in similar conditions.
•Total factor energy efficiency of 26 cities in YRD urban agglomeration is measured.•Industrial reasonability, industrial advancement and industrial concentration are quantified.•Comprehensive coupling level between energy efficiency and industrial structure is evaluated.•A higher coupling degree is the premise for a higher coordination degree.•Comprehensive coupling of all cities is at high coordination running-in level and above.
The fatty K+ ion calls for suitable host materials to meet the requirement for high safety and long‐term stability of potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs) to rival lithium‐ion batteries, thus anode ...materials possessing high capacity, high stability, and well‐defined plateaus involving favorable working voltage (≈0.5 V) have always been desired. Here, a 3D BiFeO3 with micro‐flower structure (BFO‐MF) constructed by nanosheets is proposed as an anode for PIBs. Density functional theory calculations evidence that the intrinsically favorable affinity and diffusion for K+ ion render fast electrochemical kinetics and attenuated voltage‐hysteresis, and electrochemical measurements indicate that the stable 3D structure of BFO‐MF enables to achieve impressive performances including a high capacity of 606 mAh g−1, flat plateaus at ≈0.5 V, stable performances for 5000 cycles at 500 mA g−1, and 500 cycles at 100 mA g−1 upon −20 °C. In situ and ex situ characterizations definitely elucidate the conversion and alloy/dealloy mechanism. The satisfying features of BFO‐MF anode ensure full‐cells to achieve excellent cyclic performances, and a high energy efficiency retention rate of ≈98.2% for the cathode, with energy density/power density output up to 177.1 Wh kg−1/2152.8 W kg−1, respectively. This work can provide new insights for developing advanced anodes for PIBs.
The flower‐like BiFeO3 with stable structure (BFO‐MF) intrinsically possesses favorable affinition/diffusion for K+ ion and well‐defined plateaus, enabling the BFO‐MF electrode to stably operate for 5000 cycles at 500 mA g−1, and 500 cycles at −20 °C. The satisfying features of BFO‐MF anode ensure the pouch‐type full‐cell to achieve stable performances and impressive applications, with high energy efficiency.
Energy efficiency is recognised as a key strategy to tackle three energy-related challenges – climate change, energy security and economic development – at the least cost to the society. In the ...recent years of the economic downturn, it gained even more relevance in the developed countries as there is more than ever the need to decouple economic recovery and growth from energy consumption. However, despite this formal recognition, energy efficiency remains the least understood and the most neglected feature of overall energy policy.
Despite the substantial efforts made to develop sound energy efficiency policies, the desired effects in terms of achieved energy savings are lacking. The phenomenon is known as energy efficiency gap and its persistence was the main driver of this research. The aim of the research was to examine the causes and propose solutions for bridging the gap. Therefore, ideal policy making cycle is defined connecting design, implementation and multiple criteria evaluation of policy instruments’ impacts in closed, repetitive loop. Concept of energy efficiency market was introduced as a basis for policy making, enabling better understanding of the overall environment where policy needs to be implemented.
Paper deals with the concept of energy efficiency market. It discusses the fundamental aim of energy efficiency policy – to achieve market transformation towards more efficient products and services. It presents market barriers that call for policy interventions, but upgrades the list of usually addressed barriers with behavioural and societal aspects of energy efficiency related decisions.
Established methodology for energy efficiency market assessment includes upgraded model of barriers to energy efficiency.
Focus of this paper is how to establish a model of energy efficiency market and to upgrade exisitng model of barriers to energy efficiencies to describe the reality better as to be a basis for policy instruments design.
From 1970 to 2001, China was able to significantly limit energy demand growth through aggressive energy-efficiency programs. Energy use per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) declined by ...approximately 5% per year during this period. However, the period 2002–2005 saw energy use per unit of GDP increase an average of 3.8% per year. To stem this out-of-control growth in energy demand, in November 2005 the Chinese government enunciated a mandatory goal of 20% reduction of energy intensity between 2006 and 2010. The National People's Congress passed legislation identifying the National Reform and Development Commission as the lead agency to design and carry out programs in support of this goal. These policies and programs, created after almost a decade of decline of the energy-efficiency policy apparatus, have had considerable impact. Although initial efforts have not been sufficient to meet the annual declines required to reach the ambitious 20% energy intensity target, the latest reports indicate that China may now be on track to meet this goal. The paper provides an assessment of these policies and programs to begin to understand issues that will play a critical role in China's energy and economic future. Activities undertaken in China will have a significant influence on the global effort to reduce the growth, and later the absolute quantity, of greenhouse gas emissions.
•A novel framework to characterize energy efficiency measures is proposed.•It allows a greater knowledge sharing, facilitating the adoption of the best measures.•It supports policy-makers in ...developing drivers for industrial energy efficiency.
The need to increase the diffusion of energy efficiency measures (EEMs) is of crucial importance to achieve a consistent reduction of energy consumption and green house gases (GHG) emissions. A clear comprehension of the characteristics of such EEMs could assist in gathering and capitalizing all the information needed by industrial firms in selecting and adopting technologies, as well as by policy-makers in designing appropriate policies for their diffusion. Therefore, in this study, starting from a literature review of the studies analyzing the attributes of EEMs, we aim at providing an innovative and comprehensive framework to characterize such measures, based on 17 attributes grouped according to six categories, such as: economic, energy, environmental, production-related, implementation-related and the possible interaction with other systems. We applied this scheme to an extensive range of EEMs in cross-cutting technologies, i.e. motors, compressed air, lighting and HVAC systems. The analysis provides a relevant contribution firstly to the structuring and the sharing of knowledge on EEMs and hence to the comprehension of the barriers currently hindering their adoption; secondly, it provides a structured basis for the analysis of the drivers that policy-makers should develop in order to promote industrial energy efficiency.
•New framework to assess multiple impacts of energy efficiency measures.•Support decision-makers in the adoption of energy efficiency measures.•Characterization of energy efficiency ...measures.•Performance measurement system defined at shop floor level.•Impacts of energy efficiency measures’ on a company production resources.
Energy efficiency has long been considered a key component of an industrial company’s competitive repertoire. However, despite the potential benefits of adopting so-called energy efficiency measures, their uptake in such companies remains low. In response, this study proposes a framework aimed at supporting key decision-makers in undertaking a thorough assessment of energy efficiency measures. This involves, on the one hand, providing a complete characterization of a general industrial energy efficiency measure and, on the other, identifying the multiple impacts stemming from its adoption based on a novel performance measurement system that encompasses sustainability features and is defined at the shop floor level. Once theoretically validated through literature, the framework is empirically tested with a heterogeneous sample of Italian companies. The preliminary results demonstrate the framework's ability to thoroughly assess energy efficiency measures, highlighting characteristics and impacts that are sometimes considered more critical than energy saving by industrial decision-makers and therefore able to guide the outcome of the adoption decision.
The building sector has played an important role in energy consumption over the last few decades, demanding actions to decrease it. A way to reach this goal, without affecting the occupants’ welfare, ...is the adoption of building energy-efficient (BEE) technologies. There are several of these technologies available, bringing lots of benefits. However, there are barriers that hinder their adoption. Before overcoming such barriers, it is necessary to know them. Thus, after examining 450 publications, from 2000 to 2018, only eight presented some kind of taxonomy to the barriers, ranging from three to five categories, showing that some barriers were perhaps not considered. The dependence relationship of the barriers and the types of buildings and geographical regions as well as their evolution has not yet been evaluated. The recommendations to overcome such barriers are spread throughout the literature and have not yet been compiled. This review gathered 105 barriers that were grouped into six categories (Financial, Market, Technological, Professional, Political and Behavioural), followed by their respective timelines, as well as the dependence relationship of them and the types of buildings and geographical regions. A compilation of the strategies to overcome such barriers is also presented. These results, besides supporting the formulation of policies for the adoption of BEE technologies, clarify the structure of each group of barriers and allow researchers to identify the most relevant ones for their scenario followed by the starting point to overcome them, focusing their attention on neuralgic points.
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•Twenty-seven obstacles to the adoption of BEE technologies were identified.•The obstacles were grouped into six categories.•The temporal distribution of the obstacles was constructed.•Strategies to overcome the obstacles were compiled.•The dependence of the obstacles on types of buildings and geographical regions was assessed.
Buildings play a dominant role in global efforts towards energy consumption reduction, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission mitigation, as well as global clean energy transition. Building Energy Policies ...(BEP) improved globally and quickly with a growing number of building codes implemented over the past decade. Occupant Behavior (OB) has significant impacts on building energy performance and occupant comfort, despite often being not well understood and oversimplified in BEPs. This paper highlighted the research needs of properly integrating OB in building energy polices by presenting a literature review to identify the key questions and challenges related to building technical standards and regulations, building information policies, building energy incentives, and policy evaluations and way forward. Challenges and opportunities of OB in BEP are also discussed with respect to technical innovation and digitalization, as well as concerns related to energy efficiency and fairness. There has been growing interests, research and applications in this field, but significant challenges and opportunities still lie ahead.
•Occupant behavior has significant impacts on building energy.•Misunderstood and oversimplified occupant behavior cause problems in policies.•There are research needs of occupant behavior in building energy policies.•Key questions, challenges and opportunities were discussed.
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have motivated many researchers to develop various sensitizers with tailored properties involving anchoring and ancillary ligands. Ancillary ligands carry favorable ...light-harvesting abilities and are therefore crucial in determining the overall power conversion efficiencies. The use of ancillary ligands having aliphatic chains and/or π-extended aromatic units decreases charge recombination and permits the collection of a large fraction of sunlight. This review aims to provide insight into the relationship between ancillary ligand structure and DSSC properties, which can further guide the function-oriented design and synthesis of different sensitizers for DSSCs. This review outlines how the new and rapidly expanding class of chelating ancillary ligands bearing 2,2′-bipyridyl, 1,10-phenanthroline, carbene, dipyridylamine, pyridyl-benzimidazole, pyridyl-azolate, and other aromatic ligands provides a conduit for potentially enhancing the performance and stability of DSSCs. Finally, these classes of Ru polypyridyl complexes have gained increasing interest for feasible large-scale commercialization of DSSCs due to their more favorable light-harvesting abilities and long-term thermal and chemical stabilities compared with other conventional sensitizers. Therefore, the main idea is to inspire readers to explore new avenues in the design of new sensitizers for DSSCs based on different ancillary ligands.
China is gradually changing its pursuit of rapid economic growth into a pursuit of economic development quality. In this context, whether “cyberpower” and “digital China” strategies are truly ...conducive to China's sustainable development still needs to be further tested. This paper constructs China's provincial information and communication technology (ICT) comprehensive development level index from the four dimensions of penetration, coverage, information resources, and business and then innovatively undertakes a theoretical framework integrating ICT, environmental regulations, and green total factor energy efficiency (GTFEE) for the analysis. Using panel data from China's 30 provincial administrative regions from 2006 to 2017, this study explores the direct impact, moderating effect, nonlinear relationship, and regional differences of ICT development on GTFEE. It is indicated that ICT development plays a positive role in promoting GTFEE and that this role is moderated by environmental regulations. The regression results of the dynamic threshold model indicate that diverse environmental regulation intensities lead to different influences of ICT development on GTFEE. Moreover, the impact of ICT development on GTFEE is heterogeneous among different regions. Specifically, the western region may gain more benefits from ICT development by virtue of the late‐mover advantage.
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