Energy Efficiency Research And Development: Consumption- And Environment-Centric Perspectives

The quest to develop technologies with minimal adverse environment impact has led to investments in research and development (R&D) targeted at developing energy-efficient technologies or improving the energy efficiency of existing technologies. Despite the increased focus on energy efficiency R&D, studies that examine their impact on environmental performance over time are lacking. Invoking the rebound effect and the ecological modernization theory, we hypothesize relationships between energy efficiency R&D with energy consumption, and emissions, and test them using panel data for OECD countries from 1987 to 2009. Econometric analysis suggests that energy efficiency R&D is negatively associated with per capita emission only. This suggests that any investment in energy efficiency achieves the objective of reducing the adverse environmental impact, thus positively contributing to the environment. The results further suggest that concerns about energy efficiency R&D may be misplaced as it is reducing adverse environmental impact without any significant association with energy consumption. Thus, the rebound effect, which postulates that increased energy efficiency results in more energy consumption, is not valid in the present context. We further examine the growth of improvement in environmental performance over time and show that the effectiveness of energy efficiency R&D remains consistent over time. This suggests that carbon neutral policies are plausible. Implications for research and practice are discusse

Using an extended LMDI model to explore techno-economic drivers of energy-related industrial CO2 emission changes:A case study for Shanghai (China)

Although investment and R&D activities can exert significant effects on energy-related industrial CO2 emissions (EICE), related factors have not been fairly uncovered in the existing index decomposition studies. This paper extends the previous logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) decomposition model by introducing three novel factors (R&D intensity, investment intensity, and R&D efficiency). The extended model not only considers the conventional drivers of EICE, but also reflects the microeconomic effects of investment and R&D behaviors on EICE. Furthermore, taking Shanghai as an example, which is the economic center and leading CO2 emitter in China, we use the extended model to decompose and explain EICE changes. Also, we incorporate renewable energy sources into the proposed model to carry out an alternative decomposition analysis at Shanghais entire industrial level. The results show that among conventional (macroeconomic) factors, expanding output scale is mainly responsible for the increase in EICE, and industrial structure adjustment is the most significant factor in mitigating EICE. Regardless of renewable energy sources, the emission-reduction effect of energy intensity focused on by the Chinese government is less than the expected due to the rebound effect, but the introduction of renewable energy sources intensifies its mitigating effect, partly resulting from the transmission from the abating effect of industrial structure adjustment. The effect of energy structure is the weakest. Although all the three novel factors exert significant effects on EICE, they are more sensitive to policy interventions than conventional factors. R&D intensity presents an obvious mitigating effect, while investment intensity and R&D efficiency display an overall promotion effect with some volatility. The introduction of renewable energy sources intensifies the promotion effect of R&D efficiency as a result of the "green paradox" effect. Finally, we propose that CO2 mitigation efforts should be made by considering both macroeconomic and microeconomic factors in order to achieve a desirable emission-reduction effect

The Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Global Sustainability: A Review

This article discusses ways in which ICTs contribute to several aspects of global sustainability. We examine how economic development, education, energy, environment, and transportation at the country level benefit from ICTs, along with several orders of effects on global sustainability. We also examine rebound effects. The anecdotal and theoretical research suggests that the impact of ICTs is felt primarily in sustainable development. We thus identify the key challenges to be addressed in bringing about an ICTs-based sustainable world. Studying the macro impacts of ICT investments can also guide countries in setting policy and making selective investments in ICTs that will promote global sustainability

The Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Global Sustainability: A Review

This article discusses ways in which ICTs contribute to several aspects of global sustainability. We examine how economic development, education, energy, environment, and transportation at the country level benefit from ICTs, along with several orders of effects on global sustainability. We also examine rebound effects. The anecdotal and theoretical research suggests that the impact of ICTs is felt primarily in sustainable development. We thus identify the key challenges to be addressed in bringing about an ICTs-based sustainable world. Studying the macro impacts of ICT investments can also guide countries in setting policy and making selective investments in ICTs that will promote global sustainability

Towards a 6G embedding sustainability

From its conception, 6G is being designed with a particular focus on sustainability. The general philosophy of the H2020 Hexa-X project work on sustainability in 6G is based on two principles: to reduce direct negative life cycle impacts of 6G systems as much as possible (Sustainable 6G) and to analyze use cases that maximize positive environmental, social, and economic effects in other sectors of society (6G for Sustainability or its enablement effect). To apply this philosophy, Hexa-X is designing 6G with three sustainability objectives in mind: to enable the reduction of emissions in 6G-powered sectors of society, to reduce the total cost of ownership and to improve energy efficiency. This paper describes these objectives, their associated KPIs and quantitative targets, and the levers to reach them. Furthermore, to maximize the positive effects of 6G through the enablement effect, a link between 6G and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) framework is proposed and illustrated by Hexa-X use case families.Comment: IEEE ICC 2023 Second International Workshop on Green and Sustainable Networking (GreenNet), May 2023, Rome, Ital

Digitalisation, sustainable industrialisation and digital rebound:– Asking the right questions for a strategic research agenda

Digitalisation is likely to change established economic development processes. This raises questions about the distribution of the potential welfare gains from industrialisation highlighted by, among others, the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9 ‘sustainable industrialisation’. In parallel, industrialisation and digitalisation must be made environmentally sustainable if other pressing sustainability goals, such as climate change mitigation (SDG 13), are to be met. Yet, under the current political and economic system, efficiency gains in material resources and energy associated with digitalisation are prone to aggregate to macro-level growth (‘digital rebound’) that may exacerbate ecological harm of industrialisation, rather than alleviating it. In this article, applying the CPERI/CSPK approach (cultural political economy of research and innovation/complex systems of power-knowledge approach), we argue that digital rebound should be a central research parameter in research on digitalisation and sustainability. Thinking strategically about different models of digitalization, which we call the ‘human-machine associational model’ and the ‘machinic micro-efficiency model’, may enable not only change in the trajectory of digitalisation itself. Yet, it could simultaneously but indirectly address the dominant regime of political economy at system-level, which will either propel or contain digital rebound. We conclude the article by opening up lines of enquiry, for both research and practice to approach a ‘system-questioning’ model of digitalisation

UKERC Review of evidence for the rebound effect: Technical report 5: Energy, productivity and economic growth studies

This report forms part of the TPA’s assessment of evidence for a rebound effect from improved energy efficiency. Technical Report 5 focuses upon the relationship between energy, productivity and economic growth and examines the claim that improved energy efficiency will increase economy-wide energy consumption - the so-called ‘Khazzoom-Brookes postulate’

Sustainable Freight Transport

This Special Issue of Sustainability reports on recent research aiming to make the freight transport sector more sustainable. The sector faces significant challenges in different domains of sustainability, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the management of health and safety impacts. In particular, the intention to decarbonise the sector’s activities has led to a strong increase in research efforts—this is also the main focus of the Special Issue. Sustainable freight transport operations represent a significant challenge with multiple technical, operational, and political aspects. The design, testing, and implementation of interventions require multi-disciplinary, multi-country research. Promising interventions are not limited to introducing new transport technologies, but also include changes in framework conditions for transport, in terms of production and logistics processes. Due to the uncertainty of impacts, the number of stakeholders, and the difficulty of optimizing across actors, understanding the impacts of these measures is not a trivial problem. Therefore, research is not only needed on the design and evaluation of individual interventions, but also on the approach of their joint deployment through a concerted public/private programme. This Special Issue addresses both dimensions, in two distinct groups of papers—the programming of interventions and the individual sustainability measures themselves

The climate impact of ICT:A review of estimates, trends and regulations

In this report, we examine the available evidence regarding ICT's current and projected climate impacts. We examine peer-reviewed studies which estimate ICT's current share of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to be 1.8-2.8% of global GHG emissions. Our findings indicate that published estimates all underestimate the carbon footprint of ICT, possibly by as much as 25%, by failing to account for all of ICT's supply chains and full lifecycle (i.e. emissions scopes 1, 2 and fully inclusive 3). Adjusting for truncation of supply chain pathways, we estimate that ICT's share of emissions could actually be as high as 2.1-3.9%. There are pronounced differences between available projections of ICT's future emissions. These projections are dependent on underlying assumptions that are sometimes, but not always, made explicit - and we explore these in the report. Whatever assumptions analysts take, they agree that ICT will not reduce its emissions without a major concerted effort involving broad political and industrial action. We provide three reasons to believe ICT emissions are going to increase barring a targeted intervention, and we note that in light of these, it seems risky to assume that ICT will, by default, assist in the attainment of climate targets. Based on our analysis, we find that not all carbon pledges in the ICT sector are ambitious enough to meet climate targets. We explore the underdevelopment of mechanisms for enforcing sector-wide compliance, and contend that without a global carbon constraint, a new regulatory framework is required to keep the ICT sector's carbon footprint in alignment with the Paris Agreement. We further contend that a global carbon constraint should be viewed as a significant opportunity for the ICT sector, as efficiencies within and enabled by ICT would be even greater enablers of productivity and utility than they are today

Do information and communication technology and renewable energy use matter for carbon dioxide emissions reduction? Evidence from the Middle East and North Africa region

This study aims to investigate whether information and communication technologies (ICT) and renewable energy consumption can help improve environmental quality for a selected group of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. By using the Panel Vector Autoregressive model over the period 1980-2019, the results show evidence for the first-order effects of ICTs on CO2 emissions, indicating that the use of ICT in the current economic development context of the MENA region lead to a deterioration of the environmental quality. The results also show that renewable energy consumption improves environmental quality whatever the sample and the proxy for ICT used. Overall, the results of the impulse responses functions (IRFs) show that the impact of shocks on ICT and renewable energy last between 1 and 7 years. The results of the IRFs are confirmed by the forecast error variance decomposition analysis, which shows that the contributions of ICT and renewable energy to the variability of CO2 emissions is not zero. Finally, in tests for causality, the results reveal evidence for bidirectional causality in most cases between CO2 emissions and ICT and renewable energy consumption. To benefit from the potential positive impact of ICT and renewable energy consumption on the quality of the environment, several ICT and renewable energy policies have been developed and discussed. 2021 The AuthorsThe first author would like to thank the financial support of QNRF under the grant number NPRP11C-1229-170007 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the author (s). Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library.Scopu