Energy Conversion and Management, vol.296, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
In this critical decade for climate action, rapid and far-reaching transitions depend on the choices and actions that are taken now and in the near-term. Integrated approaches that advance the sustainable development of energy, water and environment systems have crucial roles in enabling shifts in direction and better protecting the life-support systems of the planet. In its second decade, the Conferences on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems encompassed the 5th South East European, 3rd Latin American, and 17th Conferences, continuing to provide scientific advances to support progress. The thematic review in the synthesis of this editorial contains eight themes that interconnect the 28 original research articles in this special issue with the most recent contributions. The first theme of renewable energy systems and optimised flexibility contains new advances in energy modelling for carbon neutrality, flexible cooling, green hydrogen for sector coupling, and a colocation index for wind and wave energy. Urban energy systems and energy communities involve an emphasis on replacing gas boilers and utilising waste heat, solar-assisted district heating networks, local energy communities, and addressing energy and transport poverty. New advances within the energy-water nexus focus on the energy and water footprints of data center operation and efficient energy production from wastewater treatment. Boosting solar energy utilisation is supported by advances in the spatial dimension of solar photovoltaic planning and photothermal conversion performance. Innovative energy storage and circular resource use are other themes, involving adiabatic compressed air energy storage, road thermal collectors for sustainable heating, sensible heat storage for carbon–neutral greenhouses, valorising waste residues, and plasma gasification. For energy management and system efficiency, load management, deep reinforcement learning, control strategies and optimisation, and combustion processes are among the advances. A focus on advancing technology development and deployment completes the special issue based on new heat exchanger designs with inspiration from nature, high-temperature heat pumps in the industry, and advances in hydrogen technologies and deployment. The future depends on succeeding for the climate collectively and championing system integration.