As of 2023, 92% of individuals globally have access to electricity, with more renewable energy being used than ever. However, progress is slowing, as specific sectors such as transport and heating encounter additional challenges in transitioning to renewable fuels. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG-7) will require additional investments to expand access to electricity to 100% of people globally, scale up renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, and strengthen policy and regulatory frameworks.
This blog post highlights energy research from Open Research Europe concerning SDG-7.
An effective solution to boost generation from waves: Benefits of a hybrid energy storage system integration to wave energy converter in grid-connected systems
The growing world electricity demand and the threat of climate change due to greenhouse gases and pollution are currently pushing the research for new frontiers of energy production. One key challenge of renewable energy sources is the fluctuations in power production based on external meteorological factors (such as wind speed and sunlight).
Wave energy represents one of the most promising renewable energies due to its great theoretical potential. However, the same challenge persists as wave energy output is highly variable and random.
This Research Article from Horizon 2020-funded researchers presents a Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) that integrates a Lithium-ion battery and a flywheel with a Wave Energy Converter (WEC) to enhance power generation in grid-connected systems. The study shows that this integration significantly reduces power oscillations by over 80%, while also improving the reliability and longevity of the energy storage components.
Read the full Research Article here.
Underground hydrogen storage: The techno-economic perspective
During recent years, the European Union has outlined plans for a cleaner energy sector. As the need for energy resources with minimum environmental impact increases, focus has shifted to green hydrogen, which is considered a clean fuel. Much research has focused on the production and storage of green hydrogen.
The storage of hydrogen can be feasible in above-ground infrastructures as well as in underground constructions, but for the underground hydrogen storage specific geological environments are required. Two main categories are preferred: the geological formations with high porosity, known as porous media, and the cavities created in hard rocks.
The following Review, published as part of the Energy Storage collection on Open Research Europe, explores underground hydrogen storage as a viable option for supporting the transition to green hydrogen. It emphasizes the importance of site-specific technological requirements and suggests that data analytics and machine learning advancements could enhance understanding of geological storage technologies.
Read the full Review here.
Comparing energy system optimization models and integrated assessment models: Relevance for energy policy advice
Models of all kinds, scopes, and goals are increasingly used in energy and climate policy advice and systems design at all scales, from global and regional down to national and sub-national scales. Integrated assessment models (IAMs) and energy system optimisation models (ESOMs) are both commonly used for policy advice and in policy design. In Europe, a vast landscape of these models has emerged, and both kinds of models have been part of numerous model comparison and model linking exercises. However, IAMs and ESOMs have rarely been compared or linked with one another.
In a Research Article published as part of the Horizon 2020 Gateway, the authors compare integrated assessment models (IAMs) and energy system optimization models (ESOMs) to enhance energy policy advice, particularly in the context of the European Union’s climate goals. They identify that information flows between 11 models, revealing relationships between power generation, demand developments, and regional drivers, while emphasizing the need for standardized definitions and variables for better model comparisons.
Read the full Research Article here.
Discover further research from authors related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, as part of the Sustainable Development Community Gateway.
