Opportunities for behavioral energy efficiency and flexible demand in data-limited low-carbon resource constrained environments

Abstract

The need for transitioning towards low-carbon energy systems, and the recent boom in available data, allows for a constant re-evaluation of global electricity sector decarbonization progress, and its underlying theoretical assumptions. Arguably, the existing decarbonization literature and institutional support frameworks focus on top-down supply side mechanisms, where policies, goals, access to financing, and technology innovation are suggested as the main drivers. Here, we synthesize eleven global datasets that range from electricity decarbonization progress, to quality of governance, to international fossil fuel subsidies, and environmental policies, amongst several others, and use methods from data mining to explore the factors that may be fostering or hindering decarbonization progress. This exercise allows us to present numerous hypotheses worth exploring in future research. Some of these hypotheses suggest that policies might be ineffective when misaligned with country specific motivators and inherent characteristics, that even in the absence of policy there are particular inherent characteristics that foster decarbonization progress (e.g., relatively high local energy prices, foreign energy import dependency and the absence of a large extractive resource base), and that the interaction of country-specific enabling environments, inherent characteristics, and motivations is what determines decarbonization progress, rather than stand-alone support mechanisms. We present the hypothesis that existing support mechanisms for decarbonization may be relying too much on blanket strategies (e.g., policies, targets), and that there is a need for support mechanisms that encompass a wider diversity of country-specific underlying conditions.

Modeling Challenges in Low-Carbon Manufacturing Adoption Using the ISM-MICMAC Approach: A Case of Green Tech Projects of the Chinese Automotive Industry

“…Further, resistance within organizations to change existing processes, especially if they have been in place for a long time, can impede the adoption of new low-carbon methods. The authors of [24] specified resource constraints as one of the major obstacles to LCM. Limited availability of raw materials or resources for low-carbon manufacturing, especially if they are region-specific, can create challenges in sourcing sustainable inputs.…”

“…• Third, integrating MICMAC analysis enhances the research's depth by categorizing challenges into driving and dependent factors, thereby offering strategic insights into which challenges are pivotal and which are influenced by others. References: de Sousa Jabbour, Chiappetta Jabbour [17]; Ohene, Chan [18]; Shen, Wu [19]; Chen, Zhang [20]; Singh, Jindel [21]; Liu, Wang [22]; Vimal, Kumar [23]; de Leon Barido, Suffian [24]; Sindhwani, Singh [25].…”

Analysis of Energy Crisis, Energy Security and Potential of Renewable Energy: Evidence from Pakistan

“…Initially, China has invested $6.4billion (b) for coal projects while $8.8b for clean power production. Peters et al, 2017;Peters et al, 2017;and de Leon Barido et al, 2018, have identified that in achieving the global goals energy efficiency play an essential role related to energy security; Bouton et al, 2010;Bouton et al, 2010;and Peters et al, 2017 for economic efficiency and IEA, 2017 for climate change and local pollution reduction. According to Demski et al, 2015, energy security in the form of a reliable, safe, and is affordable for the public.…”

Review and Perspectives on Data Sharing and Privacy in Expanding Electricity Access

“…A study in Nicaragua found that users were willing to sacrifice monthly cash payments for energy consumption information reports that they were able to codesign with researchers. The users then adjusted their usage and reduced consumption to save money accordingly [24]. These energy efficiency benefits can pose a loss-of-revenue risk to utilities using volumetric pricing, but this risk should both be considered small relative to opportunities for increasing the customer base through more resource efficient usage and a challenge that can be addressed by decoupling profits from energy sales.…”