Electromobility has gained momentum in the last years following the efforts to reduce transportation-related emissions. In this context, efficient charging infrastructure is vital to foster the expansion of electric vehicles. This paper presents a standardized framework for micro-scale analysis of potential charging locations for electric buses aiming at easing the analysis process and promoting the expansion of electric buses. The framework is tailor-made for the Municipality of Stockholm and tested in two city-centre public transport hubs, namely Odenplan and Slussen. However, the framework can be used in other locations by implementing minimum changes. Connecting charging stations to the power grid is identified as the main drawback in city-centre locations due to their high impact on the grid. Lack of available capacity at nearby connection points results in long distance connections, reaching up to 1 km in some cases. Such connections impact the overall cost of electrification directly, as they may account for up to 63% of the total cost. Although other issues regarding space availability and operational efficiency also need to be addressed, such as the lack of enough dwell time to charge the batteries, the framework proves the suitability of these inner-city locations as charging points.

The Indonesian power sector faces the combined challenge to (i) satisfy growing electricity demand at an affordable cost and (ii) comply with the decarbonization targets committed under the Paris Agreement. In this study, we investigate cost-optimal pathways for the development of the power sector in line with climate targets. We used the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) software tool to build a power-system expansion model for Sumatra and simulated four scenarios representing a business as usual development, the current development plans, and two mitigation pathways in line with the national climate targets. Particular focus is put on bioenergy, an energy source that has been often overlooked in previous studies and plans. The results show that, although the national plans consider mitigation actions, they do not reduce coal dependency. Besides, current development plans are not cost-effective and have high marginal abatement costs for emissions reduction. The two mitigation scenarios achieve better environmental results at lower system costs. Our results show that bioenergy deployment can contribute significantly to achieving the greenhouse gas (GHG) targets of 19% and 24% pledged by the Indonesian government. More efficient use of modern renewables and natural gas can reduce Sumatra's dependence on coal resources.

New concepts and technologies are needed to upgrade conventional energy systems and cope with environmental challenges. However, while emerging new technologies may serve to improve energy efficiency at the local level, they might also have disruptive effects at the system level. This paper investigates the potentially disruptive impacts of upscaling local wastewater heat recovery at the building level on the performance of the wastewater treatment and district heating systems in Stockholm. A hybrid model based on data-driven and process-driven mathematical models was developed to simulate the performance of the wastewater system and interlinkages among different actors. Two types of technologies (heat exchanger and heat pump) and different technology penetration scenarios (10%, 20%, and 40%) are considered for heat recovery in buildings. If 20% of the buildings install heat exchangers, the amount of heat demand in buildings decreases by 3% and total heat losses in the sewerage network decreases by 2%. In the case of local heat recovery using heat pumps in 20% of the buildings, there is a 4% reduction in the heat demand in buildings and 3% decrease in total heat losses in the network. Meanwhile, the heat demand in the wastewater treatment plant increases by 2% (with heat exchangers) or 4% (with heat pumps). Moreover, the district heating company recovers 5% and 9% less heat from the wastewater treatment plant, respectively, as compared to current conditions. These findings indicate that enhanced heat recovery in buildings could have disruptive impacts on currently centralized energy and water service provision over time. This justifies closer consideration of the balance between local and system-level solutions as policymakers define goals for energy efficiency, and evaluate potential societal and economic implications of different alternatives.

Industrial decision-makers may wonder about the optimal timing for investing in carbon capture retrofitting in co-firing power plants, faced with uncertain benefits from upcoming China's carbon trading market and potential cost reductions derived from technology innovation. The decision on investment timing relates to the so-called waiting value, considering multiple uncertainties and trade-offs. This article applies a real options-based framework, adapted to deal with the waiting value in the context of multiple uncertainties of carbon market, technical improvements and biomass availability. The problem is solved through an efficient simulation method. The results suggest that the optimal retrofit timing for CCS (carbon capture and storage) in a co-firing CHP will be the year 2033 considering a basic scenario, in which the carbon price is 98 CNY/tonCO(2) (14.5 USS/tonCO(2)) in 2025, the growth rate and volatility are 5% and 7% respectively, and technical improvements are expected every six years and result in a cost reduction of 50%. In addition, we examine the effects of different sub-dimensions in the carbon market and technical improvement on anticipating the retrofit timing. The conclusions of this article provide decision-makers with strategies of adjusting the investment timing in response to their different expectations of market and technology developments. Further practical applications require judgments of future trends made by decision-makers and extensive data of specific cases.

The carbon tax is a cornerstone of the climate policy in Sweden. Historically, it has played a central role in the replacement of fossil fuels in the heating sector. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the policy-making process that led to the formulation and adoption of the carbon tax in the Swedish heating sector, from 1980 to 1991. We used the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), according to which policy actors form coalitions based on shared beliefs. Drawing from both literature and empirical experiences gathered through in-depth interviews, we identified supporting and opposing coalitions that diverged in their views concerning bioenergy development and the potential impact of the carbon tax. This study illustrates the complex conditions for introduction of environmental taxes and expansion of new industries, particularly when established businesses perceive the new activities as a threat. The Swedish experience shows that countries can progress by exploring internal synergies and innovative policy designs, despite potential resistance of established constituencies. The successful adoption of the carbon tax in the Swedish heating sector serves as inspiration for policymakers in other sectors and countries, as they contemplate policies to promote the decarbonization of the energy system.

A transition to new energy systems is required at global level to cope with the challenges of climate change. It is widely accepted that new technologies will play an important role in achieving this transition. Yet, the promises and threats of new technologies are prevalent issues in politics and social debates. For example, the choice of energy conversion technologies will have direct impact on greenhouse emissions or the number of jobs that may be created in a given context, and thus be subject of political discussions and preferences.

Policymakers often look for guidance to identify and characterize the risks associated with new and emerging technologies. However, while concerns often focus direct negative impacts of specific technologies, some impacts may rather be at system level, leading to disruptive societal effects. At city level, disruptions could affect critical functions such as energy provision, water supply or transport. Such disruptions are more difficult to analyze and communicate, but improved understanding of the implications of system transformation is required to make sure policies are designed to forward optimal solutions and sustainable development. We explore a case in which technological innovation at local level may have implications at system level, leaving the overall societal and environmental benefits unclear.

This paper explores the changing context of technological systems options for heat and water recovery in the city of Stockholm, Sweden. We aim at (i) casting light on the overall implications that system reconfiguration may have for resource efficiency, and (ii) guiding policy makers towards next steps in legislation for promoting energy efficiency in buildings.

An assessment is carried out on the potential disruptive effects of new technological solutions for heat recovery. We use the system of wastewater heat recovery in Stockholm as a case study. Wastewater heat recovery can be performed locally or at system level. In the former, the heat is recovered where the wastewater is generated, or before the waste water is dispatched from the building. In the latter, the heat is transported with the wastewater, and recovered at the water treatment plant. Although local heat recovery could be beneficial, a broad use of new technologies to recover wastewater heat at the building site might result in disruptive impacts on prevailing centralized systems for water treatment and heat distribution at city level. Potential disruptions include technical adjustments requiring compensation for the reduced heat recovered, change in cost structure of service providers, and security of service supply, among others.

Currently, a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the Stockholm region receives wastewater and treats it with combined mechanical, biological and chemical processes. Biogas is produced from digested sludge. The biogas is upgraded for use as bus fuel. The heat content of treated water is recovered by a heat pump (660 MW) and delivered to the district heating company. The district heating company uses various heat sources, including the recovered heat from WWTP, while the water utility company treats the sewage, and provides clean water for buildings.

Stricter building regulations together with emerging technological solutions may result in property owners choosing to recover heat locally before discharging the wastewater to the municipal wastewater treatment facilities. At system level, this may reduce energy losses in the sewage network. However, from the point of view of the water treatment utility, the reduced input temperature will lead to higher heat demand for digesters. It means more costs for WWTP and higher prices for the drinking water. As a result, although property owners would pay less for heat due to local heat recovery, they would probably need to pay more for drinking water. There are also consequences for the district heating company, since less heat will be obtained from wastewater, while the heat demand of WWTP is increased. Therefore, the district heating company may need to look for new sources of heat. At present, incineration provides a significant part of the heat used in Stockholm, but development is going in the direction of more recycling and less incineration.

In addition to heat recovery from wastewater, also water could be locally recovered. Again, property owners may be tempted to adopt combined systems for water and heat recovery on site, if they have space for it, and if cost-efficient technology options are commercially available. This would result in lower demand for treated water, with direct impact for the water utility. In this case, there are disruptions for both district heating companies and water utilities, reducing their interest to invest in new facilities. Stockholm is a rapidly growing city and this could have impact on energy and water supply security over time.

Thus, if local recovery of energy and water is up-scaled, centralized service provision as organized today is likely to be affected in the long run, changing the configuration of water and energy provision in buildings. Since market driven competition is allowed in Sweden when it comes to technological solutions, there is a clear opportunity for new players when it comes to guaranteeing the delivery of energy and clean water in buildings. In this context, there is need for insights into the potential disruptive consequences that decentralized solutions for heat and water recovery may have on established centralized urban energy and water systems. What consequences could present policies for improved energy efficiency in buildings have on energy and water security at city level? Our analysis aims at contributing science-based information that can guide and support policies for improved resource efficiency and reduced climate impact.

A cidade de Curitiba assumiu os Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) como parte integrante de todo o seu planejamento. A Secretaria Municipal de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional (SMSAN) assinou um termo de entendimento juntamente com 7 universidades atuantes na cidade de Curitiba: Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR); Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR), Universidade Positivo (UP), Instituto Superior de Administração e Economia (ISAE), Universidade Tuiuti e Uniandrade, e o Instituto Real de Tecnologia (KTH) da Suécia, com o intuito de desenvolver um estudo integrado sobre o Ciclo do Alimento e água que abastece Curitiba e Região Metropolitana (CRM). Toda esta cadeia produtiva está relacionada com a promoção da saúde, qualidade de vida e sustentabilidade das cidades. Para compreender estas relações será necessário um esforço conjunto e cooperado com o objetivo de compreender todas as dimensões para avaliar os aspectos e impactos sociais, ambientais e econômicos que estes ciclos resultam. Os métodos para a coleta de dados e verificação de aspectos e impactos serão aplicados para: identificar e verificar se a escala de produção atende à demanda; rastreabilidade dos produtos; como o produtor está organizado; pegada de carbono da produção de alimento na RMC; descarte de produtos em relação ao processamento; como o alimento é utilizado e a sua relação com o desperdício na produção, transporte e comercialização e geração de resíduos. Para este artigo o recorte será realizado para o tema da geração de resíduos orgânicos. As informações, a serem levantadas em parceria por meio do programa intitulado Integra Curitiba, terá como objeto de estudo as estruturas mantidas pela prefeitura como: mercados municipais, sacolões e feiras livres. Os resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa cooperada, cujo escopo é a geração de resíduos orgânicos, deverá fornecer uma base de dados que possam auxiliar na instrumentalização e orientação da gestão da Prefeitura para conduzir processos mais eficientes voltadas à sustentabilidade para este tema, assim como auxiliar na condução de políticas públicas voltadas para o atendimento direto dos ODS 1, 2, 3, 11,12 e 17.

Biorefineries provide opportunities to improve the economic, environmental, and social performance of bio-based production systems. Prudent planning of plant configuration and localization is however of great merit to obtain maximum benefits from biorefineries. This study investigates optimal deployment of palm oil-based biorefineries on the two major islands of Indonesia, Sumatra and Kalimantan. In addition, the results of the optimal bioenergy (bioelectricity, biodiesel, ethanol) production are used to calculate the potential contribution of the palm oil industry according to the national bioenergy targets from 2020 to 2030. This work also offers a new perspective of analyzing the role of bioenergy in the palm oil industry in relation to meeting the bioenergy targets through the development of spatially explicit optimization model, BeWhere Indonesia. Results show that the palm oil-based biorefineries in Sumatra and Kalimantan can produce 1–1.25 GW of electricity, 4.6–12.5 bL of biodiesel, and 2.8–4.8 bL of ethanol in 2030. Significant efforts in terms of mobilization of resources and economic instruments are required to harness the full potential offered by the palm oil-based biorefineries. This study provides an important insight on how palm oil biorefineries can be developed for their enhanced roles in meeting global sustainability efforts.

Chemical recycling is considered an attractive technological pathway for reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as promoting circular economy. In the EU, readiness to develop a full commercial plant is becoming increasingly important given the ambitious goal to recycle all plastics by 2030. Household packaging streams tend to be of lower quality and lower recycling performance compared to industrial and commercial waste streams, thus requiring particular attention. This paper assesses chemical recycling technologies available and identifies the most suitable for recycling of household plastic waste. We identify eight different technologies and compare them in terms of process temperature, sensitivity to feedstock contamination and level of polymer breakdown, three critical factors affecting the cost and attractiveness of a chemical process. In addition, we carry out a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) assessment for eight technologies based on the stage of their present development. The review is based on peer-reviewed scientific papers and information collected from technology developers and providers, as well as interviews with experts. Our analysis outlines advantages and disadvantages of technologies available for chemical plastic recycling and their TRL. The chemical recycling technologies with the highest TRL are pyrolysis, catalytic cracking and conventional gasification. However, the economic feasibility of these technologies is difficult to assess due to the low number of projects in operation and scarcity of data available for comparison. The results of this analysis provide timely information as policy makers and developers set targets for recycling, and contemplate investments on research and chemical plastic recovering plants.

Globally, there is an increasing consensus around the need to realise deep transformations invital sectors of society such as those related to urban water supply and energy, particularly in cities where the largest share of the global population is living. Taking the example of recent changes in energy requirements for buildings in Sweden, the government has proposed that, by 2021, all new houses shall have” near zero” energy demand, which for a multifamily house in Stockholm translates into a primary energy demand of 85 kWh /m2 per year. This has generated a new kind of niche experimentation in the building sector that cuts across traditionally disconnected domains of innovation around water and energy. For example, technologies around greywater re-use and heat recovery from wastewater have become associated with reduction in water use and important energy gains. These innovations propel private users and organisations - notably in the real estate sector - towards new investments as part of realising ambitious energy and water targets. As end-users of networked water and energy services, actors make technology-decisions that save energy, water and reduce their dependence on centralised network providers. But this also causes negative commercial and physical effects on the established networked configurations of water and energy, in the form of reduced economic revenue, less heat circulation, and colder wastewater causing problems in the treatment plants. In our study we focus on the winnersand losers of energy and water transition in Sweden, to learn about how transition in energy and water is evolving and why it is being negotiated along particular trajectories by a range of relevant actors.