About the Journal

Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment

Scope

The scope of the SPEE journal is to provide deep insights on the Future of Energy from an industrial and utility scale perspective. The journal aims to achieve this by offering a platform for the dissemination of knowledge rooted in real-world case studies, currently viable commercial solutions, and innovative alternatives that can facilitate the global transition to a low-carbon energy system.

Focused on strategic planning approachand with a global perspective, SPEE will gather cutting-edge articles from five continents, fostering a robust knowledge-sharing environment. This platform is dedicated to both fundamental and applied research in the fields of renewables, electrification, carbon emission reduction, climate change mitigation, and the transformation towards a more sustainable, equitable, and low-carbon energy landscape.

SPEE is committed to delivering four regular issues per year, supplemented by special issues, each containing articles that delve into the latest technologies and methodologies crucial for achieving the desired outcomes in energy production, distribution, consumption, and environmental sustainability. The ultimate goal is to encourage contributions that not only drive positive environmental impacts but also promote economic growth and social development in tandem with the pursuit of a sustainable energy future.

An essential focus lies on the examination and analysis of energy and environmental policies. These policies, both at the national and international levels, play a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of the energy sector and its impact on the environment. SPEE seeks to explore and critically assess the effectiveness of various policy measures aimed at achieving a low-carbon energy system. This includes policies that promote renewable energy adoption, incentivize energy efficiency improvements, establish carbon pricing mechanisms, and regulate emissions.

SPEE will focus on the Energy-Environment interdependencies in the following areas:

  • Electrification and Renewable Energy
    1. Electrification is expected to play a central role in the future of energy. The increasing electrification of various sectors, such as transportation, heating, and industrial processes, will be enabled by the rapid growth of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower.
  • Energy Storage Technologies
    1. Advances in energy storage technologies in various forms (electrical, chemical, mechanical, …) will support the integration of intermittent renewables into the grid, ensuring a reliable and stable electricity supply and decouple of energy production and consumption.
  • Grid Modernization and Smart Infrastructure
    1. The future energy grid will be modernized and transformed into a smarter, more decentralized system. Smart grids will enable efficient electricity distribution, facilitate real-time monitoring, and support the integration of distributed energy resources.
  • Energy Efficiency and Demand Response
    1. Energy efficiency measures will be prioritized to reduce energy waste and improve overall energy productivity. Additionally, demand response technologies and practices will play a crucial role in balancing energy supply and demand, optimizing grid operations, and managing peak loads.
  • Critical Raw Materials
    1. Bottlenecks will appear as the decarbonization is depending on several material that are rare or limited and not uniformly distributed over the Earth.
  • Decarbonization and Reduced Emissions
    1. Fossil fuels will gradually be phased out in favour of cleaner alternatives. Production of green fuels will be a constitutive block to extend benefits of green energy to hard to abate sectors.
  • Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS)
    1. CCUS technologies will play a critical role in the future energy system. Carbon capture from industrial processes and power generation, along with carbon utilization and storage, will help to mitigate emissions from hard-to-abate sectors and ensure a cleaner energy future.
  • Green Hydrogen and Sustainable Fuels
    1. Green hydrogen and sustainable fuels will emerge as key components of the future energy landscape. Green hydrogen, produced using renewable energy sources through electrolysis, will gain prominence as a versatile, clean fuel for industries, transportation, and possibly energy storage. The development and implementation of sustainable fuels, such as advanced biofuels and synthetic fuels, will further contribute to reducing emissions in various sectors.
  • Nature-Based Solutions and Ecosystem Services
    1. The future energy paradigm will recognize the value of nature-based solutions and the importance of ecosystem services. Integrating renewable energy projects with ecological considerations, such as siting solar farms on degraded lands or designing offshore wind farms that benefit marine biodiversity, will promote co-benefits for both energy production and environmental conservation.
  • Policy and Regulatory Framework
    1. Evaluating the existing policies and regulations related to electrification and proposing necessary changes to accelerate its adoption.
  • Resilience and Adaptation
    1. Building energy resilience and adaptive capacity will be essential in the face of climate change impacts. Incorporating climate risk assessments and adaptive measures into energy infrastructure planning will ensure that the energy system remains robust and can withstand potential disruptions from extreme weather events and changing environmental conditions.