Printed Edition of the Special Issue Published in Energies Energy Policy and Climate Change Edited by Vincenzo Dovì and Antonella Battaglini www.mdpi.com/journal/energies Vincenzo Dovì and Antonella Battaglini (Eds.) Energy Policy and Climate Change This book is a reprint of the S pecial I ssue that appeared in the online , open access journal , Energies (ISSN 1996-1073) in 2015 (available at: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies/special_issues/energy-policy-climate-change). Guest Editors Vincenzo Dovì University of Genoa Italy Antonella Battaglini Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) Germany Editorial Office MDPI AG Klybeckstrasse 64 Basel, Switzerland Publisher Shu-Kun Lin Senior Assistant Editor Guoping (Terry) Zhang 1. Edition 2016 MDPI • Basel • Beijing • Wuhan • Barcelona ISBN 978-3-03842-157-3 (Hbk) ISBN 978-3-03842-158-0 (PDF) © 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. All articles in this volume are Open Access distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution l icense (CC BY), which allows users to download, copy and build upon published articles even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. However, the dissemination and distribution of physical copies of this book as a whole is restricted to MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. III Table of Contents List of Contributors ..............................................................................................................IX About the Guest Editors..................................................................................................... XIV Preface Energy Policy and Climate Change: A Multidisciplinary Approach to a Global Problem Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (12), 13473-13480 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/12/12379..................................................................... XV Chapter 1: Technology Seok-Hyun Kim, Kyung-Ju Shin, Bo-Eun Choi, Jae-Hun Jo, Soo Cho and Young-Hum Cho A Study on the Variation of Heating and Cooling Load According to the Use of Horizontal Shading and Venetian Blinds in Office Buildings in Korea Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (2), 1487-1504 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/2/1487 ............................................................................ 3 Kew Hong Chew, Ji ř í Jaromír Klemeš , Sharifah Rafidah Wan Alwi, Zainuddin Abdul Manan and Andrea Pietro Reverberi Total Site Heat Integration Considering Pressure Drops Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (2), 1114-1137 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/2/1114 .......................................................................... 21 Charlotte Bay Hasager, Pauline Vincent, Jake Badger, Merete Badger, Alessandro Di Bella, Alfredo Peña, Romain Husson and Patrick J. H. Volker Using Satellite SAR to Characterize the Wind Flow around Offshore Wind Farms Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (6), 5413-5439 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/5413 .......................................................................... 45 Samuel Van Ackere, Greet Van Eetvelde, David Schillebeeckx, Enrica Papa, Karel Van Wyngene and Lieven Vandevelde Wind Resource Mapping Using Landscape Roughness and Spatial Interpolation Methods Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (8), 8682-8703 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/8/8682 .......................................................................... 72 IV Luis Puigjaner, Mar Pérez-Fortes and José M. Laínez-Aguirre Towards a Carbon-neutral Energy Sector: Opportunities and Challenges of Coordinated Bioenergy Supply Chains-A PSE Approach Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (6), 5613-5660 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/5613 .......................................................................... 95 Petras Punys, Antanas Dumbrauskas, Egidijus Kasiulis, Gitana Vy č ien ė and Linas Šilinis Flow Regime Changes: From Impounding a Temperate Lowland River to Small Hydropower Operations Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (7), 7478-7501 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/7/7478 ........................................................................ 145 Chapter 2: Corporate Policies and Investment Decisions Luís Bernardes, Júlio Carneiro, Pedro Madureira, Filipe Brandão and Cristina Roque Determination of Priority Study Areas for Coupling CO 2 Storage and CH 4 Gas Hydrates Recovery in the Portuguese Offshore Area Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (9), 10276-10292 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/9/10276 ...................................................................... 173 Reynir Smari Atlason, Gudmundur Valur Oddsson and Runar Unnthorsson Theorizing for Maintenance Management Improvements: Using Case Studies from the Icelandic Geothermal Sector Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (6), 4943-4962 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/4943 ........................................................................ 190 Patrik Thollander and Jenny Palm Industrial Energy Management Decision Making for Improved Energy Efficiency — Strategic System Perspectives and Situated Action in Combination Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (6), 5694-5703 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/5694 ........................................................................ 210 Shahriyar Nasirov, Carlos Silva and Claudio A. Agostini Investors’ Perspectives on Barriers to the Deployment of Renewable Energy Sources in Chile Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (5), 3794-3814 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/5/3794 ........................................................................ 220 V Dagmar Kiyar and Bettina B. F. Wittneben Carbon as Investment Risk — The Influence of Fossil Fuel Divestment on Decision Making at Germany’s Main Power Providers Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (9), 9620-9639 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/9/9620 ........................................................................ 241 Saskia Ellenbeck, Andreas Beneking, Andrzej Ceglarz, Peter Schmidt and Antonella Battaglini Security of Supply in European Electricity Markets — Determinants of Investment Decisions and the European Energy Union Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (6), 5198-5216 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/5198 ........................................................................ 262 Chapter 3: Public Policy Issues Xuankai Deng, Yanhua Yu and Yanfang Liu Temporal and Spatial Variations in Provincial CO 2 Emissions in China from 2005 to 2015 and Assessment of a Reduction Plan Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (5), 4549-4571 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/5/4549 ........................................................................ 283 Wei Li, Hao Li and Shuang Sun China’s Low -Carbon Scenario Analysis of CO 2 Mitigation Measures towards 2050 Using a Hybrid AIM/CGE Model Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (5), 3529-3555 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/5/3529 ........................................................................ 306 Pengfei Sheng, Jun Yang and Joshua D. Shackman Energy’s Shadow Price and Energy Efficiency in China: A Non -Parametric Input Distance Function Analysis Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (3), 1975-1989 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/3/1975 ........................................................................ 334 Wenyan Wang, Wei Ouyang and Fanghua Hao A Supply-Chain Analysis Framework for Assessing Densified Biomass Solid Fuel Utilization Policies in China Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (7), 7122-7139 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/7/7122 ........................................................................ 349 VI Carlos Benavides, Luis Gonzales, Manuel Diaz, Rodrigo Fuentes, Gonzalo García, Rodrigo Palma-Behnke and Catalina Ravizza The Impact of a Carbon Tax on the Chilean Electricity Generation Sector Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (4), 2674-2700 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/4/2674 ........................................................................ 367 Alberto Gutierrez-Escolar, Ana Castillo-Martinez, Jose M. Gomez-Pulido, Jose-Maria Gutierrez-Martinez, Zlatko Stapic and Jose-Amelio Medina-Merodio A Study to Improve the Quality of Street Lighting in Spain Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (2), 976-994 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/2/976 .......................................................................... 394 Gerard Reid and Gerard Wynn The Future of Solar Power in the United Kingdom Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (8), 7818-7832 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/8/7818 ........................................................................ 414 Wei Sun, Yujun He and Hong Chang Forecasting Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption for Power Generation Using QHSA-Based LSSVM Model Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (2), 939-959 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/2/939 .......................................................................... 429 Chapter 4: Global Phenomena and Global Governance Christopher A. Scott and Zachary P. Sugg Global Energy Development and Climate-Induced Water Scarcity — Physical Limits, Sectoral Constraints, and Policy Imperatives Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (8), 8211-8225 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/8/8211 ........................................................................ 453 Martin Jänicke Horizontal and Vertical Reinforcement in Global Climate Governance Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (6), 5782-5799 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/5782 ........................................................................ 469 VII Chapter 5: Juridical Framework Rosario Ferrara The Smart City and the Green Economy in Europe: A Critical Approach Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (6), 4724-4734 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/4724 ........................................................................ 491 Markus Klimscheffskij, Thierry Van Craenenbroeck, Marko Lehtovaara, Diane Lescot, Angela Tschernutter, Claudia Raimundo, Dominik Seebach and Christof Timpe Residual Mix Calculation at the Heart of Reliable Electricity Disclosure in Europe — A Case Study on the Effect of the RE-DISS Project Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (6), 4667-4696 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/4667 ........................................................................ 502 Chapter 6: Societal Issues Karen Stenner and Zim Nwokora Current and Future Friends of the Earth: Assessing Cross-National Theories of Environmental Attitudes Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (6), 4899-4919 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/6/4899 ........................................................................ 535 Elisha R. Frederiks, Karen Stenner and Elizabeth V. Hobman The Socio-Demographic and Psychological Predictors of Residential Energy Consumption: A Comprehensive Review Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (1), 573-609 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/1/573 .......................................................................... 556 Nadejda Komendantova, Marco Vocciante and Antonella Battaglini Can the BestGrid Process Improve Stakeholder Involvement in Electricity Transmission Projects? Reprinted from: Energies 2015 , 8 (9), 9407-9433 http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/9/9407 ........................................................................ 594 IX List of Contributors Claudio A. Agostini: School of Government, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago 7941169, Chile. Sharifah Rafidah Wan Alwi: Process Systems Engineering Centre (PROSPECT), Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Reynir Smari Atlason: Department of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, Centre for Productivity, Performance and Processes, University of Iceland, Hjardarhagi 6, 107 Reykjavik, Iceland. Jake Badger: Technical University of Denmark, Wind Energy Department, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark. Antonella Battaglini: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Research Domain IV — Transdisciplinary Concepts & Methods, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Telegrafenberg A31, Potsdam 14473, Germany. Carlos Benavides: Department of Electrical Engineering, Energy Center, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 8370451, Chile. Andreas Beneking: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Research Domain IV — Transdisciplinary Concepts & Methods, Telegrafenberg A31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany. Luís Bernardes: EMEPC, Rua Costa Pinto 165, 2770-047 Paço de Arcos, Portugal. Filipe Brandão: EMEPC, Rua Costa Pinto 165, 2770-047 Paço de Arcos, Portugal. Júlio Carneiro: Departamento de Geociências, Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Instituto de Ciências da Terra, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal. Ana Castillo-Martinez: Department of Computer Sciences, Polytechnic School, University of Alcala, Madrid-Barcelona Road, Km 33.6, Alcala de Henares 28871, Spain. Andrzej Ceglarz: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Research Domain IV — Transdisciplinary Concepts & Methods, Telegrafenberg A31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany. Hong Chang: Key Laboratory of Advanced Control and Optimization for Chemical Processes, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200240, China. Kew Hong Chew: Process Systems Engineering Centre (PROSPECT), Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Soo Cho: Korea Institute of Energy Research, Daejeon 305-343, Korea. Young-Hum Cho: School of Architecture, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Korea. Bo-Eun Choi: Department of Architectural Engineering, Graduate School of Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Korea. Xuankai Deng: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China. Alessandro Di Bella: Technical University of Denmark, Wind Energy Department, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark. X Manuel Diaz: Department of Electrical Engineering, Energy Center, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 8370451, Chile. Vincenzo Dovì: Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso 31, Genova 16146, Italy. Antanas Dumbrauskas: Institute of Water Resources Engineering, Aleksandras Stulginskis University, 10 Universiteto str., Akademija, Kaunas District LT-53361, Lithuania. Saskia Ellenbeck: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Research Domain IV — Transdisciplinary Concepts & Methods, Telegrafenberg A31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany. Rosario Ferrara: Department of Law, University of Turin, Lungo Dora Siena, 100 A 10153 Torino, Italy. Elisha R. Frederiks: CSIRO Adaptive Social and Economic Systems, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia. Rodrigo Fuentes: Institute of Economics, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile. Gonzalo García: Instituto de Economía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile. Jose M. Gomez-Pulido : Department of Computer Sciences, Polytechnic School, University of Alcala, Madrid-Barcelona Road, Km 33.6, Alcala de Henares 28871, Spain. Luis Gonzales: Latin American Center for Economic and Social Policy, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago 8331010, Chile. Alberto Gutierrez-Escolar: Department of Computer Sciences, Polytechnic School, University of Alcala, Madrid-Barcelona Road, Km 33.6, Alcala de Henares 28871, Spain. Jose-Maria Gutierrez-Martinez: Department of Computer Sciences, Polytechnic School, University of Alcala, Madrid-Barcelona Road, Km 33.6, Alcala de Henares 28871, Spain. Fanghua Hao: School of Environment, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, Beijing Normal University, No. 9 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China. Charlotte Bay Hasager: Technical University of Denmark, Wind Energy Department, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark. Yujun He: Department of Electronic & Communication Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, Hebei, China. Elizabeth V. Hobman: CSIRO Adaptive Social and Economic Systems, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia. Romain Husson: Collecte Localisation Satellites, Avenue La Pérouse, Bâtiment le Ponant, Plouzané 29280, France. Martin Jänicke: Environmental Research Center, Free University Berlin and Institute of Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), Potsdam, Patschkauer Weg 51, 14195 Berlin, Germany. Jae-Hun Jo: Department of Architectural Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 151-402, Korea. Egidijus Kasiulis: Institute of Water Resources Engineering, Aleksandras Stulginskis University, 10 Universiteto str., Akademija, Kaunas District LT-53361, Lithuania. Seok-Hyun Kim: Department of Architectural Engineering, Graduate School of Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Korea. XI Dagmar Kiyar: Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, Döppersberg 19, 42103 Wuppertal, Germany. Ji ř í Jaromír Klemeš : Centre for Process Integration and Intensification — CPI2, Research Institute of Chemical and Process Engineering —M Ű KKI, Faculty of Information Technology, University of Pannonia, Egyetem u. 10, Veszprém H-8200, Hungary. Markus Klimscheffskij: Grexel Systems Oy, Lautatarhankatu 6, FI-00580 Helsinki, Finland. Nadejda Komendantova: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schlossplatz 1, Laxenburg A-2361, Austria; Climate Policy Group, Institute for Environmental Decisions (ETH), Zurich 8092, Switzerland. José M. Laínez-Aguirre: Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, PG-2, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Current Address: Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University at Buffalo, Amherst, NY 14260, USA. Marko Lehtovaara: Grexel Systems Oy, Lautatarhankatu 6, FI-00580 Helsinki, Finland. Diane Lescot: Observatoire des énergies renouvelables, 146 rue de l'Université, 75007 Paris, France. Wei Li: Department of Economics and Management, North China Electric Power University, No. 619 Yonghua Street, Baoding 071003, Hebei, China. Yanfang Liu: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China. Pedro Madureira: EMEPC, Rua Costa Pinto 165, 2770-047 Paço de Arcos, Portugal. Zainuddin Abdul Manan: Process Systems Engineering Centre (PROSPECT), Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Jose-Amelio Medina-Merodio: Department of Computer Sciences, Polytechnic School, University of Alcala, Madrid-Barcelona Road, Km 33.6, Alcala de Henares 28871, Spain. Shahriyar Nasirov: Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago 7941169, Chile. Zim Nwokora: Law School, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia. Gudmundur Valur Oddsson: Department of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, Centre for Productivity, Performance and Processes, University of Iceland, Hjardarhagi 6, 107 Reykjavik, Iceland. Wei Ouyang: School of Environment, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, Beijing Normal University, No. 9 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China. Jenny Palm: Department of Thematic Studies — Technology and Social Change, Linköping University, Linköping SE-581 83, Sweden. Rodrigo Palma-Behnke: Department of Electrical Engineering, Energy Center, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 8370451, Chile. Enrica Papa: Environmental and Spatial Management, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Vrijdagmarkt 10-301, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Alfredo Peña: Technical University of Denmark, Wind Energy Department, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark. XII Mar Pérez-Fortes: Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, PG-2, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Current Address: European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Energy and Transport, P.O. Box 2, 1755 ZG Petten, The Netherlands. Luis Puigjaner: Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, PG-2, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. Petras Punys: Institute of Water Resources Engineering, Aleksandras Stulginskis University, 10 Universiteto str., Akademija, Kaunas District LT-53361, Lithuania. Claudia Raimundo: IT Power Consulting Ltd., St. Brandon's House 29 Great George Street, Bristol BS1 5QT, UK. Catalina Ravizza: Institute of Economics, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile. Gerard Reid: Alexa Capital, 17 Old Court Place, London W8 4PL, UK. Andrea Pietro Reverberi: Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry (DCCI), University of Genova, Via Dodecaneso 31, Genova 16146, Italy. Cristina Roque: EMEPC, Rua Costa Pinto 165, 2770-047 Paço de Arcos, Portugal. David Schillebeeckx: Institute of Physics, Carl von Ossietzky University, Ammerländer Heerstraße 136, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany. Peter Schmidt: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Research Domain IV — Transdisciplinary Concepts & Methods, Telegrafenberg A31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany. Christopher A. Scott: School of Geography & Development; Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, University of Arizona,Tucson, AZ 85719, USA. Dominik Seebach: Oeko-Institut e.V., Merzhauser Strasse 173, PO Box 17 71, 79017 Freiburg, Germany. Joshua D. Shackman: College of Business Administration, Trident University International, Cypress, CA 90630, USA. Pengfei Sheng: School of Economics, Henan University, North Part of Jinming Street, Jinming District, Kaifeng 475004, China. Kyung-Ju Shin: Department of Architectural Engineering, Graduate School of Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Korea. Linas Šilinis : Institute of Water Resources Engineering, Aleksandras Stulginskis University, 10 Universiteto str., Akademija, Kaunas District LT-53361, Lithuania. Carlos Silva: Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago 7941169, Chile. Zlatko Stapic: Faculty of Organization and Informatics, University of Zagreb, Pavlinska 2, Varazdin 42000, Croatia. Karen Stenner: Behavioural Economics Team, Behavioural & Social Sciences Group, Adaptive Social & Economic Systems Program, CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), Dutton Park, Queensland 4102, Australia. Zachary P. Sugg: School of Geography & Development, University of Arizona, ENR2 Building, 1064 E. Lowell St., P.O. Box 210137, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. XIII Wei Sun: School of Economics and Management, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, Hebei, China. Shuang Sun: Department of Economics and Management, North China Electric Power University, No. 619 Yonghua Street, Baoding 071003, Hebei, China. Patrik Thollander: Department of Management and Engineering, Division of Energy Systems, Linköping University, Linköping SE-581 83, Sweden; Department of Building, Energy and Environment Engineering, University of Gävle, Gävle SE-801 76, Sweden. Christof Timpe: Oeko-Institut e.V., Merzhauser Strasse 173, PO Box 17 71, 79017 Freiburg, Germany. Angela Tschernutter: Energie-Control Austria, Rudolfsplatz 13a, 1010 Vienna, Austria. Runar Unnthorsson: Department of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, Centre for Productivity, Performance and Processes, University of Iceland, Hjardarhagi 6, 107 Reykjavik, Iceland. Samuel Van Ackere: Environmental and Spatial Management, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Vrijdagmarkt 10-301, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Thierry Van Craenenbroeck: Vlaamse regulator van de elektriciteits-en gasmarkt, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. Greet Van Eetvelde: Environmental and Spatial Management, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Vrijdagmarkt 10-301, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Karel Van Wyngene: Power-Link, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium. Lieven Vandevelde: Power-Link, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium. Pauline Vincent: Collecte Localisation Satellites, Avenue La Pérouse, Bâtiment le Ponant, Plouzané 29280, France. Marco Vocciante: Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Genoa, Genoa 16145, Italy. Patrick J. H. Volker: Technical University of Denmark, Wind Energy Department, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark. Gitana Vy č ien ė : Institute of Water Resources Engineering, Aleksandras Stulginskis University, 10 Universiteto str., Akademija, Kaunas District LT-53361, Lithuania. Wenyan Wang: School of Environment, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, Beijing Normal University, No. 9 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China. Bettina B. F. Wittneben: Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK; Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YX, UK. Gerard Wynn: GWG Energy, 78 Belle Vue Road, Salisbury SP1 3YD, UK. Jun Yang: School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Shanzheng Street 174, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China. Yanhua Yu: Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China. XIV About the Guest Editors Vincenzo Dovì graduated in Chemical Engineering and obtained a second Doctor's Degree in Physics. He worked with Tecnimont (Milan, Italy), EMBL (Heidelberg, Germany) and CEA (Fontenay-aux-Roses, France). He is presently Professor of Theory of Industrial Process Development at the University of Genova. He has been President of the European Section of the International Environmetrics Society and Scientific Advisor to the Italian Embassy in Berlin.He participated in several Interministerial Conferences as a Member of the Italian Delegation and Sherpa in one G8 Science Meeting (Carnegie Meeting). He has served as a reviewer in the European Framework Programmes and the EuropeAid Programme. He has been on the Editorial Board of the Environmetrics journal and is presently on the Editorial Board of the Energies journal. He is the author of over one hundred articles in the areas of his competence, as well as of five books (in Russian) on energy efficiency issues. Antonella Battaglini is Senior Scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (www.pik-potsdam.de) where she leads the work of the SuperSmart Grid Team. The team investigates if it is possible and desirable to move to a 100% renewable electricity sector, and how societal processes and forces influence and define energy policies and investments decisions. Antonella is also the CEO of the Renewables Grid Initiative www.renewables- grid.eu), an organisation dealing with solutions for the energy transition. She is an expert member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on the “Future of Electricity”. In 2015 she was nominated as one of the Tällberg Foundation's five global leaders. She has authored dozens of articles in the areas of her competence. XV Preface Energy Policy and Climate Change: A Multidisciplinary Approach to a Global Problem Vincenzo Dovì and Antonella Battaglini Reprinted from Energies . Cite as: Dovì, V.; Battaglini, A. Energy Policy and Climate Change: A Multidisciplinary Approach to a Global Problem. Energies 2015 , 8 (12), 13473-13480. 1. Introduction In the period between the end of the Second World War and the oil crises of 1973 and 1979, the most critical issues in the energy debate were the impending depletion of non-renewable resources and the level of pollution that the environment is able to sustain. At the time, large investments in nuclear energy technologies were the answer to the growing energy needs, whereas local pollution was reduced by dilution in a wider environment. By the end of the seventies, it was clear that these policies and approaches were largely inadequate. The Three Mile Island accident — the first of a series of catastrophic events — reduced the diffusion of traditional nuclear reactors around the world. Moreover, also as a consequence, the development of breeder reactors was abandoned in most countries. Similarly, the attempt to reduce air and water pollution by using higher chimneys or by diluting emissions into larger river basins and lakes, while partially mitigating local problems, was giving rise to severe global issues, including the depletion of the ozone layer, the onset of acid rains and the eutrophication of coastal waters, among others. Sustainability became the new paradigm that both the academic world and public opinion were ready to embrace. By that time, scientists all over the world were starting to raise concerns about climate change and its impacts at the global level. Research demonstrated the correlation between carbon dioxide emissions and increasing global mean temperatures. Over time, the need to reduce fossil fuel emissions to prevent serious climate change grew together with scientific evidence. Since then, innovation in energy generation, distribution and consumption has become inextricably tied up with climate change research. Technology was called upon to improve energy efficiency by providing better building construction practices and improved industrial design procedures, to foster energy conservation by developing alternative, less energy-intensive products and to speed up the transition to a carbon-free energy environment by building up renewable energy sources. Similarly, science has been committed to developing ever more refined models designed to predict the consequences of increasing carbon dioxide levels and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. XVI However, it soon became clear that science and technology alone could not provide the solutions for averting or partially alleviating the negative consequences of global warming and the conflicting objectives of economic growth, affordable prices and sustainability. Indeed, an interdisciplinary approach including the natural and social sciences as well as economics and investment theory proved crucial to the development and implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies. What we are experiencing today is a real revolution that is transforming the global energy sector; it impacts all aspects on how we generate, distribute and consume energy. This revolution is not just a technological process; it is first and foremost, a societal and political process in which technology is one determining factor. Thus, the role of different stakeholders, as well as societal needs and wants, are to be duly taken into account for the transition to be timely and effective. International agreements, as well as small and large-scale infrastructure projects to support the transition phase, all need to be based on a clear vision of the future and require laborious dealings and negotiation skills. Finally, a strong juridical framework must be put in place at both the national and supranational levels to provide direction and reduce the risks for investors in implementing innovative solutions. A multi-disciplinary approach is at the core of any serious action for sustainable development: any decision-making on energy issues should consistently pursue the parallel objectives of preventing serious climate change and protecting the natural environment. A partial or incoherent strategy could lead to ineffective and unsatisfactory results. The goal of this Special Issue is to bring together a wide range of disciplines and technical fields under the same roof of a thematic area, which can be broadly defined as Energy Policy. Indeed, Energy Policy is called upon to solve some of the most pressing problems that our society is confronted with, i.e. , the prevention of dramatic climate change, the disruption of food supply chains, the onset of worldwide water stress and the collapse of political institutions. As Guest Editors of this Special Issue, we were able to ascertain that this interdisciplinary position on fundamental issues of Energy Policy is now widespread among scientists and scholars, who are well aware that a wider and more embracing paradigm should be established for the Energy Policy Research. The positive echo from the scientific community, reflected by the number and the quality of the contributions submitted, proves the significance of this general approach and the necessity of examining energy issues from a more general perspective, which should increasingly become part of the general public discourse beyond the strict framework of academic debates. Society at large needs to be actively involved in developing, suggesting and supporting possible and sustainable pathways, which are relevant at both the national and international levels. This will give decision makers the confidence and sense of urgency to develop and implement necessary policies. This is the main message being conveyed by this Special Issue. Indeed, the articles submitted, as well as the ones finally selected to be published, cover a broad range of thematic areas: science and technology, economics, corporate finance, law, XVII public policy, social analysis, national and international issues. As a matter of fact, several manuscripts straddle different subjects. We regard them as a sign of vitality in academic research and as a further confirmation of the necessary interdisciplinary character of innovative Energy Policy Research. In the next section, we provide a brief review of the papers published, roughly classifying them according to the previously outlined thematic areas. 2. A Short Review of the Contributions in This Issue A number of articles can be grouped under the broad heading of Science and Technology. As far as energy efficiency is concerned, two articles address optimal building construction practices and adequate industrial design procedures respectively. Kim et al. [1] show how the optimal design of shading installations can substantially affect the heating and cooling load for horizontal devices and venetian blinds in office buildings. The significant potential reduction of up to 13% of energy consumption that might be reached in Korea reflects the importance of this type of analysis in the construction sector. In the article by Chew et al. [2], process integration is applied to the important case of non-negligible pressure drops between plant units. Indeed, process integration, based on pinch analysis, has become one of the most powerful techniques for efficient process design. Greeted as a veritable breakthrough in the eighties, pinch analysis has been successively extended to include the energy optimization of whole industrial sites and the energy interactions between industrial processes and the surrounding territory. The role of technology in the development of renewable energy sources is analyzed in four articles dedicated to wind energy, energy from biomass and small hydropower. While wind energy technology is approaching a level of maturity allowing it to be considered a well-established and economically viable source of energy, its very diffusion gives rise to new problems that the scientific community is called upon to solve. Thus, the influence of the wind farm wake on the power production of neighboring wind farms is analyzed by Hasager et al. [3] using advanced methods based on satellite synthetic aperture radar observations. Furthermore, as shown by Van Ackere et al. [4], the inclusion of small and medium turbines in distributed energy systems, though reducing the overall impact of the spatial footprint, requires more detailed knowledge of the spatial distribution of the average wind speed. As for the use of biomass in large centralized systems, Puigjaner et al. [5] show how an innovative adjustable design platform, conceptually derived from Process Systems Engineering, can be used for the optimal establishment of biomass-based supply chains, which constitute an essential requirement for the introduction of co-combustion/co- gasification projects in the current electricity production scenario. Punys et al. [6] explore the potential negative impact of small hydropower systems on environmental aquatic systems due to sudden changes in the flow rate, especially during start- up and shutdown phases or as a consequence of changes in the electrical load. They provide XVIII an effective design method which includes the type of turbines employed and evaluate the largest ramping rate that does not strand or isolate fish populations. Basic science and advanced engineering methods are employed by Bernardes et al. [7] to estimate the areas of profitable exploitation of gas hydrate fields in sub-seabed sediments. In addition to tapping methane hydrates, the technique might provide a suitable storage for a large amount of carbon dioxide sequestered in power plants and other industrial processes. Contributions dedicated to corporate policies and investment decisions on energy issues include five articles. In particular, Atlason et al. [8] show, on the basis of data related to Iceland’s geothermal sector, how the establishment of a critical mass of local experts in the maintenance of innovative infrastructure can give rise to stable clusters based on knowledge and be beneficial to the further development of the sectors involved. In the article by Thollander and Palm [9], the introduction of operational measures into the energy management system of production processes is recommended as an effective means of overcoming the barriers which reduce the propensity to the adoption of cost-effective measures. In particular, the authors recommend embedding additional models into the frequently used input-output analysis for improving the overall efficiency of energy management systems in the industry. Allowing for periodic adjustments would further enhance their reliability. Similarly, Nasirov et al. [10] examine the barriers to the deployment of renewable energy technologies in Chile, despite the favorable political and economic climate. Using surveys and interviews, they identify these barriers as being caused by grid limitations, excessive red tape, scarce credit and uncertain regulations for the lease of physical commodities. The authors provide recommendations for overcoming these difficulties in the Chilean system. Kiyar and Wittneben [11] analyze the portfolio management strategies of the four large electricity providers in Germany and come to the conclusion that the fossil fuel divestment campaign launched in 2012 (and presently including over two hundred institutions) is not at the root of their corporate decisions on reducing fossil fuel assets. Rather, they seem to be the result of a compromise brought about by dropping prices, the current composition of stockholder equity, political regulations, and the economic and social importance of lignite extraction in Germany. Ellenbeck et al. [12] question the widespread reliance on the sole market design for secure electricity supplies through the full development of capacity markets at national or regional level. Using an interdisciplinary approach based on economic analysis and sociological insight, they theorize that the market as a social institution is capable of shaping the investment behavior of its participants. The creation of a European Energy Union is proposed as a possible tool for positively influencing the four behavioral determinants identified by the authors. A number of contributions can be classified as evaluations of policy responses to public problems or as proposals for the modification of existing regulations on energy issues. In other words, they fall under the broad definition of Public Policy. XIX Two articles consider the effectiveness of CO 2 mitigation measures adopted or recommended i