Call for contributions

Call for Contributions (2021-2022): “Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy Commodities for Sector Integration”

EFECT's goal is to contribute to modelling exercises with the purpose of better understanding the ground-breaking energy and climate transition in Europe. We want to explore different pathways for the transition, taking into account its multiple dimensions, such as technological, environmental, economic, social, political, ethical, etc. By contributing to model development and enhancement of analysis tools at national, regional and European level, EFECT will provide support to European energy and climate policy analysis as well as corporate decision making. Key features of EFECT are the focus on open and transparent modelling processes and the development of tools open for use by all stakeholders. This will facilitate increased interaction between modellers and stakeholder groups and contribute to a more robust energy and climate modelling capacity in Europe. 

To this purpose, each year, EFECT launches a modelling mission (research challenge) addressing a key question in the landscape of European energy transition strategies for climate neutrality.  This is organized under a 'call for contributions' in which EFECT coordinates modelling exercises that are discussed at workshops and other events.  

 

Call for Contributions (2021-2022): “Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy Commodities for Sector Integration” 
With the publication of the EU Green deal, the joint action REPowerEU, several national initiatives and the latest IPCC report, hopes are high for the establishment of systems which basically push the integration of renewable energy sources into the system. This affects infrastructure for electricity supply, bioenergy, synthetic fuels, CCS and negative emissions. The increased attention of players from all perspectives (producers, regulators, opponents and others) has put hydrogen back to the center of this discussion within the energy transition debate. Whereas several technical details have been addressed already (i.e. blending of hydrogen with natural gas or local/regional support for hydrogen initiatives) there is less academic contribution to the debate of how the existing infrastructure can (or cannot) be utilized. This then also extends to the question of policy acceptance by citizens when it comes to the location of hydrogen storage facilities or to the required non-discriminatory regulatory framework for (international) hydrogen trade. Also, the potential commoditization of hydrogen needs to be addressed. Therefore, this special issue seeks to be the place of up-to-date state-of-the-art academic research with a clear policy impact.

This call for contributions sets out to address – but is not limited to – the following research challenges:

  • How to model hydrogen production and transportation networks.
     
  • The interplay of sustainability criteria for bioenergy and production of industrial base products – is there a future in Europe for fossil fuel production?
     
  • The effect of carbon price regulation on sustainability of commodities (i.e., hydrogen, biofuels).
     
  • The role of citizens in developing new infrastructure (i.e., public resistance against the underground storage of carbon or construction  activity in wind turbines).
     
  • Fuel switching in sectors (electrical heating, electrical cooking).
     
  • Stranded natural gas assets or reuse of it for transporting natural gas.
     
  • Sector integration: Industry – transport – heating – electricity.           

For this call for contributions, EFECT is organizing a special issue on Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy Commodities for Sector Integration with the Energy Policy journal. The purpose of this special issue is to bring together a collection of high-quality research papers that propose solutions to practical regulatory problems. Papers can be theoretical, empirical, experimental, or based on literature reviews or case studies. The papers can examine any of the questions/issues mentioned above, either directly or indirectly. We encourage explorations within all research areas in the general scope of energy economics, including financial theory, risk analysis and insurance, econometrics, operations research, renewables, micro and macroeconomics, among others.

You are invited to submit your manuscript from April 15th, 2022 until July 31st, 2022.

Expected Final Acceptance Date: Fall 2022.

 Any questions about the special issue can be directed to the Managing Guest Editor: Anne Neumann (anne.neumann@ntnu.no).

 

To stimulate high quality submissions, EFECT is organizing a workshop on 31st March 2022 to gather the interest of the community. EFECT workshops will bring together key stakeholders and researchers in Europe to present latest research related to the special issue. The workshops will: i) stimulate high quality submissions, ii) provide feedback to authors before submission and have discussions with peers, and iii) present the papers submitted to gain further insights and position latest Energy Policy recommendations.