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Title: Energy Transitions Towards Low Carbon Resilience: Evaluation of Disaster-Triggered Local and Regional Cases

Abstract

Following numerous global scientific studies and major international agreements, the decarbonization of energy systems is an apparent and pressing concern. The consequence of continued emission growth tied to rising global average temperatures is difficult to predict, but against a background of other natural and human-induced disasters, may create a situation, from a positive perspective, where each disaster event triggers “build back better” responses designed to speed the transition toward low carbon, resilience-oriented energy systems. This article examines the potential for disaster-triggered responses in communities, at various local and regional levels, in four industrial economies in the Asia Pacific region: Japan, China, Australia, and the USA. Seven case studies were evaluated against a set of criteria that exemplify the key aspects of resilient energy systems. The research results suggest that a new space of innovation does emerge in post-disaster situations at a range of local and regional scales. The greatest potential benefit and opportunity for significant gains, however, appears to manifest at the small community level, and the ultimate challenge relates to how to mainstream local innovations into state and national level transformation on energy systems so as to enhance resilience and promote rapid decarbonization.

Authors:
 [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [5];  [6]
  1. Univ. of Oregon, Eugene, OR (United States)
  2. Osaka Univ. (Japan)
  3. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
  4. Hiroshima Univ. (Japan)
  5. Hong Kong Univ. of Science and Technology (Hong Kong); Univ. College London, Bloomsbury (United Kingdom); Tokyo Univ. of Science, Chiba (Japan). Faculty of Science and Technology, Dept. of Physics
  6. Tongji Univ. (China)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1631118
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-148907
Journal ID: ISSN 2071-1050; SUSTDE
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Sustainability (Basel)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Sustainability (Basel); Journal Volume: 11; Journal Issue: 23; Journal ID: ISSN 2071-1050
Publisher:
MDPI
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; Low carbon transition; renewable energy

Citation Formats

Ko, Yekang, Barrett, Brendan F. D., Copping, Andrea E., Sharifi, Ayyoob, Yarime, Masaru, and Wang, Xin. Energy Transitions Towards Low Carbon Resilience: Evaluation of Disaster-Triggered Local and Regional Cases. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.3390/su11236801.
Ko, Yekang, Barrett, Brendan F. D., Copping, Andrea E., Sharifi, Ayyoob, Yarime, Masaru, & Wang, Xin. Energy Transitions Towards Low Carbon Resilience: Evaluation of Disaster-Triggered Local and Regional Cases. United States. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236801
Ko, Yekang, Barrett, Brendan F. D., Copping, Andrea E., Sharifi, Ayyoob, Yarime, Masaru, and Wang, Xin. Sat . "Energy Transitions Towards Low Carbon Resilience: Evaluation of Disaster-Triggered Local and Regional Cases". United States. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236801. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1631118.
@article{osti_1631118,
title = {Energy Transitions Towards Low Carbon Resilience: Evaluation of Disaster-Triggered Local and Regional Cases},
author = {Ko, Yekang and Barrett, Brendan F. D. and Copping, Andrea E. and Sharifi, Ayyoob and Yarime, Masaru and Wang, Xin},
abstractNote = {Following numerous global scientific studies and major international agreements, the decarbonization of energy systems is an apparent and pressing concern. The consequence of continued emission growth tied to rising global average temperatures is difficult to predict, but against a background of other natural and human-induced disasters, may create a situation, from a positive perspective, where each disaster event triggers “build back better” responses designed to speed the transition toward low carbon, resilience-oriented energy systems. This article examines the potential for disaster-triggered responses in communities, at various local and regional levels, in four industrial economies in the Asia Pacific region: Japan, China, Australia, and the USA. Seven case studies were evaluated against a set of criteria that exemplify the key aspects of resilient energy systems. The research results suggest that a new space of innovation does emerge in post-disaster situations at a range of local and regional scales. The greatest potential benefit and opportunity for significant gains, however, appears to manifest at the small community level, and the ultimate challenge relates to how to mainstream local innovations into state and national level transformation on energy systems so as to enhance resilience and promote rapid decarbonization.},
doi = {10.3390/su11236801},
journal = {Sustainability (Basel)},
number = 23,
volume = 11,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Nov 30 00:00:00 EST 2019},
month = {Sat Nov 30 00:00:00 EST 2019}
}

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Cited by: 7 works
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Figure 1 Figure 1: Multi-Level Perspectives ( LP) on Socio-Technical Transitions.

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