Advances in Energy Systems for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Dear Colleagues,

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations constitute a strategic blueprint for the realization of a more equitable and sustainable global future. Within this framework of seventeen interconnected objectives, SDG 7 is specifically directed at ensuring universal access to sustainable, affordable, and dependable modern energy sources. The nexus between energy consumption and human development is a well-established paradigm. Consequently, achieving SDG 7 is not an isolated objective but rather a prerequisite and powerful driver for achieving the attainment of other SDGs. This includes, but is not limited to, the facilitation of economic growth, enhancement of healthcare delivery, the improvement of living conditions, mitigation of inequality, and the abatement of environmental impact.

Energy-poverty-related and anthropogenically induced climate change are intrinsically linked through technological systems such as fossil-fuel-driven electricity networks, which provide billions of individuals with affordable, high-value energy. Thus, there is an emerging consensus that it is crucial to tackle energy poverty in a manner that is both environmentally and economically sustainable. This necessitates the deployment of innovative technological solutions, institutional frameworks, policy solutions, and market mechanisms. Bringing together knowledge and insights from diverse scientific disciplines, coupled with the fusion of empirical knowledge derived from research and practice, will generate the requisite evidence needed to confront the multifaceted challenges in the nexus of energy poverty, environmental sustainability, and sustainable socio-economic development.

As such, the primary objective of this Special Issue is to explore and advance our understanding of the intricate interplay among technology, policy, and market progress within energy systems and their manifold dimensions in facilitating the achievement of sustainable development goals.

In this Special Issue, authors are warmly invited to submit original research articles and reviews that explore the systems-level interaction of innovative energy technologies, policy, environmental sustainability, and progress toward the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. Research areas may include (but are not limited to):

• Transdisciplinary energy research.
• Cross-sectoral synergies and tradeoffs, highlighting the interdependencies of energy with other SDGs.
• Examination of community engagement and empowerment, encompassing the social and cultural dimensions of energy access and sustainability.
• Exploration of decentralized energy solutions.
• Inquiry into the climate resilience of energy systems.
• Application of data analytics to advance energy systems for sustainability and development.
• Innovations in policy frameworks, regulatory frameworks, and market mechanisms aimed at promoting sustainable development and addressing energy poverty.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Nathan Williams
Dr. June Lukuyu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• sustainable development goals
• energy systems
• climate resilience
• transdisciplinary
• energy access
• energy policy
• sustainability