Advancing a New Generation of Sustainability-Based Assessments for Electrical Energy Systems: Ontario as an Illustrative Application—A Review
Negative social and ecological trends are putting essential life-support systems at risk. Necessary responses include sustainability transformations in diverse sectors to enhance the planetary capacity to deliver more positive effects to all. Sustainability-based assessment frameworks are tools to g...
Main Authors: | , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-08-01
|
Series: | Energies |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/17/6285 |
_version_ | 1827728094639685632 |
---|---|
author | F. Ignacio Aguilar Robert B. Gibson |
author_facet | F. Ignacio Aguilar Robert B. Gibson |
author_sort | F. Ignacio Aguilar |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Negative social and ecological trends are putting essential life-support systems at risk. Necessary responses include sustainability transformations in diverse sectors to enhance the planetary capacity to deliver more positive effects to all. Sustainability-based assessment frameworks are tools to guide the evaluation of initiatives in different human sectors and promote decisions that enhance overall social and ecological well-being. However, advancing sustainability remains difficult, in part because it must be pursued in a world of complex interactions and must respect the specifics of each case and context. This paper reports the process of building a sustainability-based assessment framework for electrical energy systems carried out by Aguilar. This work further specified the framework for electrical energy systems for application in the case and context of the electrical energy system in the Canadian province of Ontario. The illustrative application revealed that Ontario’s electrical energy system has made some progress towards contributions to sustainability but requires improved efforts to be on a path to adequate transformation. The research found that the sustainability-based assessment framework for electrical energy systems is promising and well-suited for further application to particular electricity-related initiatives. However, more applications are needed to further test the utility of the framework and refine the proposed criteria. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:23:29Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-3f95d1b399294f1e96f67b3aeca492a7 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1996-1073 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:23:29Z |
publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Energies |
spelling | doaj.art-3f95d1b399294f1e96f67b3aeca492a72023-11-19T08:05:48ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732023-08-011617628510.3390/en16176285Advancing a New Generation of Sustainability-Based Assessments for Electrical Energy Systems: Ontario as an Illustrative Application—A ReviewF. Ignacio Aguilar0Robert B. Gibson1School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L3G1, CanadaSchool of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L3G1, CanadaNegative social and ecological trends are putting essential life-support systems at risk. Necessary responses include sustainability transformations in diverse sectors to enhance the planetary capacity to deliver more positive effects to all. Sustainability-based assessment frameworks are tools to guide the evaluation of initiatives in different human sectors and promote decisions that enhance overall social and ecological well-being. However, advancing sustainability remains difficult, in part because it must be pursued in a world of complex interactions and must respect the specifics of each case and context. This paper reports the process of building a sustainability-based assessment framework for electrical energy systems carried out by Aguilar. This work further specified the framework for electrical energy systems for application in the case and context of the electrical energy system in the Canadian province of Ontario. The illustrative application revealed that Ontario’s electrical energy system has made some progress towards contributions to sustainability but requires improved efforts to be on a path to adequate transformation. The research found that the sustainability-based assessment framework for electrical energy systems is promising and well-suited for further application to particular electricity-related initiatives. However, more applications are needed to further test the utility of the framework and refine the proposed criteria.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/17/6285sustainability assessmentsustainability transformationselectrical energy systems |
spellingShingle | F. Ignacio Aguilar Robert B. Gibson Advancing a New Generation of Sustainability-Based Assessments for Electrical Energy Systems: Ontario as an Illustrative Application—A Review Energies sustainability assessment sustainability transformations electrical energy systems |
title | Advancing a New Generation of Sustainability-Based Assessments for Electrical Energy Systems: Ontario as an Illustrative Application—A Review |
title_full | Advancing a New Generation of Sustainability-Based Assessments for Electrical Energy Systems: Ontario as an Illustrative Application—A Review |
title_fullStr | Advancing a New Generation of Sustainability-Based Assessments for Electrical Energy Systems: Ontario as an Illustrative Application—A Review |
title_full_unstemmed | Advancing a New Generation of Sustainability-Based Assessments for Electrical Energy Systems: Ontario as an Illustrative Application—A Review |
title_short | Advancing a New Generation of Sustainability-Based Assessments for Electrical Energy Systems: Ontario as an Illustrative Application—A Review |
title_sort | advancing a new generation of sustainability based assessments for electrical energy systems ontario as an illustrative application a review |
topic | sustainability assessment sustainability transformations electrical energy systems |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/17/6285 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT fignacioaguilar advancinganewgenerationofsustainabilitybasedassessmentsforelectricalenergysystemsontarioasanillustrativeapplicationareview AT robertbgibson advancinganewgenerationofsustainabilitybasedassessmentsforelectricalenergysystemsontarioasanillustrativeapplicationareview |