Editorial: Environmental impacts from small heating systems

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:家庭用熱源の排出削減に関する研究動向と政策文脈の俯瞰に有用。

🏢実務担当者:住宅・暖房機器メーカーやエネルギー事業者にとって、規制動向と技術トレンドの把握に役立つ。

🏛政策担当者:EUの政策パッケージと家庭部門の排出削減策の参考になる。

Emissions from heat sources in households contribute to air pollution to a very large extent. In particular, the burning of solid fuels in homes generates most of the particulate matter in the air that causes health problems and risks of serious diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the production of emissions from small heat sources in combination with the highest possible fuel combustion efficiency. Due to the rising energy prices (coal, electricity, natural gas), it is not possible to assume the early termination of the operation of heat sources in households that produce emissions, and further research in this area is still necessary.The national climate change mitigation of the European Union (EU) is governed by the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement and the EU Climate Policy. The Paris Agreement (2015) recognizes that limiting the increase in average global temperatures would significantly reduce the risks and consequences of climate change. Constant consumption of resources exerts pressure on the environment, not only due to their exploitation, but also because, once processed, resources produce waste, emissions or effluents. The EU set targets for all Member States to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and generate more energy from renewable energy sources (RES). This is also related to the key EU legislative proposals Fit for 55 and RepowerEU, which are part of the EU's efforts to meet the goals aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future. Fit for 55 is an ambitious package of measures that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by 55 percent by 2030 compared to the level of 1990, while small heat sources in households can gradually replace and modernize to achieve a higher rate of use of RES, higher efficiency energy conversions and lower impact on the environment. RepowerEU is the EU's strategic plan for the modernization and transition of its energy system in order to achieve energy independence, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and increase the share of renewable energy sources, while small heat sources in households are an important part for the decentralization of energy systems in heat supply. In this area, energy communities are increasingly being created, while in the area of electricity sharing, photovoltaic panels, battery storage are increasingly being used, thanks to which electricity-based heat sources, especially heat pumps, can be used more in households, without the need for additional increasing the capacity of distribution electrical networks.Currently, the trend is energy use of various types of materials, including waste, the parameters of which must be adapted to a specific heat source. Similarly, there are innovations in the construction of heat sources increasing the efficiency of combustion and reducing the production of emissions, especially particulate matter (PM). The research of these innovative ways of burning fuels in domestic conditions should be carried out regarding circular economy and environmental sustainability. In this area, smart technologies with the Internet of Things (IoT) can be helpful, which, in combination with greener fuels and proper operation of heat sources by their users, can significantly improve the quality of the environment.The current trend in energy is smart technologies, which are increasingly being applied to households - smart houses. They represent the use of modern technologies and intelligent systems to improve the efficiency, safety and sustainability of energy systems. These innovations are aimed at optimizing energy production, distribution and consumption, which contributes to better management of energy resources and reduction of negative environmental impacts. Within smart homes, which could be used in homes, are Smart Grids, which combine information and communication technology technologies with traditional energy networks within energy communities. These networks enable more efficient integration of RES, management of supply and demand, optimization of energy distribution and increased fault tolerance. Accurate and reliable measurement of individual quantities - Smart Metering - is also important in this area. Smart meters are digital devices that enable accurate and automatic data collection and subsequent optimal operation of heat sources, which can be predicted according to current weather conditions or according to the weather forecast. In the case of excess energy production, whether electricity or heat, energy storage is a useful tool. This helps balance fluctuations in energy production and demand and increases the reliability of energy systems. Smart innovations in energy play a key role in the transition to more sustainable and efficient energy systems and are a key pillar in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.These and other topics related to small heat sources in homes and their impact on the environment were mentioned in the Research Topic Environmental Impacts from Small Heating Systems.Reducing of the negative impact of households on the environment is also possible by using of photovoltaic micro-installations in family houses, both in Poland and in other countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Blazy et al. (2021) made an attempt to estimate the scale of air pollution reduction (in particular CO2) in the area of the urbanized Metropolitan area of Krakow, which is one of the most polluted regions in Poland. As indicated by the results of this work, the potential of single-family buildings in relation to the feasibility of photovoltaic installations makes it possible to reduce the existing CO2 emissions in power plants and combined heat and power plants, which have been responsible for the supply of electricity so far. This is a very favourable result from the point of view of the achievable environmental effect, but not sufficient to become independent from fossil fuels.At present, the energy consumption structure of rural areas is transiting from traditional solid energy to commercial energy and clean energy, especially in China. Zhang et al. (2022) reviews the transition trend, influencing factors, and regional differences of China’s rural household energy consumption structure from the 1990s. It is clear from the analyses that many factors, especially household income level and energy availability, influence the choice of energy source in rural areas. In order to increase the use of greener facilities, wider awareness and implementation of subsidies in rural areas is necessary.The modernization of legislation is also related to the implementation of modern technologies. Xu et al. (2023) in their work that the positive impact of legal environmental regulation on green output of energy enterprises is more prominent than that of non-R&D investment. In modern energy, the implementation of hydrogen also has its place, which in the future can reach from larger applications to smaller ones, e.g. within energy communities. However, hydrogen is a tiny, leak-prone molecule that can indirectly warm the climate. Esquivel-Elizondo et al. (2023) found that the presented hydrogen leaks are very diverse and field measurements of hydrogen emissions throughout the value chain are critically needed to sharpen our understanding of hydrogen emissions.An important part of reducing the negative impact of households on the environment is the minimization of waste, or its valorization and use to the highest possible extent. In accordance with the work Latosińska et al. (2023) proper treatment and recycling of waste are crucial for the natural environment. For example, biowaste and ash from heat sources might be used for ceramic building material production. Such a reduction in the amount of waste leads to a smaller burden on the environment and can also offer energy recovery.There are many ways to reduce the negative impact of human activity on the environment, and since people spend most of their lives in their homes, it is necessary to start there. Every small change for the better can make a big difference.

• openalex https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2024.1384163first seen 2026-08-02 18:23:36