Uzbekistan

This study introduces a novel hybrid solar–biomass cogeneration power plant that efficiently produces heat electricity carbon dioxide and hydrogen using concentrated solar power and syngas from cotton stalk biomass. Detailed exergy-based thermodynamic economic and environmental analyses demonstrate that the optimized system achieves an exergy efficiency of 48.67% and an exergoeconomic factor of 80.65% and produces 51.5 MW of electricity 23.3 MW of heat and 8334.4 kg/h of hydrogen from 87156.4 kg/h of biomass. The study explores four scenarios for green hydrogen production pathways including chemical looping reforming and supercritical water gasification highlighting significant improvements in levelized costs and the environmental impact compared with other solar-based hybrid systems. Systems 2 and 3 exhibit superior performance with levelized costs of electricity (LCOE) of 49.2 USD/MWh and 55.4 USD/MWh and levelized costs of hydrogen (LCOH) of between 10.7 and 19.5 USD/MWh. The exergoenvironmental impact factor ranges from 66.2% to 73.9% with an environmental impact rate of 5.4–7.1 Pts/MWh. Despite high irreversibility challenges the integration of solar energy significantly enhances the system’s exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental performance making it a promising alternative as fossil fuel reserves decline. To improve competitiveness addressing process efficiency and cost reduction in solar concentrators and receivers is crucial.

Achieving the 1.5 ◦C global temperature target and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 require a fundamental transformation of energy systems driven by the rapid deployment of renewable energy technologies and underpinned by systemic policy financial and infrastructural reform. The manuscript adopts a literature-driven approach synthesizing findings from existing scholarly sources that shape the transition to sustainable energy systems. It begins by outlining global progress toward climate targets emphasizing the critical role of renewable energy in decarbonizing electricity industry and transport sectors. The manuscript explores recent technological advancements and trends in solar wind hydrogen and emerging clean technologies highlighting their impact on global energy supply chains and production models. Particular attention is given to the complexities of integrating renewable energy into existing infrastructure including grid modernization digitaliation and storage technologies. On the demand side the article examines changing consumption patterns electrification and the role of distributed generation in shaping future energy landscapes. Investment and finance emerge as central challenges with the paper analyzing the disparities in capital costs between developed and developing economies and the need for innovative green finance instruments to de-risk investment. The manuscript further identifies structural barriers including policy uncertainty supply chain constraints and permitting delays as key impediments to progress. Nonetheless the article outlines significant opportunities for scaling up renewable deployment through international cooperation targeted subsidies and public-private partnerships. The manuscript concludes by emphasizing the necessity of coherent and enforceable policy frameworks to align national commitments with global climate goals. It calls for an integrated multi-stakeholder approach to ensure that finance infrastructure demand and governance evolve in tandem thereby enabling a just inclusive and resilient global energy transition.