Multi-Functional Renewable Energy Infrastructure at the Land–Water–Food–Energy Nexus

Submission Deadline: 31 October 2026 View: 20 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Assoc. Prof. Yun Ii Go

Email: y.go@hw.ac.uk

Affiliation: School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, United Kingdom

Homepage:

Research Interests: renewable energy system, system design

Summary

The world is experiencing fast demand growth, especially the ASEAN and Global South regions. Rapid decarbonization is intensifying competing demands on land, water and food systems. This is particularly evident in regions that are climate-vulnerable and land-constrained. For example, the arid/semi-arid zones and coastal areas that are highly exposed to climate risks and have limited land resources. Renewable energy deployment can no longer be treated as a single-use activity. The energy infrastructure needs to deliver multiple co-benefits. These include agricultural production, water savings, thermal comfort, biodiversity support and climate change adaptation etc.

In this context, multi-functional renewable energy system and infrastructure can offer promising pathways to reconcile energy expansion with optimal land and water uses. For example, the agrivoltaics, aquaculture, floating solar PV, building-integrated solar PV, solar-powered irrigation & cooling systems, desalination & water treatment, precision agriculture, offshore multi-use platforms and hybrid system etc. This Special Issue aims to provide a multidisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners and policymakers working on multi-functional renewable energy systems.

Topics of interest of this Special Issue include, but are not limited to:
· Advanced system design and optimization.
· Resource assessment and microclimate modelling
· GIS-based and multi-criteria decision-making.
· Grid integration and digital monitoring.
· Techno-economic-environmental assessments
· Life cycle assessment, carbon and water footprint.
· Policy and regulatory frameworks.

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