Urban Energy Transitions: A Systematic Review

Urban energy efficiency and sustainability are critical challenges, as cities worldwide attempt to balance economic growth, environmental sustainability, and energy consumption. This systematic review examines the dynamics of urban energy management, focusing on how local authorities navigate energy...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Or Yatzkan, Reuven Cohen, Eyal Yaniv, Orit Rotem-Mindali
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Land
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/3/566
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849342882251538432
author Or Yatzkan
Reuven Cohen
Eyal Yaniv
Orit Rotem-Mindali
author_facet Or Yatzkan
Reuven Cohen
Eyal Yaniv
Orit Rotem-Mindali
author_sort Or Yatzkan
collection DOAJ
description Urban energy efficiency and sustainability are critical challenges, as cities worldwide attempt to balance economic growth, environmental sustainability, and energy consumption. This systematic review examines the dynamics of urban energy management, focusing on how local authorities navigate energy transitions through efficiency measures, renewable energy adoption, and policy interventions. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following research question: how do local authorities implement energy-efficient practices and adopt renewable energy technologies to reduce emissions, optimize cost-effectiveness, and influence urban policy-making? The goal of this study is to assess the effectiveness of these approaches in different urban contexts. By reviewing 47 articles, this study identifies the unique characteristics of urban energy management and highlights the need for tailored, context-specific solutions, such as integrating decentralized renewable energy systems, optimizing building energy performance, and developing policy incentives that consider local socio-economic conditions. The findings reveal varying degrees of success among cities, with particular challenges in lower-income municipalities, where financial and institutional barriers hinder the implementation of sustainable energy projects. This study concludes that localized approaches and long-term strategies are essential for achieving sustainable urban energy transitions, offering a comprehensive perspective on the complexities of urban energy systems and their evolving policy landscape. Future research should focus on assessing the long-term impact of municipal energy policies, exploring innovative financing mechanisms for renewable energy integration, and examining the role of digital technologies in optimizing urban energy management.
format Article
id doaj-art-efcf3d63ae8f4c7180adbc588d2755f4
institution Kabale University
issn 2073-445X
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Land
spelling doaj-art-efcf3d63ae8f4c7180adbc588d2755f42025-08-20T03:43:14ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-03-0114356610.3390/land14030566Urban Energy Transitions: A Systematic ReviewOr Yatzkan0Reuven Cohen1Eyal Yaniv2Orit Rotem-Mindali3Department of Environment, Planning and Sustainability, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, IsraelDepartment of Mathematics, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, IsraelGraduate School of Business Administration, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, IsraelDepartment of Environment, Planning and Sustainability, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, IsraelUrban energy efficiency and sustainability are critical challenges, as cities worldwide attempt to balance economic growth, environmental sustainability, and energy consumption. This systematic review examines the dynamics of urban energy management, focusing on how local authorities navigate energy transitions through efficiency measures, renewable energy adoption, and policy interventions. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following research question: how do local authorities implement energy-efficient practices and adopt renewable energy technologies to reduce emissions, optimize cost-effectiveness, and influence urban policy-making? The goal of this study is to assess the effectiveness of these approaches in different urban contexts. By reviewing 47 articles, this study identifies the unique characteristics of urban energy management and highlights the need for tailored, context-specific solutions, such as integrating decentralized renewable energy systems, optimizing building energy performance, and developing policy incentives that consider local socio-economic conditions. The findings reveal varying degrees of success among cities, with particular challenges in lower-income municipalities, where financial and institutional barriers hinder the implementation of sustainable energy projects. This study concludes that localized approaches and long-term strategies are essential for achieving sustainable urban energy transitions, offering a comprehensive perspective on the complexities of urban energy systems and their evolving policy landscape. Future research should focus on assessing the long-term impact of municipal energy policies, exploring innovative financing mechanisms for renewable energy integration, and examining the role of digital technologies in optimizing urban energy management.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/3/566urban energy transitionsenergyenergy efficiencyrenewable energycitiesmunicipal energy policies
spellingShingle Or Yatzkan
Reuven Cohen
Eyal Yaniv
Orit Rotem-Mindali
Urban Energy Transitions: A Systematic Review
Land
urban energy transitions
energy
energy efficiency
renewable energy
cities
municipal energy policies
title Urban Energy Transitions: A Systematic Review
title_full Urban Energy Transitions: A Systematic Review
title_fullStr Urban Energy Transitions: A Systematic Review
title_full_unstemmed Urban Energy Transitions: A Systematic Review
title_short Urban Energy Transitions: A Systematic Review
title_sort urban energy transitions a systematic review
topic urban energy transitions
energy
energy efficiency
renewable energy
cities
municipal energy policies
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/3/566
work_keys_str_mv AT oryatzkan urbanenergytransitionsasystematicreview
AT reuvencohen urbanenergytransitionsasystematicreview
AT eyalyaniv urbanenergytransitionsasystematicreview
AT oritrotemmindali urbanenergytransitionsasystematicreview