Key Themes in Energy Management: A Compilation of Current Practices, Research Advances, and Future Opportunities

This book provides a comprehensive global coverage of energy management as it relates mostly to developing countries.

In an era of unprecedented global population growth, the demand for energy has reached staggering levels. The United Nations reported an enormous 200% increase in population between 1950 and 2020, with projections indicating a further rise to 10.9 billion by 2100. As a direct consequence, global primary energy usage has surged from 3701 Mtoe in 1965 to 13511 Mtoe in 2017, putting immense strain on existing energy sources. If current growth rates persist, these sources could be depleted within a mere 130 years.

To address this impending crisis, governments worldwide have implemented regulations and incentives to promote energy conservation. While numerous studies and publications have emerged within the field of energy management, there remains a significant research gap, particularly concerning the energy challenges faced by developing countries. Existing edited books on energy-related topics often narrowly focus on specific aspects, hindering readers from gaining a holistic understanding of energy management challenges and potential solutions.

This book fills this void. Recognizing the pivotal role these nations play in achieving sustainable development goals, this book provides a wide-ranging perspective on the trends, challenges, and potential solutions to energy crises in these regions. It not only acknowledges the challenges faced by developing countries but also offers viable strategies to address them.

The editor, leveraging his successful leadership experience in global academic endeavors, including publishing a book on Occupational Safety & Health practices during the COVID-19 era and coordination of multinational research projects, is well positioned to bring together exceptional chapters from various countries. His extensive network ensures the inclusion of diverse perspectives, enriching the book’s content and offering invaluable insights to readers.

Designed for a broad readership, including energy industry organizations, professionals, researchers, government bodies, policymakers, and students, this book delves into a wide array of energy management issues. By facilitating a comprehensive understanding of the subject, it equips readers with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complex landscape of energy management in the modern world.

Akilu Yunusa-Kaltungo (PhD, FIMechE, CEng, FHEA) is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Reliability and Maintenance Engineering, as well as the Head of Education for the School of Engineering at The University of Manchester. He has a diverse range of research specialties, owing to his blend of academic and industrial experiences. Some of the areas in which Akilu has developed notable international reputation include improving Occupational Safety & Health performance across high-risk sectors, decarbonisation of high-energy industrial operations, building energy consumption prediction and optimisation, vibration-based condition monitoring of industrial machines, machine learning-based faults detection and diagnosis, construction projects risk classification, industrial asset management and reliability, etc., through collaborations with reputable research-focused institutions such as Health & Safety Executive (HSE-UK) InnovateUK, EPSRC, etc. He has supported the realisation of several externally funded research projects, either as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator (Co-I). He has also generated over 140 technical publications in the form of high-impact journal articles, peer-reviewed conference articles, textbooks, book chapters, government commissioned reports and professional articles.