Small and medium-sized enterprises around the world play a key role in building economic growth and maintaining environmental sustainability. This strategic role in the economy depends on the possessed competitive advantage, which will increasingly depend on the ecological behavior of SMEs. Therefore, it is justified to undertake research the main goal of which is to identify the pro-ecological activities of SMEs conducive to achieving a competitive advantage. The original empirical research was conducted in 2021 on a sample of 452 small and medium-sized enterprises in Poland. The research was based on a questionnaire. The research allowed for the assessment of sustainable energy management by assessing the awareness of entrepreneurs, assessing the pro-ecological activities undertaken, and assessing the impact of pro-ecological activities on shaping the competitive advantages of enterprises in 2015–2020. The surveyed entrepreneurs considered the most important components of the company’s competitive advantage and sustainable energy management to be those investments aimed at achieving a high input–result ratio in a short time. In order to review the pro-ecological activities in Poland against the background of international data, other research results in this area are presented. The cited data confirm the results of the conducted extensive survey research. In the case of many countries and SMEs, environmental awareness is relatively low. Where it occurs, it is not translated into real activities in the field of sustainable energy management in the absence of economic efficiency.

In this article, we present the possibility of applying the concept of elasticity in the system of sustainable energy development through the use of wood biomass. We used a dual (socio-ecological and economic) approach to sustainable energy development. The research was carried out using the methods of reduction reasoning, scientific observation, and examination of source documents. We identified crisis threats in the context of sustainable energy development. Then, we analyzed the supply of wood biomass in Poland, taking into account its geographical location. As a result, we identified and characterized the causal relationships between the assumptions of the concept of resistance and the sustainable development of energy with the use of wood biomass. We found that the concepts of resilience can be adapted to assessing energy sustainability. This adaptation is based on resilience, flexibility, and strategic ability to revitalize the country. We found that five key threats (extreme weather events, climate breakdown, pollution, infectious diseases, loss of biodiversity) affect both the energy-sustainability system and forest management, and the relationship is two-way. We show that the production of forest biomass is compatible with modern forest management and supports the implementation of sustainable energy development, which takes place under the concept of resilience.

This study investigates the transformation of energy security in distributed energy systems under growing uncertainty, geopolitical shocks, and fuel market volatility. A risk-based multi-objective optimization framework is proposed that integrates economic performance (LCOE, CAPEX, and OPEX), system reliability, and systemic risk measured by Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR). The empirical analysis is based on European electricity market data for 2010–2025 and combines historical analysis with stochastic scenario generation and Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate the impacts of exogenous shocks. The results reveal a structural shift in the European electricity market after 2021, characterized by increased sensitivity to fuel price fluctuations and a transition to a more volatile operating regime. Although a higher share of renewable energy improves economic and environmental performance, it does not ensure system resilience without complementary flexibility measures, including energy storage and demand-side management. The proposed framework demonstrates that integrating these measures substantially reduces systemic risk under crisis conditions. The analysis also identifies a persistent post-crisis risk pattern, reflected in elevated CVaR values after market stabilization, which is consistent with the hypothesis of risk hysteresis. Rather than proving hysteresis, the results indicate sustained risk persistence following major external shocks. The proposed framework extends existing approaches to energy security assessment by integrating economic efficiency, reliability, and risk within a unified optimization model. Its modular structure enables adaptation to different electricity markets through recalibration of local parameters, providing a practical decision-support tool for strategic planning under uncertainty.

The paper studies the transformation of energy security of distributed energy systems in the context of growing uncertainty, geopolitical shocks and volatility of fuel markets in order to form theoretical and methodological foundations for increasing the resilience, adaptability and economic efficiency of energy systems in crisis conditions. In contrast to traditional approaches focused mainly on cost minimization, a multi-criteria risk-based optimization model is proposed, combining indicators of economic efficiency (LCOE, CAPEX, OPEX), reliability of the energy system and systemic risk, which is quantified using the notional cost at risk (CVaR). The empirical base of the study is based on the analysis of long-term data of the European electricity market for 2010–2025, supplemented by scenario modelling using simulation and stochastic modelling methods to reproduce exogenous shocks. The results of the analysis confirmed the presence of a structural fracture after 2021, characterized by a transition from a stable mode of operation to a highly volatile state with increased sensitivity of the system to fuel factors. It has been established that the elasticity of the transmission of fuel shocks to electricity prices increases significantly in crisis periods (from 0.21 in 2010–2016 to 0.62 in 2021–2025), which indicates the formation of a fuel-sensitive mode of functioning of energy markets. While increasing the share of renewable energy sources increases the economic efficiency and environmental sustainability of the energy system, it does not guarantee its stability without the introduction of system flexibility tools, such as energy storage and demand management mechanisms. The results of scenario modelling and risk assessment showed that the use of these tools can reduce the level of systemic risk (CVaR) by up to 35% in crisis conditions. In addition, the effect of risk inertia (risk hysteresis) was revealed, which is manifested in the maintenance of an increased level of risk (CVaR = 0.18 in 2024–2025 compared to 0.05 in 2010–2015) even after partial stabilization of the market. This indicates the long-term nature of the impact of crisis shocks on the functioning of energy systems. The obtained results expand scientific approaches to the interpretation of energy security as a dynamic multidimensional category and substantiate the need to transition to risk-based models of energy system management.

The article analyzes the role of selected digital services in maintaining the functioning of the Ukrainian state and economy in wartime conditions and assesses their adaptive po-tential for European Union countries in the context of sustainable and resilient develop-ment. The starting point was the concept of institutional and economic resilience, which has grown in importance in the context of global crises, contributing directly to the goals of sustainable development and long-term socio-economic stability. A qualitative and quantitative approach was used, including secondary data analysis, comparative analy-sis, and triangulation of sources. The results of the study showed that platforms such as Diia, Diia.Business, eRobota, and Air Alert played a key role in ensuring the continuity of public services, support for businesses, and crisis communication. The integration of these tools into the public management system enabled Ukraine to maintain basic state func-tions despite the ongoing armed conflict. A comparative analysis with Estonia, Poland, and Denmark confirmed that the Ukrainian model can be a source of inspiration for EU digitalization strategies, particularly in the areas of mobile administrative services and integration with crisis management systems. The article's conclusions emphasize the importance of digitization as a strategic resource that strengthens the resilience and sus-tainability of public institutions and economies in emergency situations.