The use of fossil fuels has contributed to climate change and global warming, which has led to a growing need for renewable and ecologically friendly alternatives to these. It is accepted that renewable energy sources are the ideal option to substitute fossil fuels in the near future. Significant progress has been made to produce renewable energy sources with acceptable prices at a commercial scale, such as solar, wind, and biomass energies. This success has been due to technological advances that can use renewable energy sources effectively at lower prices. More work is needed to maximize the capacity of renewable energy sources with a focus on their dispatchability, where the function of storage is considered crucial. Furthermore, hybrid renewable energy systems are needed with good energy management to balance the various renewable energy sources’ production/consumption/storage. This work covers the progress done in the main renewable energy sources at a commercial scale, including solar, wind, biomass, and hybrid renewable energy sources. Moreover, energy management between the various renewable energy sources and storage systems is discussed. Finally, this work discusses the recent progress in green hydrogen production and fuel cells that could pave the way for commercial usage of renewable energy in a wide range of applications.

Clean and safe energy sources are essential for the long-term growth of society. Wind energy is rapidly expanding and contributes to many countries’ efforts to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. In terms of sustainable development goals (SDGs), renewable energy development promotes energy security while also facilitating community development and environmental conservation on a global scale. In this context, the current article aims to investigate wind energy’s role within the SDGs. Furthermore, the present study highlights the role of the London Array wind farm in achieving the SDGs. Indeed, deploying clean and economical energy sources in place of conventional fossil fuel power plants provides vital insights into environmental impacts. The London Array operation is saving approximately 1 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent. Furthermore, the London Array contributes to the achievement of multiple SDGs, including SDG 8: decent employment and economic growth; SDG 9: industry, innovation, and infrastructure; SDG 11: sustainable cities and communities; and SDG 15: life on land. To enhance the London Array’s contribution to the SDGs, a total of 77 indicators (key performance indicators) were proposed and compared to the current measurements that have been carried out. The results showed that the London Array used most of the suggested indicators without classifying them from the SDGs’ perspective. The proposed indicators will help cut operation costs, mitigate climate change and environmental damage, improve employee engagement and morale, reduce learning gaps, set goals and plans, and use resources efficiently.

The utilization of digital twin technology in large-scale power plants has recently attracted considerable attention. This is because a digital twin can be an opportunity to improve multiple aspects of power plant operations, such as performance monitoring, predictive maintenance, and fault diagnosis. As a result, this study aims to present a comprehensive survey of the existing literature on applying digital twins in large-scale power plants. These applications include thermal, nuclear, and hydropower plants. Furthermore, this paper explores the distinct architecture of a large-scale power plant digital twin. This comprehensive survey paves the way for accurately identifying gaps and constraints restraining the use of digital twins for large-scale power plants. There is a clear indication of a research gap when examining the challenges and practical considerations in implementing digital twins in large-scale power plants.