National energy efficiency is a key driver for the sustainable development of society. However, the conditions for increasing energy efficiency vary widely around the world and depend on numerous controllable and uncontrollable factors. Existing indicators for assessing energy efficiency typically focus on individual factors, neglecting the complex interplay of socioeconomic, environmental, technological, and other factors that influence energy efficiency. This limitation hampers the quality of assessments. The goal of this study is to develop and apply a comprehensive methodological approach for assessing the influence of key factors on energy efficiency across different countries. The approach utilizes factor analysis methods to identify correlations between indicators and energy-efficiency factors. The study’s findings offer a model for assessing energy efficiency that enables a more profound and comprehensive analysis of the multifactorial impact experienced by national economies in various energy-efficiency domains and areas.

The Arctic’s specific conditions require increased attention to natural and human capital. Therefore, implementing the principles of the sustainable development concept, balancing economic, social, and environmental goals is of paramount importance. Mining is at the heart of the strategy for the socio-economic development of Russia’s Arctic territories. This study’s objective is topical: to justify measures lifting the restrictions on sustainable development of AZRF (the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation) mining regions. The authors propose a method to identify AZRF regions where mining determines the socio-economic development level (Komi Republic, Nenets Autonomous District, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, Yakutia, and Chukotka Autonomous District). The multi-factor regression analysis conducted confirms the hypothesis that living standards and achievement of social standards in the AZRF mining regions depend on the income and fiscal capacity levels, which makes the state more responsible for the region’s development. The authors prove the expediency of reconsidering the proportions of rental income redistributed between the budgets of the AZRF mining regions and the federal budget in favor of the former, until migration and natural population growth become positive and reach the target indicators of strategies of socio-economic development. The study’s results can be used to justify the state policy while elaborating strategies for AZRF development.

The mining industry is a basic sector of the Russian economy. Sustainable Development Goals appear in the strategies of mining companies and are ensured, inter alia, by increasing the energy efficiency of enterprises and plants within their structure through the implementation of projects. The lack of generally accepted criteria for assessing energy efficiency determines the need to develop a methodology that would allow taking into account the contribution of the results of projects of different scales and levels of implementation to improve the energy efficiency of the mining enterprise and the company as a whole. The purpose of the study is to develop a methodology for the comprehensive assessment of projects aimed at improving the energy efficiency of mining enterprises in the context of sustainable development. The research method is based on establishing a logical relationship between the goals of sustainable development, the principles of the “energy trilemma”, criteria and results of the implementation of projects aimed at improving the energy efficiency of the mining enterprise, taking into account the systematization of these projects. The authors develop a methodology for assessing projects related to the energy efficiency of mining enterprises. The methodology is based on a two-level system of criteria: the first-level criteria characterize the degree of realization of project objectives in accordance with the goals of sustainable development and the principles of the “energy trilemma”. The first-level criteria consist of the following: economic efficiency, ecological performance, reliability and safety, and flexibility. The second-level criteria characterize the economic results of the project based on the assessment of its economic efficiency. In order to provide a comprehensive economic assessment of various project outcomes, a set of indicators is proposed. The assessment of this methodology has been tested using the example of projects implemented at the mining enterprise “Albazinsky GOK” (mining and processing complex). Implementation of a comprehensive project, including the transition to a centralized power supply source, installation of a wind generator, photovoltaic installation, and energy storage system, will allow the enterprise to reduce CO₂ emissions by 100% and increase the flexibility of the enterprise’s power system by 33%. The economic effect will amount to RUB 1252.5 mln (due to savings on electricity costs). The obtained results can be used by managers of mining companies to select and assess projects aimed at improving energy efficiency.