The surging growth of the global energy demand, rapid depletion of fuel reserves, and, most importantly, increasing global warming trends have been the major concerns for decision-makers for the last couple of decades. The current prevalent renewable and clean power sources such as wind, hydro, and solar energy provide workable solutions to the foregoing problems via (DGs). Microgrids (MGs) are essential for interfacing the major portion of renewable energy sources and decision-making regarding the control and operation modes. Recent MG research trends focused on integrating those affordable and cost-effective resources into the energy mix at a consumer level. Still, due to the complexity of DG integration into the MG, many research efforts have been made to examine and develop distributed control (DCT) systems for alternating current, direct current, and hybrid MGs, and adherents of this approach, the distributed controllers have numerous advantages compared with centralized and decentralized control methods, such as increased reliability, flexibility, controllability, possibility to initiate operations independently, and robustness to communication failures. This research critically reviews the DCT strategies developed for MGs, presents various MG control strategies, and delves into different approaches to designing distributed controllers. Besides, this article highlights existing challenges and possible ways of mitigation, most especially by using artificial intelligence approaches. It also reviews the multi-microgrid concept to shed light on modern technologies and their potential applications in MGs. It is expected that the decision-makers and the researchers will find the critical analysis of this article useful while delving into various control strategies for MG.

The integration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems has gained significant attention from the global community, aiming to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and combat climate change. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the latest technical advancements and economic analyses of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems across various scales and applications, encompassing both grid-connected and off-grid configurations. The cost-effectiveness of important innovations, like enhanced inverter technologies, high-efficiency cell designs, and energy storage system integration, is summarized. Across a range of climatic and regional contexts, the review critically assesses economic parameters, including financial feasibility, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE), payback period, and return on investment (ROI). Along with examining intermittency issues, high startup costs, and new solutions, it also reviews the significant technical and financial challenges associated with voltage and frequency regulation in power systems with high PV penetration. To comprehend their role in promoting solar PV deployment worldwide, the environmental effects and policy framework, including government incentives and innovative financial models, are examined. Different case studies from both developing and developed countries are included to highlight the intersection among technologies, economics, and policies. This review identifies critical gaps in solar PV integration and provides comprehensive guidelines for researchers, investors, and policymakers with the ultimate goal of promoting clean energy systems to achieve sustainable development goals.

The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serve as a blueprint for securing a sustainable, healthy, and just future for people and the environment. Through the implementation of various policies and initiatives for Vision 2030, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has significantly advanced its SDGs. Geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) technologies can play vital roles in tracking and assessing the progress of various government measures. This study investigated the potential of satellite-based RS and GIS technologies for planning, evaluating, and monitoring the status of SDGs. The significance of GIS in Saudi Vision 2030 was examined through a comprehensive literature review and expert interviews. In addition, we reviewed a case study to discuss the role and challenges of utilizing GIS big data for achieving SDGs in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, we explored the use of large datasets from community scientists and satellite monitoring of SDGs. Overall, we aimed to provide insightful recommendations regarding the utilization of GIS in the effective monitoring of the progress of the SDGs in achieving Saudi Vision 2030. This can aid decision-makers and country leaders in developing assessment frameworks.

Among the renewable energy sources, wind energy plays a crucial role in meeting the increas-ing global demand for clean energy. The variability in energy production makes wind turbines produce inter-mittent and varying power resources, variable mechanical loads, and a non-linear dynamic. The primary pa-rameters to be controlled in wind turbines are the blade pitch angle and the generator torque. The challenges in designing the pitch controller include various non-linearities of wind turbines, constraints on pitch angle and its rate, and the stochastic nature of wind speed and unstructured model dynamics. Therefore, effectively addressing these complexities is important to ensure the stability and safety of a wind turbine. Existing liter-ature extensively covered various control technologies applied to wind turbine systems, highlighting the di-verse control methodologies and their applicability. However, there is limited evidence of the existing review papers focusing on applying intelligent control approaches to the collective pitch regulation of wind turbines. A comprehensive survey of the intelligent control approaches in collective pitch regulation was presented in this paper. It highlights the advantages of intelligent control strategies over traditional control methods in mitigating the challenges posed by system non-linearities. These approaches significantly enhance the per-formance of the wind energy generation system. Moreover, this paper presents the critical assessment areas for effective wind farm development and corresponding grid integration. This, in turn, will facilitate the growth of wind power utilization and assist researchers and engineers in integrating wind energy into the grid.

This paper examines the end-of-life (EOL) waste management regulations and guidelines of five leading countries—China, USA, India, Japan, and Germany—to identify best practices and lessons that can enhance Saudi Arabia’s EOL waste management strategies. The study delves into China’s regulatory framework, highlighting its import bans on certain wastes, the USA’s manufacturer responsibility requirements for product disposal, India’s engagement of the informal sector in waste collection and recycling, Japan’s take-back system mandating manufacturer responsibility for product recovery and recycling, and Germany’s advanced system promoting the separate collection of EOL products and stringent hazardous waste regulations. By evaluating these diverse regulatory approaches and integrating insights from recent literature, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive perspective to assist Saudi Arabia in developing an effective EOL waste management system. Given the current state and deployment of solar PV systems in Saudi Arabia, the generation of PV solar panel waste is currently minimal. However, future projections indicate a significant increase, and it is worrisome that the KSA currently lacks the necessary systems and infrastructure to handle this waste effectively. To address this challenge sustainably, it is essential to introduce and implement an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy, develop robust recycling infrastructure, enhance public awareness and education, and foster public–private partnerships. These measures will provide a strong foundation for managing end-of-life PV solar panel waste in Saudi Arabia. Such a system would ensure environmental protection, public health, and economic growth. Moreover, the research findings could serve as a valuable resource for other countries seeking to improve their EOL waste management practices. This study underscores the importance of learning from successful international waste management practices to enhance EOL waste management systems globally.