Global electricity demand is constantly growing, making the utilization of solar and wind energy sources, which also reduces negative environmental effects, more and more important. These variable energy sources have an increasing role in the global energy mix, including generating capacity. Therefore, the need for energy storage in electricity networks is becoming increasingly important. This paper presents the challenges of European variable renewable energy integration in terms of the power capacity and energy capacity of stationary storage technologies. In this research, the sustainable transition, distributed generation, and global climate action scenarios of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for 2040 were examined. The article introduces and explains the feasibility of the European variable renewable energy electricity generation targets and the theoretical maximum related to the 2040 scenarios. It also explains the determination of the storage fractions and power capacity in a new context. The aim is to clarify whether it is possible to achieve the European variable renewable energy integration targets considering the technology-specific storage aspects. According to the results, energy storage market developments and regulations which motivate the increased use of stationary energy storage systems are of great importance for a successful European solar and wind energy integration. The paper also proves that not only the energy capacity but also the power capacity of storage systems is a key factor for the effective integration of variable renewable energy sources.

Precision farming may play an important role in agricultural innovation. The study focuses on the attitude of Hungarian farmers toward precision farming. Based on the relevant technical literature, we performed a nationally representative questionnaire survey of 594 farmers and deep interviews with experts and farmers (30 persons). As regards the questionnaire, the authors found that the management of the average farm size in Hungary has the highest willingness to innovate and the second highest level of education among the developed clusters. The survey shows undertrained farmers with large farms to be the second most open group, which may result in the partial application of precision farming techniques. One of the most unexpected results of the Precision Farmers’ cluster is that the positive socio-economic utility of precision farming is rated as extremely low. In-depth interviews prove that the use of precision technologies does not increase local social cohesion. Strong organisational isolation of precision farmers prevents the spread of innovation knowledge and precision farming amongst the farming community, and the challenges of competitiveness alone do not force farmers to apply precision farming. Our results may be useful for the establishment of agricultural strategy.

The use of solar energy is an obvious choice; the energy of the sun is not only indispensable for most processes in nature but it is also a clean, abundant, sustainable, and—most importantly—universally available resource. Although the further spread of photovoltaic systems, which make use of this source of energy, is expected in the future all around the world, no comprehensive investigation has been conducted into the current situation of the small-scale photovoltaic power plants in Hungary, where this type of photovoltaic system is the most popular. By means of a case study, whose novelty lies in its focus on small-scale power plants and their complex examination, including economic and geographic indicators, this paper analyzes their status in Hungary. The study endeavors to establish the reasons for the popularity of this type of power plant and to identify some typical geographical locations with well-illustrated photovoltaic density. Residential, as well as business prosumers, were examined with the aim of learning more about the density of the small-scale photovoltaic systems and their geographical locations. Another goal was to calculate the average size of small-scale photovoltaic power plants and to gain more understanding of their economic aspects. The outcomes of this research include maps displaying the density of the small-scale photovoltaic power plants in Hungary and the results of the economic calculations for such investments.

The energy sector is undergoing radical changes, and this transition is expected to accelerate all over the world over the coming years. In our recent research, we conducted a questionnaire survey at different levels and asked the experts in the area, the businesses involved in the issue, the operators and maintainers of existing systems, as well as the potential consumers and end users, about their knowledge and intentions related to renewable energy sources. Our empirical research can be divided into three parts. Our exploratory research was based on expert interviews, which show that the growing importance of localization is unquestionable, but the economic, social, and existing infrastructures impose significant barriers to the widespread adoption of certain technologies. Regarding the population survey, we see that the skepticism experienced in previous years has been replaced by a kind of expectation reflecting openness. In addition, it can be stated that in many cases technological development is faster than the possibility of its adaptation. Our gender tests significantly support men’s better knowledge of the subject and the fact that biomass (despite its major importance) is not one of the most known renewable energy sources.

Innovation process research is changing. In addition to the former territorial approach (examining countries or regions), the description of innovation cooperation in local areas is becoming more and more accepted. Instead of the innovation ability of the traditional large enterprises, research has begun to study the role of small and medium-sized enterprises, non-governmental organizations, local governments, and educational institutions (especially universities), which foreshadows the development of a new innovation system. In 2015, we conducted a study focusing on the civil and corporate relations of a major university. We tried to determine the new directions based on the economic and social cooperation as well as to search for the practical implementation of the theoretical helixes in these interactions. We came to the conclusion that universities not only are determinative according to the triple helix model but also have a prominent role in the creation of new innovation ecosystems, particularly in a well-defined geographical area.

Renewable and nuclear power technologies are considered alternatives to fossil-based power. However, which of the two is superior remains a matter of contention. Besides technological development, local access to resources, and energy policies, social acceptance is a key issue; informing future decisions on energy sources thus requires a complex approach. Personal attitudes to energy technologies may differ from professional opinions and national policies. The purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes and opinions regarding renewable and nuclear power generation technologies by pairwise comparison. This evaluation includes the return on the investment, the availability of said technologies, environmental impact, knowledge/need of use, and expectations for future of energy production. The research sample consists of 250 randomly selected Hungarian higher education students as representatives of future corporate decision-makers. The results show that the respondents demonstrate an appreciation of renewable energy technologies. Solar energy is appreciated, but confidence in nuclear power is low, except for its future role. These opinions are not consistent with the national energy policies or professional evaluations. These differences will allow us to refine communication and education in the field.