List of Top Open Peer-reviewed Journals in Energy (2024)

List of Top Open Peer-reviewed Journals in Energy (2024)

1. Applied Sciences(Optional Open-peer-reviewed)
2. Energies(Optional Open-peer-reviewed)
3. Sustainability (Optional Open-peer-reviewed)
4. Wind Energy
5. Wind Energy Science
6. Journal of Energy Research and Reviews

What is open peer review?

Open peer review (OPR), where review reports and reviewers’ identities are published alongside the articles, represents one of the last aspects of the open science movement to be widely embraced, although its adoption has been growing since the turn of the century (Wolfram etal., 2020) . Open peer review refers to various modifications of the traditional scholarly peer review process. These modifications aim to address perceived shortcomings of the conventional system. Here are the three common forms of open peer review:

1. Open Identities:

• In open peer review, authors and reviewers are aware of each other’s identities. Unlike traditional peer review, where reviewers remain anonymous to anyone but the journal’s editors, open peer review allows transparency by revealing reviewer names to authors.
• However, reviewer identities may or may not be disclosed to the public.

1. Open Reports:

• Under this model, review reports are made public, rather than being confidentially shared only with the article’s authors. This includes publishing not only the reviewers’ comments but also the authors’ responses and editors’ recommendations.
• Typically, this applies to articles accepted for publication, not those that are rejected. 

1. Open Participation:

• In open peer review, self-selected reviewers (beyond invited experts) can comment on an article. The assumption is that the article’s content is openly accessible.
• These self-selected reviewers may contribute either brief comments or comprehensive reviews.
• The text of the article is openly available, allowing broader community participation in the review process.

The adoption of open peer review aims to enhance transparency, provide incentives, reduce wastefulness, and address issues like bullying and harassment in scholarly communication.

What are the benefits of Open Peer Review?

Open peer review (OPR) is a transparent process that allows scholarly articles to be evaluated by experts in the field, while also revealing the identities of both authors and reviewers. OPR can improve the quality of research by:

• Encouraging constructive feedback: Openness in the identities of authors and reviewers can lead to better quality feedback rather than simply rejecting the paper.
• Reducing bias: Everything is openly available to all, which can reduce the possibility of bias.
• Empowering authors: Authors can lead the process by suggesting reviewers themselves.
• Improving accountability: The quality of current scientific publications is at stake.
• Encouraging collaboration: OPR encourages collaboration and promotes diversity of perspectives, ultimately leading to more robust and credible research outcomes.
• Providing learning opportunities: OPR places a research work in the context of a discussion, and gives authors, readers and others a chance to better understand the process from the initial manuscript submission to final published version.
• Exposing possible conflicts of interest: OPR may help to expose possible conflicts of interest in some cases.

Adoption of OPR by publishers (Wolfram etal., 2020) [1]

 A summary of the most prolific publishers contributing to OPR and their headquarters country appears below. Although many journals today attract an international audience and are managed by international teams of researchers, the prevalence of OPR journals associated with publishers based in Europe stands out. Twenty-four of the 38 (63.2%) identified publishers are based in Europe and account for 445 out of the 617 titles (72.1%). Although the publishers are based in Europe, many of the journals they publish may support journals originating from other areas of the world (e.g., Kowsar). Furthermore, 500 of the OPR journals (81.0%) are published by only five publishers (MDPI, SDI, BioMed Central, Frontiers Media S.A., Kowsar). This points to the important role that publishers have played to date in the promotion of OPR (Wolfram etal., 2020) [1].

1. *United Kingdom (19 journals), United States (9), Argentina (1), Bulgaria (1), Canada (1), France (1), Germany (1), Ireland (1), Kenya (1), The Netherlands (1), Switzerland (1)

Recent Biggest Discoveries and advances in Energy (2024)

1. Energy Storage Technologies:

1. • Energy storage plays a crucial role in achieving net-zero carbon footprints, decarbonization, and green energy transitions. Innovations in energy storage systems contribute to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved grid stability, and enhanced green energy access.
   • Renewable energy sources (such as solar and wind) are inherently intermittent, relying on natural resources. Energy storage addresses this intermittency, manages peak demand, and facilitates the integration of small-scale renewable energy systems into the grid.
   • Notable developments include:
     • Supercapacitors: These devices are preferred for energy storage in renewable energy facilities due to their low maintenance requirements, robust charging cycles, high power density, extended lifespan, and environmental friendliness. They are particularly effective in harnessing wind energy.
     • Robust Storage Batteries: Combining aluminum with nonaqueous charge storage materials (like conductive polymers) can lead to continued development of reliable storage batteries.
     • Energy Density Improvements: Scientists continually explore methods and technologies to enhance existing batteries’ energy efficiency and safety, enabling the design of more powerful and lightweight energy storage devices [2].

2. Energy Conversion Systems:

1. • Existing energy conversion systems face challenges such as limited efficiencies, high operating costs, and environmental impacts.
   • International agreements emphasize pollution control, carbon dioxide emission reduction, and the decommissioning of nuclear power stations.
   • Researchers and engineers are actively working on improving energy conversion methods to address these challenges and promote sustainable energy production [3].

3. Energy Storage Techniques and Trends:

1. • Energy storage enhances overall energy efficiency by modulating the timing and location of electric energy generation and consumption.
   • Recent developments include:
     • Battery Innovations: Scientists focus on improving energy density, safety, and efficiency in batteries. New methods and technologies aim to make batteries more proficient and lightweight for various applications.
     • Impact on Power Systems: Energy storage methods impact the entire power system, including generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization [4].

References

1. Wolfram, D., Wang, P., Hembree, A. et al. Open peer review: promoting transparency in open science. Scientometrics 125, 1033–1051 (2020). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11192-020-03488-4
2. George G. Njema, Russel Ben O. Ouma, Joshua K. Kibet, “A Review on the Recent Advances in Battery Development and Energy Storage Technologies”, Journal of Renewable Energy, vol. 2024, Article ID 2329261, 35 pages, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/2329261
3. Wei, P.; Abid, M.; Adun, H.; Kemena Awoh, D.; Cai, D.; Zaini, J.H.; Bamisile, O. Progress in Energy Storage Technologies and Methods for Renewable Energy Systems Application. Appl. Sci.2023, 13, 5626. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095626
4. Vaghela, P., Pandey, V., Sircar, A. et al.Energy storage techniques, applications, and recent trends: A sustainable solution for power storage. MRS Energy & Sustainability10, 261–276 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43581-023-00069-9