Will AI Rewrite the Rules of Scientific Publishing?
Moderator: Prof. Goran Krajačić
Artificial intelligence is rapidly permeating the landscape of scientific research and dissemination, offering a powerful suite of tools and information for key stakeholders in the publishing process. This panel convenes editors from prominent journals to critically examine the multifaceted integration of AI within scholarly communication. We will delve into the practicalities of embedding AI at various stages, from assisting researchers in literature reviews and refining manuscripts through text editing, to empowering editors and reviewers with enhanced information retrieval and analysis capabilities.
The discussion will explore the potential of AI to elevate the quality and efficiency of peer review processes, and its capacity to synthesize existing knowledge for comprehensive literature reviews.
A central focus of the panel will be to assess whether AI can genuinely accelerate the often lengthy publishing timeline without compromising rigor and quality. While acknowledging the potential for increased speed and efficiency, the editors will also address crucial drawbacks and challenges associated with AI adoption, including ethical considerations, the risk of bias amplification, and the preservation of human oversight and critical judgment.
Moreover, panel will also point out the transformative role of AI in generating novel research avenues through image recognition, process automation, and complex simulations that can lead to groundbreaking findings and innovative methodologies.
Through their collective expertise and diverse perspectives, the panelists will provide invaluable insights into the current state and future trajectory of AI in scientific publishing, offering a nuanced understanding of its opportunities and limitations for researchers, editors, reviewers, and the broader scientific community. This session aims to foster a critical dialogue on how to strategically and responsibly harness the power of AI to advance the integrity, accessibility, and impact of scientific knowledge.
We are seeing more and more AI tools being used. These technologies should only be used to improve readability and language of the work and not to replace key authoring tasks such as producing scientific insights or drawing scientific conclusions. Applying the technology should be done with human oversight and control and all work should be reviewed and edited carefully, because AI can generate authoritative-sounding output that can be incorrect, incomplete, or biased. The authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of the work. AI tools may improve visualisation of results, so using them to draw graphs is welcome, but again, must be supervised. Using AI tools as part of research process, for gathering data, calculations or analysing data, should again be supervised. Trying to use AI to write bogus research papers would strongly damage reputation, so avoid it at all cost.
The use of artificial intelligence in supporting scientific and technological innovation for sustainable development is highly promising. These range from improving grid stability and reliability in support of decarbonisation to predictive analytics and sustainable agriculture that can have transformative potential in society, among other numerous opportunities. From the view of data science as a different example, the most recent Nexus Assessment indicates a gap in the use of artificial intelligence to support ways of discovering, exploring, and improving an understanding of the interlinkages between water, food, health, and biodiversity. In other scientific contexts, certain countries, notably Australia, have prohibited the use of generative artificial intelligence for grant writing and evaluation purposes and most journals now require proper documentation of any use of large language models, if any. Recent findings further indicate that the use of artificial intelligence can support the mitigation of climate change but only when its use is directed to applications with the highest potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, virtual assistants based on artificial intelligence require about 10 times more watt-hours of electricity than queries in basic online searches. The Navigating New Horizons global foresight report also touches upon some environmental aspects. In addition, emerging uses in research management can pose other issues, such as widening the digital divide. This panel contribution will elaborate on these various dimensions, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges from a broader perspective to inform scientists and researchers. Specific emphasis will be given to the need for upholding scientific integrity as well as its links to sustainability and the mitigation of climate change.
As AI continues to reshape the landscape of scientific publishing, editorial leadership plays a pivotal role in guiding its responsible integration. Drawing on my experience as a subject and associate editor for leading energy journals, I will reflect on how AI tools are transforming peer review, enhancing manuscript quality, and streamlining editorial workflows. My talk will address how we can uphold scientific integrity and transparency, while embracing the potential of AI to foster innovation and improve the efficiency of scholarly communication.
Unlocking the Renewable Energy Potential of the Mediterranean and North Africa
Moderator: Prof. Alae-Eddine Barkaoui
This panel discussion will delve into the significant renewable energy potential of the North Africa and Mediterranean region, a pivotal area in the global energy landscape. With a renewed focus on EU-Mediterranean cooperation, the region stands at the cusp of a transformative shift in its energy dynamics. This collaboration presents a unique opportunity to bolster energy security for both Europe and the MENA countries while fostering substantial economic growth. The discussion will explore the ongoing transition from traditional fossil fuel reliance towards the vast, untapped renewable energy resources abundant in this region, emphasizing that the future of the Mediterranean's energy lies in sustainable power and cooperation.
Energy-intensive industries are responsible for a significant share of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and are in need of decarbonization in line with climate goals. EU targets demand urgent and transformative changes in how industrial energy systems are structured, particularly in regions like Croatia, where renewable energy (RE) potential is high but unevenly distributed and underutilized.
This paper proposes and investigates an innovative model that integrates Energy-industrial zones (EIZs) with energy communities (ECs) to enable a more efficient, sustainable, and collaborative energy transition for energy-intensive sectors. The meaning of the integration of EIZ and EC is precisely the introduction of RES and energy supply predominantly with energy sources from RES and the transition of the economy to this type of consumption, while reducing the load on the EE network, costs, and accelerating the energy transition.
The model is validated through a techno-economic case study of the EIZ Jasenice in Croatia, which includes a 12 MW photovoltaic plant, a 10 MW wind farm, and a planned 9.32 MW biogas-fuelled combined heat and power (CHP) plant. Key indicators are assessed: Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Net Present Value (NPV), and Internal Rate of Return (IRR). Results show LCOEs of 44.21 EUR/MWh (wind), 60.54 EUR/MWh (solar), and 101.51 EUR/MWh (CHP). The total NPV exceeds 14.6 million EUR even without subsidies, and the IRR remains above the discount rate in all scenarios. A 20% investment grant ensures strong financial resilience and smooths out cash flow variations.
The integrated EIZ-EC system achieves an estimated annual CO₂ emissions reduction of over 20,000 tonnes. Internal energy sharing through Peer-to-Peer trading can reduce electricity costs by avoiding regulated grid fees and enabling more efficient use of locally produced renewable energy. The magnitude of these savings depends on regulatory frameworks, internal energy balance, and the share of consumption covered by local sources. Additional sustainability measures include hydrogen production, circular economy applications, and heat recovery.
This model offers a scalable solution aligned with EU policy, promoting industrial decarbonization, energy independence, and regional development.
The Mediterranean and North Africa (MENA) region is uniquely positioned to leapfrog fossil-based development by becoming a global hub for renewable energy. With some of the world’s highest solar and wind potentials, MENA can host remote energy hubs—massive solar and wind installations in sparsely populated areas—feeding local demand, enabling energy exports to Europe, and powering green hydrogen production for hard-to-decarbonize sectors like steel, cement, and ammonia.
As global emissions continue to rise and carbon budgets tighten (only ~1000 Gt CO₂ left for 2°C), the urgency to deploy clean energy at scale has never been greater. Europe faces growing pressure to decarbonize its grid, with countries like Belgium projected to rely on massive renewable imports by 2040. The MENA region could become a critical supplier, but only if infrastructure, policy alignment, and fair investment conditions are secured.
This transition is not without challenges—material constraints (e.g., lithium), biodiversity impacts, and grid stability must be addressed. However, new developments in sector coupling, digitalization, and flexible grid design show that high shares of renewables are technically viable, even at 100% penetration moments as seen in other grids, such as South Australia.
