Clean energy is energy that comes from renewable, zero-emission sources that do not pollute the atmosphere when used, as well as energy saved by energy efficiency measures. Clean energy works by producing power without having negative environmental impacts, such as the release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. A lot of clean energy is also renewable, including wind power, some hydroresources, and solar-powered energy generation. The most important aspect of clean energy is the environmental benefits as part of a global energy future. While clean, renewable resources also preserve the world’s natural resources, they also reduce the risk of environmental disasters, such as fuel spills or the problems associated with natural gas leaks. With fuel diversification, through different power plants using different energy sources, it is possible to create reliable power supplies to enhance energy security, ensuring there is enough to meet our demands.

Clean energy provides a variety of environmental and economic benefits, including a reduction in air pollution. A diverse clean energy supply also reduces the dependence on imported fuels (and the associated financial and environmental costs this incurs). This Special Issue (SI) aimed to investigate the solution to environmental problems caused by the utilization of fossil fuels, hydrogen economy, renewable energy sources, energy conservation, energy storage and distribution, and clean energy utilization. We were thus seeking contributions from authors presenting the progress in clean energy technologies and sustainable approaches.

To address the above-mentioned requirements, this SI entitled “Sustainable energy for better social, environmental, and economic returns” received 10 manuscripts between September 1, 2022, and December 30, 2022. Most of the submissions fell into the aforementioned research topics of this SI. Finally, five manuscripts were accepted for publication in the Journal of Environmental Science and Pollution Research after providing the requested revisions by the authors where the average acceptance rate was 50%.

The published manuscripts thoroughly investigated the advancements in clean energy technologies and sustainable practices which can contribute to economic growth, public health, energy security, and technological innovation.