Global energy networks with flows of green energy.

Decoding Energy: How Strategic Flows and Temporal Multilayer Networks Can Power a Sustainable Future

Kai Mendoza in Climate & Environment December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Dive into the complex world of energy flows, multilayer networks, and embodied energy to uncover strategies for a resilient and sustainable energy transition."

In an era defined by climate concerns and the urgent need for sustainable practices, understanding energy systems has never been more critical. From the energy powering our homes to the fuel driving global trade, energy is intertwined with every facet of modern life. As we strive for a greener future, it's essential to explore the complexities of energy consumption, international resource transfer, and the shift towards renewable sources.

Traditional methods often focus on direct energy consumption, overlooking the significant role of indirect, or embodied, energy. This embodied energy is the total energy required to produce goods and services, encompassing everything from raw material extraction to manufacturing and distribution. A comprehensive approach to understanding energy systems requires considering both direct and indirect energy flows, offering a more complete picture of how energy is used and transferred across economies.

New research leverages temporal multilayer networks to map and analyze these intricate energy relationships. These models provide a dynamic view of energy flows, considering different energy sources and the evolving interactions between sectors and countries. By understanding these networks, we can identify critical vulnerabilities, enhance system resilience, and pave the way for a sustainable energy transition.

Unveiling Temporal Multilayer Networks: A New Lens on Energy Systems

Global energy networks with flows of green energy.

Temporal multilayer networks offer a sophisticated approach to analyzing energy systems, moving beyond traditional methods that often simplify complex interactions. These networks capture the dynamic nature of energy flows, considering various energy sources, economic sectors, and geographical regions as interconnected layers. By mapping these relationships over time, we gain valuable insights into the resilience and vulnerabilities of energy systems.

The architecture of these networks involves several key components:

Nodes: Represent economic sectors or industries, such as agriculture, manufacturing, or services.
Layers: Represent countries or economies, providing a geographical dimension to the network.
Arcs: Illustrate the flow of embodied energy between sectors and countries, indicating the transfer of resources required for production and consumption.
Temporal Dimension: Captures how these relationships evolve over time, reflecting changes in energy sources, trade patterns, and economic structures.

This framework enables researchers to analyze the impact of various factors on energy systems, such as the shift toward renewable energy sources, the effects of international trade, and the consequences of policy interventions. By understanding these dynamics, policymakers and businesses can make more informed decisions to promote sustainable energy practices.

Powering the Future: Strategic Insights for a Sustainable World

As the world transitions towards a sustainable energy future, understanding the complex dynamics of energy systems is paramount. Temporal multilayer networks provide a powerful tool for analyzing these dynamics, offering insights into energy flows, system resilience, and strategic interventions. By embracing these advanced models, policymakers and businesses can navigate the energy transition with greater confidence, paving the way for a greener, more sustainable world.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1002/asmb.2783,

Title: Strategic Energy Flows In Input-Output Relations: A Temporal Multilayer Approach

Subject: econ.gn q-fin.ec

Authors: Gian Paolo Clemente, Alessandra Cornaro, Rosanna Grassi, Giorgio Rizzini

Published: 22-12-2022

Everything You Need To Know

What is embodied energy, and why is it important in understanding energy systems?

Embodied energy represents the total energy consumed to produce goods and services, including all stages from raw material extraction to manufacturing and distribution. It's crucial because it provides a complete view of energy consumption, going beyond direct energy use. By considering embodied energy, we gain a better understanding of how energy is used and transferred across economies, which is essential for a sustainable future. Ignoring it would lead to an incomplete understanding of energy consumption patterns and the true environmental impact of various industries.

How do temporal multilayer networks differ from traditional methods of analyzing energy systems?

Traditional methods often simplify complex energy interactions. In contrast, temporal multilayer networks offer a dynamic view of energy flows by considering various energy sources, economic sectors, and geographical regions as interconnected layers. This allows for a detailed analysis of how energy relationships evolve over time, including shifts in energy sources, trade patterns, and economic structures. This dynamic approach provides more accurate insights into the resilience and vulnerabilities of energy systems compared to static, simplified models.

Can you explain the key components of a temporal multilayer network as used in energy analysis?

A temporal multilayer network comprises several key elements. Nodes represent economic sectors or industries, such as agriculture or manufacturing. Layers represent countries or economies, adding a geographical dimension. Arcs illustrate the flow of embodied energy between sectors and countries, indicating the resource transfers involved in production and consumption. Finally, the temporal dimension captures how these relationships change over time, reflecting evolving energy sources, trade patterns, and economic structures. These components collectively provide a sophisticated framework for understanding complex energy system dynamics.

How can temporal multilayer networks help policymakers and businesses navigate the energy transition?

Temporal multilayer networks provide policymakers and businesses with valuable insights into energy flows, system resilience, and vulnerabilities. By understanding the dynamics of energy systems through these networks, they can identify critical sectors for intervention, assess the impact of policy changes, and make informed decisions. This can lead to better strategies for promoting sustainable energy practices, enhancing system resilience, and accelerating the transition to a greener, more sustainable world. They can also analyze the impact of the shift toward renewable energy sources, the effects of international trade, and the consequences of policy interventions.

What are the practical implications of using temporal multilayer networks for understanding energy systems and the energy transition?

Using temporal multilayer networks has several practical implications. It allows for the identification of critical vulnerabilities within energy systems, such as dependencies on specific energy sources or vulnerabilities in international trade. It enhances system resilience by enabling the analysis of how different sectors and regions are interconnected, allowing for the development of strategies to mitigate risks and disruptions. Furthermore, it enables the identification of sectors with high embodied energy, helping in the prioritization of sustainability efforts. The insights gained from these networks can guide investments in renewable energy, optimize energy distribution, and inform policy decisions aimed at fostering a sustainable energy transition globally. The focus is on direct and indirect energy consumption, international resource transfer, and the shift towards renewable sources.