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Highlights:  Provides a review of 4 th Generation District Heating (4GDH) in scientific papers  Shows how 4GDH is an important integrated part of future sustainable energy systems  Quantifies costs and benefits of 4GDH in a future sustainable energy system  Shows how benefits exceed costs by a safe margin  Shows the significant benefits of systems integration

In this paper new concepts and developments are presented for structural analysis involving uncertain parameters. Based on a classi®cation of the uncertainties in structural analysis the uncertainty``fuzziness'' is identi®ed and its quanti®cation is demonstrated. On the basis of fuzzy set theory a general method for fuzzy structural analysis is developed and formulated in terms of the alevel optimization with the application of a modi®ed evolution strategy. Every known analysis algorithm for the realistic simulation of load-bearing behavior may be applied in the fuzzy structural analysis in the sense of a deterministic fundamental solution. By way of example, geometrically and physically nonlinear algorithms are adopted in the presented study as a deterministic fundamental solution for the analysis of steel and reinforced concrete structures. The paper also describes coupling between a-level optimization and the deterministic fundamental solution.

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This paper investigates available offshore wind energy resources in China's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with the aid of a Geographical Information System (GIS), which allows the influence of technical, spatial and economic constraints on offshore wind resources being reflected in a continuous space. Geospatial supply curves and spatial distribution of levelised production cost (LPC) are developed, which provide information on the available potential of offshore wind energy at or below a given cost, and its corresponding geographical locations. The GIS-based models also reflect the impacts of each spatial constraint as well as various scenarios of spatial constraints on marginal production costs of offshore wind energy. Furthermore, the impacts of differing Feed-in-tariff (FIT) standards on the economic potential are calculated. It confirms that economic potential of offshore wind energy can contribute  Corresponding author. Tel: +45 99403658 Fax: +45 98153788 E-mail address: lixuan@plan.aau.dk 2 to 42%, 30% and 29% of the coastal regions' total electricity demands in 2010, 2020 and 2030. The shallow waters along the coasts of Fujian, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu and northern Guangdong are identified as suitable areas for developing offshore wind energy in terms of wind resources and economic costs. However, the influence of tropical cyclone risks on these regions and detailed assessments at regional or local scale are worth of further discussions. Nevertheless, the models and results provide a foundation for a more comprehensive regional framework that would address additional infrastructure, planning and policy issues.