A Review of Renewable Energy Communities: Concepts, Scope, Progress, Challenges, and Recommendations

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(5), P. 1749 - 1749

Published: Feb. 21, 2024

In recent times, there has been a significant shift from centralized energy systems to decentralized ones. These aim satisfy local needs using renewable resources within the community. This approach leads decreased complexity and costs, improved efficiency, enhanced resilience supports independence, thereby advancing transition toward zero carbon emissions. Community plays pivotal role globally, particularly in European countries, driven by citizen engagement generating power sources. The Union, known for its focus on social innovation participation, recognizes essential of communities latest strategy. concept creating or community-based projects gained worldwide attention, demonstrating economic, environmental, efficiency benefits However, is noticeable gap research covering all updated aspects communities. article provides an in-depth review communities, especially exploring their concepts, scope, benefits, key activities. It also sheds light progress presenting results analyses. Some countries have shown advancement, others are initial stages, few partially adopted REC implementation according Renewable Energy Directive II. Additionally, it discusses main challenges potential recommendations enhance growth work valuable resource, emphasizing importance involvement offering insights into various community sustainable transition. practical information policymakers, researchers, industry professionals, members who keen promoting sustainable, community-driven systems.

Language: Английский

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From Net Zero Energy Buildings to an energy sharing model - The role of NZEBs in Renewable Energy Communities

Renewable Energy, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 223, P. 120110 - 120110

Published: Feb. 6, 2024

This paper aims to broaden the concept of Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB), assessing its suitability emerging grid-based energy sharing models. The exchange between two buildings with shifted load schedules, namely, a new residential NZEB (prosumer) and an existing school building (consumer), is analysed investigate dynamics. are in Southern Italy, region high solar radiation. model calibrated on measured data study performed by dynamic simulation. Three scenarios based design photovoltaic system installed roof have been investigated, i.e., PV peak power designed: satisfy target annual basis; monthly fully exploit available area NZEB. Considering net balances, oversizing leads compensation share non-renewable consumption. However, self-consumption analysis hourly basis shows that increasing size negatively affects rate renewable community, presence only mitigates this effect.

Language: Английский

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Lighting the future of sustainable cities with energy communities: An economic analysis for incentive policy

Cities, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 147, P. 104828 - 104828

Published: Feb. 1, 2024

Inland areas are suffering from depopulation and a lack of services, with many citizens deciding to move the city. Smart cities require decentralised collective energy model in form renewable communities (RECs). This work aims propose an economic analysis residential photovoltaic systems within REC according different incentive market scenarios. For this scope, Net Present Value (NPV) is used both baseline alternative scenarios showing very good profitability, confirmed by sensitivity, scenario risk analysis. It therefore evident how avoided cost bill has decisive impact on result amplified virtuous behaviour consumption synchronous production phase. Subsequent analyses concern profits obtained divided among prosumers it shown that revenues shared partial profile may be right compromise. In order consider more realistic case additional consumer analysed REC. The proposed show interesting policy implications: subsidies key factors for sustainable based green consumption.

Language: Английский

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Empowering sea ports with renewable energy under the enabling framework of the energy communities

Energy Conversion and Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 314, P. 118693 - 118693

Published: July 1, 2024

Port operations, essential for global trade, are energy-intensive and heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Transitioning to renewable energy can reduce their carbon footprint enhance resilience sustainability. Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) offer a collaborative decentralized framework integrating into port facilities. However, authorities maritime stakeholders face challenges in design, implementation, particularly estimating outcomes benefits. Understanding the REC is crucial industry address current priorities. This study provides guidelines implementing single or multiple communities ports. An economic model, based EU regulations national laws, assesses viability of RECs The model considers usage various production systems, such as solar marine technologies, storage hybrid configuration estimate variable demand profiles explore integration system. numerical simulates virtual exchanges among users investigates feasibility shared projects research comprehensively analyses technological scenarios examines convenience end-user aggregations. Results indicate that increasing complementarity rational system design cover up 60 % total achieve 90 self-consumption. Incentives ensure payback period under 6 years large-scale systems between 2 4 smaller power plants, highlighting significant financial benefits voluntary members. Batteries enable higher penetration system, 15 %, with moderate impact. self-consumption scheme promising, incentives shift focus aspects increase local utilization. Policies encouraging creation ports lower life cycle costs, aggregations leading €6M costs over 20 compared community comprising all main users.

Language: Английский

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Levelized cost of electricity in renewable energy communities: Uncertainty propagation analysis

Applied Energy, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 366, P. 123278 - 123278

Published: May 1, 2024

Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) are being deployed all around the World as a technically feasible solution to decreasing users' dependence on fossil fuels. Several demonstration facilities have shown their potential provide final consumers with clean energy and associated environmental benefits. However, economic evaluation of these systems whole set is more complex than evaluating generation technologies individually, which can be considered barrier, it may complicated calculate its uncertainty precision. This paper deals this challenge adapts model for global Levelized Cost Electricity (LCOE) polygeneration microgrid characteristics typical REC, allowing assessment distribution LCOE depending input parameters. Thanks simple analytical formulation, proposed model, that used any combination (both renewable conventional), provides relevant information propagation in symbolic way avoids need run numerical simulations or make assumptions random A case study has been presented, considering small electrical REC photovoltaic plants micro wind turbines. Although defined market, representative example, evaluated according current Spanish Italian regulations, analyzed depth reference scientific literature. Results show uncertainties parameter estimates give rise very large scatter LCOE, pointing out quantities whose role crucial reliable estimate, among electricity purchase selling prices, yearly power load, self-consumption / virtually-shared rates stand out.

Language: Английский

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A robust real-time energy scheduling strategy of integrated energy system based on multi-step interval prediction of uncertainties

Energy, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 300, P. 131639 - 131639

Published: May 13, 2024

Language: Английский

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A strategic analysis of renewable energy communities in achieving sustainable development

Utilities Policy, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 90, P. 101810 - 101810

Published: Aug. 2, 2024

This study aims to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with renewable energy communities (RECs) in Italy. The results, obtained through an incentivised online survey analytic hierarchy process, showed that economic saving on costs is most relevant criterion for both consumers expert stakeholders. Also, technical barriers independence emerged as developing RECs. Consumers are more sensitive social behind RECs, while experts focus only aspects. benefits, pragmatism, effective management of human physical resources within RECs can help achieve sustainable development.

Language: Английский

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Energy Communities in Urban Areas: Comparison of Energy Strategy and Economic Feasibility in Italy and Spain

Land, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12(7), P. 1282 - 1282

Published: June 24, 2023

Energy communities using renewable energy sources directly contributes to reduction of climate change gas emissions and consumption in the European Union. In addition, enable citizens transform from (passive) consumers prosumers (active producers) play a proactive role deployment transition urban areas. As transposition rules about into national laws EU Member States is very articulated differentiated, this study proposes framework analyze compare regulatory financial instruments. This applied analysis cases Italy Spain as representative states which collective actions sector are not common, with aim highlighting main critical issues affecting effectiveness strategies assessing economic feasibility communities. Based on regulations procedures, including at local level, it appears that municipalities an important promoters initiatives among citizen communities, while complex bureaucratic procedure most issue both countries can significantly hinder spread With respect different incentives available for formation Spain, few studies hypothesized, calculating relevant cost-effectiveness indicators, e.g., Net Present Value. It turns out project same characteristics achieves greater than depending type size set by and, above all, necessary make cost-effective thus achieve direct involvement actions.

Language: Английский

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Challenges of renewable energy communities on small Mediterranean islands: A case study on Ponza island

Renewable Energy, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 215, P. 118986 - 118986

Published: July 3, 2023

Italy has reconsidered incentives on Renewable Energy Sources (RES) to implement the EU clean energy transition and Communities (REC). Legislation RECs shifted focus of from production self-consumptions. In this paper, REC model is studied in a minor island disconnected national grid, with strongly seasonal load water demand. This typical Mediterranean scenario where demand covered by Diesel gensets supply provided tankers. The implementation RES investigated, exploiting current incentives. Two sub-optimal configurations were defined using time-dependent simulations pyRES, an in-house code for systems. Results show economical unfeasibility when there poor mix users. contrast, can achieve economic profitability including industrial desalination unit (DES). increase self-consumption guaranteed DES allows NPV community results major cuts CO2 emissions (60% those related 10% gensets) reduction fuel costs 22%. method be applied investigate performance local environment help stakeholders planning expansions territory.

Language: Английский

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Evaluating the cost of energy flexibility strategies to design sustainable building clusters: Modelling and multi-domain analysis

Energy Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 12, P. 656 - 672

Published: July 2, 2024

The increasing complexity of urban distributed energy systems demands effective strategies to tackle design and operational challenges. This study presents a framework for evaluating flexibility in building clusters, aiming minimize costs across various domains. By analysing thermostat adjustments load adaptations, the assesses economic non-economic costs, namely expenses variation occupant thermal comfort. A simulation platform has been developed carry out multi-domain analyses, enhance utilization renewable manage grid power demand. model integrates detailed models with district co-simulation mode, augmenting capabilities current capturing aspects design, such as occupants' response events. sources storage aggregated different typologies forming communities. Proof-of-concept simulations are conducted, showcasing multi-faceted implementing communities, including photovoltaic, battery storage, cluster composed residential, office, service buildings. Sensitivity analysis evaluates impact on consumption results help understand quantify measures encouraging engagement citizens communities' programs inform operation strategies. It is demonstrated that case study, use BESS demand management raises by up 25 %, while adaptations lead an 8 % increase consumption. maximum comfort sensation achieved adapting setpoint at lower aggregate thresholds. Compared previous models, this provides more comprehensive evaluation quantifying specific effects through dynamic simulation.

Language: Английский

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