Energy Positive Neighborhoods and Smart Energy Districts

Methods, Tools, and Experiences from the Field

Antonello Monti, Dirk Pesch, Keith Ellis, Pierluigi Mancarella, Antonello Monti, Dirk Pesch, Keith Ellis, Pierluigi Mancarella

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9780128103982
• Topic: Technik & Maschinenbau
• Subtopic: Energieressourcen

Energy Positive Neighborhoods and Smart Energy Districts: Methods, Tools, and Experiences from the Field is a comprehensive guide to this highly interdisciplinary topic. Monti et. al's combined experience make them the most qualified team of editors to explore the processes and tools involved in creating Energy Positive Neighborhoods and Smart Energy Districts in an urban setting. Tools include:

• A complete simulation library to quickly support the implementation of a model of the scenario
• A set of possible approaches to neighborhood energy optimization
• An open, extensible information model for neighbourhood asset description

The structure of this book offers different reading paths to appeal to the very varied audience it addresses. It describes the process of adaption and the challenges faced by the decision makers, and also how simulation, optimisation, ICT approaches and business models are combined in a holistic and pragmatic way. It also offers possible business models and a means to quantify them to complete the development process. This book is suitable for students on muti-disciplinary energy engineering courses, energy practitioners, ICT vendors aiming to develop new services to target the building industry, and decision makers aiming to structure an urban renovation program.

• Delivers a significant amount of exclusive knowledge on the topics of energy positive neighborhoods and smart energy districts
• Allows readers to grasp the complexity of this interdisciplinary topic by providing access to well-structured processes and tools
• Includes real life examples of the transformation of two demonstration sites that illustrate the concepts discussed to add context and value to their implementation

Chapter One

Introduction

A. Monti^*

D. Pesch^**

K.A. Ellis^†

P. Mancarella^‡
* E.ON Energy Research Center, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
^** NIMBUS Centre for Embedded Systems Research, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, Ireland
^† IoT Systems Research Lab, Intel Labs, Intel Corporation, Ireland
^‡ The University of Manchester, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Manchester, United Kingdom

Abstract

This chapter introduces the reader to the book. Main goal is to explain the background of this work and how the book can fulfill the needs of many different users. A short guide allows the reader to understand how to use the book depending on her/his own goals.

Keywords

energy positivity

flexibility

SUDA framework

district optimization

Multiphysics Simulation

Internet of Things

System-of Systems

cost benefit analysis

demo sites

barriers to smart energy districts

Contents

1 Introduction

2 Background of the Book

3 Structure of the Book

References

1. Introduction

Energy supply relies progressively on renewable sources due to environmental, economic, and political driving force. Further, the same forces are driving increasing electrification of heating and transport. Accordingly, power generation and consumption have to be adapted to this changing situation and the buildings sector and its infrastructure must offer the necessary architecture to address these changes. Since electrical grids cannot be reorganized spontaneously to integrate more Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and electricity loads (such as electric heating and vehicles) without massive network expansion, developing different approaches and architectures are essential steps to achieve the 20-20-20 targets posted by the European Union.

Distributed energy generation is rapidly growing in Europe as well as in other regions of the world. Most of these distributed generation units are based on RES which, together with new electricity loads, create new challenges in balancing energy supply and ensuring stability of the overall system, while operating the network within limits. As a result, an improved communication and information infrastructure at consumer level is necessary. Districts can be seen as complete units with local energy sources management, which can be addressed to sell energy to the overlaid grid if there is excess or, conversely, to buy energy if there is not enough generation at the local level. Therefore, developing a pragmatic and innovative approach of Energy Efficient Neighborhoods and Energy Positive Neighborhoods (EPN), which is a system-level concept where the neighborhood generates more energy than it consumes, with surplus energy being either stored locally or exported, is crucial to address the climate objectives (Howard & Björk, 2008).

According to the EU directive 2010/31/EU, buildings in the European Union account for 40% of the total energy consumption. Thus, the building stock offers a huge energy saving potential once heterogeneity is seen as an opportunity instead of a barrier. Presently, buildings are planned individually, irrespective of the surrounding buildings. An interdisciplinary approach, which would allow an interchange of energy options, is not available. A better understanding of the optimum combination of building-specific and area-specific measures needs to be developed (Eastman, Teicholz, Sacks, & Liston, 2008). There is potential for more efficient buildings and neighborhood energy and performance management, if the intelligence to manage a multigrid system at city quarter level is developed.

Additionally, by visualizing and tracking energy consumption, consumers are sensitized to the high importance of energy topics and develop consumption awareness. Such tendencies are expected to not only impact current consumer behavior significantly, but also to have long-term effect by raising a spirit of consciousness for sustainable environment in general. Therefore, increasing consumer’s acceptance and willingness to participate could be essential for dimensions and validity of the results gained.

A significant weakness of most energy saving concepts is the lack of consumer appeal. One possible approach is to add features not directly related to the energy services to raise interest in more customers and countervail withdrawing after the first phase of enthusiasm. The final goal is then a real-time information system at the neighborhood level, helping people to save energy while keeping them connected into a new concept of local community.

Another topic of high actuality is the everyday life improvement potential, which ICT developments enable. Meanwhile cloud computing has reached high popularity due to its abilities to offer flexible dynamic ICT infrastructures. Networking and communications are also increasingly part of life in simplifying various every-day activities. More information about the surrounding environment facilitates the decisions taking process and increases comfort. It is thus evident to combine ICT solutions and cloud computing to have a high potential to provide benefits toward achieving the goals of efficient energy management. Furthermore, a cloud-based management and service platform, integrated in a district, could offer additional services in case of emergency—for example, detailed information about the emergency, together with degree or affected area and exact location. By utilizing a cloud-based platform one supports a more easily transferable blueprint in terms of proliferation.

As stated in a recent report (Anon, 2009), a holistic, interoperable, and well-validated management system supported by innovative ICT technology addressing the monitoring, control, and optimization of the energy generation, consumption, and trading is necessary to facilitate EPN.

Nevertheless, some key technical challenges need to be addressed:

• The adaptation of existing ICT infrastructures, such as communication protocols, monitoring, control, and sensing infrastructures that can provide a sustainable and secure architecture while being cost/effective.

• The existence of an integrated platform that provides a holistic integration of multiple neighborhood supporting systems, enabling their stable and secure interoperability.

• Decentralized monitoring and control systems for power and energy management, including the opportunity to exploit strategies that may include peak shaving or dynamic pricing.

• The business models that would best support the creation of new markets and new incentives that allow new markets to open and new products to be created.

• Public awareness and technology adoption.

To serve the public in this new paradigm of energy efficiency, knowledge of the consumers, their motivations (social proof), and their needs, which is then reflected in the services offered, is fundamental. Another key aspect is that any industry that allows the free flow of information between two parties must be cognizant and protective of privacy and safety. Communication network security is paramount both in terms of privacy issues and to assure its reliability.

While energy efficiency in buildings (individual and campus-level scenarios) is the focus of a range of research programs, and is also now a strategic target for many organizations, energy management at the neighborhood level is still a new topic. The inclusion of local energy generation within the neighborhood is an attractive proposition as it provides opportunities for neighborhoods to be self-sufficient for some time or even be energy positive. The concept of a neighborhood integration and service platform provides industry with an open platform to deliver not just energy management services to neighborhoods but also interoperability with other systems apart from energy, such as security, safety, transport, traffic, etc.

2. Background of the Book

This book is the result of a project experienc...