Towards achieving net-zero energy communities: Investigation of design strategies and seasonal solar collection and storage net-zero

• Published in: Solar energy 2019-11, Vol.192, p.169-185
• Main Authors: Hachem-Vermette, Caroline, Guarino, Francesco, La Rocca, Vincenzo, Cellura, Maurizio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulators; Borehole thermal energy storage; Boreholes; Commercial buildings; Electricity generation potential; Energy balance; Energy consumption; Energy efficiency; Energy storage; Green buildings; Hot water heating; Mixed-use solar communities; Net zero; Photovoltaic cells; Residential communities; Seasonal storage; Solar collectors; Solar energy; Solar heating; Solar thermal collectors; Thermal analysis; Thermal energy
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2018.07.024

•The energy needs of a mixed mode community (overall area 640,000 m2) are investigated.•Photovoltaics, Solar thermal, storage tanks and borehole thermal energy storage are used.•A solar fraction of nearly 90% is achieved in the fifth year of simulated operation.•Considering the PV, the neighborhood could generate 20% more energy than consumption. This paper explores a solar mixed-use community and its potential towards achieving net-zero energy status. This mixed-use community combines residential and commercial/institutional buildings. Energy performance of this neighbourhood is estimated in terms of energy consumption and generation potential by means of building integrated PV systems. A solar thermal collector system combined with a borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) is designed to investigate the impact on the overall performance of the neighbourhood. The design of solar thermal collectors and the sizing of short-term thermal energy storage is based on the analysis of the thermal loads for heating and domestic hot water in each district of the community. The results of the performance of the thermal collectors and BTES align with existing communities, which employ similar technologies. The results indicate that implementing energy efficiency measures together with PV systems, allows the neighbourhood to generate around 70% of its total energy consumption. The implementation of thermal collectors and seasonal storage, in this high-energy performance neighbourhood, leads to a net positive energy status.