How, When, and Where? Assessing Renewable Energy Self-Sufficiency at the Neighborhood Level

Self-sufficient decentralized systems challenge the centralized energy paradigm. Although scholars have assessed specific locations and technological aspects, it remains unclear how, when, and where energy self-sufficiency could become competitive. To address this gap, we develop a techno-economic m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2018-02, Vol.52 (4), p.2339-2348
Main Authors: Grosspietsch, David, Thömmes, Philippe, Girod, Bastien, Hoffmann, Volker H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative energy
Configurations
Economic models
Electricity pricing
Energy
Energy storage
Fossil fuels
Hydrogen storage
Neighborhoods
Parity
Photovoltaic cells
Photovoltaics
Renewable energy
Residential areas
Residential development
Seasonal variations
Self sufficiency
Solar cells
Solar energy
Storage requirements
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Summary:Self-sufficient decentralized systems challenge the centralized energy paradigm. Although scholars have assessed specific locations and technological aspects, it remains unclear how, when, and where energy self-sufficiency could become competitive. To address this gap, we develop a techno-economic model for energy self-sufficient neighborhoods that integrates solar photovoltaics (PV), conversion, and storage technologies. We assess the cost of 100% self-sufficiency for both electricity and heat, comparing different technical configurations for a stylized neighborhood in Switzerland and juxtaposing these findings with projections on market and technology development. We then broaden the scope and vary the neighborhood’s composition (residential share) and geographic position (along different latitudes). Regarding how to design self-sufficient neighborhoods, we find two promising technical configurations. The “PV-battery-hydrogen” configuration is projected to outperform a fossil-fueled and grid-connected reference configuration when energy prices increase by 2.5% annually and cost reductions in hydrogen-related technologies by a factor of 2 are achieved. The “PV-battery” configuration would allow achieving parity with the reference configuration sooner, at 21% cost reduction. Additionally, more cost-efficient deployment is found in neighborhoods where the end-use is small commercial or mixed and in regions where seasonal fluctuations are low and thus allow for reducing storage requirements.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/acs.est.7b02686