Chapter 538 - A New Method for Local Energy Planning in Developing Countries

Abstract

This chapter discusses a new method for local energy planning and contains the preliminary results of a case study on energy infrastructure planning at new building sites in Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. Conflicting interests and lack of a support base often cause the final outcome to deviate from the original aims of each actor. The new method appears to be adequate to support the local energy planning process. Preliminary results show that municipalities, energy companies, and property developers are the most important actors in the planning process concerning the energy infrastructure at VINEX locations in Noord- Brabant, while the national government sets the regulatory framework. An important cause for such a deviation is a lack of internal or external support. The main indicators used by the actors to appraise the different options include costs, reduced CO2 emissions, the Energy Performance Coefficient (EPC) and Energy Performance on Location (EPL), reliability, and flexibility. By demonstrating the effects of changes made in priorities of an actor's aims establish a broad support base for the final outcome. The new method appears to be adequate to support the local energy planning process. Future research work will focuses on developing models that include all relevant indicators, which reflect the aims of all the relevant actors regarding energy planning.