Decarbonization of Net Zero Energy Buildings by an Intelligent Energy Management System for Smart Grids

Abstract

Buildings consume most of the world’s electric power fossil fuel-based production. Therefore, they are responsible for emitting most of the world’s Green House Gases (GHG) The Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) concept is developed to reduce their energy consumption and GHS emissions by installing on-site grid-connected Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to generate the building’s demanded energy. Although the DERs of NZEBs could generate slightly more energy than their energy consumption, there is a negative cost gap between the imported and exported energy, since the imported energy cost could be more than the exported energy cost. This cost gap increases the payback time of the DERs. In addition, when the NZEBs are connected to an electric fossil fuel utility grid, the patterns mismatch between energy consumption and on-site generated energy of NZEBs causes GHS emissions, then making the NZEBs a non-environmental solution for smart grid decarbonization. This research aims to minimize the payback time of the installed DER, optimize the production of GHS of NZEB, and increase the reliability of the injected power of the NZEB to the utility grids. The research aims are achieved by installing an Energy Storage System (ESS) in NZEBs and then controlling the charging and discharging power of the ESS. The controller is implemented by Proportional Integral (PI), Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) and got validated by a hybrid nano-grid which is connected to a fossil fuel utility grid. Consequently, the controller regulates the injected and the consumed power to the optimal operating points, making the NZEBs environmentally sustainable, cost-effective, and effectively achieving smart grid decarbonization.