Positive Energy Districts Research Articles

A Comprehensive Approach to Nearly Zero Energy Buildings and Districts: Analysis of a Region Undergoing Energy Transition

This paper explores the development of positive energy communities using Eordaia, Greece, as a case study. The approach combines building and district-level energy analysis to achieve nearly zero energy performance through retrofitting, district-level storage systems, and renewable energy technologies. A parametric analysis utilizing RETSCREEN Expert and EnergyPlan software determines the optimal mix of technologies based on technical and financial parameters, with Eordaia, a region in energy transition and part of the RESPONSE Horizon project, illustrating the practical benefits. It includes a neighborhood of 105 mixed-use properties and two municipal buildings where a range of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures are applied. Insulation, photovoltaic systems, LED lighting, predictive thermostats, and windows coated with nanotechnology are some of the key interventions considered. The findings show considerable reductions in CO2 emissions and energy use, with payback periods ranging from 8.7 to 9.6 years. This study underscores the value of district-level strategies over individual building retrofits, highlighting cost savings and improved energy performance. These findings offer valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers aiming to transform urban areas into sustainable, positive energy districts, supporting the EU’s 2050 net-zero emissions goals.

Understanding Stakeholder Perspectives: Towards the Design of a Serious Game for Positive Energy Districts

Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) are highly energy-efficient urban areas that manage a surplus production of renewable energy. Recognising the key role they can play in the transition to a less carbon-dependent society, the European Commission launched its PED Programme in 2018, to implement and support the development of PEDs. However, as PEDs are still a relatively new concept, their implementation can be challenging, and local administrators often lack clear guidance and reference points for their design, implementation and evaluation. To address this issue, the Positive RObust PEd Localities (PROPEL) project has among its main objectives the design of a serious game to provide practical insights and user-friendly tools for local administrators interested in implementing and developing PEDs. Indeed, by drawing on the power of digital games to set goals and allow the player to autonomously define a strategy to achieve them within a set of constraints, serious games can be a very powerful tool to support local administrators in their decision-making process, enabling them to explore multiple scenarios and to evaluate the results of their choices. This paper outlines the design principles and the main features of a serious game aimed at supporting local administrators in the implementation of PEDs. These design principles and features are derived from a research process comprising several steps. Firstly, the drivers and barriers to the adoption of a serious game among local administrators were identified. This was done through in-depth interviews with local administrators and PEDs experts from the different countries involved in the PROPEL project, namely Italy, Sweden, and Turkey. Secondly, a comparative analysis of serious games developed for related research purposes was carried out. This provided further suggestions for the features of the serious game. The findings underscore the significance of incorporating real data, adopting a modular structure to emulate the systemic complexity of PEDs, and ensuring accessibility across multiple devices as paramount features that the serious game should have.

Driving industrial symbiosis: Evaluating policy intervention effects on waste heat utilization in local district heating networks

This study aims to quantitatively assess the required policy support level to ensure economic viability for all stakeholders in the context of using industrial waste heat as source of local district heating (DH). Additionally, the research explores the potential of industrial symbiosis to support district-level energy transition in the context of Positive Energy Districts and Smart Cities. The proposed approach combines energy modelling tools, namely the Multi Energy System Simulator (MESS) model and financial concepts (i.e. Cash Flow Analysis, Net Present Value Evaluation) typical of industry’s project evaluation. It is then tested in the area of Bolzano, Italy. The study examines various policy scenarios, including financial incentives and the involvement of district heating operators (DHOs). Initial findings indicate that district heating offers significant cost advantages (up to –23%) over electrified systems. However, industries face challenges meeting standard payback periods without policy intervention in the context of projects using waste heat as a source of DH. A combined scenario involving DHOs handling connection costs with a 60% incentive and industries receiving a 15% Feed-In Premium shows promising results in achieving economic feasibility. The results underscore the critical role of policy support in overcoming barriers. Consequently, it is possible to strengthen cooperation between industries and districts fostering local energy transition. Nonetheless, the achievement of positive energy balance requires a stronger presence of RES particularly on the electricity side. The study highlights the broader implications for similar projects in other regions and the essential role of policy interventions in facilitating such industrial symbiosis.

Transformation Pathways: Drumul Taberei Neighbourhood - a Positive Energy District?

Abstract Positive Energy Districts (PED) have surged in prominence amidst Europe’s ambitious climate targets and the fluctuating energy landscape, influenced notably by geopolitical uncertainties such as the Ukraine conflict. Aligned with European and national priorities, which emphasises the renovation of its housing stock as part of the Renovation Wave initiative, PED emerges as a viable solution for urban areas. However, the challenge remains in how PED can address energy poverty, promote renewable energy, and align with renovation priorities of the outdated infrastructures (including buildings). The KINETIC project addresses PED transformation challenges at the neighbourhood level by deploying an intensive co-creation process for identifying key transformation directions. The Romanian DEMO area (along with DK and IT study cases) is the Drumul Taberei neighbourhood in Bucharest Sector 6, a dense neighbourhood composed of multifamily buildings realised in the 60s and 70s during the communist regime. The area needs comprehensive regeneration and renewal initiatives. If proven feasible through mathematical modelled data paired with strategic integrated planning, the outcomes of KINETIC for the Drumul Taberei neighbourhood will be able to revolutionise the future rehabilitation project of collective housing districts in Romania, and beyond. The paper will outline PED transformation pathways stemming from initial co-design workshops involving local stakeholders. It will also explore collaboration and investment prospects between municipality-housing associations and NGOs. Given the privately owned housing estate and state-funded rehabilitation, the project will assess innovative models to meet PED’s ambitious goals.

Going beyond Climate Neutral Cities: Evidence from a Positive Energy District in the Stuttgart Region

Abstract To successfully develops Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), it is essential to increase citizen awareness and encourage their engagement. Without acceptance and active participation from the citizens, they might not benefit from the technologies and inclusive business models that PEDs offer to foster energy efficiency, productivity, and flexibility. This contribution provides new evidence about the importance of prioritising citizens’ needs when developing PEDs, describing key findings from a case study recently conducted by the authors, in Nürtingen, in the Stuttgart Metropolitan Region, Germany. The research used urban building energy modeling tools, analyzed on-going projects of the city administration, and directly engaged with citizens by different research methods such as d go-along interviewing, SWOT analysis, and the promotion of best practices. The analysis and conclusions on working on the municipality project “Bahnstadt” were checked against the understanding of a “human-centred” PED. Five action areas were considered: energy efficiency, production and flexibility, carbon footprint, water management, and capital expenditures. This action research, part of the EU-funded project TELOS (2020-2024), aimed to provide recommendations to improve the quality of life of the community and enhancing citizen participation in planning and implementation processes, and towards the ambitious European climate neutrality goals.

Transition Approaches towards Positive Energy Districts: A Systematic Review

The positive energy district (PED) concept is attracting growing research interest; however, the need for practical approaches to facilitate their implementation remains crucial. This study, framed in the COST Action ‘Positive Energy Districts European Network’, offers a comprehensive review of the roadmaps, pathways, and guidelines—namely ‘PED-Transition Approaches’—currently available to support the implementation of district-scale innovative models, thereby advancing energy transitions and enhancing livability at the city level. The review involved a systematic search and web scraping of documents, including scientific and grey literature, as well as EU-funded projects’ reports. The studies were identified according to multiple filters and eligibility criteria, then categorised in a structured repository using a multidimensional matrix, and finally examined following three-levels of detail (i.e., bibliometric study) overview and in-depth analysis. The findings reflect the main characteristics, gaps, and challenges in PED implementation by underlying the growing need for effective step-by-step, user-centric, and context-based transition approaches. In conclusion, the research, building on an extensive literature of multiple inspirational methodologies and their associated use cases, is a strong basis to develop sequential pathways to facilitate PED implementation among key stakeholders in a short–medium-term perspective towards a climate-neutral city vision.

The Benefits of Positive Energy Districts: Introducing Additionality Assessment in Évora, Amsterdam and Espoo

Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) are a promising approach to urban energy transformation, aiming to optimize local energy systems and deliver environmental, social and economic benefits. However, their effectiveness and justification for investment rely on understanding the additional value they provide (additionality) in comparison to current policies and planning methods. The additionality perspective is not used yet in current evaluations of PED demonstrations and pilots. Therefore, this paper introduces the concept of additionality in the evaluation of PEDs, focusing on the additional benefits they bring and the circumstances under which they are most effective. We discuss the additionality of PEDs in addressing the challenges of climate neutrality and energy system transformation in three European cities that are funded by the European Commission’s H2020 Programme. It should be noted that given the ongoing status of these projects, the assessment is mainly based on preliminary results, as monitoring is still ongoing and quantitative results are not yet available. The paper discusses the drivers and barriers specific to PEDs, and highlights the challenges posed by technical complexities, financing aspects and social and legal restrictions. Conclusions are drawn regarding the concept of additionality and its implications for the wider development of PEDs as a response to the challenges of climate neutrality and energy system transformation in cities. We conclude that the additionality perspective provides valuable insights into the impact and potential of PEDs for societal goals and recommend this approach for use in the final evaluation of R&I projects involving PEDs using actual monitored data on PEDs.

Positive Energy Districts: Fundamentals, Assessment Methodologies, Modeling and Research Gaps

The definition, characterization and implementation of Positive Energy Districts is crucial in the path towards urban decarbonization and energy transition. However, several issues still must be addressed: the need for a clear and comprehensive definition, and the settlement of a consistent design approach for Positive Energy Districts. As emerged throughout the workshop held during the fourth edition of Smart and Sustainable Planning for Cities and Regions Conference (SSPCR 2022) in Bolzano (Italy), further critical points are also linked to the planning, modeling and assessment steps, besides sustainability aspects and stakeholders’ involvement. The “World Café” methodology adopted during the workshop allowed for simple—but also effective and flexible—group discussions focused on the detection of key PED characteristics, such as morphologic, socio-economic, demographic, technological, quality-of-life and feasibility factors. Four main work groups were defined in order to allow them to share, compare and discuss around five main PED-related topics: energy efficiency, energy flexibility, e-mobility, soft mobility, and low-carbon generation. Indeed, to properly deal with PED challenges and crucial aspects, it is necessary to combine and balance these technologies with enabler factors like financing instruments, social innovation and involvement, innovative governance and far-sighted policies. This paper proposes, in a structured form, the main outcomes of the co-creation approach developed during the workshop. The importance of implementing a holistic approach was highlighted: it requires a systematic and consistent integration of economic, environmental and social aspects directly connected to an interdisciplinary cross-sectorial collaboration between researchers, policymakers, industries, municipalities, and citizens. Furthermore, it was reaffirmed that, to make informed and reasoned decisions throughout an effective PED design and planning process, social, ecological, and cultural factors (besides merely technical aspects) play a crucial role. Thanks to the valuable insights and recommendations gathered from the workshop participants, a conscious awareness of key issues in PED design and implementation emerged, and the fundamental role of stakeholders in the PED development path was confirmed.

Urban Microclimate Impact on Vertical Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Panels

The ongoing climate crisis and turbulence on the world stage has highlighted the need for sustainability and resilience in the development and maintenance of urban areas regarding climate comfort and energy access. Local production of green energy increases both the sustainability and resilience of an area. Traditionally, photovoltaic (PV) panels are deployed wherever the amount of sunlight is highest but lowering costs for PV panels makes them cost-effective even in colder climates. Within the broader umbrella of positive energy districts, façade mounted building-integrated PV panels in urban areas additionally present unique opportunities and challenges, as factors such as wind, solar irradiance, or nearby obstructions can have either a positive or negative effect on the performance of the PV panels. In this article, we aimed to answer the question: What factors inform the optimization of vertical PV panels? To answer this, we developed a method for the optimization of placement of PV panels. By building upon readily available weather data, local panel conditions were examined, and field-driven aggregation algorithm used to guide panel placement. Performance of the resulting panel configurations were then compared to a baseline case. Results indicate that our developed method helped mitigate negative impacts of the aforementioned factors, and often improved performance over baseline.

Reversible SOCs als Bindeglied zwischen Strom-, Wärme- und Gasnetz und Plus Energie-Quartieren

ZusammenfassungZur Reduktion der CO2-Emissionen im Gebäudeenergiesektor sind alternative Energieerzeugungs- und Energiespeicherkonzepte notwendig. Technologien, die quartiersbezogen zentral sommerliche Überschussenergie aus Erneuerbaren Energien speichern und in weniger ertragreichen Monaten wieder in Strom und Wärme zurückwandeln, sind als Eigenschaften beispielsweise den Elektrolyse- bzw. Brennstoff-Zellensystemen zuzuordnen. Im Projekt Cell4Life wird ein solches System, bestehend aus einer reversibel arbeitenden Festoxidzelle (rSOC) theoretisch und im Labormaßstab im Kontext eines Plus Energie-Quartiers (PEQ) auf dessen funktionale Integrität hin untersucht. Ein Projektziel ist dabei die Optimierung der dynamischen Betriebsweise, für die es zum einen statischer Optimierungsversuche am Prüfstand und zum anderen Gesamtsystemsimulationen bedarf. In dieser Veröffentlichung wird vorgestellt, welche Betriebsweisen statisch optimiert und welche Systemkonzepte innerhalb einer Simulation untersucht werden. Für ein städtisches PEQ hat sich ein rSOC-System, das die Dampfelektrolyse im SOEC-Modus nutzt und im SOFC-Modus mit Wasserstoff und Methan betrieben wird, als am sinnvollsten erwiesen. Darüber hinaus werden reale Betriebsweisen aufbauend auf Wasserstoffbeimischungen in das örtliche Gasnetz in experimentellen Versuchen betrachtet. Basierend auf theoretischen Bedarfsdaten aus dem „PEQ21“ in Wien werden drei Optimierungsszenarien definiert, die neben dem Langzeit- auch den Kurzzeitbetrieb der rSOC-Anlage betrachten.

Energy Management System for a Residential Positive Energy District Based on Fuzzy Logic Approach (RESTORATIVE)

There is a clear European Strategy to transition by 2050 from a fossil fuel-based economy to a completely new system based on renewable energy resources, with electricity as the main energy carrier. Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) are urban areas that produce at least as much energy as their yearly consumption. To meet this objective, they must incorporate distributed generation based on renewable systems within their boundaries. This article considers the fluctuations in electricity prices and local renewable availability and develops a PED model with a centralised energy storage system focused on electricity self-sufficiency and self-consumption. We present a fuzzy logic-based energy management system which optimises the state of charge of the energy storage solution considering local electricity production and loads along with the contracted electric tariff. The methodology is tested in a PED comprising 360 households in Bilbao (a city in the north of Spain), setting various scenarios, including changes in the size of the electric storage, long-term climate change effects, and extreme changes in the price of energy carriers. The study revealed that the assessed PED could reach up to 75.6% self-sufficiency and 76.8% self-consumption, with climate change expected to improve these values. On economic aspects, the return on investment of the proposal ranges from 6 up to 12 years depending on the configuration choice. Also, the case that boosts the economic viability is tight to non-business as usual (BaU), whichever event spiked up the prices or climate change conditions shortens the economic variables. The average bill is around 12.89 EUR/month per house for scenario BaU; meanwhile, a catastrophic event increases the bill by as much as 76.7%. On the other hand, climate crisis events impact energy generation, strengthening this and, as a consequence, slightly reducing the bill by up to 11.47 EUR/month.

Towards a positive energy balance: A comparative analysis of the planning and design of four positive energy districts and neighbourhoods in Norway and Sweden

Positive energy districts and sustainable plus energy neighbourhoods are developed in the European context to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. The planning and development of positive energy districts and sustainable plus energy neighbourhoods is complex and requires collaboration between stakeholders and new measures to achieve high energy efficiency, local renewable energy generation, energy storage and flexibility, and energy sufficiency. This paper examines the implementation of energy measures in the planning and design of four positive energy district and neighbourhood development projects in Norway and Sweden. The paper compares the two different institutional and energy system contexts and how these affect the development of positive energy districts, focusing on the perspectives of the municipality and developers. Existing academic literature and positive energy district guidelines are used to develop an analytical framework for the planning and design of positive energy districts and sustainable plus energy neighbourhoods. Results highlight an early focus on energy ambitions, wide stakeholder involvement, and the importance of aligning interests between stakeholders and working interdisciplinary in the planning and design phases to find optimal energy measures. Both the building and the neighbourhood/district level are important to increase energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, and energy flexibility, and consequently lower the environmental impact of the whole development project.

A novel methodology and a tool for supporting the transition of districts and communities in Positive Energy Districts

Positive Energy Districts are expected to play a major role in the energy transition of cities. Hence, this paper aims at introducing a novel methodology useful for district energy and environmental analysis and intended to support the accomplishment of the targets of Positive Energy Districts at the district or community level. The proposed approach relies on the basic concepts underpinning the “Baseline Emission Inventory” but encompasses the ambitious and challenging objectives characterizing Positive Energy Districts. For making the proposed evaluation framework accessible to as many user categories as possible (researchers, local institutions, urban planners, etc.), the calculation steps have been transposed in a user-friendly, ready-to-use tool called “En-to-EnD. Energy and Environmental analysis of Districts”. The applicability and replicability of the outputs of this work have been proven through the energy and environmental assessment of a reference case study. In particular, the district being analysed is in the South of Italy and is equipped with photovoltaic plants and a wind turbine. The results obtained show that the proposed approach may serve not only to prove the achievement of the Positive Energy District status, but also to guide the design of more sustainable district-based energy systems, thus supporting the decarbonization of cities.

Sustainable Energy Planning and Management with PV, Waste heat, positive energy districts and CO2 accounting

This 41st volume of the International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management includes three categories of papers: Ordinary submissions, submissions from the 2023 Smart Energy Systems Conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark and a submission from the 2023 Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environmental Systems (SDEWES) conference series. The work presented address photo voltaics (PV) in the arctic and in Sweden and electricity system scenarios of Indonesia based on, e.g. PV. Staying with PV a study investigated the interplay between PV and electric vehicles in Denmark. Moving to district heating, two papers address waste heat utilisation and positive energy districts respectively, and finally a study proves into unavoidable carbon dioxide emissions in Austria accounts for carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture and utilisation (CCUS) needs and possibilities.

Recommendations for a positive energy district framework – Application and evaluation of different energetic assessment methodologies

Positive Energy Districts are seen as a stepstone towards climate-neutrality for European cities. The concept aims to make districts an active contributor to urban energy systems. However, the definition of PEDs is relatively loose and there is currently a lack of a common European assessment methodology, which makes it difficult to evaluate PED in practice. This research evaluates the energetic assessment methodologies developed in three PED-relevant projects in Europe – namely MAKING CITY, Zukunftsquartier Wien, and Zero Emission Neighbourhood – in order to derive recommendations for a common PED assessment framework. For this purpose, the three methodologies have been applied to case study districts in Germany. Subsequently, the application of the methodologies has been analysed based on their general practicality as well as their fulfilment of the PED objectives. The findings suggest that a positive energy balance might not be considered as a prerequisite of PEDs as this strict requirement sets a high entry barrier for districts that lack the intrinsic factors for surplus renewable energy production. For PED as an inclusive framework, the focus should be on delivering positive impacts for the districts and the wider energy systems; whilst the positive energy balance can be seen as a complementary rather than a mandatory condition.

Exploring Multiple Benefits of Urban and Energy Regeneration Projects: A Stakeholder-Centred Methodological Approach

An effective way to promote energy transition while tackling climate change involves redefining cities from being part of the problem to integral parts of the solution. Positive energy districts and climate positive circular communities are excellent examples of how this is feasible. But how do we understand which are the multiple benefits that these projects can bring to the local territory and relative community? This article aims to answer this question by developing a specific engagement and evaluation methodology. Our approach involves consulting with project partners to explore the multiple benefits of each case study. Subsequently, it plans to engage the stakeholders through the submission of a questionnaire to gather information regarding the relative importance of different benefits as perceived by each stakeholder. The questionnaire is based on the best–worst scaling method, which is a survey technique for determining people’s priorities. The preliminary findings of the study conducted on project partners of two European projects, ARV and ProLight, indicate a strong alignment with current European policy priorities. The involvement of other stakeholders in the study will serve to assess whether bottom-up priorities coincide with broader perspectives or whether adaptations to project strategies and dissemination approaches are needed.

Design and Operational Indicators to Foster the Transition of Existing Renewable Energy Communities towards Positive Energy Districts

Design and Operational Indicators to Foster the Transition of Existing Renewable Energy Communities towards Positive Energy Districts

Towards Positive Energy Districts: Multi-criteria framework and Quality Assurance

Towards Positive Energy Districts: Multi-criteria framework and Quality Assurance

Centralised monitoring and control of buildings using open standards

Abstract. Due to the necessary heat turnaround, buildings are increasingly seen as part of districts, e. g. Positive Energy Districts. Optimizing the energy efficiency of buildings is an essential part of implementing the heat turnaround. As a result, sensor/actuator systems are becoming increasingly important, both at building level and district level. Various proprietary and open standards for monitoring and control are used at building level. This heterogeneity makes it difficult to jointly optimize energy efficiency in buildings. OGC Sensorthings API (STA) is an open standard that defines a common language for sensor data and even tasking processes. In addition, KNX and LoRaWAN are available as standards for building monitoring and control. This article therefore proposes a solution that combines these standards. As proof of concept, two different buildings are equipped with KNX and LoRaWAN. Sensor data is collected in both buildings and merged centrally in a so-called building data lake based on OGC STA Sensing Part, e.g. temperature or indoor air quality. In addition, OGC STA Tasking Part is used to trigger actuator commands centrally and independently of the communication standard used in the controlled building, e. g. temperature setting of thermostats. As part of the proof of concept, it is shown how standardized sensor data can be visualized based on available visualization software, e. g. Grafana, and how the standardized actuator control level can be used for optimizations such as the night setback of heating systems.

Urban Digital Twins Empowering Energy Transition: Citizen-Driven Sustainable Urban Transformation towards Positive Energy Districts

Urban Digital Twins Empowering Energy Transition: Citizen-Driven Sustainable Urban Transformation towards Positive Energy Districts