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PV Energy Communities—Challenges and Barriers from a Consumer Perspective: A Literature Review

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  • Roberts Lazdins

    (Institute of Power Engineering, Riga Technical University, Azenes Street 12/1, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia)

  • Anna Mutule

    (Institute of Power Engineering, Riga Technical University, Azenes Street 12/1, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia)

  • Diana Zalostiba

    (Institute of Power Engineering, Riga Technical University, Azenes Street 12/1, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia)

Abstract

Renewable energy sources, in particular those based on solar radiation, are growing rapidly and are planned to play an instrumental role in building power systems to reach the 2030 and 2050 energy and climate mitigation objectives. However, new actors have been introduced into the energy field, highlighting the importance of the role of citizens and communities in building such energy systems. To outline the significance of citizens in the development of solar energy communities and to describe the benefits of and barriers to their implementation so far, a comprehensive literature review has been carried out based on 64 thoroughly selected, reliable scientific publications (published within 2015–2021), revealing the latest trends, technologies and research in this field. The research focuses on four consumer interest areas: policy, economic, technical and social, covering the following subsections: policy, trading model, economic assessment, business model, energy management, demand response, modelling tools and consumer adoption. Within each subsection the conducted review seeks to answer the questions related to the further development and implementation of PV energy communities, considering consumer needs and revealing the possible solutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Roberts Lazdins & Anna Mutule & Diana Zalostiba, 2021. "PV Energy Communities—Challenges and Barriers from a Consumer Perspective: A Literature Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-20, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:16:p:4873-:d:611450
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lubov Petrichenko & Antans Sauhats & Illia Diahovchenko & Irina Segeda, 2022. "Economic Viability of Energy Communities versus Distributed Prosumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-24, April.
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    3. Sang-Yong Park & Hyo-Sang Choi, 2021. "Operation Characteristics of Mechanical DC Circuit Breaker Combined with LC Divergence Oscillation Circuit for High Reliability of LVDC System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-17, August.
    4. Maria A. Franco & Stefan N. Groesser, 2021. "A Systematic Literature Review of the Solar Photovoltaic Value Chain for a Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-35, August.
    5. Nicola Blasuttigh & Simone Negri & Alessandro Massi Pavan & Enrico Tironi, 2023. "Optimal Sizing and Environ-Economic Analysis of PV-BESS Systems for Jointly Acting Renewable Self-Consumers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-25, January.
    6. Anita De Franco & Elisabetta Venco & Roberto De Lotto & Caterina Pietra & Florian Kutzner & Mona Bielig & Melanie Vogel, 2023. "Drivers, Motivations, and Barriers in the Creation of Energy Communities: Insights from the City of Segrate, Italy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-13, August.
    7. Alyssa Diva Mustika & Rémy Rigo-Mariani & Vincent Debusschere & Amaury Pachurka, 2022. "New Members Selection for the Expansion of Energy Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-15, September.
    8. Bożena Ryszawska & Magdalena Rozwadowska & Roksana Ulatowska & Marcin Pierzchała & Piotr Szymański, 2021. "The Power of Co-Creation in the Energy Transition—DART Model in Citizen Energy Communities Projects," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-29, August.
    9. Gianfranco Di Lorenzo & Erika Stracqualursi & Leonardo Micheli & Luigi Martirano & Rodolfo Araneo, 2022. "Challenges in Energy Communities: State of the Art and Future Perspectives," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-5, October.
    10. Hussain, Sadam & Azim, M. Imran & Lai, Chunyan & Eicker, Ursula, 2023. "New coordination framework for smart home peer-to-peer trading to reduce impact on distribution transformer," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    11. Sousa, Joana & Soares, Isabel, 2023. "Benefits and barriers concerning demand response stakeholder value chain: A systematic literature review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    12. López, Iraide & Goitia-Zabaleta, Nerea & Milo, Aitor & Gómez-Cornejo, Julen & Aranzabal, Itxaso & Gaztañaga, Haizea & Fernandez, Elvira, 2024. "European energy communities: Characteristics, trends, business models and legal framework," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    13. Tarmo Korõtko & Freddy Plaum & Tobias Häring & Anna Mutule & Roberts Lazdins & Olegs Borščevskis & Argo Rosin & Paula Carroll, 2023. "Assessment of Power System Asset Dispatch under Different Local Energy Community Business Models," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-23, April.
    14. Cristian Tapia & Diana Ulloa & Mayra Pacheco-Cunduri & Jorge Hernández-Ambato & Jesús Rodríguez-Flores & Victor Herrera-Perez, 2022. "Optimal Fuzzy-Based Energy Management Strategy to Maximize Self-Consumption of PV Systems in the Residential Sector in Ecuador," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-28, July.

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