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Citizen Participation in Low-Carbon Energy Systems: Energy Communities and Its Impact on the Electricity Demand on Neighborhood and National Level

Author

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  • Sebastian Zwickl-Bernhard

    (Energy Economics Group (EEG), Technische Universität Wien, Gusshausstraße 25-29, E370-3, 1040 Vienna, Austria)

  • Hans Auer

    (Energy Economics Group (EEG), Technische Universität Wien, Gusshausstraße 25-29, E370-3, 1040 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

In this work, the main research question is how a high penetration of energy communities (ECs) affects the national electricity demand in the residential sector. Thus, the existing building stock of three European regions/countries, namely, the Iberian Peninsula, Norway, and Austria, is analyzed and represented by four different model energy communities based on characteristic settlement patterns. A tailor-made, open-source model optimizes the utilization of the local energy technology portfolio, especially small-scale batteries and photovoltaic systems within the ECs. Finally, the results on the national level are achieved by upscaling from the neighborhood level. The findings of different 2030 scenarios (building upon narrative storylines), which consider various socio-economic and techno-economic determinants of possible future energy system development, identify a variety of modification potentials of the electricity demand as a result of EC penetration. The insights achieved in this work highlight the important contributions of ECs to low-carbon energy systems. Future work may focus on the provision of future local energy services, such as increasing cooling demand and/or high shares of electric vehicles, further enhancement of the upscaling to the national level (i.e., considering the distribution network capacities), and further diversification of EC composition beyond the residential sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Zwickl-Bernhard & Hans Auer, 2021. "Citizen Participation in Low-Carbon Energy Systems: Energy Communities and Its Impact on the Electricity Demand on Neighborhood and National Level," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-22, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:2:p:305-:d:476748
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    Cited by:

    1. Backe, Stian & Zwickl-Bernhard, Sebastian & Schwabeneder, Daniel & Auer, Hans & Korpås, Magnus & Tomasgard, Asgeir, 2022. "Impact of energy communities on the European electricity and heating system decarbonization pathway: Comparing local and global flexibility responses," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).
    2. Schmitt, Carlo & Schumann, Klemens & Kollenda, Katharina & Blank, Andreas & Rebenaque, Olivier & Dronne, Théo & Martin, Arnault & Vassilopoulos, Philippe & Roques, Fabien & Moser, Albert, 2022. "How will local energy markets influence the pan-European day-ahead market and transmission systems? A case study for local markets in France and Germany," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 325(C).
    3. Zwickl-Bernhard, Sebastian & Auer, Hans, 2022. "Demystifying natural gas distribution grid decommissioning: An open-source approach to local deep decarbonization of urban neighborhoods," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PB).

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