An innovative toolbox for the optimal design and operation of integrated local energy communities

By providing important benefits such as reducing primary energy consumption, improving environmental conditions, and increasing resilience of energy supply, integrated local energy communities (ILECs) represent a viable option to centralized energy systems for fostering decarbonization, thanks to the exploitation of synergies coming from different energy carries beyond electricity and the active involvement of end-users through a collegial approach. To achieve these benefits, the optimisation of ILECs design and operation is as crucial as it is challenging. This paper presents the results from an activity of the eNeuron H2020 project (Nov 2020-Oct. 2024, ID: 957779), and aims to present an innovative toolbox for the optimal design and operation of ILECs integrating multiple energy carriers at different scales and considering different time horizons from long-term system planning to real-time operation. To achieve the short- and long-term sustainability of this new energy paradigm, a multi-objective economic-environmental approach is proposed, whereby a peer-to-peer market is established to promote end-users' active involvement while guaranteeing that they are aligned with the overall ILEC's objectives.

Inspec keywords: energy consumption; power engineering computing; energy conservation; sustainable development; optimisation