Exergy as Criteria for Efficient Energy Systems—A Spatially Resolved Comparison of the Current Exergy Consumption, the Current Useful Exergy Demand and Renewable Exergy Potential

Christoph Sejkora, Lisa Kühberger, Fabian Radner, Alexander Trattner and Thomas Kienberger
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Christoph Sejkora: Chair of Energy Network Technology, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Franz-Josef Straße 18, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
Lisa Kühberger: Chair of Energy Network Technology, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Franz-Josef Straße 18, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
Fabian Radner: HyCentA Research GmbH, Inffeldgasse 15, A-8010 Graz, Austria
Alexander Trattner: HyCentA Research GmbH, Inffeldgasse 15, A-8010 Graz, Austria
Thomas Kienberger: Chair of Energy Network Technology, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Franz-Josef Straße 18, A-8700 Leoben, Austria

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-51

Abstract: The energy transition from fossil-based energy sources to renewable energy sources of an industrialized country is a big challenge and needs major systemic changes to the energy supply. Such changes require a holistic view of the energy system, which includes both renewable potentials and consumption. Thereby exergy, which describes the quality of energy, must also be considered. In this work, the determination and analysis of such a holistic view of a country are presented, using Austria as an example. The methodology enables the calculation of the spatially resolved current exergy consumption, the spatially resolved current useful exergy demand and the spatially resolved technical potential of renewable energy sources (RES). Top-down and bottom-up approaches are combined in order to increase accuracy. We found that, currently, Austria cannot self-supply with exergy using only RES. Therefore, Austria should increase the efficiency of its energy system, since the overall exergy efficiency is only at 34%. The spatially resolved analysis shows that in Austria the exergy potential of RES is rather evenly distributed. In contrast, the exergy consumption is concentrated in urban and industrial areas. Therefore, the future energy infrastructure must compensate for these spatial discrepancies.

Keywords: exergy; efficient energy systems; spatially resolved comparison; renewable energy sources; potential; total energy consumption; primary energy consumption; energy system planning; Austria-wide comparison (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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