Photovoltaic Production Management under Constrained Regulatory Requirements: A Step towards a Local Energy Community Creation

Ivo Araújo, Leonel J. R. Nunes and António Curado ()
Additional contact information
Ivo Araújo: proMetheus, Unidade de Investigação em Materiais, Energia e Ambiente para a Sustentabilidade, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua da Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun’Alvares, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Leonel J. R. Nunes: proMetheus, Unidade de Investigação em Materiais, Energia e Ambiente para a Sustentabilidade, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua da Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun’Alvares, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal
António Curado: proMetheus, Unidade de Investigação em Materiais, Energia e Ambiente para a Sustentabilidade, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua da Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun’Alvares, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 22, 1-19

Abstract: Addressing the urgent need for sustainable energy sources due to the high costs and environmental impacts of fossil fuels, this research explores the integration of decentralized solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in urban Southern European settings. Specifically, we examine the effectiveness of a solar carport PV installation at a higher education institution, focusing on the challenges of energy surplus management within regulated markets that restrict grid energy injection. Our study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data analysis of energy production with qualitative assessments of regulatory frameworks. The innovative aspect of our method lies in the development of a smart management system tailored to circumvent legal barriers, ensuring optimal use of locally produced energy and fostering the creation of an energy community with shared energetic, environmental, and social benefits. Preliminary results demonstrate that our system not only prevents energy loss but also enhances investment return by enabling the institution to become an energy prosumer within its community. A comparative analysis with traditional energy exercises reveals that our approach significantly improves energy self-sufficiency and sustainability, positioning decentralized PV systems as a viable solution in similar urban contexts.

Keywords: energy efficiency; PV production; energy management; sustainable campuses (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: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/22/7625/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/22/7625/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:22:p:7625-:d:1282356

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().