Towards the Decarbonization of Industrial Districts through Renewable Energy Communities: Techno-Economic Feasibility of an Italian Case Study

Francesca Ceglia, Elisa Marrasso, Chiara Martone, Giovanna Pallotta (), Carlo Roselli and Maurizio Sasso
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Francesca Ceglia: Department of Engineering, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy
Elisa Marrasso: Department of Engineering, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy
Chiara Martone: Department of Engineering, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy
Giovanna Pallotta: Department of Engineering, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy
Carlo Roselli: Department of Engineering, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy
Maurizio Sasso: Department of Engineering, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 6, 1-23

Abstract: In Europe, the recast of Directive 2018/2001 defined Renewable Energy Communities as innovative configurations for renewable energy sharing between different end user types. In this regard, this work aims to assess the benefits following the constitution of a Renewable Energy Community in the industrial area of Benevento (South of Italy), involving a mixed-use building and an industrial wastewater treatment plant. The alternative single end users’ configuration has been also examined, and both solutions have been compared with the current state where the users’ electric energy requests are fully met by the power grid. The users have been equipped with a 466 kW p photovoltaic plant, modelled in HOMER Pro ® , providing in input experimental meteorological data (global solar radiation and air temperature) collected by one of the weather control units in Benevento. Real data about users’ electric energy demand have been gathered from their electricity bills, and when unavailable their electric load profiles on an hourly basis have been reconstructed based on the aggregated monthly data. Energy sharing has been proven to increase energy self-consumption and the users’ self-sufficiency. Annually, the primary energy demand is reduced by 577 MWh (1.2 MWh/kW p ), carbon dioxide emissions by 84 tCO 2 and operative costs by 101 kEUR.

Keywords: Renewable Energy Community; industrial districts; dynamic simulation; energy self-sufficiency; energy sharing; experimental data (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: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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