Implementation of Positive Energy Districts in European Cities: A Systematic Literature Review to Identify the Effective Integration of the Concept into the Existing Energy Systems

Paola Clerici Maestosi, Monica Salvia, Filomena Pietrapertosa, Federica Romagnoli and Michela Pirro ()
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Paola Clerici Maestosi: ENEA Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Department of Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources, 40129 Bologna, Italy
Monica Salvia: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis (CNR-IMAA), 85050 Tito Scalo, Italy
Filomena Pietrapertosa: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis (CNR-IMAA), 85050 Tito Scalo, Italy
Federica Romagnoli: Department of Planning, Design, Technology of Architecture (PDTA), Sapienza University of Rome, 00196 Rome, Italy
Michela Pirro: ENEA Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Department of Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources, 40129 Bologna, Italy

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-27

Abstract: The positive energy district (PED) is a rather recent concept that aims to contribute to the main objectives of the Energy Union strategy. It is based on an integrated multi-sectoral approach in response to Europe’s most complex challenges. But to what extent have its development and implementation been supported by research and innovation programs? And what is the state of the art of its implementation and effective penetration into the current energy systems of European cities, according to the evidence provided by the scientific literature? This study aims to investigate these issues, providing a critical overview of the PED situation by means of a systematic literature review based on the use of open-access bibliometric software supplemented with content analysis. The results show that less than half of the documents analyzed refer to actual case studies, 80% of which were funded as part of research projects. This seems to lead to the conclusion that although PEDs have been strongly encouraged by the scientific community and policy initiatives at the European level, their implementation in cities is still limited. Moreover, an uneven distribution among countries can be observed. To overcome the existing barriers to PED diffusion and implementation, it would be useful to provide more ad hoc funding and, above all, facilitate its accessibility also by municipalities not yet well integrated into European projects, initiatives, and networks.

Keywords: positive energy districts (PED); renewables energy production; energy flexibility; energy efficiency; literature review; Scopus data; VOSviewer; bibliometrics; content analysis (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: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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