Urban Wind as a Pathway to Positive Energy Districts

Krzysztof Sornek (), Anna Herzyk, Maksymilian Homa, Flaviu Mihai Frigura-Iliasa and Mihaela Frigura-Iliasa
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Krzysztof Sornek: Department of Sustainable Energy Development, Faculty of Energy and Fuels, AGH University of Krakow, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Anna Herzyk: Department of Sustainable Energy Development, Faculty of Energy and Fuels, AGH University of Krakow, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Maksymilian Homa: Department of Sustainable Energy Development, Faculty of Energy and Fuels, AGH University of Krakow, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Flaviu Mihai Frigura-Iliasa: Power Systems Department, Faculty of Electrical and Power Engineering, Politehnica University of Timisoara, 2, V. Parvan, 300223 Timisoara, Romania
Mihaela Frigura-Iliasa: Power Systems Department, Faculty of Electrical and Power Engineering, Politehnica University of Timisoara, 2, V. Parvan, 300223 Timisoara, Romania

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-30

Abstract: The increasing demand for decarbonized urban environments has intensified interest in integrating renewable energy systems within cities. This review investigates the potential of urban wind energy as a promising technology in the development of Positive Energy Districts, supporting the transition toward climate-neutral urban areas. A systematic analysis of recent literature is presented, covering methodologies for urban wind resource assessment, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based mapping, wind tunnel experiments, and Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations. The study also reviews available small-scale wind technologies, with emphasis on building-integrated wind turbines, and evaluates their contribution to local energy self-sufficiency. The integration of urban wind systems with energy storage, Power-to-Heat solutions, and smart district networks is discussed within the PED framework. Despite technical, economic, and social challenges, such as low wind speeds, turbulence, and public acceptance, urban wind energy offers temporal complementarity to solar power and can enhance district-level energy resilience. The review identifies key technological and methodological gaps and proposes strategic directions for optimizing urban wind deployment in future sustainable city planning.

Keywords: urban wind; wind turbines; renewable energy sources; sustainable cities; nearly zero energy districts; NZED; Positive Energy Districts; PED (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: 2025
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