Co-benefits of Smart and Sustainable Energy District Projects: An Overview of Economic Assessment Methodologies

Bisello, Adriano; Grilli, Gianluca; Balest, Jessica; Stellin, Giuseppe; Ciolli, Marco

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-44899-2_9

Cited by 27 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…In conclusion, the two options are not -even in this case -necessarily and intrinsically in contrast [75], though they could be. Some operators can exclusively concern themselves with reducing costs (and other functional advantages) without giving any direct and particular weight to strong social bonds, while others give more emphasis to the collective identity and cohesion and less to mere cost reduction or other functional benefits.…”

Section: Final Remarksmentioning

confidence: 74%

Local Energy Communities and Distributed Generation: Contrasting Perspectives, and Inevitable Policy Trade-Offs, beyond the Apparent Global Consensus

2019

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Although a certain degree of consensus seems to pervade the ideas of “distributed energy systems” and “energy communities”, in truth, diverse views are involved. This article aims to shed light on the variety of interpretations of these two concepts. In particular, the article critically considers the answers to the following four questions: What exactly is meant by “distributed” in the expression “distributed energy generation”? Why is distributed generation (ethically) desirable? Why should people consider it a positive idea that “communities”—and not individuals or families—are invited to manage distributed generation systems? Lastly, can energy communities be considered different from standard state intervention and from market systems? Clearly defining these questions helps in emphasising crucial differences, and it is an important step toward achieving a critical understanding. The conclusion is that there is no single interpretation for either the idea of distributed energy or that of energy communities. Shifting emphasis from one feature to another can drastically affect what policies are required to foster the creation of such communities and of a distributed energy production scenario.

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Section: Final Remarksmentioning

confidence: 74%

Local Energy Communities and Distributed Generation: Contrasting Perspectives, and Inevitable Policy Trade-Offs, beyond the Apparent Global Consensus

2019

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“…Project deliverables, other SEC web databases (EU SCIS-https: //smartcities.info.system.eu/projects the marketplace of the EIP SCC-https://eu-smartcities.eu/3, Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS)-https://cordis.europa.eu/), and specific project websites were investigated. Our search strategy mirrors that utilised by [28]. We considered projects that have taken a holistic approach (covering technical and non-technical solutions) to SEC development based on the EIP-SCC initiative and the SIP Plan: smart building retrofit, energy and technologies, transport and mobility, and supporting ICT and integrative infrastructure solutions.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The successful execution of SEC projects results in considerable co-benefits for individuals, communities, and society as a whole [27], which supports new development processes, market response, control and monitoring systems for behavioural change, human and technological resources, and public engagement. A co-benefit is any socio-economic, environmental, and positive governance effect attained from the implementation of a project and exceeds the primary goal, regardless whether intentional or not [28,47,48]. With this, "co-benefits are often subject to uncertainty and depend on, among others local circumstances and implementing practices" [49].…”

Section: Co-benefits Of Sec Domains Of Interventions Based On Sustainmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The SINFONIA "Smart INitiative of cities Fully cOmmitted to iNvest In Advanced large-scale energy solutions" project is a five-year (2014-2019) smart city urban development project co-funded under the European Union's Seventh framework programme (FP7) [28]. The project seeks to implement and transform small and medium-sized cities using an integrated approach to smart energy cities [83] (see Figure 9).…”

Section: Integreen 2015mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such projects have the opportunity to potentially improve the quality of life and the quality of urban services [9,28]. By adopting an integrated approach, the SEC project can achieve more holistic solutions to complex problems by bringing together different kinds of stakeholders, sectors, and technologies, and incorporating the dimension of sustainability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Creating Smart Energy Cities for Sustainability through Project Implementation: A Case Study of Bolzano, Italy

Hunter

Vettorato

Sagoe³

2018

Sustainability

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Globally, cities are experiencing an unprecedented socio-economic, demographic, and environmental transition that brings with it negative environmental externalities, such as climate change and environmental degradation. Smart energy city (SEC) has emerged as the latest urban development strategy in European countries. It can vastly accelerate cities' decarbonisation efforts, which can have several co-benefits. Capitalising on advances in information and communication technologies (ICT), various SEC projects have been initiated and seek to integrate ICT into the urban system. Although there are a significant number of SEC demonstration projects, there has been a scant examination of the performance and overall effect of these projects in addressing core sustainability endogenous principles. This research provides an in-depth analysis of the components of the SEC projects, highlighting the strengths and shortcomings. By highlighting the "Smart INitiative of cities Fully cOmmitted to iNvest In Advanced large-scale energy solutions" (SINFONIA) project in Bolzano, we aimed to determine the extent to which the current practical processes are achieved in reality. Our methodology entailed a structured literature review of the different components of SEC projects, followed by a content analysis based on the 5W1H (why, what, who, how, where, and when) conceptual framework. The data collection methods adopted included a review of specific open-access sources and project deliverables of each of the selected SEC projects, personal observation of the case study city, and interviews with SEC project experts. We analysed the SEC projects components against fundamental sustainability principles of integration, implementation, equity (intra-generational, procedural, and inter-generational), and scalability and replicability to assess their potential for creating sustainable urban settlements. The study found that the critical components of SEC projects are strategically aligned with sustainability dimensions. However, although ICT integration in urban planning and development provides the core determinants of the components, stakeholder engagement and dynamic business models are critical for successful implementation. Furthermore, through scalability and replicability of SEC projects, diversification of sustainability principles can be actualised throughout the entire city and in other geographical regions to ensure long-term intra-generational and inter-generational equity.

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Integrated Assessments and Energy Retrofit: The Contribution of the Energy Center Lab of the Politecnico di Torino

Becchio

Bottero

Bravi

et al. 2019

Values and Functions for Future Cities

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Co-benefits of Smart and Sustainable Energy District Projects: An Overview of Economic Assessment Methodologies

Cited by 27 publications

References 38 publications

Local Energy Communities and Distributed Generation: Contrasting Perspectives, and Inevitable Policy Trade-Offs, beyond the Apparent Global Consensus

Local Energy Communities and Distributed Generation: Contrasting Perspectives, and Inevitable Policy Trade-Offs, beyond the Apparent Global Consensus

Creating Smart Energy Cities for Sustainability through Project Implementation: A Case Study of Bolzano, Italy

Integrated Assessments and Energy Retrofit: The Contribution of the Energy Center Lab of the Politecnico di Torino

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