Integrated Methodology for Community-Oriented Energy Investments: Architecture, Implementation, and Assessment for the Case of Nisyros Island

Abstract

This paper presents an integrated methodology for decision making in smart grid investments that assesses the investment plans of stakeholders in local energy communities (LECs). Considering the energy flow exchanges of the LECs and interpreting them in terms of technical benefits and costs, this methodology indicates the most sustainable and profitable solution covering the LEC energy transition plans. A set of specialized tools capturing the energy, environmental, financial, and social impacts are integrated under a common platform called the IANOS Energy Planning and Transition (IEPT) suite. The tools evaluate a set of well-defined key performance indicators that are gathered using a cost–benefit analysis (CBA) module offering multilateral assessment. By upgrading the functionalities of specialized tools, i.e., the energy modeler INTEMA, the life cycle assessment and costing tool VERIFY, and the smart grid-oriented CBA tool, the IEPT suite evaluates the viability of different smart grid investment scenarios from a multi-dimensional perspective at the LEC level. The functionalities of the proposed suite are validated in the LEC of Nisyros island, Greece, where three smart grid-based investment scenarios of different self-consumption levels are evaluated and ranked in terms of benefits and profitability. The results highlight that for a 20-year horizon of analysis, the investment scenario where a 50% self-consumption target is achieved was more financially viable compared to the 80% and 95% scenarios, achieving values of BCR and NPV equal to EUR 2.12 and EUR 4,400,000, respectively.