Regional energy autarky: Potentials, costs and consequences for an Austrian region

Schmidt, Johannes; Schönhart, Martin; Biberacher, Markus; Guggenberger, T.; Hausl, S.; Kalt, Gerald; Leduc, Sylvain; Schardinger, Ingrid; Schmid, Erwin

doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2012.04.059

Cited by 78 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…But at the neighbourhood and district levels the exploitation of this technology to achieve higher levels of electrical self-sufficiency and at the same time lower overall costs suggests that there are substantial economic benefits from aggregating demand objects in this way. On the other hand, the higher energy supply costs encountered by Jenssen et al (2010) and Schmidt et al (2012) were not realized here, which is most likely due to not considering biomass-based energy supply.…”

Section: Discussion Of Resultscontrasting

confidence: 40%

“…Finally, some authors have analyzed the scope to increase the self-sufficiency of a renewable-energydominated system at the district scale (Killinger et al 2014, Schmidt et al 2012, Jenssen et al 2010, Burgess et al 2012. Killinger et al (2014) investigate the scope for selected German municipalities to become electrically autonomous on a net annual basis by exploiting local wind and PV resources.…”

Section: Districtsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The authors find that there is substantial scope to achieve these different goals through different combinations of wind and PV capacities, as well as diverse orientations of PV systems, but that the goals partly compete with one another. Schmidt et al (2012), Jenssen et al (2010) and Burgess et al (2012) all analyze the scope for achieving energy autonomy for small, mainly rural districts with biomass, PV and wind resources. Schmidt et al (2012) examine the agriculturally dominated rural region of Sauwald in Upper Austria, with 21,000 inhabitants, concluding that, whilst the biomass can replace fossil fuels for heating at relatively low cost, attaining a full energy-autonomous heat and electricity supply would require an exploitation of all biomass resources and an installation of PV panels on all rooftops.…”

Section: Districtsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Schmidt et al (2012), Jenssen et al (2010) and Burgess et al (2012) all analyze the scope for achieving energy autonomy for small, mainly rural districts with biomass, PV and wind resources. Schmidt et al (2012) examine the agriculturally dominated rural region of Sauwald in Upper Austria, with 21,000 inhabitants, concluding that, whilst the biomass can replace fossil fuels for heating at relatively low cost, attaining a full energy-autonomous heat and electricity supply would require an exploitation of all biomass resources and an installation of PV panels on all rooftops. Hence in this particular case energy autonomy implies higher costs for consumers as well as a reduction in the overall local production of food.…”

Section: Districtsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Energy autonomy in residential buildings: A techno-economic model-based analysis of the scale effects

2017

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An increasingly decentralized energy supply structure alongside economic incentives for increasing the level of self-generation and -consumption are encouraging (higher levels of) energy autonomy. Previous work in this area has focused on the technical and economic aspects of energy autonomy at distinct scales, from individual buildings, through neighbourhoods to districts. This paper employs a mixed integer linear program (MILP) to assess the effects of aggregation across these scales on the economics of energy autonomy in residential buildings. The model minimizes total energy system costs over the lifetime of the energy system, including micro-CHP, PV, thermal and electrical storage, and boilers, at five distinct scales and for nine demand cases. It is subject to several constraints, amongst other things the degree of electrical self-sufficiency. The results indicate a shift in the economically optimal level of electrical self-sufficiency with scale, which in Single Family Households (SFHs) means from around 30% at the individual building level to almost 100% in districts of 1000 SFH households. Above around 560 households it could be economically advantageous to make a district of residential buildings electrically self-sufficient. In addition, a marginal increase in electrical self-sufficiency is significantly more expensive at lower aggregation scales (i.e. single buildings) compared to the scale of neighbourhoods and districts. The level of interaction with the electrical distribution network increases with increasing electrical self-sufficiency before then decreasing at very high (above 70%) levels. Future work should focus on a richer socioeconomic differentiation, considering other sectors and technologies, incorporating demand side options and analysing the effects on the overarching energy system. AbstractAn increasingly decentralized energy supply structure alongside economic incentives for increasing the level of self-generation and -consumption are encouraging (higher levels of) energy autonomy. Previous work in this area has focused on the technical and economic aspects of energy autonomy at distinct scales, from individual buildings, through neighbourhoods to districts. This paper employs a mixed integer linear program (MILP) to assess the effects of aggregation across these scales on the economics of energy autonomy in residential buildings. The model minimizes total energy system costs over the lifetime of the energy system, including micro-CHP, PV, thermal and electrical storage, and boilers, at five distinct scales and for nine demand cases. It is subject to several constraints, amongst other things the degree of electrical self-sufficiency. The results indicate a shift in the economically optimal level of electrical self-sufficiency with scale, which in Single Family Households (SFHs) means from around 30% at the individual building level to almost 100% in districts of 1000 SFH households. Above around 560 households it could be economically advantageous to make a district of residential b...

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Section: Discussion Of Resultscontrasting

confidence: 40%

Section: Districtsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Districtsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Districtsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Energy autonomy in residential buildings: A techno-economic model-based analysis of the scale effects

2017

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“…Most of them concentrate exclusively on forestry, many focus on economic (e.g., [15]) or logistic valuation (e.g., [16]), and several also on environmental questions (e.g., [11]). The increase in renewable energy production evolves trade-offs regarding the production of food and fodder [17] and further aspects, such as water quantity and quality [18]. Trade-off analyses on energy potential were also carried out regarding the agricultural sector [19][20][21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-Sectoral Resource Management: How Forest Management Alternatives Affect the Provision of Biomass and Other Ecosystem Services

Frank

Fürst

Pietzsch³

2015

Forests

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Integrated forest management is faced with the challenge that the contribution of forests to economic and ecological planning targets must be assessed in a socio-ecological system context. This paper introduces a way to model spatio-temporal dynamics of biomass production at a regional scale in order to derive land use strategies that enhance biomass provision and avoid trade-offs for other ecosystem services. The software platform GISCAME was employed to bridge the gap between local land management decisions and regional planning by linking growth and yield models with an integrative mesoscale modeling and assessment approach. The model region is located in Saxony, Germany. Five scenarios were simulated, which aimed at testing different alternatives for adapted land use in the context of climate change and increasing biomass demand. The results showed, for example, that forest conversion towards climate-change-adapted forest types had positive effects on ecological integrity and landscape aesthetics. In contrast, negative impacts on landscape aesthetics must be expected if agricultural sites were converted into short rotation coppices. Uncertainties with stem from assumptions regarding growth and yield models were discussed. Future developmental steps which consider, for example, accessibility of the resources were identified. OPEN ACCESSForests 2015, 6 534

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A spatially explicit techno‐economic assessment of green biorefinery concepts

Höltinger

Schmidt

Schönhart

et al. 2013

Biofuels Bioprod Bioref

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Biorefi neries are seen as a key component for the transition toward a resource-effi cient, lowcarbon bio-economy. The green biorefi nery (GBR) concept is promoted in several countries to create business and employment opportunities in rural areas. It aims at providing alternative utilization pathways for surplus grassland areas by producing bioenergy, biomaterials, livestock feed, and organic acids. We have developed a spatially explicit, mixed integer programming model that maximizes total producer surpluses of GBR supply chains subject to resource endowments by selecting optimal plant locations and sizes. The model is applied to assess the economic viability of three GBR concepts compared to biogas plants. Impacts of uncertain model input parameters on model outputs are analyzed by Monte-Carlo simulations and regression analysis. The model results reveal that green biorefi neries could utilize signifi cantly more biomass than biogas plants, leading to higher regional feedstock prices. Furthermore, the Monte-Carlo simulation results demonstrate that the economic viability of green biorefi neries mainly depends on the selected process layout and the prices of the main products. Under favorable market conditions GBRs are economically viable even without policy support measures with average profi ts between €15 and €115 t -1 feedstock input.

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Regional energy autarky: Potentials, costs and consequences for an Austrian region

Cited by 78 publications

References 22 publications

Energy autonomy in residential buildings: A techno-economic model-based analysis of the scale effects

Energy autonomy in residential buildings: A techno-economic model-based analysis of the scale effects

Cross-Sectoral Resource Management: How Forest Management Alternatives Affect the Provision of Biomass and Other Ecosystem Services

A spatially explicit techno‐economic assessment of green biorefinery concepts

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