New article by researchers from SusTec accepted for publication in Energy & Buildings

Decentralized renewable energy systems (DRES) integrate renewable energy sources with energy-efficient building technologies and represent an important instrument for a sustainable built environment. Given their technological complexity, DRES also include comprehensive monitoring systems that offer important opportunities to optimize energy flows and increase energy efficiency. For these reasons, research has developed a range of automated optimization models and algorithms, such as association rule mining or fault detection diagnosis. To date, however, it remains unclear under what conditions these advanced and automated technologies may best be integrated to optimize DRES.

In this paper, the authors provide a complementary industry perspective, drawing on an in-depth case study of the optimization activities within Download Suurstoffi, one of the most advanced DRES in Switzerland. Over the course of five years, some of the optimization measures helped reduce energy consumption by 55-60%. Yet, the optimization potential of other measures remained unclear. The case study shows that, while technical aspects have given rise to optimization potential, organizational aspects have prevented, or at least delayed, the application of scientific algorithms, and have thus obstructed the realization of this optimization potential. These findings call for researchers to better integrate the technical and operational aspects into the optimization of energy systems and also offer important recommendations for policymakers, investors, and energy planners. Work on this research paper is financially supported by the Swiss Innovation Agency Innosuisse and is part of the Download Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research (SCCER) FEEB&D.

A free version of the article is available Download here