Recent developments in simulation-based assessments of integrated urban energy systems

Conference paper (2018)

Authors

Edmund Widl AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
G. Agugiaro Urban Data Science - Architecture and the Built Environment
Oliver Gehrke Technical University of Denmark
Tue Vissing Jensen Technical University of Denmark
Thuy-An Nguyen EDF Lab Les Renardieres
Research Group
Urban Data Science (Architecture and the Built Environment) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2018 Edmund Widl, G. Agugiaro, Oliver Gehrke, Tue Vissing Jensen, Thuy-An Nguyen
Co-simulation Energy system integration Data harmonization Model harmonization Methodology development
More Info
expand_more

Published Date

2018

Language

English

Reuse Rights

Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.

Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Department

Urbanism

Research Group

Urban Data Science

Abstract

Simulation-based assessments are a cost- and time-effective way of evaluating various aspects of large energy systems. For instance, they can help in the design process of energy systems, where they provide insights into technical or economic questions. Or they can be used for developing operational strategies and controllers to increase the efficiency of energy systems.
In the case of integrated urban energy systems, simulation-based assessments still remain challenging due to their complex requirements, from both a methodological as well as a technical perspective. This is not only due to the size of the considered systems but also due to the fact that they comprise and integrate subsystems that are related to different engineering domains (e.g., electric grids and heat networks) and different stakeholders. Nevertheless, recent work has demonstrated how innovative simulation approaches can be successfully utilized in this context, enabling detailed multi-domain assessments for urban energy systems.
However, not only models and tools are necessary for such complex simulation based assessments. Issues related to data availability and reproducibility are of equal importance, in order to set up simulations and compare results. And, with the help of proper methodologies, it is possible to exploit synergies between complementary simulation approaches for holistic assessments. Within this context, this paper highlights recent developments from research projects that target these issues. The examples demonstrate how these new approaches help in understanding the associated risks and potentials, paving the way for early adopters to implement innovative concepts in the context of integrated urban energy systems.