How Much Can Small-Scale Wind Energy Production Contribute to Energy Supply in Cities? A Case Study of Berlin

In light of the global effort to limit the temperature rise, many cities have undertaken initiatives to become climate-neutral, making decentralized urban energy production more relevant. This paper addresses the potential of urban wind energy production with small wind turbines, using Berlin as an example. A complete framework from data selection to economic feasibility is constructed to enable the empirical assessment of wind energy for individual buildings and Berlin as a whole. Based on a detailed dataset of all buildings and hourly wind speed on a 1 km(2) grid, the results show that multiple turbines on suitable buildings can significantly contribute to households' energy consumption but fall short of covering the full demand. For individual households, our economic evaluation strongly recommends the self-consumption of the produced electricity. The findings suggest that while the use of small wind turbines should be continuously encouraged, exploring other renewable resources or combination of wind and photovoltaic energy in the urban environment remains important.

Automated summary

This paper explores the potential of urban wind energy production with small wind turbines using Berlin as a case study, emphasizing the importance of decentralized energy production in climate-neutral cities. Findings suggest that while multiple turbines on suitable buildings can contribute significantly to households' energy consumption, they may not cover the full demand, highlighting the need for self-consumption of the produced electricity. The study recommends continued encouragement of small wind turbines use while also exploring other renewable resources or a combination of wind and photovoltaic energy in urban environments.