Opportunities and economic assessment for a third-party delivering electricity, heat and cold to residential buildings

In the present context of energy transition towards a carbon neutral society, residential sector plays an important role to combat climate change since it represents about 40% of the global final energy consumption and 30% of direct CO2 emissions in the European Union. Polygeneration systems, facilitating the integration of renewable energies, are a feasible alternative enabling efficient use of natural resources with low environmental impact. This work analyzes the economic viability, in terms of net present value (NPV), and environmental benefit (CO2eq emissions) of an energy supplier company playing the role on an aggregator for both demand and supply. As an owner of a polygeneration system, optimally designed through a MILP approach, it delivers various energy services (electricity, space heating, domestic hot water and cold) to several customers (50 dwellings). The analysis is performed, considering three different business models, in two different locations, Zaragoza (Spain) and Marseille (France), with different energy demands, energy mixes and energy regulations. The optimal configuration obtained, consisting of cogeneration module, PV, reversible heat pump, boiler and thermal energy storage has shown to be very resilient and cost-effective in the scenarios analyzed. Results indicate that the proposed scheme represents an added value for both the supplier company (aggregator), with a positive NPV, and the final customers (owing savings greater than 30%), with significant reduction of CO2 eq emissions.

Automated summary

In the current energy transition towards carbon neutrality, the residential sector has a crucial role in combating climate change due to its significant contribution to global final energy consumption and direct CO2 emissions in the European Union. Polygeneration systems, which integrate renewable energies, offer an environmentally friendly and efficient use of natural resources. This study examines the economic viability and environmental benefits of an energy supplier company that acts as an aggregator for both demand and supply, owning a polygeneration system optimized through a MILP approach. Results show that the proposed configuration, including cogeneration, PV, heat pump, boiler, and thermal energy storage, is resilient and cost-effective, providing value for both the supplier company and final customers with reduced CO2 eq emissions.