Integrated Assessment Model for Urban Energy Network System

Abstract

We have constructed a model to evaluate a distributed energy supply network system in an urban district and have evaluated an actual urban district in Utsunomiya, a mid-size city in Japan. This model enables us to deduce an energy-saving plan through energy exchange between residential and commercial buildings in the district. We conducted a case study in the actual urban district and examined the possibility of energy saving and CO2 reduction. From GIS data, we calculated the floor space and building space. Then using the model, we then estimated the energy load of each building and calculated the total energy load of the urban district. We evaluated the potential CO2 reduction as well we energy savings under the following three cases: case 1—installing a cogeneration system (CGS) in each building, case 2—installing a CGS in each building and an energy exchange network connecting the buildings, and case 3—the installation of a CGS and an energy exchange network with the minimum purchase of electricity to the district. The evaluated results indicated the installation capacity and operating conditions of the network system, considering the surplus electric power of photovoltaic systems and CGSs. Further, for case 2, the energy consumption to be reduced by approximately 2% comparing with case 1.