Establishing a local energy planning and evaluation system prototype to support decarbonized community development

Abstract

The introduction and spread of local energy systems by local governments and other local entities have been attracting attention; however, considering measures tailored to local conditions faces various challenges, and the development of versatile methods has become an important issue. This study aims to develop a prototype of a local energy planning and evaluation system based on detailed energy management simulations, considering regional conditions as a scientific tool. This system can perform simulations that combine electricity and heat demand patterns, renewable energy sources (solar and wind power), district heating and cooling using cogeneration systems, storage batteries and electric vehicles (EVs) used to adjust the supply and demand balance, and hydrogen production, and can consider the optimal system for each region. The developed prototype is designed for scalability across various regions and features an intuitive interface, ensuring ease of use for local government policymakers and energy company employees. Using this system, we evaluated the local energy business development in Shinchi, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, as a case study. Specifically, we focused on the introduction of a local energy supply through cogeneration and quantified the CO₂ reduction effect obtained by expanding the supply area, increasing the supply of renewable energy, and introducing various energy management technologies to optimize the supply–demand balance.