Impacts of Local Energy Exchange in Low Voltage Communities: A German Case Study

Abstract

Local Energy Communities (LECs) provide a framework for community-oriented use of prosumer-owned renewable generation and storage units. For LECs to gain acceptance and eventually become widespread actors in future energy systems, their impacts on the grid and its participants must be investigated. However, the scientific landscape lacks sufficient quantitative analyses that specifically investigate the effects of LECs on the underlying grid infrastructure. This work conducts a case study to understand the system effects that may arise from the local cooperation of prosumers in future low voltage systems in Germany. To analyze these effects, performance metrics are defined, which help to compare the energy neutrality and grid reliability of low voltage (LV) grids with and without local energy exchanges. Furthermore, representative test grids are synthesized by considering the existing (2020) and predicted future (2030) distribution of energy assets, such as photovoltaics, battery storage, electrical heat pumps, and electric vehicles in Germany. For these grids, simulations considering different scenarios, including both the reference and community behavior of their participants, are conducted, and the defined performance metrics are applied. The simulations show that the LEC provides significant benefits in terms of energy neutrality and grid reliability. In this way, this study complements ongoing efforts in the design of LECs and incentives for customers, for example, in the form of favorable tariffs for locally generated energy.