Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES): A framework for exploring transition, context, and impacts

Abstract

Energy systems around the world are becoming increasingly decarbonised, decentralised, democratised, and digitised. However, what future smart local energy systems (SLES) will look like and how this will deliver against anticipated system benefits is not clear. This paper presents the results of a meta-narrative review and interview study focused on understanding conceptualisations of SLES using a systems thinking lens. Fifty-one relevant sources of information are reviewed (13 interview transcripts and 38 sources of literature) and coded according to 40 distinct codes. While findings show significant ambiguity in how SLES are conceptualised, some common themes emerged: (1) the purpose or goals of a SLES often extend beyond delivering energy services to end users, and are often intertwined with delivering additional environmental, social and economic benefits; (2) ‘smart’ elements typically include the information and communications technologies to generate data that can be used to optimise energy flows in a locality, either through autonomous or human-in-the loop mechanisms; (3) locality is hard to define and will likely be context specific and depend on the ultimate goal of the system, and the actors and infrastructure involved, and (4) the ultimate goals of a SLES may not be realised unless the system elements and their interconnections are understood, and can be mapped to these benefits. Further work is recommended to explore how the presence (or absence) of ‘smart’ and ‘local’ elements (including how they are connected) can deliver these benefits.

The (in)justices of smart local energy systems: A systematic review, integrated framework, and future research agenda

“…To realise a new net-zero and just economy, energy decentralisation has emerged as an important element underpinning the transition towards a sustainable and equitable energy system [13][14][15][16]. While there is no formal definition of energy decentralisation, it can include localisation of energy hardware, network management, asset ownership, planning, decisionmaking authority, market structure, public participation and so on [17]. Local, 'place-based' energy solutions offer a number of potential advantages over centralised, 'one size fits all' solutions.…”

“…Energy system digitalisation is regarded as key to unlocking the benefits of local energy systems [17]. 'Smart' technologies, which self-report, analyse, monitor, and automate, often go hand in hand with decentralisation because the majority of local energy systems rely on intermittent renewables like onshore wind or solar PV [17].…”

“…Energy system digitalisation is regarded as key to unlocking the benefits of local energy systems [17]. 'Smart' technologies, which self-report, analyse, monitor, and automate, often go hand in hand with decentralisation because the majority of local energy systems rely on intermittent renewables like onshore wind or solar PV [17]. Consequently, smart systems can help to better align peaks in energy supply and demand on the grid, for instance, through demand load management and local system balancing.…”

“…Smart technology is "layered into energy systems by collecting and using more and different forms of data" to facilitate a widerange of process improvements that can yield efficiency gains and cost reductions [20]. This intelligent use of system data can also enable users to actively make more informed decisions about the timing and level of their energy use [17].…”

“…There are a potential myriad of antecedents -i.e. preceding events, conditions, barriers or causes -that drive these energy (in)justices [3,4] -yet efforts to integrate both smart and local energy system literature have been slow to emerge [17].…”