Europe plan to transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a renewable energy system by 2050, with electricity as the primary energy carrier. Central to this vision are Positive Energy Districts (PEDs)—urban areas that generate as much energy as they consume annually.

DEUSTO SUSTAINABLE RESEARCH GROUP has recently published a paper that focuses on a PED model featuring centralized energy storage aimed at optimizing electricity self-sufficiency and self-consumption. Utilizing a fuzzy logic-based energy management system, the model adjusts the state of charge of energy storage by considering local electricity production, consumption, and tariff contracts.

Testing this model in a PED of 360 households in Bilbao, Spain, researchers evaluated various scenarios, including different storage sizes, climate change effects, and extreme energy price fluctuations. Findings indicate that the PED can achieve up to 75.6% self-sufficiency and 76.8% self-consumption, with climate change potentially enhancing these figures.

This research underscores the viability of PEDs in advancing Europe’s renewable energy goals, presenting a robust framework for urban energy resilience and sustainability.