HOW CAN ENERGY MANAGERS INTEGRATE NETWORK OPTIMISATION STRATEGIES WITHIN DECARBONISATION PLANS?

Energy managers are facing exploding client need for decarbonisation strategies across multi-building sites. This includes large scale residential developments, university campuses, healthcare estates and local authority areas. With the clock ticking to meet emissions targets, pressure is increasing on those in charge of these sites to have a tangible plan in place to meet net zero.

More than 90% of GDP is now covered by net zero targets and more than a third of the world’s largest publicly trading companies have them. With the vast majority of these goals aligned to science-based targets, a huge number of those with multi-building sites have pledged to half emissions by 2030 and be net zero by 2050, including over 50% of the FTSE100.

However, to meet these decarbonisation goals, businesses must have a net zero roadmap in place, and many do not have the tools or the information to create one. For example, only 17% of businesses have implemented a detailed programme for mapping emissions and fewer than half actually monitor them.

With time running out, tackling one building at a time is simply too slow. As a result, the industry is ramping up efforts in energy masterplanning and looking to distributed energy networks and microgrids in order to integrate communities of buildings and unlock local energy decarbonisation opportunities.

Network modelling tools provide opportunities for energy managers and consultants to simulate building energy demand and to assess the feasibility for energy sharing. They can benchmark the energy and resources needed for new and existing developments and assess scope for electric vehicle charging infrastructure and renewable energy generation. This might include the use of wind turbines, solar panels or energy storage.

Energy sharing and the integration of electricity, heating, cooling and waste networks can be achieved through the creation of a network digital twin. This form of digital twin can connect to and interact with building and city level digital twins, as well as exist on its own. It enables virtual testing of energy network scenarios to identify the best performing solution. As a result, energy managers, and clients, can be assured that energy is being utilised in the most effective way, driving efficiency, reducing bills and enhancing resilience.

The impact of different scenarios, such as how district cooling would affect water use or how electrifying heat would impact the power grid, can be analysed to ensure that any decarbonisation options that are implemented don’t encounter issues later down the line.

An example of how network modelling and digital twin technology can be utilised to identify the best energy strategy can be seen through a case study of Pollok Park, Glasgow’s largest park. The estate is home to grade two listed Pollok House and The Burrell Collection.

As part of Glasgow City Council’s efforts to meet net zero carbon by 2050, they needed to mitigate emissions across the Pollok Park estate. To do so, IES created a digital twin of the estate, utilising network modelling tools to analyse energy supply and demand between different buildings, identify how resources could be exchanged between them and how renewable energy could be generated.

The digital twin is being used to inform decision-making on how to make the park energy independent by generating energy and heat locally. By virtually testing different scenarios, the Council is able to implement the best net zero approach and communicate to stakeholders where energy waste can be reduced, and efficiency improved. So far, planned improvements indicate a 34% reduction in Pollok Park’s carbon emissions and findings show that the park could reach its net zero carbon goal through a combination of battery storage, additional renewables,

heat pumps and interconnecting heat and electrical networks.

Those tasked with undertaking decarbonisation feasibility studies for clients that have multi-building sites can utilise network modelling and digital twin technology to gain a holistic view of the whole energy system. From this, they can help clients to deliver on clean energy targets, whilst building in opportunities to strengthen selfsufficiency through generation.

In the midst of the energy crisis, energy resilience is high on the agenda. From both a sustainability and security perspective, businesses are keen to explore ways that they can move towards energy independence through renewable energy sources.

Generation, integration, distribution and optimisation of energy systems will play a vital role in meeting decarbonisation goals. As the window for action narrows, those in charge of decarbonising multi-building sites must utilise the tools available to accelerate the move to net zero.

Over the last 25+ years, IES has built a solid reputation as the leading global innovator in integrated performancebased analysis for the built environment. Its digital twin technology facilitates the creation of resource-efficient, healthy and cost-effective built-environments of any size or purpose – supporting citizens, companies, campuses, communities, cities and even countries. For additional information, please visit www.iesve.com. You can also follow IES on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and check out https:// www.iesve.com/discoveries for all the latest news and content.