Dimension and economic feasibility evaluation of a PV plant and of an energy community: a case study in Venice, Italy

Abstract

Since the adoption of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) and the IEM, the European Union has introduced new directives and frameworks for the energetic sector, and in particular for the realisation of Renewable Energy Communities (RECs). The self-consumption concept introduced by these ones perfectly reflects the green transition’s aims of EU and the established SDGs in the Agenda 2030 and in the Paris Agreement. This master thesis research provides a practical analysis on the implementation of a REC in the island of Vignole, in the lagoon of Venice. In fact, this work provides a brief summary on the present Italian legislative scenario, and acts as a possible support tool for the community of the island for realising the PV plant. More in details, the thesis provides different analyses on the dimension of the photovoltaic plant and its possible configurations, an assessment on the electricity production and the self-consume maximization of it under an ideal residents’ energy load profile built on their habits and their appliances’ characteristics. The last part provides an economic evaluation on the payback period of the PV plant initial investment, a brief environmental assessment on the benefits in terms of atmospheric CO2 emissions, and some suggestions about the development of the REC in the next future, especially considering possible renovations of the residents’ houses.