Potential for Net-Zero Energy Communities in Kuwait: An Empirical Techno-Economic Modeling and Optimization Approach
A net-zero energy community (NZEC) is a promising paradigm that can directly contribute to a sustainable building sector and infrastructure. This research presents a unique empirical techno-economic optimization and evaluation approach for NZEC potential and enablers through its application to the u...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Buildings |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/8/2096 |
| _version_ | 1827730126259879936 |
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| author | Bader Alaifan Elie Azar |
| author_facet | Bader Alaifan Elie Azar |
| author_sort | Bader Alaifan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A net-zero energy community (NZEC) is a promising paradigm that can directly contribute to a sustainable building sector and infrastructure. This research presents a unique empirical techno-economic optimization and evaluation approach for NZEC potential and enablers through its application to the understudied context of Kuwait. The proposed approach is unique, as it integrates data-driven and physics-based modelling capabilities, captures the impact of urban form on NZEC techno-economic performance, and quantifies through sensitivity analyses the impact of potential enablers in overcoming financial barriers to adoption. Results indicate that NZECs are far from being competitive in Kuwait compared to the business-as-usual scenario of electricity grid purchase at highly subsidized tariffs. Increasing electricity rates to a minimum of 0.03 $/kWh is recommended, coupled with investing in energy efficiency and enabling grid sell-back capabilities. Finally, results indicate that the energy demand profiles of office and multi-family buildings are more advantageous for efficient NZEC design and performance than villas, the most predominant building type in Kuwait. Limiting the share of NZEC energy demand from villas to 25% helps avoid excessive energy generation and storage capacities and costs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:04:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c5e808c1789b4adabf3d52bdabf25059 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:04:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj.art-c5e808c1789b4adabf3d52bdabf250592023-11-19T00:31:25ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092023-08-01138209610.3390/buildings13082096Potential for Net-Zero Energy Communities in Kuwait: An Empirical Techno-Economic Modeling and Optimization ApproachBader Alaifan0Elie Azar1Department of Engineering, Kuwait Municipality, Kuwait City P.O. Box 10, KuwaitDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, CanadaA net-zero energy community (NZEC) is a promising paradigm that can directly contribute to a sustainable building sector and infrastructure. This research presents a unique empirical techno-economic optimization and evaluation approach for NZEC potential and enablers through its application to the understudied context of Kuwait. The proposed approach is unique, as it integrates data-driven and physics-based modelling capabilities, captures the impact of urban form on NZEC techno-economic performance, and quantifies through sensitivity analyses the impact of potential enablers in overcoming financial barriers to adoption. Results indicate that NZECs are far from being competitive in Kuwait compared to the business-as-usual scenario of electricity grid purchase at highly subsidized tariffs. Increasing electricity rates to a minimum of 0.03 $/kWh is recommended, coupled with investing in energy efficiency and enabling grid sell-back capabilities. Finally, results indicate that the energy demand profiles of office and multi-family buildings are more advantageous for efficient NZEC design and performance than villas, the most predominant building type in Kuwait. Limiting the share of NZEC energy demand from villas to 25% helps avoid excessive energy generation and storage capacities and costs.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/8/2096net-zero energy communityenergy demandrenewable energymodelingoptimizationKuwait |
| spellingShingle | Bader Alaifan Elie Azar Potential for Net-Zero Energy Communities in Kuwait: An Empirical Techno-Economic Modeling and Optimization Approach Buildings net-zero energy community energy demand renewable energy modeling optimization Kuwait |
| title | Potential for Net-Zero Energy Communities in Kuwait: An Empirical Techno-Economic Modeling and Optimization Approach |
| title_full | Potential for Net-Zero Energy Communities in Kuwait: An Empirical Techno-Economic Modeling and Optimization Approach |
| title_fullStr | Potential for Net-Zero Energy Communities in Kuwait: An Empirical Techno-Economic Modeling and Optimization Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potential for Net-Zero Energy Communities in Kuwait: An Empirical Techno-Economic Modeling and Optimization Approach |
| title_short | Potential for Net-Zero Energy Communities in Kuwait: An Empirical Techno-Economic Modeling and Optimization Approach |
| title_sort | potential for net zero energy communities in kuwait an empirical techno economic modeling and optimization approach |
| topic | net-zero energy community energy demand renewable energy modeling optimization Kuwait |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/8/2096 |
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