Methodology for Optimally Sizing a Green Electric and Thermal Eco-Village

This paper presents an energy system for a future eco-village, situated in Luxembourg’s city center, whose thermal and electrical energy needs are covered by renewable resources. Specifically, electrical energy is provided by a biogas driven combined heat and power plant, and photovoltaic panels. Lithium-ion accumulators are used for storing the surplus of electrical energy production. Thermal energy needs are mainly covered by a dual source heat pump which draws environmental energy from an ice tank or solar air absorbers. A heat buffer stores heat produced by the combined heat and power plant, a power to heat module and the heat pump. This work focuses on optimally sizing, in terms of power rating, capacity or volume, the energy system components. To this end, a combinatorial simulation-based optimization approach has been developed using MATLAB. The optimal set-up is determined by minimizing the overall cost of the energy system with additional constraints to be respected. Annual needs in thermal and electrical energy, photovoltaic electricity production and the corresponding weather data are based on real data.