Evaluation of the shallow geothermal potential for heating and cooling and its integration in the socioeconomic environment: A case study in the Region of Murcia, Spain

In order to boost the use of shallow geothermal energy, reliable and sound information concerning its potential must be provided to the public and energy decision-makers, among others. To this end, we developed a GIS-based methodology that allowed us to estimate the resource, energy, economic and environmental potential of shallow geothermal energy at a regional scale. Our method focuses on closed-loop borehole heat exchanger systems, which are by far the systems that are most utilized for heating and cooling purposes, and whose energy demands are similar throughout the year in the study area applied. The resource was assessed based on the thermal properties from the surface to a depth of 100 m, considering the water saturation grade of the materials. Additionally, climate and building characteristics data were also used as the main input. The G.POT method was used for assessing the annual shallow geothermal resource and for the specific heat extraction (sHe) rate estimation for both heating and, for the first time, for cooling. The method was applied to the Region of Murcia (Spain) and thematic maps were created with the outputting results. They offer insight toward the thermal energy that can be extracted for both heating and cooling in (MWh/year) and (W/m); the technical potential, making a distinction over the climate zones in the region; the cost of the possible ground source heat pump (GSHP) installation, associated payback period and the cost of producing the shallow geothermal energy; and, finally, the GHG emissions savings derived from its usage. The model also output the specific heat extraction rates, which are compared to those from the VDI 4640, which prove to be slightly higher than the previous one

Spatial analysis of indicators affecting the exploitation of shallow geothermal energy at European scale

Shallow Geothermal Energy (SGE) exploited by vertical close loop Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) is a proven, reliable, and widespread renewable heating and cooling technology. However, in many regions there is still a lack of awareness among policy makers and end users, constituting a major constraint to wider deployment of SGE. In order to contribute to its market consolidation, this work focuses on bringing to light relevant spatial information affecting the suitability of SGE exploitation. This information is the result of the systematization of geological, climatic, and environmental open and available data translated into performance indicators. A set of thematic maps was created using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) comprising the European Member States and other European countries. The relative area and the amount of population affected per indicator was spatially analyzed to determine the most common values found and the affected population. The relationship between area percentage and population affected percentage per indicator was also analyzed and allowed to identify the most common indicators values in areas where high energy demands are expected. Additionally, an example of how this data can be used into a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) framework is shown.This article is part of a project that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 727583 (GEOCOND). This work was partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), reference TIN2017e86647eP. The authors also acknowledge the support of the Fundación Séeneca (Region of Murcia, Spain) through the Grant 19882eGERMe15

GIS-based MCDM dual optimization approach for territorial-scale offshore wind power plants

Despite the relevant potential of offshore resource to substantially mitigate the effects of climate change through the generation of renewable electricity, the full exploitation of such wind resource currently remains incomplete. To promote offshore wind energy projects, it is crucial to engage in comprehensive planning processes that encompass technical, social, environmental, stakeholder, and political considerations. Within this framework, this paper presents a combined approach based on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methodology to optimize the selection of offshore wind farm locations. The proposed methodology includes annual net electricity production as a critical factor in the decisionmaking process, which has been previously optimized with regard to the wake effect. Subsequently, the determination of potential locations involves key criteria such as technical feasibility, environmental impact, economic viability, and power generation potential. This MCDM-GIS approach was applied and evaluated in a case study along the Spanish coastline, considering 92 initial alternatives. The results indicate that the offshore wind energy targets established for Spain in 2030 and 2050 should be reevaluated, as the optimal utilization of the available area represents only 16% of the total potential area. Based on the aforementioned criteria, a suitability map was generated by integrating all relevant map layers, including their respective buffer zones.2023-2

Energy, Economic and Environmental GIS–based Analysis of Shallow Geothermal Potential in Urban Areas. A Spanish Case Example

During the last decades, both population growth and increasingly concentration in cities turn these areas into major consumers of energy, mainly due to heating and cooling energy demanded by residential and commercial sectors. In parallel, the promotion of renewables and policies aimed to decrease fossil fuel dependence and save emissions have addressed mostly solutions based on renewable energy resources. Under this scenario, this paper evaluates the feasibility of vertical Ground Source Heat Pump systems based on the spatial study of the site–specific parameters affecting their performance at a local scale. A GIS–based energy, economic and environmental multidimensional approach is then proposed to analyze the heating and cooling energy demand by considering the urban pattern and the real space available for the installations. The paper explores and compares different Borehole Heat Exchanger Ground Source Heat Pump systems by using the G.POT method applied to residential customers. Two Spanish residential locations are included as case study. From the results, geothermal resource gives highly beneficial results also for cooling energy demand, which is not usually considered in geothermal analysis. The proposed renewable system can be also evaluated from this multidimensional perspective on both commercial and tertiary sector, as well as in other locations with a diversity of heating and cooling energy demand profiles.2020-2

Fuzzy GIS-based MCDM solution for the optimal offshore wind site selection: The Gulf of Maine case

This paper describes a multi-criterion decision-making approach for optimal off-shore wind location assessment by including fuzzy geographical information systems to prioritize the different locations and alternatives. The multi-objective framework involves a variety of elements, such as climatic, geographic, social, environmental, location, and economic factors. The proposed decision-making solution is based on a multicriteria evaluation method divided into two steps: an analytic hierarchy process and a prioritization of the alternatives in comparison to a parallel approach based on a fuzzy geographical information system solution. The Gulf of Maine (USA) is considered as a case example, owing to the relevant offshore wind potential of such an area. A descriptive statistical evaluation of the wind resource was previously carried out to characterize this area with wind speed field measurements for 10 years (2010–2019). A design proposal for a 1 GW offshore wind power plant is used in a case study based on a 15 MW variable speed wind turbine prototype recently proposed by the IEA Wind Task 37. The results include prioritization of optimal offshore wind power plant sites, levelized cost of electricity estimation, and avoided emissions in comparison to traditional supply side scenarios, mainly based on fossil fuel generation units.2021-2

Energy Communities: Decarbonization And Decentralization Of Theenergy System

The European Commission's Clean Energy for All Europeans package confirms the leading role that citizens and communities will play in the future energy system. Energy communities are legal entities voluntarily integrated by individuals or companies, aligned with the objectives of sustainable development, allow partners to achieve energy, economic, environmental and social benefits that promote the expansion of renewable energies, improve energy efficiency, contribute to the decarbonization and decentralization of the energy system. The dual role of each member, shareholder and end user guarantees the advantages of energy communities: they create a sustainable environment, increase social development, control energy by its members, reduce costs, promote the use of clean energy, and help in the fight against climate change. In this field, this work presents a review of the state of the art of energy communities in Europe: the legal framework of the main countries, the activities and organizational forms, the types of renewable energy, a comparison of European success stories and Guide to project an energy community.2021-2

A Comparative Analysis Based on GIS and Fuzzy MCDM Approaches Case Study: Offshore Wind Site Selection in the Gulf of Maine

The site selection process to optimize renewable facilities has become a relevant issue, mainly due to the variability of such resources. Among the different solutions, Geographic Information Systems in combination with fuzzy logic and Multi-Criteria Decision Making approaches provide a consistent tools to solve these complex decision problems. Moreover, the versatility of GIS software has led to the generation of spatial analysis extensions, such as the fuzzy membership tool transforming the input data into real numbers that belongs to the unit interval. In this work, a comparative study between fuzzy membership tool of ArcGIS software and a combination of the fuzzy MCDM methodologies (AHP-TOPSIS) is applied to optimize the offshore wind site selection. A case study based on the offshore wind resource in the Gulf of Maine is also included and discussed.2020-2

Renewable hybrid systems for space heating and cooling bibliographic review

Environmental sustainability has become one of the biggest problems facing the energy sector today. In developed countries, the building sector represents 40% of the total primary energy demand which in most cases is still supplied mainly with conventional energy sources. Therefore, implementing energy efficiency measures combined with energy systems renewable is a major priority to decarbonize the economy. Interest in air conditioning systems has increased globally, as such systems have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, use fossil fuels, and improve energy security. Hybrid systems composed of renewable sources plus conventional systems focused on air conditioning, do not provide sufficient benefits. However, 100% renewable hybrid systems that replace traditional air conditioning systems have great environmental, social, and economic advantages and also overcome the barrier of intermittence of renewable energy sources. In this area, this work presents a review of the state of the art of specific renewable hybrid systems for air conditioning. It analyses the sources of renewable origin that are most used, the optimization models, storage methods, and type of systems: isolated or connected to the network.2021-2

A GIS-based offshore wind site selection model using fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making with application to the case of the Gulf of Maine

In the last decades, a considerable number of studies have been conducted to find the optimal locations for renewable energy facilities. The reviewed literature demonstrates how the combination of spatial representation computer tools, such as geographic information systems (GIS), with multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methodologies, has successfully solved the problem of identifying optimal locations. Furthermore, since the appearance of fuzzy logic, the combination approaches have extended to the field of fuzzy sets to consider the imprecision and vagueness that some criteria may involve. In this paper, we propose a comparative analysis among fuzzy versions of MCDM methodologies, including GIS technologies, for the optimal site selection of offshore wind power plants. With this aim, we combined a classical pair-wise comparison method (AHP) with two distance-based approaches (TOPSIS and VIKOR), applying GIS software and comparing the two most extended fuzzy membership functions: triangular and linear. As a case study, this optimal location problem was applied to offshore wind site selection in the Gulf of Maine (USA). Initially, 56 alternatives for potential locations were identified from 22,331 km study area. After applying the AHP methodology, the weights of the criteria were obtained, turning out to be the wind speed and bathymetry the most important criteria. The results demonstrate the robustness of the fuzzy TOPSIS methodology against potential variations in the criteria weights, since the best alternatives (optimal locations) and almost 90% of the 25 top–ranked alternatives were matching. Likewise, the rankings of alternatives illustrate that the use of triangular or linear fuzzy membership functions does not cause significant differences after applying the fuzzy VIKOR methodology and ArcGIS software. In fact, the most appropriate alternative is the same for both cases, and there is only an exchange of positions among the top–ranked alternatives. The proposed solutions can be applied to other locations and both onshore and offshore installations.2021-2