Flexibility implications of optimal PV design: building vs. community scale

The Swiss Energy Strategy 2050 aims for a significant increase in renewable energy generation, with photovoltaic (PV) energy having the largest share. Such development challenges the balance between electricity supply and demand, which can be partly mitigated through optimized PV integration together with energy storage systems. This study investigates the optimal placement of rooftop and façade PV for a small energy community considering investment and operational costs, embodied and operational emissions, and financial and environmental benefits of excess on-site electricity production, as well as batteries and different heating system options. Additionally, a methodology is developed to quantify energy flexibility needs at both the building and community scale. A case study neighborhood, comprising three single-family and two multi-family homes is optimized across different scenarios. Results show that when individual self-consumption is considered, installing an air-to-water heat pump system with a heating buffer tank allows for smaller PV systems with better grid interaction conditions. When collective self-consumption is considered, an overall reduction in PV system size is observed, contributing to reduced energy flexibility needs by effectively lowering peak feed-in power and improving the match between on-site PV production and demand.