The increasing share of decentralized intermittent renewable energy reinforces the
necessity of balancing local production and consumption. Decentralized energy
systems, powered by renewable energy technologies and incorporating storage and
conversion technologies, are promising options to cope with this challenge. Many
studies have evaluated their potential contributions, but an overview of the statusquo
in both academia and practice is missing. The extant literature lacks a comprehensive
review of the scientific knowledge on decentralized energy systems,
partially attributed to the lack of common terminology. Additionally, it remains
unclear what kind of systems are already implemented today worldwide as they
have not yet been thoroughly analyzed and described. However, pilot projects provide
valuable insights into future applications and operational aspects. To fill these
gaps, an extensive review of the current state of literature and practice is conducted.
To do so, 64 publications and 56 projects were analyzed and an overview is provided
using four criteria: terminology, scope/motivation, application, and technical
configuration. These criteria facilitate the understanding of decentralized energy
systems needed to spur their development and diffusion. Further advancements of
research and practice are discussed. For example, technological learning hinges on
a common terminology and on an identification of optimal technical configurations
per application. There are both avenues for future research.
This article is categorized under:
Energy Systems Analysis > Economics and Policy
Energy Infrastructure > Systems and Infrastructure
Energy and Urban Design > Systems and Infrastructure
Energy Research & Innovation > Systems and Infrastructure