Community energy systems are required to supply energy according to reliability and quality specifications but also under economic profitability conditions. These simple goals derive into a complex planning process hampered by uncertainties, a source of risks that system planners need to avoid or at least to control. In this presentation the long-term profitability of a CHP-based microgrid is assessed. A case study based on a university campus located in an urban area is presented. Different sources of uncertainties are considered under different business models, studying also the impact of different types of incentives into profitability boundaries.
Carlos Gamarra, Houston Advanced Research Center