Building-to-vehicle-to-building approach for the NZEB target at a micro-grid level: A comprehensive sensitivity and parametric post-optimality analysis

This paper focuses on a novel energy management approach for cluster of buildings connected in micro-grids by taking advantages from plug-in electric vehicles considered as vector devices for renewable energy exchanges, besides additional high-power appliances and house electricity sources. Such approach allows accelerating the development of nearly zero energy buildings and promoting the deployment of renewable energy sources at a micro grid level. To this aim, a dynamic simulation model, implemented in MatLab was developed for the building energy demands and loads assessment. To show the potentiality of the considered concept and approach, a case study based on a micro-grid consisting of a house and an office building connected by an electric vehicle is presented. The optimization of three different layouts, where electricity is alternatively produced by tilted roof or vertical façade photovoltaic panels is conducted by means of a parametric analysis performed by varying the vehicles energy use, battery capacities and solar field size. Preliminary results show that, by considering economic criteria, by exploiting the renewable energy production on and off-site, the buildings final demands decrease to values lower than those commonly considered for NZEBs.