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The ENERKAD tool offers a validated platform that helps urban energy planning work towards an efficient energy transition

30 April 2021
Análisis energético de Bilbao

Towns play a key role in energy transition towards low carbon economies

ENERKAD is a tool that has been created using basic cartographic and cadastral data, and climate data. It calculates the hourly heating and electricity demand in each building in certain parts of town. The application conducts an energy diagnosis of the building and generates and compares scenarios to improve in the medium to long term. The results show a georeferenced (for each building) energy, financial and environmental assessment and for the entire area that is being assessed, in several formats. These include a 3D visor.

With the scenario comparison tool, the impact of potential improvement measures can be assessed: refurbishment of roofs, façades and windows (passive measures); replacement of boilers and other active measures, or the installation of solar thermal and photovoltaic systems. Energy calculations take place every hour. In the case of photovoltaic production, ENERKAD carries out an automatic self-consumption assessment.

ENERKAD-Solar identifies the realistic potential of photovoltaic installations on roofs in the town, as well as the optimal size of the installation from a legal and financial point of view. An irradiance map is generated using climate data, LIDAR data and cadastral information, to get an accurate and reliable hourly economic and energy assessment.

This system has been used by Irún Town Council to conduct a thorough analysis of the real potential of implementing solar power in the town. Using a solar power visor, based on ENERKAD-Solar, the council offers the public relevant information like building energy demand or roof surface available to install photovoltaic panels. Several return on investment periods are taken into account in the analysis, as well as the percentage of self-sufficiency of each one.

Towns play a key role in energy transition towards low carbon economies. A detailed view of the town is essential in order to make decisions that enable the council to plan and implement the most effective and promising solutions. This energy view needs tools that support decision-making using information that can be easily accessed.

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