The toolbox gathered methodological elements (tools) that could be used for local energy system planning and it enables users to learn and understand the use and potential benefits of these tools.
The web portal was intended as an environment for discussions, guidance and decision support in local energy systems planning, aiming at narrowing the gap between the availability of scientific solutions and their use in practice. For this, the portal was designed to meet the requirements of both the scientific community (researchers, teachers, students) and of the actual planners (municipalities, local authorities, utilities and other stakeholders).
The Energy Planning Toolbox was the result of the research carried out within the SEDS project (Sustainable Energy Distribution Systems), at NTNU and SINTEF Energy Research in Trondheim, Norway.
The Energy Planning Toolbox provides guidance for carrying out the planning process and for selecting and applying tools that can support energy system planning decisions.
The Energy Planning Toolbox contains
Models:
- Data sources / Load
- Impact assessment
- Decision support
Planning tasks:
- Study planning. Initial information survey
- Energy services demand estimation
- Establishment of alternatives
- Impact estimation
- Analysis and optimization
- Decision making. Realization of the preferred alternative
Case studies/Examples:
- Planning new energy distribution infrastructure
- Incentives for extending energy distribution infrastructure
- Load modelling
Related projects:
- SEDS project (Sustainable Energy Distribution Systems)
- eTransport - new tool for local planning of sustainable energy systems
