{"id":116929,"key":"Ecovillage_&_Intentional_Community_Solutions:_Energy","title":"Ecovillage & Intentional Community Solutions: Energy","latest":{"id":1244782,"timestamp":"2026-04-26T20:38:12Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"{{Ecovillage Research Project notice}}{{Ecovillage Research Project navigation}}\n\n== INTRODUCTION ==\n\nEcovillages and Intentional Communities often utilize tools, technologies, and practices to reduce total energy consumption and produce and deliver local energy using renewable energy sources, like biomass, hydroelectric or hydrokinetic, solar, and wind power. These energy sources are frequently rather small scale, serving individual buildings, neighborhoods, or rather small communities. Any size and scale is possible though, up to and including major utility-scale projects in scales all the way up to gigawatts.\n\n[Include intro section discussions of each major clean-energy type?]\n\n=== Bioenergy ===\n\n* Princeton University, 2024, ''Charting at pathway to next-gen biofuels'' [Electronic article], available at: https://cbe.princeton.edu/news/charting-pathway-next-gen-biofuels\n* Raygoza-Limón, María E., Gabriel Trujillo-Hernández, et al. (2026) “Assessing Bioenergy Sustainability through Integrated Environmental, Social, and Techno-Economic Dimensions.” ''Academia Green Energy'' ''V3'', n1. doi: <u>[https://doi.org/10.20935/AcadEnergy8138 10.20935/AcadEnergy8138]</u>.\n\n=== Energy storage ===\n\n* Battery electric storage\n* Chemical storage\n* Thermal energy storage\n* National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Energy Analysis, ''Storage Futures Study'' [Web page, retrieved March 2024], https://www.nrel.gov/analysis/storage-futures.html\n* Y. Yang, G. Hu and C. J. Spanos, \"Optimal Sharing and Fair Cost Allocation of Community Energy Storage,\" in ''IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid'', vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 4185-4194, Sept. 2021, doi: [https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9440895 10.1109/TSG.2021.3083882].\n* Thermal energy storage <introduction and definition(s) here>\n** Redoxblox thermal energy storage, https://www.redoxblox.com\n\n=== Hydro power ===\n\n* Hydro-electric dams\n* Hydro-kinetic energy\n* Micro-hydro\n** Skajit, Washington, public utility: Micro-hydro capturing energy from the water falling down the drain. https://www.knkx.org/environment/2024-09-12/climate-solution-micro-hydroelectric-power-skagit-local-water-utility-municipal-pump-house\n* Pumped hydro storage\n* Tidal and wave-powered energy\n\n=== Solar energy ===\n\n=== Wind energy ===\n\n=== Electricity generation ===\n\n* Environmental and Energy Studies Institute, Community Energy. https://www.eesi.org/topics/communities/description\n* J. Lei, S. Gao, et al., 2023, \"A Novel Community-based Photovoltaic Energy Sharing Business Model Incorporated in Decentralized Energy Markets,\" ''5th International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Control Technologies (CEECT)'', Chengdu, China, pp. 527-534, doi: [https://doi.org/10.1109/CEECT59667.2023.10420778 10.1109/CEECT59667.2023.10420778].\n* Liz Ross and Megan Day, 2022, ''Community Energy Planning: Best Practices and Lessons Learned,'' National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL/TP-6A50-82937, https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy22osti/82937.pdf\n* U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, WindExchange, ''Community Wind Energy'' [Web page, retrieved March 2024], https://windexchange.energy.gov/markets/community\n* U.S. National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP). https://www.energy.gov/communitysolar/community-solar\n\n=== Energy distribution ===\n\n* Electricity Microgrids\n** Community microgrid case studies:\n*** In California, Connecticut, and Quebec ([https://www.microgridknowledge.com/resources/microgrid-perspectives/article/55010904/schneider-electric-north-america-exploring-the-potential-of-community-microgrids-through-three-innovative-case-studies April 2024])\n* Direct-Drive DC appliances and DC Microgrids. https://livingenergylights.com/\n* Distributed Energy Resources\n** https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/power-and-utilities/der-grid-modernization.html\n* District heating networks\n** Neighborhood, village, and community integrated thermal system \"loops\" for steam, hot water, chilled water. For integrating multiple heat pump systems.\n* Distributed Energy Systems for Non-Wire and Non-Pipe Alternatives and Solutions\n** Laws, Nicholas D., Michael E. Webber, and Dongmei Chen, 2024, \"Valuing distributed energy resources for non-wires alternatives, ''Electric Power Systems Research 234'', 110521, ISSN 0378-7796, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsr.2024.110521.\n\n=== Heat, fuels, and cooking ===\n\n* Solar thermal water heating\n* Heat pumps\n** '''''Neighborhood and Community heat pump systems using WATER LINES'''''\n*** Lilli Ambort and John Farrell. 2020. Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Water Main Geothermal -- Report: Could Existing Water Pipes Replace Dirty Energy Utilities? https://ilsr.org/articles/report-water-main-geothermal/\n*** Alyssa Bersine. 2023. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, News: ''NREL Researchers Bring Technical Expertise to Communities Selected for Geothermal Heating and Cooling Initiative,'' https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2023/nrel-researchers-bring-technical-expertise-to-communities-selected-for-geothermal-heating-and-cooling-initiative.html\n*** Brian L. Kohut and Yongxin Tao. 2023. \"Feasibility Analysis of Water Main Geothermal Heat Pump System for Residential Building Applications,\" In ''8th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (TFEC), pp. 737-46. DOI: [https://dl.astfe.org/conferences/tfec2023,692f08001a4851cd,08d0f1fd10de0dc5.html 10.1615/TFEC2023.eet.046097]''\n*** U.S. Department of Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office, Community Geothermal Heating and Cooling Initiative [Web page, retrieved January 2025], https://www.energy.gov/eere/geothermal/community-geothermal-heating-and-cooling-initiative\n**** Ann Arbor Michigan project: https://www.a2gov.org/departments/sustainability/Sustainability-Me/Families-Individuals/Pages/Geothermal.aspx\n*** U.S. Department of Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office, Geothermal District Heating & Cooling [Web page, retrieved January 2025]., https://www.energy.gov/eere/geothermal/geothermal-district-heating-cooling\n** '''''Neighborhood and Community heat pump systems using SEWER LINES'''''\n*** Philadelphia Water Department. No date. ''Sewage Geothermal Installation.'' [https://water.phila.gov/wp-content/uploads/files/SewageGeothermal.pdf water.phila.gov/wp-content/uploads/files/SewageGeothermal.pdf]\n** Ground source heat pumps\n** Air source heat pumps\n* Local fuels\n** Anaerobic digestion\n** Biofuels.\n*** Biogas.<ref>Case study from Hammarby Sjostad in Sweden. Biogas from their wastewater treatment plant is piped back to the community for the gas-stoves used in households. There may well be better case studies by now. https://www.visitstockholm.com/o/hammarby-sjostad/</ref>\n*** Bioliquids\n*** Biosolids. Torrefied biomass. Pellet fuels.\n** '''''Waste Heat Recovery and Reuse (also known as \"recycled energy\").'''''\n*** Juan Jerez Monsalves, Claire Bergaentzlé, Dogan Keles. 2024. \"Waste-heat recovery utilisation for district heating systems under diverse pricing schemes: A bi-level modelling approach,\" Applied Energy, v375, 124032, ISSN 0306-2619. DOI [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.124032 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.124032].\n*** Urban Green. 2024. ''High hopes for heat recovery: Heat pumps could help thousands of NYC’s largest buildings reuse their wasted heat.'' https://www.urbangreencouncil.org/high-hopes-for-heat-recovery/\n*** U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office. 2020. ''SimulationBased Design and Optimization of Waste Heat Recovery Systems''. https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-06/2067-NREL-LBNL_URBANopt_compliant_update.pdf\n* High-efficiency and ultra-low emissions solid fuel appliances.\n** Rocket stoves\n** Top-lit updraft (TLUD) stoves.\n* Cooking\n** Solar cooking\n** Links to world-research about best new cooking appliances\n** https://www.halcyonhouse.org/venture/brightgreen-renewable-energy/ -- safe, affordable, and sustainable cooking fuel, recycling post harvest biomass to produce fuel bricks that replace firewood and charcoal.\n\n=== Low/zero energy appliances ===\n\n* Natural fridges / food cooling\n* Showers using rainwater harvesting\n\n=== Timing of energy use ===\n\n* Energy Stacking\n* Energy flexibility / demand response services\n\n=== Off-grid appliances, tools, and equipment<ref>Efficiency for Access Coalition, 2023, Building Resilience in Low-Income Communities: The Role of Off-Grid Appliances. Available at: https://sun-connect.org/wpcont/uploads/Building-Resilience-in-Low-Income-Communities-The-Role-of-Off-Grid-Appliances.pdf</ref><ref>SunConnect.org, ''Top Findings from Why Off-Grid Energy Matters 2024'' [Electronic article, March 2024]: https://sun-connect.org/top-findings-from-why-off-grid-energy-matters-2024/</ref> ===\n\n* '''Human powered equipment'''\n** Human powered appliances. Human-power as secondary emergency backup power for solar-powered, battery-operated medical care devices.\n** Bicycle powered devices (mechanical and electrical).\n*** Appropriate Technology Collaborative (ATC) human powered projects. https://apptechcollaborative.org/design-library/. ''Coming soon: plans for converting microwave ovens that no longer work, into bicycle-powered electric generators.''\n*** Vennard, H.; Pearce, J.M.; Denkenberger, D., 2024, \"Wood Chipper Design for Biofuel Production in a Global Catastrophic Loss of Infrastructure Scenario,\" ''Hardware'', 2024, n2, 154–172. https://www.academia.edu/120458239/Wood_Chipper_Design_for_Biofuel_Production_in_a_Global_Catastrophic_Loss_of_Infrastructure_Scenario\n*** Links to bicycle power project groups.\n** Human powered tools\n* Shareable and People Power Battery Collective, ''Emergency Battery Network Toolkit: How to Share Energy Resources With Your Community in Times of Need'' [Electronic article], https://www.shareable.net/emergency-battery-network-toolkit/\n\n{| class=\"wikitable\"\n! colspan=\"3\" |Directory of tools and appliances that use solar-power to charge batteries\nfor operating small farming, gardening, and appilances.\nListing does not imply endorsement, nor guarantee quality.\n|-\n| COMPANY NAME\n| Product Types\n| URL\n|-\n|\n|\n|\n|-\n| Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA),\n''Member Product Showcase,''\n|\n| https://www.gogla.org/member-product-showcase/\n|-\n| GoSun\n|\n| https://gosun.co/\n|-\n| Litheli\n|\n| https://litheli.com/\n|-\n| Sesame Solar\n| pre-configured nanogrids\n| https://www.sesame.solar\n|}\n\n=== Applications in Ecovillages and Intentional Communities ===\n\n* '''Conscious consumerism, conservation, and resource sharing,''' improving health and wellness while using less stuff, and maximizing community value while minimizing wastes\n* '''Integral designs''' for achieving cultural, economic, ecological, and social resilience, restoration, and regeneration for both individuals and communities\n* Local food production and permaculture\n* Participatory and inclusive governance and decision-making\n* [https://ecovillage.org/resilience/ Resilience practices] -- “[T]o continue to be  centers of hope . . . it is vital for ecovillages to integrate climate risks in their planning.”\n\n=== Energy Community applications ===\n\n* Community Energy systems, or \"Energy Community\" designs\n* [[Community Resilience Hubs|'''Community Resilience Hubs''']]\n* Microgrids (nano-grids, mini-grids, micro-grids; both remote [off-grid] and grid-connected)\n* Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading\n* Sustainable Energy Utilities\n* [[Virtual Power Plants|'''Virtual Power Plants''']]\n\n==== Governance / organisation / principles of energy systems ====\n\n* Comprehensive energy efficiency\n* Cascade of energy and cascade of heat\n\n=== Low- and Net-Zero Emissions Building Practices ===\n\n* [[Ecovillage & Intentional Community Solutions: Building Materials and Methods|Appropedia Link]]\n\n== RESOURCES ==\n\n* '''Back to main page:''' [[Ecovillages & Intentional Communities Energy and Climate Action Research Project]]\n* '''Rancho Mastatal, Costa Rica, Appropriate Technologies'''.https://ranchomastatal.com/appropriate-technology Solar power; Solar water heating; Solar Cooking; Biogas; Rocket-Stoves.<br>\n\n<references />{{Page data\n| part-of = Ecovillages & Intentional Communities Energy and Climate Action Research Project\n| keywords = ecovillage, sustainable development, climate action\n| sdg = SDG13 Climate action\n| license = CC-BY-SA-4.0\n| language = en\n| title = Energy\n}}"}