Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) are integral to achieving sustainable urban development by enhancing energy self-sufficiency and reducing carbon emissions. This paper explores energy balance calculations in four diverse case study districts within different climatic conditions—Fiat Village in Settimo Torinese (Italy), Großschönau (Austria), Beursplain in Amsterdam (Netherlands), and Lunca Pomostului in Reşiţa (Romania)—as part of the SIMPLY Positive project. Each district faces unique challenges, such as outdated infrastructure or heritage protection, which we address through tailored strategies including building renovations and the integration of renewable energy systems. Additionally, we employ advanced simulation methodologies to assess energy performance. Simulation results highlight the significance of innovative technologies like photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) systems, application of demand-side actions, and flexible grid usage. Furthermore, mobility assessments and resident-driven initiatives demonstrate the critical role of community engagement in reducing carbon footprints. This study underscores the adaptability of PED frameworks across varied urban contexts and provides actionable insights for scaling similar strategies globally, supporting net-zero energy targets.@en

Photovoltaic (PV) technology is the most promising renewable energy source to be integrated on urban building surfaces. Modeling and simulating urban PV systems pose more challenges than the conventional ones installed in open field due to rich urban morphology. Herein, a comprehensive workflow to estimate urban solar PV potential is developed where TU Delft campus is used as a case study. This workflow only requires light detection and ranging data and building footprints as data inputs, and multiple levels of result can be delivered including accurate geo-referenced 3D building models, annual solar irradiation map, annual DC/AC yield maps and classified roof segments according to the specific yield of mounted PV system. The study reports a total of ≈8.1 GWh year⁻¹ of PV energy which can be collected from campus building roofs and facades. Given the total electricity demand on the entire campus being 82.6 GWh/year, this PV potential can cover roughly 10% of the current electricity demand. The results constitute an initial assessment of solar PV potential on TU Delft campus buildings that is currently being used to prioritize PV integration on buildings and accelerate the transition toward a climate-neutral campus.

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Urban areas rely on the wide implementation of X-Integrated Photovoltaic (X-IPV) systems to provide green electricity for the sustainable electrification. In this research, a modelling framework to accurately predicting their output energy yield and asses their impact on the low voltage distribution grid has been developed. This tool can compute a densely populated urban area at a pace of 2.5 seconds per building. In this contribution, we present the results of a pilot project executed in a Dutch neighborhood of 4873 separate roof owners located in the city of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.@en

The increasing development of photovoltaic (PV) technologies allows for more feasible PV products, that can split the fixed big electrical infrastructure into smaller mobile systems, suitable for future smart buildings. This research, investigates opportunities for interior PV (IPV) products, that harvest indoor ambient light. The outcome is a working prototype of a standalone indoor solar lamp. An indoor light simulation model is presented and validated for two rooms in Delft with absolute error of 10% compared to measurements over five days per room. The prototype consists of a tailor-made, foil-to-foil laminated PV module, consisting of 36 pieces of laser cut SunPower interdigitated back contact (IBC) cells. At standard test conditions, a maximum DC output of 35.9 Wp was measured, corresponding to a module efficiency of 20.3%. Furthermore, a charge controller with maximum power point tracking algorithm was used to charge a 12 V polymer lithium-ion battery pack. The combination of pyroelectric infrared (PIR) motion sensor detector and a light sensor module assures a conservative use of a 2.4 W strip of light emitting diodes (LED). Keywords: Indoor photovoltaics (IPV), interior light simulation, RADIANCE, PV module design, prototyping, SunPower IBC technology, laser cutting @en