Demand-side Management Programs – A joint environmental protection action. Case study: The lighting system in the Campus of the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest

Abstract

The current development of Smart Grids, combined with the pressure enforced by national legislation as a direct effect of the 2012/27/EU and the 2018/844/EU Directives and the ever-growing energy demand lead to a new set of challenges for both the end-users and the utility companies, under the form of optimizing the EPIs (Energy Performance Indicators), reducing the Environmental Impact and flattening the Power Demand Curve. In this paper, the economical viability and the potential environmental impact reduction obtained by implementing a DSM (Demand–Side Management) program in the Campus of the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest were analysed. The energy boundary consisted of all the 26 Student Dorms and the main Significant Energy Use) consisted of the lighting system. Four different scenarios were conceived, taking into account the initial investment and the energy savings sharing between the end-user and the Utility Company. Based on these scenarios, a technical-economic model is presented. Using the data gathered on-site and the DSM program mode, relevant results were obtained and a development solution for such projects was proposed. In the final part of the paper, the predicted Environmental Impact Reduction was quantified and analysed, under the form of the Carbon Footprint generated, respectively avoided by implementing the most economically efficient DSM program development solution.