Renewable and local energy communities are viewed as a key component to the success of the energy transition. In this paper, we estimate wind power potential for such communities. Acquiring the most accurate weather data is important to support decision-making. We identify the most reliable publicly available wind speed data and demonstrate a case study for typical energy community scenarios such as a single commercial turbine at coastal and inland locations in Ireland. We describe our assessment methodology to evaluate the quality of the wind source data by comparing it with meteorological observations. We make recommendations on which publicly available wind data sources, such as reanalysis data sources (MERRA-2, ERA-5), PVGIS, and NEWA are best suited to support Renewable Energy Communities interested in exploring the possibilities of renewable wind energy. ERA5 is deemed to be the most suitable wind data source for these locations, while an anomaly is noted in the NEWA data.

Photovoltaic (PV) systems along with battery energy storage systems (BESS) are an increasing trend for residential users due to the increasing cost of energy and environmental factors. Future sustainable grids will also have electric vehicles (EVs) integrated into these residential microgrids. However, this large-scale deployment of EVs and PV systems could mean several problems in terms of power quality, hosting capacity and as well economic implications. This paper aims to provide input to more optimal design and management of domestic PV and BESS for residential users with EVs. In this work, a measurement-based data set from a low-voltage distribution network in a rural area has been used. Investigation sees different household and PV-EV penetration levels to propose the BESS capacity and use cases. An economic analysis has been performed to check the feasibility of the proposed systems. The payback period is found to be between 13 to 15 years of the proposed systems.

The Baltic countries are exploring diverse ways to achieve renewable energy objectives, with a particular emphasis on utilizing photovoltaic (PV) technologies in urban areas. Despite the northerly geographical location, PV energy has proven effective, particularly in individual households under the net metering scheme. Energy communities (EC) in urban areas have the potential to support sustainable energy transition by promoting local generation and increasing resilience. However, the broader adoption of rooftop PV systems faces numerous challenges, including technical limitations and legislative gaps. This study examines challenges encountered by community energy projects in residential apartments through a case study in the Latvian context. The paper provides a comparative analysis of PV community implementation scenarios across the three types of typical apartment buildings. The study demonstrates a number of fundamental obstacles that hamper the development of ECs in apartment buildings. The results indicate that the economic benefits of ECs largely depend on electricity market price, and that selection of optimal community design is the key aspect for minimizing investment risks amid market and legislative uncertainty. Results indicate that individual households may have limited motivation to form ECs under current policies. Finally, the insights provided help shape suggestions for future research.

Smart Cities can benefit from existing municipal low voltage (LV) distribution grids by supporting public services with permanent power supply and providing grid connection points to distributed generators (DG). The increased integration of DGs and inverter based non-linear loads increases voltage quality issues, thus the cost-efficient assurance of voltage quality in LV grids with long radial lines is of increasing importance for the operators of municipal electricity distribution systems. Conventional methods for mitigating voltage quality issues (e.g., power line renovation) might not be optimal solutions either technologically or economically. Existing studies do not address all relevant issues related to the assurance of required voltage quality in such LV grids. This paper provides an overview of the applicability and rationality of traditional as well as alternative methods to solve voltage problems in LV grids. The authors use DIgSILENT PowerFactory software to simulate the performance of voltage stabilisers under different conditions. The authors propose a robust method for the classification of LV feeders and provide recommendations on how to resolve voltage quality problems, with the help of different power quality improvement devices, where the traditional methods of upgrading to medium voltage and grid reinforcement are economically infeasible. Based on our results, recommendations for mitigating voltage quality problems in LV distribution grids with radial lines of different lengths are given.

The accelerating integration of variable renewable energy sources into power systems has intensified the need for end-user energy flexibility to maintain system stability, optimize resource utilization, and support decarbonization goals. This review systematically examines a wide range of flexibility technologies and their deployment across different sectors. Findings are synthesized from over 100 research papers, focusing on case studies, to identify current trends, challenges, and opportunities in the implementation of these initiatives. A multi-criteria scoring framework is introduced to evaluate flexibility sources based on five key dimensions: flexibility potential, cost reduction, control complexity, user acceptance, and scalability. The analysis identifies electric vehicles (EVs), battery energy storage systems (BESS), and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems as the most frequently studied and promising technologies. The review also maps implementation challenges according to their prevalence and impact, highlighting regulatory, technical, and behavioral barriers that may impede progress. The findings contribute to a more structured understanding of the current state and future direction of end-user flexibility technologies and provide actionable insights for researchers, policymakers, and system operators seeking to enhance grid resilience and facilitate the energy transition.