Optimization methodologies for Net-Zero Energy Communities

The future of energy supply in Ontario is uncertain. We are faced with an aging nuclear fleet and pressure to avoid future energy generation near communities. Building demands are a strain on energy supplies. A solution is to reduce building energy needs while providing sufficient distributed energy generation on a community-scale. A net-zero energy (NZE) community creates as much energy as it requires. The impetus behind this research is a community under development in London, ON, which aims to achieve NZE. This project involves several partnerships, under the management of the sponsoring organization S2E Technology. S2E will sponsor me as a post-doctoral fellow at McMaster University. I am working on the economic and energy optimization of the buildings and district energy system design. The benefit to S2E will be a repeatable methodology to identify pathways to NZE community design in present and future communities.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Jim Cotton

Student:

Scott Bucking

Partner:

S2E Technologies Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Energy

University:

McMaster University