Energy system
An energy system is a system primarily designed to supply energy-services to end-users.[1]: 941 The intent behind energy systems is to minimise energy losses to a negligible level, as well as to ensure the efficient use of energy.[2] The IPCC Fifth Assessment Report defines an energy system as "all components related to the production, conversion, delivery, and use of energy".[3]: 1261
For other uses, see energy system (disambiguation).
The first two definitions allow for demand-side measures, including daylighting, retrofitted building insulation, and passive solar building design, as well as socio-economic factors, such as aspects of energy demand management and remote work, while the third does not. Neither does the third account for the informal economy in traditional biomass that is significant in many developing countries.[4]
The analysis of energy systems thus spans the disciplines of engineering and economics.[5]: 1 Merging ideas from both areas to form a coherent description, particularly where macroeconomic dynamics are involved, is challenging.[6][7]
The concept of an energy system is evolving as new regulations, technologies, and practices enter into service – for example, emissions trading, the development of smart grids, and the greater use of energy demand management, respectively.
International standards[edit]
ISO 13600, ISO 13601, and ISO 13602 form a set of international standards covering technical energy systems (TES).[22][23][24][25] Although withdrawn prior to 2016, these documents provide useful definitions and a framework for formalizing such systems. The standards depict an energy system broken down into supply and demand sectors, linked by the flow of tradable energy commodities (or energywares). Each sector has a set of inputs and outputs, some intentional and some harmful byproducts. Sectors may be further divided into subsectors, each fulfilling a dedicated purpose. The demand sector is ultimately present to supply energyware-based services to consumers (see energy-services).
Energy system redesign and transformation[edit]
Energy system design includes the redesigning of energy systems to ensure sustainability of the system and its dependents and for meeting requirements of the Paris Agreement for climate change mitigation. Researchers are designing energy systems models and transformational pathways for renewable energy transitions towards 100% renewable energy, often in the form of peer-reviewed text documents created once by small teams of scientists and published in a journal.
Considerations include the system's intermittency management, air pollution, various risks (such as for human safety, environmental risks, cost risks and feasibility risks), stability for prevention of power outages (including grid dependence or grid-design), resource requirements (including water and rare minerals and recyclability of components), technology/development requirements, costs, feasibility, other affected systems (such as land-use that affects food systems), carbon emissions, available energy quantity and transition-concerning factors (including costs, labor-related issues and speed of deployment).[26][27][28][29][30]
Energy system design can also consider energy consumption, such as in terms of absolute energy demand,[31] waste and consumption reduction (e.g. via reduced energy-use, increased efficiency and flexible timing), process efficiency enhancement and waste heat recovery.[32] A study noted significant potential for a type of energy systems modelling to "move beyond single disciplinary approaches towards a sophisticated integrated perspective".[33]