The Impact of Electrification on Energy Communities: A Building-Archetypes Approach to Technical and Economic Aspects

¹ Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Energetica, Gestionale e dei Trasporti (DIME). Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy
² International Renewables and Energy Systems Integration (IRESI), School of Business, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Ireland
³ School of Business, National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM), Ireland
⁴ International Centre of Energy Resource Management (iCERM), Genoa Division, Italy

^* Corresponding author: annalisa.bringiotti@edu.unige.it

Abstract

The residential sector is a major contributor to global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. This makes energy retrofitting an essential strategy for reducing carbon emissions. This study provides an evaluation of the costs and benefits of updating heating systems in renewable energy communities (RECs). It uses simulation-based analysis on standardized building types. From a technical standpoint, results indicate that older buildings consume significantly more energy. On the other hand, newer buildings are experiencing less demand overall, but their heat pumps are operating more efficiently. From a financial standpoint, making the switch to electric heating systems, even with just a few public incentives, can pay off within a decade. Important economic indicators, such as payback period and net present value, confirm that retrofitting interventions are economically viable at the community level. These results show how pairing electrification with retrofitting can bring both tech and financial benefits in residential energy communities. This highlights that there are practical and accessible strategies for reducing emissions in residential buildings.