Volume 63

From energy cells to EC²ellular grids Gerfried Cebrat, Arega Getaneh Abate, Dudley Stewart, Per Sieverts Nielsen

Abstract

Decentralized energy systems and empowerment of local actors are critical for achieving climate neutrality. This work introduces EC²ellular grid, a hierarchical, multi-layered architecture in which individual Energy Community (EC) cells coordinate as building blocks of larger positive energy regions (PERs). Each cell combines local autonomy, real-time peer-to-peer (P2P) negotiation, and edge-based control to optimize local generation, consumption, and flexibility. We validate this approach via a real-world small office/home office (SOHO) pilot, showing clear improvements in renewable self-consumption and active grid support. The study demonstrates that the EC²ellular architecture improves renewable energy utilization and grid resilience while fostering community participation. The results suggest that EC²ellular grids offer a scalable blueprint for future smart grid, aligning distributed energy resources with decarbonization goals.

Keywords Energy Community, Positive energy region, decentralized energy, demand response, Feed-in management, multi-agent system