Social KPI for Renewable Energy Community design, Campus Bio-Medico case study in Rome

This thesis analyses the development and evaluation of Renewable Energy Communities (REC) through a multi criteria approach that integrates technical, economic and social spheres. The study focuses on the Trigoria neighborhood in the city of Rome (Italy), for the potential establishment of a REC in partnership with the Campus Bio-Medico University as a consumer. A third party firm designs a photovoltaic plant, which, together with Campus load analysis, is simulated in SAM (System Advisor Model) to assess energy demand and production profiles, providing the energy criteria. The economic criteria quantifies monetary flows, incentive mechanisms and energy sales, defining the economic investment and cash flows for both the firm and the Campus. Social criteria identifies Trigoria neighborhood social groups and their behavior, evaluating the groups priorities, designing through a multi scenario analysis the best upgrade and social investment, specific for the context. A social monetary value, integrating welfare gains and avoided context expenses, is introduced, to allow a benefit comparison equally with the economic sphere. Finally, global KPIs are introduced to aggregate the three criteria. The results highlight the necessity to integrate the social criteria in the investment analysis of a REC, to allow a better comparison with this investment framework.