Case study: An evaluation of the economic sustainability of energy communities across diverse business models and scenarios utilizing a cosimulation platform

In recent years, the role of the energy consumers has significantly transformed. Many residential users have transitioned from being mere consumers to prosumers. Prosumers can sell their energy surplus either to the main grid or to neighbors within an Energy Community (EC). The latter option can create a win-win situation for all parties involved. Most studies focus on potential future pricing and sharing mechanisms to enhance our understanding of future ECs. However, there remains a gap in tools that reflect the actual consumption patterns and the current state of ECs. Furthermore, it is essential to examine how current and future pricing structures may influence the decision to participate in an EC. To address these gaps, this work introduces a simulation platform designed to explore diverse what-if scenarios. Realistic and detailed consumption and generation profiles of potential EC members are modeled and integrated using a cosimulation approach. Scenarios are constructed incrementally to assess the impact of each component, enabling effective comparisons and helping identify the conditions under which participation in an EC becomes truly beneficial.