Building the Future: Integrating Phase Change Materials in Network of Nanogrids (NoN)

Buildings consume 10% of global energy and 50% of global electricity for heating and cooling. Transitioning to energy-efficient buildings is essential to address the global energy challenge and meet sustainable development goals (SDGs) to limit global temperature rise below 1.5 <inline-formula>...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ali Kalair, Elmira Jamei, Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian, Saad Mekhilef, Naeem Abas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Energies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/23/5862
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Summary:Buildings consume 10% of global energy and 50% of global electricity for heating and cooling. Transitioning to energy-efficient buildings is essential to address the global energy challenge and meet sustainable development goals (SDGs) to limit global temperature rise below 1.5 <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mo>°</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">C</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>. The shift from traditional to smart grids has led to the development of micro, milli, and nanogrids, which share energy resources symbiotically and balance heating/cooling demands dealing with acute doldrums (dunkelflaute). This scoping review explores the methods by which phase change materials (PCMs) can be used in residential buildings to form a nanogrid. This review examines the components and concepts that promote the seamless integration of PCMs in residential houses. It also discusses the key challenges (e.g., scalability, stability, and economic feasibility in high summer temperatures), proposing the community-scale network of nanogrids (NoN) and the potential of thermochromic and photochromic materials. The findings of this review highlight the importance of latent heat storage methods and ingenious grid architectures such as nanogrids to construct resilient and sustainable houses in the future and thereby offer practical insights for policymakers and industries in the energy sector.
ISSN:1996-1073