Smart Cities and Communities: a case study of agrovoltaic systems applied to an Italian urban periphery

Building and modelling inclusive and sustainable urban areas is a current essential priority in the policy agenda. The smart cities model is occupying a key role in this context, promoting the use of renewable energy sources as well as increasing the well-being of citizens. In this framework, the presented research proposes the application of the smart method to an Italian urban periphery. To exploit the landscape and economy sector of the context, the authors decided to evaluate the installation of agrovoltaic power plants. The agrovoltaic system is also combined with other energy solutions, such as heat pump installations to evaluate their mutual benefits in terms of energy production and emission avoided. Once the simulation model of alternative solutions, such as electric bike-sharing, agrivoltaic plant, and energy efficiency of the building was elaborated in Matlab/Simulink, the application of a smart methodology was necessary to draft the priority ranking of the various strategies. Results highlight which solution obtained a positive impact on the overall smart axes, providing a useful approach for designers to plan a sustainable and smart project.