Passive strategies as a technical instrument to promote the transition to positive energy districts in the Mediterranean area. Methodology and case study in Spain

• Methodology to support municipalities in the implementation of PED transition. • Facilitating the transition to PED in existing districts through passive strategies. • Definition of possible PED scenarios through tailor-made solution packages. • Achievable PED types based on transition pathways and ambition levels. • Validation of the methodology through simulation to a real case study. According to the European Commission, Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) are a promising tool to accelerate the energy transition of cities. However, several barriers still hinder their development. These include the lack of reliable energy consumption data, which makes it difficult to characterize the baseline situation and needs of the district, and the lack of clear guidance on how to design a PED transition. This research aims to develop and evaluate a methodology to assist municipalities in planning the transition to PEDs by identifying a possible PED scenario. Furthermore, the study was validated in an existing district in Alcorcón, Spain. The methodology proposes three stages to achieve this objective. The first stage is to develop an urban analysis and estimation of the current consumption of the district. Then, a PED scenario is defined, considering three retrofit packages for consumption reduction and renewable energy generation. Finally, the PED level achieved by the district is defined considering the different types of PED (Autonomous, Dynamic, and Virtual). Furthermore, the results show that it is possible to move from a Virtual PED to a Dynamic PED level through the different retrofit scenarios proposed. The Dynamic PED in the case study achieved an energy surplus of 9,5 GWh per year. This can be used to supply energy to other districts in the city.