Photovoltaic energy distribution in residential communities

Image by Yue Chan from Unsplash

The installation of photovoltaic (PV) systems is a cornerstone in the transition to green energy and in meeting the European Union’s 2030 agenda for climate and energy goals. This approach is increasingly being adopted in residential communities, where collective PV installations allow neighbors to share the benefits of renewable energy while reducing overall electricity costs and environmental impact. In this context, careful planning is essential, as decisions must be made not only about the optimal size of the installation but also about how to distribute the generated electricity fairly among residents. Allocation must consider both individual points, corresponding to private apartments, and common points, covering shared areas and community facilities, to ensure that all users benefit efficiently from the system.

Moreover, this planning process involves several sources of uncertainty that must be taken into account. These include the variability of PV production due to weather conditions, fluctuations in electricity prices, and the consumption profiles of different points of supply within the community. Properly accounting for these uncertainties is critical for designing a system that is both reliable and equitable, allowing the community to maximize the use of renewable energy while maintaining flexibility to adapt to changing conditions. To address this challenge, (Alonso-Ayuso et al., 2026) presents a mixed-integer linear optimization model that jointly determines the optimal size of the photovoltaic installation and the allocation of the generated energy among private and common consumption points under uncertainty. The proposed approach is validated using real-world data publicly available in (Alonso-Ayuso et al., 2026), demonstrating its applicability to realistic residential energy communities.