Agent-based modeling (ABM) for urban neighborhood energy systems: literature review and proposal for an all integrative ABM approach

Advancing the energy transition in real-world urban settings is attracting interest within interdisciplinary research communities. New challenges for local energy balancing arise particularly in urban neighborhoods where densely populated buildings are facing the needs of the heat transition, an increasing use of battery-electric vehicles and an expansion of renewable energies. Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a suitable approach for addressing various interlinked aspects like market mechanisms and processes, technology adoption, different stakeholder roles and the formulation of policy measures. In this work, we analyze peer-reviewed, open-access literature on ABM for energy neighborhoods and discuss key modeling aspects like model purpose and outcome, the logic of agents and decision-making, the treatment of space and time, and empirical grounding. These ABM allow the study of local market mechanisms, local renewable energy generation, microgrids, the unfolding of heat transition, neighborhood mobility and the evaluation of policies like regulation and financial incentives. We find a lack of integrated neighborhood energy assessments that simultaneously look at the different energy forms and applications: heating, electricity, and mobility. We present a consolidated ABM concept that integrates these sectors. Thus, our work contributes to the advancement of ABM and to the understanding of how to promote the transition to a decarbonized society in urban settings.