Best Practice for STP WTR 2019;8:59-70 https://doi.org/10.7165/wtr19b0621.20 OPEN ACCESS Smart City Energy Inclusion, Towards Becoming a Better Place to Live Sang-Ryong Cha☆ Professor, University of Nagasaki, Japan Abstract Where is a better place to live? In the coming era, this should be more than simply a livable place. It should be an adaptable place that has a flex- ible system adaptable to any new situation in terms of diversity. Customization and real-time operation are needed in order to realize this techno- logically. We expect a smart city to have a flexible system that applies technologies of self-monitoring and self-response, thereby being a promising city model towards being a better place to live. Energy demand and supply is a crucial issue concerning our expectations for the flexible system of a smart city because it is indispensable to comfortable living, especially city living. Although it may seem that energy diversification, such as the energy mix of a country, is a matter of overriding concern, the central point is the scale of place to build grids for realizing sustainable urban ener- gy systems. A traditional hard energy path supported by huge centralized energy systems based on fossil and nuclear fuels on a national scale has already faced difficult problems, particularly in terms of energy flexibility/resilience. On the other hand, an alternative soft energy path consisting of small diversified energy systems based on renewable energy sources on a local scale has limitations regarding stability, variability, and supply potential despite the relatively light economic/technological burden that must be assumed to realize it. As another alternative, we can adopt a holonic path incorporating an alternative soft energy path with a traditional hard energy path complimentarily based on load management. This has a high affinity with the flexible system of a smart city. At a system level, the purpose of all of the paths mentioned above is not energy itself but the service it provides. If the expected energy service is fixed, the conclusive factor in choosing a more appropriate system is accessibility to the energy service. Accessibility refers to reliability and affordability; the former encompasses the level of energy self-sufficiency, and the latter encom- passes the extent of energy saving. From this point of view, it seems that the small diversified energy systems of a soft energy path have a clear advantage over the huge centralized energy systems of a hard energy path. However, some insuperable limitations still remain, so it is reasonable to consider both energy systems continuing to coexist in a multiplexing energy system employing a holonic path to create and maintain reliable and affordable access to energy services that cover households’/enterprises’ basic energy needs. If this is embodied in a smart city concept, this is noth- ing else but smart energy inclusion. In Japan, following the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, a trend towards small diversified energy systems of a soft energy path intensified in order to realize a nuclear-free society. As a result, the Government of Japan proclaimed in its Fifth Strategic Energy Plan that renewable energy must be the main source of power in Japan by 2050. Accordingly, Sony vowed that all the energy it uses would come from renewable sources by 2040. In this situation, it is expected that smart energy inclusion will be achieved by the Japanese version of a smart grid based on the concept of a minimum cost scheme and demand response. Keywords Smart city; Energy flexibility; Resilience 1. INTRODUCTION: WHERE IS A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE? ☆Correspondence to : Prof. Sang-Ryong Cha Professor, University of Nagasaki, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan E-mail : [email protected] Where is a better place to live? Regarding this question, World Technopolis Review since 2007, the Economist Intelligence Unit has presented its Copyright©World Technopolis Association annual ranking of the world's most livable cities with respect This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which per- to urban quality of life based on assessments of stability, mits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infra- 2019 Copyright©World Technopolis Association 59 Best Practice for STP WTR 2019;8:59-70 https://doi.org/10.7165/wtr19b0621.20 Fig. 1. Changes in livability scores from 2007 to 2017 Source: The Data Team (August 16, 2017) structure, as displayed in Figure 1, which shows changes in scores simply a livable place but also an adaptable place with a flexible sys- over a ten-year period. Besides this, numerous measurement tools tem able to suit any new situation in and about the place in terms of ranking cities in terms of livability have been developed. These in- diversity/diversification. clude some famous indices, for instance, the Mercer Quality of Living The ability to deal with diversity, to learn new situations, and to Index and the OECD Better Life Index. Although all of the indices preserve our living balance in unfamiliar situations will be of great consist of similar indicators and categories, each index places signifi- importance. In order to be prepared for the era to come, reinventing cant importance on a specific category of livability, for example, our whereabouts and adapting to changing situations is necessary. health in the EIU and Mercer indices, and the economy in the OECD However, dealing with diversification can be challenging because, in index, as presented in Table 1. This highlights the fact that the citi- general, it is invariably stressful. In fact, many people may simply dis- zens of a society pursue suitability and satisfaction simultaneously in like adapting to new situations caused by diversification, especially as determining a livable place. they age. If individuals lack the ability to adapt, it is difficult for them As globalization proceeds, the world becomes more diversified. to accept something new, and it may become tempting for such peo- Although it has been understood that diversity is a source of innova- ple to neglect or exclude diversity from their living places. This indi- tion and revolution, it is difficult to satisfy increasingly diversified de- cates that people try to be content with habituated present conditions, mands and suit countless new situations in an ever-changing and meaning that chances for innovation and revolution ultimately lead- uncertain world. Moreover, even the natural environment is changing ing to a better life may be lost. because of global warming. Therefore, in the coming era when Can technology help with acquiring an ability to adapt? Indubitably, change is the only constant (Harari, 2018), a better place to live is not technology can be of great help; however, what specific technology is 60 2019 Copyright©World Technopolis Association Sang-Ryong Cha, WTR8(1):59 Table 1. Categories and indices of three major livability indexes Source: Randhawa and Kumar (2017): pp.281-282. Fig. 2. The transition of energy consumption and real GDP in Japan Source: The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (2017): p.134. 2019 Copyright©World Technopolis Association 61 Best Practice for STP WTR 2019;8:59-70 https://doi.org/10.7165/wtr19b0621.20 Fig. 3. The history of energy in Japan: changes in the structure of energy demand and supply Source: The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (2018): p.8. required is the main point to consider. Regarding this, customization a flexible system applying technologies of self-monitoring and self-re- and real-time operation are necessary to realize an adaptable place for sponse, thereby acting as promising city models towards becoming a better life technologically because the ability to deal with diversity is better places to live. simply the ability to adapt to more individualized needs caused by the diversified world. Customization aims to accurately meet needs; therefore, the collection, integration, and analysis of big data from each sensor making the best use of AI is necessary. On the other 2. HITHERTO: ISSUES CONCERNING ENERGY hand, real-time operation aims to manage needs immediately without DEMAND AND SUPPLY a time lag; thus, obtaining more lightweight OSs for the IoT is re- quired. Both are primary technological characteristics of a flexible At present, it may be said that the essence of a smart city is system for an adaptable place. Smart cities can be expected to employ technology because it has never been emphasized like this in all 62 2019 Copyright©World Technopolis Association Sang-Ryong Cha, WTR8(1):59 Fig. 4. Energy balance flow in Japan (FY 2015) Source: The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (2017): p.136. 2019 Copyright©World Technopolis Association 63 Best Practice for STP WTR 2019;8:59-70 https://doi.org/10.7165/wtr19b0621.20 Fig. 5. The structure of the national grid and oligopolistic electricity market in Japan Source: Wikipedia (July 12, 2018) Fig. 6. Conceptual differences between two energy paths: hard and soft Source: Shimoda (2014): pp.17, 19. 64 2019 Copyright©World Technopolis Association Sang-Ryong Cha, WTR8(1):59 Fig. 7. Conceptual features of a holonic path Source: Shimoda (2014): p.21. directions in any new city models. If what is wanted for a better both stimulated energy consumption in the civilian sector. place to live is understood, smart city technology can assist with Moreover, energy consumption regarding passengers in the realizing this; however, if what is wanted is unknown, it will be transportation sector has risen because of developments in too straightforward for a smart city to shape lifestyles and take public transportation and the boom in private vehicle owner- control of life.