摘要：SummaryExisting methods of reducing carbon emissions on campus often require substantial investment, and the potential opportunities for carbon dioxide and energy savings in universities with existing infrastructure have not been considered in much detail. This work fills this gap by considering an indirect and soft demand response strategy, i.e., semester arrangement. To identify the optimal operational strategy of a realistic campus-level multi vector energy system (MES) in Scotland based on CO2emissions, an original tool is presented. Two conclusions can be drawn safely from the case study. Firstly, changing the operational mode of the university could significantly reduce CO2emissions. Secondly, considering the difference between average emission factor (AEF) and marginal emission factor (MEF) in the power grid, the different operational modes will bring different electricity/heat demands and also affect carbon emissions. The work opens up a new perspective for worldwide university operators who are considering reducing CO2emissions.Graphical abstractDisplay OmittedHighlights•An energy hub model to minimize CO2emission for a real university is formulated•The impact of semester schedules on the annual campus-level CO2emissions is examined•Thousands of potential arrangements are compared to identify the eco-friendly mode•The effects of dynamic carbon emission factors on CO2calculations are being discussedEnergy resources; Energy policy; Energy flexibility; Energy systems
