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In order to achieve the ambitious goal of "carbon neutrality", countries around the world are striving to develop clean energy. Against this background, this paper takes China and Italy as representatives of developing and developed countries to summarize the energy structure composition and development overview of the two countries. The paper analyzes the serious challenges facing the future energy development of both countries and investigates the possibilities of energy cooperation between the two countries, taking into account their respective advantages in energy development. By comparing the policies issued by the two governments to encourage clean energy development, this paper analyzes the severe challenges faced by the two countries' energy development in the future and combines their respective energy development advantages to look forward to the possibility of energy cooperation between the two countries in the future. This lays the foundation for China and Italy to build an "Energy Road" after the "Silk Road". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, ventilation in buildings was not always given its due importance. The World Health Organization has highlighted the important role of air exchange with the outdoors in improving the air quality in buildings; buildings should, therefore, be equipped with mechanical ventilation or adequate air conditioning systems. This paper aims to investigate different retrofit solutions for air conditioning, evaluating them in terms of energy consumption and cost and the impact of increased outdoor air exchange rates on countering the propagation of COVID-19; the latter is the main novelty of the paper. As a case study, we take an existing office building located in Central Italy that was previously not equipped with a mechanical ventilation system (a system with primary air was introduced during the study). The energy analysis was conducted using dynamic simulation software after validation through energy bills; energy and economic analyses were conducted considering different external-air exchange rates. An optimal number of outdoor air changes was found to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infection, a finding in line with the international literature. The increase in air changes with outdoor air leads to a rise in energy consumption and costs. These values were evaluated for different air conditioning systems and operational schedules. These drawbacks can be made less significant by combining interventions in the system with energy-efficiency measures applied to the building envelope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air conditioning systems can play a positive or negative role in the spread of COVID-19 infection. The importance of sufficient outdoor air changes in buildings was highlighted by the World Health Organization, therefore these should be guaranteed by mechanical ventilation systems or adequate air conditioning systems. The proposed case study concerns the optimal number of outdoor air changes to limit COVID-19 contagion for a school building in Central Italy. The Wells–Riley model is used to assess the risk of airborne infection, while energy consumption is calculated by a dynamic energy simulation software. The scope of the paper offers an innovative method to define the optimal ventilation strategy for the building's HVAC system design to reduce the risk of infection with limited increases in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Results show that the desirable approach is the one in which the same low value of contagion risk is set in all rooms. This new approach results in significant energy savings, compared to the most common ones (setting the same high outdoor air rates for all rooms) to counteract the risk of infection. Finally, the zero-emission building target is verified by introducing a suitable photovoltaic system to offset pollutant emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper's research question is to evaluate the potential impact of large numbers of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) on the future electric grid, and whether the flexibility of BEV charging can induce enough system benefits to remunerate BEV users for the change in their recharging pattern. The considered scenario refers to the Italian situation and what might occur through the year 2040, where a share of BEV stock of 40% can be foreseen, as well as significant increases in PV and wind generation. Although this study is focused on Italy, its results are applicable, with minor differences, to several EU countries. This paper first shows that the future impact of increasing penetration of BEVs appears to be compatible with the expected growth of generation from renewable energy sources (RES) and the corresponding reduction in fossil fuel-based generation. It also gives an estimate of the CO2 emission reduction resulting from these changes, considering an unmanaged BEV charge profile and two different managed profiles that shift the car's charging period to hours of the day when they have no negative impact on the grid and maximize the utilization of RES. Finally, it shows an evaluation of the economic benefits of displacing private car charging ranging from 4 to 10 cEUR/kWh, which could be used as tariff incentives to stimulate this displacing in recharging time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since people tend to spend more and more time visiting museums, more accurate requirements are needed for the indoor environmental conditions of these confined spaces where two primary requisites coincide in defining their optimal indoor microclimate: the need for the appropriate artwork preservation and suitable levels of indoor comfort conditions for people visiting the exhibition buildings and/or working there. Regrettably, people and artwork requirements are sometimes characterized by different reference limits of the environmental parameters that, not rarely, could potentially conflict. Another important point to consider is that museums hosted by heritage buildings (particularly in Mediterranean climates, as is often the case in Italy) are often not equipped with climatization systems because of difficulty in installing generally bulky equipment such as HVAC systems. This circumstance represents another important limit for achieving suitable conditions for the two requisites. In addition, the recent pandemic-related occurrences are pushing technicians and designers to rethink the criteria for controlling the microclimate of public buildings, and museums among them. In this paper, this issue is addressed by reviewing current regulations, standards, and handbooks (and by means of a real case example related to the Italian context) in order to ascertain whether such documentation could facilitate the development of effective rules/guidelines for proper management of indoor parameters in museums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel approach to estimating short-term production of wind farms, which are made up of numerous turbine generators. It harnesses the power of big data through a blend of data-driven and model-based methods. Specifically, it combines an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for immediate future predictions of wind turbine power output with a stochastic model for dependability, using Hybrid Reliability Block Diagrams. A thorough state-of-the-art review has been conducted in order to demonstrate the applicability of an ANN for non-linear stochastic problems of energy or power forecast estimation. The study leverages an innovative cluster analysis to group wind turbines and reduce the computational effort of the ANN, with a dependability model that improves the accuracy of the data-driven output estimation. Therefore, the main novelty is the employment of a hybrid model that combines an ANN with a dependability stochastic model that accounts for the realistic operational scenarios of wind turbines, including their susceptibility to random shutdowns This approach marks a significant advancement in the field, introducing a methodology which can aid the design and the power production forecast. The research has been applied to a case study of a 24 MW wind farm located in the south of Italy, characterized by 28 turbines. The findings demonstrate that the integrated model significantly enhances short-term wind-energy production estimation, achieving a 480% improvement in accuracy over the solo-clustering approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient management of renewable energy resources is imperative for promoting environmental sustainability and optimizing the utilization of clean energy sources. This paper presents a pioneering European-scale study on energy management within renewable energy communities (RECs). With a primary focus on enhancing the social welfare of the community, we introduce a reinforcement learning (RL) controller designed to strategically manage Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) and orchestrate energy flows. This research transcends geographical boundaries by conducting an extended analysis of various energy communities and diverse energy markets across Europe, encompassing different regions of Italy. Our methodology involves the implementation of an RL controller, leveraging optimal control theory for training and utilizing only real-time data available at the current time step during the test phase. Through simulations conducted in diverse contexts, we demonstrate the superior performance of our RL agent compared to a state-of-the-art rule-based controller. The agent exhibits remarkable adaptability to various scenarios, consistently surpassing existing rule-based controllers. Notably, we illustrate that our approach aligns with the intricate patterns observed in both Italian and European energy markets, achieving performance levels comparable to an optimal controller assuming perfect theoretical knowledge of future data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrification of transport is expected to progressively replace significant shares of light duty mobility, especially in large cities. The European Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) aims to drive the adoption of electric mobility by establishing specific targets for charging point deployment. Innovative charging concepts may complement and accelerate the uptake of this fundamental part of the urban mobility transition. In this paper, one such innovative concept is described and its potential impact is assessed. The core idea involves integrating charging points into existing city tramway infrastructures. Turin's tramway network is taken as a representative case study. The proposed technical solution encompasses a charging hub powered by four isolated DC/DC converters of 50 kW, directly connected to the DC tramway distribution line. Three of these constitute the heart of a 150 kW charger, while the fourth acts as voltage regulator. This native DC installation greatly simplifies the architecture of the DC chargers. Using a conservative approach, it was estimated that a single recharging station could charge more than 60 vehicles daily. This highly scalable and replicable solution, with the potential for over 100 conversion substations across Italy, would enable the installation of numerous high-power chargers in urban settings. Furthermore, additional benefits could be realized through enhanced recovery of kinetic energy from trams, which is currently dissipated on-board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As buildings are one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, they have a key potential for energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality improvement. Therefore, the development of nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (nZEBs) is strategic to respond to these challenges and to design and retrofit sustainable highly performing buildings. Actually, the nZEB target can also be reached with highly insulated wooden technologies. However, they must be critically revised and adapted when taking into account the warm climate peculiarities. The paper contributes to this attempt by dealing with the implementation of a methodology specifically focused on the long-term assessment of the real building envelope performance. The methodology is applied to a recently built wooden nZEB detached single-story dwelling constructed in 2017 in central Italy. One year monitoring data were collected about the envelope in-field dynamic performance and the indoor microclimate and well-being conditions. The theoretical design-stage data and the monitored data were compared. The positive aspects as well as the critical issues of nZEB target in the Mediterranean climate context and the performance gap were underlined. Accordingly, the main aspects to be considered in the design of nZEBs envelope were highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of renewable energy systems in buildings leads to a reduction in energy bills for end users and a reduction in the carbon footprint of such buildings, usually referred to as prosumers. In addition, the installation of charging points for the electric vehicles of people working or living in these buildings can further improve the energy efficiency of the whole system if innovative technologies, such as vehicle-to-building (V2B) technologies, are implemented. The aim of this paper is to present an Energy Management System (EMS) based on mathematical programming that has been developed to optimally manage a prosumer building equipped with photovoltaics, a micro wind turbine and several charging points for electric vehicles. Capabilities curves of renewable power plant inverters are modelled within the EMS, as well as the possibility to apply power curtailment and V2B. The use of V2B technology reduces the amount of electricity purchased from the public grid, while the use of smart inverters for the power plants allows zero reactive power to be drawn from the grid. Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is used to quantify curtailment costs, while penalties on reactive power absorption from the distribution network are evaluated in accordance with the current regulatory framework. Specifically, the model is applied to a prosumer building owned by the postal service in a large city in Italy. The paper reports the main results of the study and proposes a sensitivity analysis on the number of charging stations and vehicles, as well as on the consideration of different typical days characterized by different load and generation profiles. This paper also investigates how errors in forecasting energy production from renewable sources impact the optimal operation of the whole system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the allocation process of Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs) in the Italian electricity market. FTRs are financial instruments allowing market participants to hedge against transmission congestion, also playing a critical role in ensuring the efficient use of the transmission system. We present a linear programming (LP) model that simulates the FTRs allocation process, taking into account the transmission capacity limits of the electric network when the total revenue is considered as the utility function. Obtained results highlight that our solution allows us to develop better investment and bidding strategies for optimal transmission management dynamics. In particular, numerical simulations show good results, with an overall MAPE of approximately 7%, indicating that the model accurately predicts the allocation of transmission rights across the network. Overall, the paper provides insights into the inner workings of the FTR allocation process in Italy, also providing improved market efficiency while increasing revenue for market participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy prices in Europe have in recent years surpassed unprecedented thresholds and varied in unexpected ways compared to previous years. This paper presents a study of the fuel markets in Italy, supplemented by insights from Sweden. Italy is heavily dependent on natural gas. The results show that natural gas demand changed only slightly in the period 2017–2022, but prices started to increase at the end of 2021. Notable spikes occurred at the beginning of the events in Ukraine, even though the baseline was already three times higher than the average price from 2017 to 2019. Distinct dynamics can be identified with the increase in demand for power generation, contrasted with a decrease in industrial natural gas demand after August 2022. The trends in coal and wood chip prices are consistent with those of natural gas, while oil prices appear to be less correlated. Additionally, events such as CO2 trading and the launch of the Fit for 55 program by the EU show some correlation with the trend in natural gas prices during 2021. Interestingly, the origin of the increase in natural gas prices during 2021–2022 cannot be simply attributed to the mismatch of supply and demand or any singular external event. This paper aims at starting a discussion on the topic by proposing some explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the sustainability of the environment is a very much concerning issue for developed countries, the drive of the paper is to reveal the effects of nuclear, environment-friendly, and non-friendly energy, population, and GDP on CO2 emission for Italy, a developed country. Using the extended Stochastic Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) framework, the yearly data from 1972 to 2021 are analyzed in this paper through an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) framework. The reliability of the study is also examined by employing Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS), Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS), and Canonical Cointegration Regression (CCR) estimators and also the Granger causality method which is used to see the directional relationship among the indicators. The investigation confirms the findings of previous studies by showing that in the longer period, rising Italian GDP and non-green energy by 1% can lead to higher CO2 emissions by 8.08% and 1.505%, respectively, while rising alternative and nuclear energy by 1% can lead to falling in CO2 emission by 0.624%. Although population and green energy adversely influence the upsurge of CO2, they seem insignificant. Robustness tests confirm these longer-period impacts. This analysis may be helpful in planning and developing strategies for future financial funding in the energy sector in Italy, which is essential if the country is to achieve its goals of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 28 February–2 March 2023, the 2023 States General of Artificial Intelligence (AI) event was held in Italy under the sponsorship of several multinational companies. The purpose of this event was mainly to create a venue for allowing international protagonists of AI to discuss and confront on the recent trends in AI. The aim of this paper is to report on the state of the art of the literature on the most recent control engineering and artificial intelligence methods for managing and controlling energy networks with improved efficiency and effectiveness. More in detail, to the best of the authors' knowledge, the scope of the literature review considered in this paper is specifically limited to recent trends in EV charging, cyber-physical security, and predictive maintenance. These application scenarios were identified in the above-mentioned event as responsible for triggering most of the business needs currently expressed by energy companies. A critical discussion of the most relevant methodological approaches and experimental setups is provided, together with an overview of the future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public transport can play a central role in representing a viable and sustainable mobility solution, especially in urban areas. Average energy consumption and emissions per passenger are much lower than for private cars. At the same time, current buses often mostly rely on diesel, and there are different solutions that can contribute to public transport decarbonization. Biomethane is among the options to exploit local low-carbon resources to decrease the emissions of public transport in urban environments. This paper presents the analysis of a real case study considering real data on the fuel consumption and mileage of the existing bus fleet in the city of Turin, Italy, composed by diesel and natural gas buses. The aim of this study is to estimate the effect of different penetration levels of biomethane in substitution of the current fuels. The results show that the use of biomethane in urban buses could save to up to 71% of emissions compared to the current situation, and savings would increase to 75% when deploying biomethane and electric buses together. Average emissions per pkm could decrease from a current level of 85.5 gCO2/pkm to 21.3–63.4 gCO2/pkm depending on the penetration of biomethane and electric buses. The sensitivity analysis shows even higher savings when accounting for the future decrease of the electricity carbon intensity in Italy and for the additional benefits related to avoided emissions from manure disposal. The results of the analysis demonstrate the potential contribution of biomethane in decarbonizing urban buses, and the findings presented for this case study can be of use for policy makers and researchers that deal with a similar situation in other cities and countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green logistics is an approach aimed at reducing the environmental impact of transport, storage, and distribution practices, through low-emission vehicles, optimized routes, clean energy tech in warehouses, and efficient waste management. These solutions can contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals of the European Green Deal. The main research question of this paper is whether an electric vehicle has a lower environmental impact compared to a gasoline vehicle. This study presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) of an electric vehicle using lithium-ion battery technology (BEV) and compares it to an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV), considering the transportable load within the context of Italy. Through a gate-to-grave approach, both vehicles' life cycle use and disposal phases were evaluated to identify the hotspots of environmental impact. The LCA methodology allows for an objective comparison and the results show that BEV emits slightly less kgCO2eq than ICEVs. The primary contributor to the vehicles' impact is the dependency of the electric energy primary source from fossil fuels. Therefore, a second analysis was conducted to analyse the benefit of photovoltaic panels to generate the electric energy, showing that it can result in a significant 50% reduction in impact, making the electric vehicle a valid solution for achieving green logistics objectives. However, the questions of electric energy production, management, and distribution together with the supply of raw material and disposal of lithium batteries remain open. This issue raises a concern regarding the BEV in a country like Italy where the lack of recharging points limits the adoption of electric vehicles in green logistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a three-dimensional (3D) numerical model based on the finite element method (FEM) is developed to determine the fluid flow and heat transfer phenomena in a real multi-tube downhole heat exchanger (DHE), designed ad hoc for the present application, considering natural convection inside a geothermal reservoir. The DHE has been effectively installed and tested on the island of Ischia, in southern Italy, and the measurements have been used to validate the model. In particular, the authors analyze experimentally and numerically the behavior of the DHE based on the outlet temperature of the working fluid, thermal power, overall heat transfer coefficient, and efficiency. Furthermore, the influence of the degree of salinity on the performance of the DHE has been studied, observing that it degrades with the increase in the degree of salinity. The results show that the DHE allows to exchange more than 40 kW with the ground, obtaining overall heat transfer coefficient values larger than 450 W/m2 K. At the degree of salinity of 180 ppt, a decrease in the efficiency of the DHE of more than 8% is observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of biomass can be a strategic way to realize a carbon-neutral energy plan, ensuring a fuel feedstock. Residual biomass arising from pruning is demonstrated to be an important energy resource in terms of quantity and quality. In the Salento peninsula, Apulia Region, in the south of Italy, a dramatic outbreak of Xylella fastidiosa has decimated olive trees since 2013, gaining a considerable amount of wood biomass. This paper, starting from the need to find a way to optimize the use of this available stock, reviews the main technologies on the utilization of olive wood for energy purposes. In particular, processes and products are here described, and an energy analysis compares lower heating value (LHV), higher heating value (HHV), mass yield, process operating conditions, and energy generated and spent by the process in order to find the most effective technology in order to optimize the energy use of olive biomass. The conclusions show the advantages and disadvantages of each technology. Pyrolysis performs well, showing the best results for both char HHV and syngas yield under different operating conditions. Gasification seems to be the most appropriate among conversion technologies to optimize olive tree pruning for energy purposes, as it can be used to produce both electrical and thermal energy. In terms of economic valorization, char is the most promising material representing a value-added product, the quality and versatility of which ranges from fuel to soil improvers and additives for the construction of supercapacitors. Conversely, its disadvantages are mainly represented by high ash content, which can slightly decrease the boiler efficiency. Finally, the amount of alkali metals can produce several problems, such as fouling, slagging, corrosion, etc., posing a challenge for combustion control and pollutant minimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building and construction sector has a significant impact on the CO2 emissions and pollutants released into the atmosphere, which contribute to climate change. The EPDB Directive mandates the achievement of minimum energy class E for all residential buildings by 2030 and energy class D by 2033. Particularly, in Italy, about 86% of the existing building stock predates the enactment of any energy laws or regulations, making it imperative to apply the energy efficiency interventions. This paper provides a support decision tool for the identification of the standardized interventions in the building envelope, the air conditioning system, and domestic hot water production. This study is focused on a specific construction period class (1976–1990) in six different climatic zones. The methodological approach is based on a cataloguing phase and the definition of ante operam energy classes as well as on case study identification, energy requalification intervention identification, solution simulations, and cost estimation. By simulating the standardized interventions for each climatic zone, a range of possible combinations is identified. The most advantageous ones are determined based on a cost–benefit analysis considering the potential class jump achieved. The research result is a matrix of energy efficiency interventions that is applicable to each climatic zone and can be extended to the existing housing stock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examined the dynamical properties of the fluid-injection microseismicity at the Val d'Agri oil field (southern Italy) by applying different statistical methods to find correlations and common periodicities with injection parameters, such as injected volumes and injection pressure. Two periods of observation were analyzed: (1) from 2006 to 2015 (the first 10 years after the beginning of injection operations), the seismicity was recorded by the seismic network of the ENI company that manages the exploitation of the oilfield; (2) from 2016 to 2018, the seismicity was recorded by a denser seismic network capable of significantly reducing the completeness magnitude. If a significant correlation between seismicity and fluid-injection variables was found in the first period, in the second period, the seismic activity and injection variables were characterized by common periodicities after the reservoir acidification and for injection rates above 1900 m3/day. Finally, we applied and compared two different approaches proposed in the literature to forecast the maximum expected magnitude. The results showed that one of the approaches yielded an estimated maximum magnitude of Mmax = 1.7 ± 0.4, which is consistent with the maximum observed magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy Communities (EC) are becoming a major driver to foster the energy transition in Europe and the regulatory framework adopted by each Member State (MS) plays a key role for a prosperous deployment of ECs. This paper is thus divided into two layers. The first layer of this paper addresses the current regulations introduced by MSs regarding ECs, providing a critical comparison of each solution used. The second layer of research concerns the introduction of a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) optimization algorithm early studied by some of the authors furtherly developed to assess the conditions that favour prosumers' participation to ECs. Both these models have been tested on a case study located in the city of Magliano Alpi, in the north of Italy. The results demonstrate that the proposed methodology correctly evaluates the key parameters influencing participation of citizens in ECs and indicate that for the Italian EC under study, there is the possibility to further expand the capacity installed without undermining the profitability of investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of hydrogen as both chemical feed and energy carrier using low-carbon technologies is one of the solutions to reach net-zero emissions. This paper, firstly, reviews the publications on the life-cycle assessment of photovoltaic (PV)-based hydrogen production focused on the carbon footprint. Secondly, it updates the global warming potential (GWP) values of this H2 production process considering the state-of-the-art PV panels for installation in Italy. In the literature, H2 produced in Europe and the rest of the world results in a mean GWP equal to 4.83 and 3.82 kg CO2 eq./kg H2, respectively, in which PV systems contribute the highest share. The average efficiency of PV panels assumed in the literature is lower than the current PV modules. Updating the supply chain, efficiency, and manufacturing energy and material flows of PV modules can decrease the GWP value of the H2 produced by nearly 60% (1.75 kg CO2 eq./kg H2, with use of alkaline electrolyzer) in the Italian context, which can be further reduced with advancements in PV panels or electrolysis efficiency. The study proves that advancement in the PV industry and additional savings in the electrolyzer's electrical demand can further decrease the carbon footprint of PV-based H2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current context of joint efforts towards the decarbonisation of buildings, integrating occupants' comfort and health with latest technological advancements for energy efficiency is at the center of the latest development of research, policies and professional practice. Radiant systems are encountering great success since the low-thickness systems can also be used in renovation projects for both heating and cooling, while guaranteeing optimal comfort. However, dehumidification is often required for optimal radiant cooling operation with no condensation risks, and the great potential of mechanical ventilation systems to optimally address the needs for dehumidification, air renewal, health and energy efficiency appears to be far from its full exploitation in the post-COVID-19 era. The present paper aims at providing a quantification of the energy and financial impacts of the implementation of a controlled mechanical ventilation system (CMV) coupled to a radiant system in a typical residential case study building in Italy. The results show that the sole CMV may decrease primary energy demand and energy costs by more than 30% and contribute to an increase in the smart readiness of the building by 8%, but further incentive policies must be developed to cover the still high investment and maintenance cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For new buildings in densely urbanised cities, groundwater heat pump systems (GWHPs) represent a concrete, effective solution for decarbonising existing energy systems. Environmental factors must be considered to limit the GWHP system's impact on the subsurface. Particular attention must be given to the long-term sustainability of groundwater abstraction modalities and the development of a thermally affected zone around re-injection wells. Simplified solutions and numerical models have been applied to predict subsurface heat transport mechanisms; these simulations allow researchers to consider site-specific geological conditions, transient heat and groundwater flow regimes, and anisotropies in the subsurface media. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the current research on GWHPs and discusses the benefits and limitations of their diffusion in Italy. The sources used provide information on and examples of the correct methodological approaches for depicting the induced variations while avoiding the overestimation or underestimation of the impact that GWHPs have on exploited aquifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the urgency to mitigate climate change intensifies, the achievement of zero carbon targets in the built environment has become a critical objective. Building retrofitting plays a vital role in reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in existing buildings. This paper presents an approach that combines Building Information Modeling (BIM) with multiple domains to strive for zero carbon targets in building retrofit projects. The proposed approach is based on a dynamic multi-parameter analysis that integrates indoor comfort, energy savings, CO2eq reduction, and the social cost of carbon while considering investment costs. Renewable energy technologies, such as photovoltaic panels and solar thermal systems, are emphasized to achieve the desired zero-carbon outcomes. Real-time monitoring mechanisms enable continuous performance evaluation and adaptive retrofit strategies for further energy savings. This approach is validated through a case study of an existing thermal bath building, known as "Terme Lucane", located in southern Italy. The results of the study demonstrate significant reductions in energy consumption and carbon emissions, highlighting the potential of the proposed approach to achieve zero carbon targets through the integration of multi-data BIM implementation. These findings offer a promising pathway for building retrofit projects aiming for zero carbon targets through multi-data BIM modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the current geopolitical situation that has hindered the gas supply gas from Russia, Europe's main supplier, it is necessary to find alternative routes to guarantee the Italian gas stocks in winter at a reasonable cost. Such energetic strategies should consider the environmental sustainability of the different available options, fitting the targets of the EU environmental policy. With the aim of supplying a quantitative tool to support the European green transition, this paper reports the entire life cycle assessment (LCA) of three different options for the production and supply of natural gas/methane in Italy: the production of biomethane from biogas (considering a real-scale plant in Italy), the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplied by Qatar by vessel, and the use of compressed gas delivered from Algeria via pipeline. The application of the LCA standardized method allowed for the quantification of the environmental benefit provided by the first option, against all the considered impact categories, thanks to a combination of several advantages: (a) its low-impact anaerobic production, (b) its exploitation of a waste product from the food/agriculture industries, and (c) its production of valuable by-products, which can be considered environmental credits. The results proved the possible environmental gain resulting from an integrated energy supply system that would be able to enhance the economic fabric of specific areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Renovation Wave for Europe highlighted the role of the public building stock for which Directive 2012/27/EU has set an annual renewal rate of 3%, which should rise to reach the goal of decarbonization by 2050. In this paper, the energy retrofit of an educational building—at the academic level—in Southern Italy was investigated. The aim was to evaluate the incentive share, which could accelerate the energy efficiency process, to achieve a cost-effective nZEB. The results show that the highest incentive rate is required for interventions on the opaque building envelope, which are also those that allow the least energy savings. An incentive rate of about 45% for the energy efficiency of the transparent envelope is necessary to reduce the payback time by about 7 years. The efficiency of the plants and the installation of a PV system are energetically and economically convenient even without forms of economic incentive. Finally, if the building is brought to high energy standards—a primary energy saving of 46% and energy class A3—an incentive rate of 40% is required to repay the intervention in about 10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting energy efficiency is a key element of the strategic commitment of the European Community. Prominent among the binding measures established by the 2012 Energy Efficiency Directive to further this vision is the requirement for large companies to conduct energy audits every four years. After receiving the second cycle of energy audit reports in December 2019, a new description of the energy situation of Italian companies was made available. This presented the previously inaccessible possibility of comparing the two situations reported in 2015 and 2019 to assess the development of energy efficiency practices in organizations subject to the legislative obligation of energy audits in the country. To this end, in collaboration with the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), a project was initiated with the aim of developing the tools and methodologies necessary to assess in more detail the evolution that has occurred in the four years since 2015. In this paper, the findings of the analysis conducted on a significant sample of companies in Italy are presented. Through the design of a maturity model to assess the degree of progress achieved in a company's energy management, the results of the two situations were analyzed. The analysis was deepened by assessing the progress achieved in different aspects of Energy Management: "Strategic Approach", "Awareness, Competence, and Knowledge", "Methodological Approach", "Organizational Structure", "Energy Performance Management and Information System", and "Best Practices". Furthermore, the observed variations were statistically tested using a pairwise t-test to make statistical inferences about the maturity of the total population of Italian enterprises under legislative obligation. The results have shown an increase in overall energy management maturity in each maturity dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing interest in natural gas-fired gensets is motivated by District Heating (DH) network applications, especially in urban areas. Even if they represent customary solutions, when used in DH, duty regimes are driven by network thermal energy demands resulting in discontinuous operation, which affects their remaining useful life. As such, the attention on effective condition-based maintenance has gained momentum. In this paper, a novel unsupervised anomaly detection framework is proposed for gensets in DH networks based on Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) data. The framework relies on multivariate Machine-Learning (ML) regression models trained with a Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation method. Model residuals generated during the testing phase are then post-processed with a sliding threshold approach based on a rolling average. This methodology is tested against nine major failures that occurred on the gas genset installed in the Aosta DH plant in Italy. The results show that the proposed framework successfully detects anomalies and anticipates SCADA alarms related to unscheduled downtime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A future nuclear fusion plant DEMO needs neutral beam injection (NBI) systems requiring a vacuum pumping system with a very high pumping speed, in the order of several 1000 m3/s. Large customized cryopumps are actually used to meet the requirements. A promising concept for future NBI systems is based on high capacity getter materials. The ZAO® alloy, developed by SAES Getters, Italy, provides a drastically improved performance for the pumping of hydrogen compared to conventional getter materials. This paper describes the experimental characterization of a large pump of scalable size with 15 kg of ZAO® and the achieved results, in particular the systematic investigation of sorption characteristics and regeneration behaviors. Major findings include a very good repeatability of the sorption performance, a reduced pumping speed at higher pressures only above the NBI relevant level, an improved performance (+20%) with elevated getter temperature and an isotope independent sticking coefficient for hydrogen. Furthermore, improved operation experience and regeneration prediction tools have been developed. Employing the experimental results, a simulation task was performed and the sticking factor of the getter cartridge was determined with 7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current geopolitical landscape of the European Union has made it clear that the energy sector must be a top priority in EU policy, especially in light of the sudden escalation of Russian–Ukrainian conflicts. Energy efficiency has been used as the first tool of EU policy to tackle energy and climate crises, given the issues surrounding energy vulnerability and the need to limit gas emissions that contribute to climate change. The white certificate mechanism in Italy has played a pivotal role in encouraging measures to achieve the country's energy-saving goals. Given the high energy requirements of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs), especially for aeration in the biological section, this paper examines the replacement of the air distribution system for a large WWTP as a viable intervention. In order to provide economic perspective for the plant, both the discounted Payback Period (dPBP) and the Net Present Value (NPV) were calculated for the investment. When viewed through an economic lens, the dPBP metric exhibits values that span from less than 1 year to nearly 4.5 years. Additionally, the investment's cost-effectiveness was emphasized by the NPV, which, depending on the factors considered, can exceed 17.5 million euros. Finally, given the centrality of the theme of climate change, the avoided greenhouse gas emissions generated by the efficiency intervention were calculated, according to the GHG Protocol, resulting in a quantity of avoided emissions equivalent to over 57,770 tonnes of CO2e. These results highlight important achievements in terms of both the cost-effectiveness of the plant and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green hydrogen exploitation plays a crucial role in achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Hydrogen, in fact, provides a number of key benefits for the energy system, due to its integrability with other clean technologies for energy production and consumption. This paper is aimed at presenting the project of recovery of an abandoned industrial area located in central Italy by developing a site for the production of green hydrogen. To this aim, the analysis of the territorial and industrial context of the area allowed us to design the project phases and to define the sizing criteria of the hydrogen production plant. The results of a preliminary cost–benefit analysis show that a huge initial investment is required and that, in the short term, the project is sustainable only with a very large public grant. On the other hand, in the long term, the project is sustainable, and the benefits significantly overcome the costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Market-based instruments such as white certificates offer the potential to increase efficiency gains, reduce primary energy consumption and make energy systems more resilient. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the white certificate scheme through a case study analysis. In light of increasing decarbonization and energy efficiency targets, it is important to rethink the role that policy instruments play in the energy transition, including the energy efficiency obligation schemes within which white certificate schemes fall. We focus on Italy's white certificate scheme because it is among the longest-lived and has achieved notable results. The scheme is characterized by annually increasing energy savings targets, flexibility, the opportunity to include many interventions, and the role of energy services companies. We provide evidence based on an empirical survey and fill the research gap left by the latest updates to the scheme along with an appraisal of those updates, which covers prominent scheme innovations such as its stability mechanism. Our research can serve as a baseline for policymakers in designing white certificate schemes in countries with little related previous experience and provide useful information from countries where similar schemes have been implemented to fine-tune similar market-based mechanisms to improve energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is a set of technologies aimed at capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from point-source emitters to either store permanently or use as a feedstock to produce chemicals and fuels. In this paper, the potential benefits of CCUS integration into the energy supply sector are evaluated from a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) perspective by comparing two different routes for the CO2 captured from a natural gas combined cycle (NGCC). Both the complete storage of the captured CO2 and its partial utilization to produce dimethyl ether are investigated. Moreover, the assessment is performed considering the region-specific features of two of the largest CO2 emitters in Europe, namely Italy and Poland. Results shows that the complete storage of the captured CO2 reduces Global Warming Potential (GWP) by ~89% in Italy and ~97%, in Poland. On the other hand, the partial utilization of CO2 to produce dimethyl ether leads to a decrease of ~58% in Italy and ~68% in Poland with respect to a comparable reference entailing conventional dimethyl ether production. A series of environmental trade-offs was determined, with all the investigated categories apart from GWP showing an increase, mainly connected with the higher energy requirements of CCUS processes. These outcomes highlight the need for a holistic-oriented approach in the design of novel implemented configurations to avoid burden shifts throughout the value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of freshwater and energy is a serious issue in remote and islanded areas, especially at a small scale, where there may not be the possibility to access the grid and/or water distribution systems. In this context, polygeneration systems operating on the basis of local, renewable energy sources can be an answer to the users' demand for electricity, heating, cooling, and domestic hot water. The scope of the proposed paper was to investigate, numerically, the energy and economic feasibility of a novel hybrid polygeneration system powered by biomass, solar, and wind energy for a micro-district of households. The proposed system consists of a biomass-fueled steam cycle, wind turbine, photovoltaic field coupled with thermal and electrical energy storage, adsorption chiller, and a reverse osmosis water desalination unit. The system is also assisted by an LPG generator set running as backup. The system provides space heating and cooling, electrical energy, and fresh and domestic hot water to 10 households located on Pantelleria Island, Italy. The proposed system is modelled and simulated through TRNSYS software with realistic user demand. The energy and economic performance of the proposed system are assessed with respect to a reference system in different scenarios, taking into account islanded operation, connection to the grid, and biomass tariffs. The results show that the proposed system achieves an excellent primary energy saving performance in all the investigated scenarios, with savings of more than 94% for all the investigated scenarios. Excluding any kind of funding, in case of new investment for the system, the simple payback oscillates between 7 and 12 years, showing that the developed alternative is fairly valid with respect to traditional solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smooth power injection is one of the possible services that modern wind farms could provide in the not-so-far future, for which energy storage is required. Indeed, this is one among the three possible operations identified by the International Energy Agency (IEA)-Hydrogen Implementing Agreement (HIA) within the Task 24 final report, that may promote their integration into the main grid, in particular when paired to hydrogen-based energy storages. In general, energy storage can mitigate the inherent unpredictability of wind generation, providing that they are deployed with appropriate control algorithms. On the contrary, in the case of no storage, wind farm operations would be strongly affected, as well as their economic performances since the penalty fees wind farm owners/operators incur in case of mismatches between the contracted power and that actually delivered. This paper proposes a Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithm that operates a Hydrogen-based Energy Storage System (HESS), consisting of one electrolyzer, one fuel cell and one tank, paired to a wind farm committed to smooth power injection into the grid. The MPC relies on Mixed-Logic Dynamic (MLD) models of the electrolyzer and the fuel cell in order to leverage their advanced features and handles appropriate cost functions in order to account for the operating costs, the potential value of hydrogen as a fuel and the penalty fee mechanism that may negatively affect the expected profits generated by the injection of smooth power. Numerical simulations are conducted by considering wind generation profiles from a real wind farm in the center-south of Italy and spot prices according to the corresponding market zone. The results show the impact of each cost term on the performances of the controller and how they can be effectively combined in order to achieve some reasonable trade-off. In particular, it is highlighted that a static choice of the corresponding weights can lead to not very effective handling of the effects given by the combination of the system conditions with the various exogenous', while a dynamic choice may suit the purpose instead. Moreover, the simulations show that the developed models and the set-up mathematical program can be fruitfully leveraged for inferring indications on the devices' sizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilities are increasingly interested in integrating energy efficiency and demand response measures as a strategic approach that aims to achieve an increasingly reliable, dynamic, and integrated electric system. The concepts of energy efficiency (EE), demand response (DR), and system reliability (ESR) have been mainly studied from a different perspective, dealing only with the interaction between EE and DR and between EE and ESR. This paper aims to improve knowledge and demonstrate the validity of EE interventions (EEIs) through the use of a tool for evaluating the benefits of energy efficiency measures (EEMs) in the environmental sphere and in terms of DR and ESR. In order to evaluate this interaction, a quantitative method is proposed and validated on real results in an Italian case scenario, taking into account the analysis of smart meters data for residential users located in southern Italy in Calabria. Based on the collected data, an aggregation of users was evaluated with real hourly profiles covering the period from January 2020 to August 2020. These results show how efficient energy use may affect DR resource availability and power systems reliability. In conclusion, the authors justify that a more reliable electric system is ready for new types of EE financing systems based on pay-for-performance contracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Italy in 2020, only 15.5% of school building heritage was retrofitted from an energy and environmental point of view. In this paper, the cost-optimal method was applied to two different school buildings belonging to the same Italian cold climate zone but characterized by different structural and technological solutions. The research aims at defining the cost-effective redevelopment solution among several ones proposed to apply to this building type. At the same time, this paper provides a critical analysis of the methodology applied, highlighting deficiencies related to a not proper evaluation of environmentally friendly retrofitting measures. In a cost-effective context, the main results show that the intervention on the heating system is more convenient than the retrofitting of the envelope. The energy saving is equal to about 35% for both considered schools. Among the different proposed requalification configurations, the adoption of PV (photovoltaic) electric generation is included. In this regard, an optimization procedure was implemented in a generative design environment to maximize energy production with reference to different design parameters. As a result, a solution with south oriented PV modules with a tilt angle of 42° and arranged in 0.7 m spaced rows proved to be the most effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the climate policy discussion by focusing on the challenges and opportunities of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 in Italy. To support Italian energy planning, we developed energy roadmaps towards national climate neutrality, consistent with the Paris Agreement objectives and the IPCC goal of limiting the increase in global surface temperature to 1.5 °C. Starting from the Italian framework, these scenarios identify the correlations among the main pillars for the change of the energy paradigm towards net emissions by 2050. The energy scenarios were developed using TIMES-RSE, a partial equilibrium and technology-rich optimization model of the entire Italian energy system. Subsequently, an in-depth analysis was developed with the sMTISIM, a long-term simulator of power system and electricity markets. The results show that, to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, the Italian energy system will have to experience profound transformations on multiple and strongly related dimensions. A predominantly renewable-based energy mix (at least 80–90% by 2050) is essential to decarbonize most of the final energy consumption. However, the strong increase of non-programmable renewable sources requires particular attention to new flexibility resources needed for the power system, such as Power-to-X. The green fuels produced from renewables via Power-to-X will be a vital energy source for those sectors where electrification faces technical and economic barriers. The paper's findings also confirm that the European "energy efficiency first" principle represents the very first step on the road to climate neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the suitability of the community cooperatives (CC) model for the implementation of renewable energy communities (REC), as prescribed by art. 22 of EU Directive 2018/2001, and temporarily transposed into the Italian law by art. 42-bis of the Law Decree n. 162/2019. The hypothesis explored analyses the potential synergies between RECs and CC, based on their similarities. In particular, the article takes into consideration: the actors involved in both the RECs and the CCs; the geographical scope in which they develop, and the purposes that these two legal forms intended to achieve. Through a literature review and the analysis of EU, national and regional legislations, the paper aims at (1) clarifying the main features of RECs and the CCs in Italy; (2) exploring the main differences between CCs and the other legal forms of cooperative (e.g., mutual cooperative, cooperative benefit, etc.) and assessing the extent to which CCs are more suitable to implement renewable energy communities. As a result of the literature and regulatory review, several similarities between CCs and RECs can be detected, particularly, in reference to the strategic valorization of the cooperation between citizens and the local public entities. These similarities allow the authors to provisionally conclude that, in Italy, CCs may be adopted as a tool to implement RECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last ten years have witnessed an increase in publications focusing on bioeconomy as a proposal to confront the global challenges of climate change, depletion of non-renewable resources and ecosystem degradation. This paper investigates the scientific literature on issues related agricultural bioeconomy by applying a bibliometric network analysis. Bibliometric analysis is applied to the publications of the Scopus database during the period 2010–2020 in order to provide an overview of the main aspects that characterize agricultural bioeconomy. The results showed that out of a total of 1100 scientific papers, only 2.45% were published in 2010, while the corresponding share in 2020 was 20.81%. In the five years of 2016–2020, cumulatively, 70.63% of the publications were made, showing the dynamic evolution of bioeconomy. In addition, out of 85 countries in total, Germany and Italy are the two countries with most publications, while the fragmentation of research is evident with the creation of two main nodes, the European and the American. Moreover, keyword analysis showed that biomass and sustainability are two main recurring concepts, confirming that, currently, bioeconomy operates at three different levels: energy demand, land demand, and governance. It is apparent that to boost the development of agricultural bioeconomy, the following aspects should be assessed: the effective use of resources, an understanding of the key drivers of agricultural bioeconomy, and a clear perception of their associations. There is still no consensus as to which are the key factors that will accelerate its sustainable development. Our pursuit is to use the tools of bibliometric analysis to reach more critical conclusions regarding the agricultural bioeconomy, rather than approach it in a static way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper deals with an infrastructure digitization policy to optimize maintenance processes and energy efficiency to transform port areas to ZED (Zero Energy District). The Lazio Region started the process for all its ports in 2020. The Anzio port started and developed as a pilot project as it is a particularly representative sample for the Mediterranean Sea reality due to its geomorphological conformation. The study aimed to develop energy-saving procedures and strategies and integrate production systems from Renewable Energy Systems (RESs) for sustainable mobility. In the article, these strategies are described in detail and energy analysis is carried out, starting from the current state and demonstrating the potential energy self-sufficiency of the infrastructure. Finally, the investigation's potential utilizing a Digital Twin (DT) of the area is highlighted. Furthermore, the BIM (Building Information Modeling) and GIS (Geographic Information System) combining possibility to maximize the energy efficiency measures beneficial impact are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper contributes to the literature on community renewable energy by considering two projects developed in the north-west of Italy, in the Piedmont region. Community renewable energy is increasingly regarded by academic literature and policy discourse as crucial to ensure a socially and environmentally just energy transition. In spite of the growing diffusion of community renewable energy projects, there is still a lack of theoretically informed analyses. Our article tries to address this gap by combining two theoretical perspectives: the multilevel perspective and the socio-technical imaginaries approach. Applying the first perspective helps reconstruct the context and circumstances that have permitted the Piedmont's energy community projects to emerge. Particular attention is given to the windows of opportunity created by the Regional Law 12/2018, which acknowledged the establishment of energy communities for the first time in Italy. The socio-technical imaginaries perspective allows the identification of collective ideas and meanings that emerge when individuals or groups promote a socio-technical innovation. Based on this analysis, three main future changes are associated with community renewable energy: an integral ecology approach, a stronger sense of community, and a local development opportunity for rural areas characterised by depopulation, a low employment rate, and high energy demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has a strong influence on the energy consumption of buildings, affecting both the heating and cooling demand in the actual and future scenario. In this paper, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to evaluate the influence of both the occupant behaviour and the climate change on the environmental impact of the heating and cooling systems of an apartment located in southern Italy. The analysis was conducted using IPCC GWP and ReCiPe indicators as well as the Ecoinvent database. The influence of occupant behaviour was included in the analysis considering different usage profiles during the operational phase, while the effect of climate change was considered by varying the weather file every thirty years. The adoption of the real usage profiles showed that the impact of the systems was highly influenced by the occupant behaviour. In particular, the environmental impact of the heating system appeared more influenced by the operation hours, while that of the cooling system was more affected by the natural ventilation schedules. Furthermore, the influence of climate change demonstrated that more attention has to be dedicated to the cooling demand that in the future years will play an ever-greater role in the energy consumption of buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, environmental and energy issues attract a lot of attention in the civil buildings sector, leading to the emergence of new technologies and new targets, which include Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs). However, despite the great response in scientific research, the spread of NZEBs in Europe is quite limited. This is due not only to the lack of transposition of the related European Directives into the various national legislations, but also to the high initial cost of such high-performance buildings. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how different energy retrofit strategies on existing buildings can lead to the achievement of the NZEB target if encouraged by tax incentives, at zero or almost zero cost. The introduction of tax incentives by individual EU member states would allow the spread of NZEBs that are still underdeveloped, especially in highly urbanized contexts. A suitable building energy dynamic simulation software has been used. The case study refers to a villa located in Southern Italy and for which different energy retrofit strategies are proposed to reach the NZEB target. For each case, an energy and economic evaluation is carried out to evaluate the feasibility of the interventions, exploiting the so-called "Super-Eco-Bonus 110%" incentive. The main results highlight that among the various solutions, the greatest energy cost reductions are obtained with the use of heat pump generators. Furthermore, the solution with the biomass boiler allows the use of a smaller number of photovoltaic panels to meet the yearly energy balance of the NZEB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islands are widely recognised as ideal pilot sites that can spearhead the transition to clean energy and development towards a sustainable and healthy society. One of the assumptions underpinning this notion is that island communities are more ready to engage with smart grids (SGs) than people on the mainland. This is believed to be due to the high costs of energy on islands and the idea that the sense of community and collective action is stronger on islands than on the mainland. This paper presents findings from a survey conducted to assess people's perception of, and readiness to engage with, SG and demand response (DR) in the communities of three islands taking part in a H2020 project called REACT. The main objective of the survey, conducted in 2020, was to inform the recruitment of participants in the project, which is piloting different technologies required for SGs and DR with communities on the three islands. The results show that many island residents are motivated to take part in SG, to engage with energy saving, and are willing to change some energy-related behaviours in their homes. However, the results also indicate that levels of ownership of, and knowledge and familiarity with, the SG and DR related technologies are extremely low, suggesting that the expected uptake of DR in islands might not be as high as anticipated. This brings into question the readiness of island dwellers for the SG, their role in the deployment of such schemes more widely and the validity of the assumptions often made about island communities. This has significant implications for the design of SGs and DR solutions for islands, including devoting sufficient efforts to build knowledge and awareness of the SG, investing in demonstration projects for that purpose and tailoring interventions based on island communities' motivations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few years, a strong penetration of Intermittent Renewable Energy Sources (IRES) has been in progress in the Italian power system. In this new framework, the dispatching activity must improve its efficiency to ensure adequacy and security of the national electricity system. European market integration initiatives are making this goal achievable, provided that the coherency of market price signals and reserve procurement at the European level are guaranteed. For this reason, the Italian Transmission System Operator (TSO), Terna, started to investigate the opportunity to align the Italian reserve-procurement approach to the one adopted in most European countries, procuring Replacement Reserve (RR) in dedicated auctions held in advance of the day-ahead market. The aim of this new methodology is to improve the coherency of price signals arising from the integrated European day-ahead market, anticipating potential scarcity conditions, thus helping to keep adequacy standards high. This paper describes the characteristics of a possible new reserve-procurement model based on the European benchmark. Comparative simulations are presented, estimating the impact of the new approach in terms of outcomes and costs of both the energy and ancillary services markets in Italy. The results of this study suggest activation of the reserve auction only in the cases in which the TSO expects a potential risk of simultaneous reserve scarcity across European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building sector is one of the key energy consumers worldwide. Fuel cell micro-Cogeneration Heat and Power systems for residential and small commercial applications are proposed as one of the most promising innovations contributing to the transition towards a sustainable energy infrastructure. For the application and the diffusion of these systems, in addition to their environmental performance, it is necessary, however, to evaluate their economic feasibility. In this paper a life cycle assessment of a fuel cell/photovoltaic hybrid micro-cogeneration heat and power system for a residential building is integrated with a detailed economic analysis. Financial indicators (net present cost and payback time are used for studying two different investments: reversible-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and natural gas SOFC in comparison to a base scenario, using a homeowner perspective approach. Moreover, two alternative incentives scenarios are analysed and applied: net metering and self-consumers' groups (or energy communities). Results show that both systems obtain annual savings, but their high capital costs still would make the investments not profitable. However, the natural gas Solide Oxide Fuel Cell with the net metering incentive is the best scenario among all. On the contrary, the reversible-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell maximizes its economic performance only when the self-consumers' groups incentive is applied. For a complete life cycle cost analysis, environmental impacts are monetized using three different monetization methods with the aim to internalize (considering them into direct cost) the externalities (environmental costs). If externalities are considered as an effective cost, the natural gas Solide Oxide Fuel Cell system increases its saving because its environmental impact is lower than in the base case one, while the reversible-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell system reduces it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed review of wave energy resource assessment and the state-of-the-art of deployed wave energy converters (WECs) in real environmental conditions in the Mediterranean Sea have been analysed in this study. The installed power of the several deployed WECs in the Mediterranean Sea varies between 3–2500 kW. Ten project cases of deployed WECs in the basin are presented, with their analysis of the essential features. Five different types of WEC have already been tested under real environmental conditions in Italy, Greece, Israel and Gibraltar, with Italy being the Mediterranean country with the most deployed WECs. The main questions of the relevant studies were the ongoing trends, the examination of WECs in combination with other renewable sources, the utilising of WECs for desalination, and the prospects of wave energy in the Mediterranean islands and ports. This paper is the first comprehensive study that overviews the recent significant developments in the wave energy sector in the Mediterranean countries. The research concludes that the advances of the wave energy sector in the Mediterranean Sea are significant. However, in order to commercialise WECs and wave energy exploitation to become profitable, more development is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, distribution network operators are urged by regulatory authorities to reduce the load disruptions due to extreme weather events, i.e., to enhance network resilience: in particular, in Italy they are required to present a yearly plan (called "resilience plans") describing the interventions aimed to improve network resilience. To this purpose, they need new methodologies and tools to assess the network resilience and to quantify the benefits of countermeasures. This paper proposes the application of a risk-based framework and tool to assess the impacts of extreme weather events in T&D grids, which anticipate critical network situations in presence of incumbent weather threats. To do this, the forecasting of weather events is combined with the component vulnerability models in order to predict which components are more prone to fail. Based on this set of components, the set of most risky contingencies is identified and their impacts on the distribution network in terms of unsupplied load are quantified. The major advantage of the applied methodology is its generality: in fact, it is applicable to both distribution and transmission systems as well as integrated transmission and distribution (T&D) systems, considering the peculiarities of each type of grid, in terms of operation, maintenance and component vulnerabilities. In particular, the application refers to a distribution network connected to a portion of high voltage transmission system in a mountainous zone, with focus on two major threats in the area, i.e., wet snow and fall of trees induced by combined wind and snow. The methodology also quantifies the benefits brought to the system resilience by countermeasures such as reconductoring, optimal reconfiguration or new right-of-way maintenance procedures. Simulations demonstrate the ability of the methodology to support T&D operators in an operational planning context in case of different incumbent threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]