The energy transition is not a simple technological handover between fossil and renewable sources; instead, it’s a profound metamorphosis that’s rewriting the rules of physical flows, markets, skills and territories. Against this backdrop of radical change, the world of academia is no mere observer, but acts as incubator of the future, bridging the gap between scientific theory and industrial application.
To better understand how knowledge can be transformed into national competitiveness and security, we put some questions to Davide Poli, Full Professor of Electricity Systems for Energy and Vice-Chair of DESTEC (the Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Constructions Engineering) at the University of Pisa. From the management of non-programmable sources to more effective ways to harness electricity lines thanks to Dynamic Thermal Rating, and even the role of electric vehicles as nodes in the smart grid, here’s the outlook for an integrated, digital and sustainable energy ecosystem from the research perspective.
From the lab to infrastructure: the research accelerating the energy transition
Grids, renewables, storage, the flexibility of traditional plants and demand response: the challenge of the transition lies in integrating and coordinating the planning of these factors. An interview with Davide Poli, Professor of Electricity Systems for Energy at the University of Pisa.
The energy transition requires us to rethink not just the physical flows of energy, but the very structure of the markets. Looking at the future of the Italian and European electricity system, what’s the academic perspective on the relationship between research, innovation, development and national competitiveness through the lens of the transition?
«Research and innovation are two fundamental strategic levers to transform the energy transition from an environmental constraint into a development opportunity for Italy. Research has three historic tasks: to develop new technologies; to propose realistic scenarios; and to prepare reliable models to assess the economic, social and environmental impact of the various political and industrial options.
The real challenge doesn’t lie in replacing one energy source with another; it’s about facilitating the evolution of grids, markets, industry, territories and skills, along a journey of transformation that involves the entire national apparatus.
Through technology transfer, we must link up scientific knowledge with the country’s manufacturing and production capacity. If tackled with a clear vision, decarbonisation can strengthen national competitiveness by reducing strategic dependencies and creating qualified employment. Electricity markets oriented towards security, sustainability and flexibility represent a vital lever in translating the goals of the energy transition into tangible benefits felt throughout the entire community.
In this context, universities and research centres act as bridges between the underlying research and its industrial applications. They are places where engineers, researchers and future policy-makers are educated within an international ecosystem, one used to measuring itself against a European benchmark to validate models and solutions. At the University of Pisa, we view the transition as an interdisciplinary field: we work on engineering skills, optimisation, artificial intelligence and materials science in conjunction with regulatory matters, the economy and public policies. No innovation produces real developments if it remains confined within the laboratory; it becomes tangible only when it generates positive effects throughout industrial supply chains and the community».
With the gradual decline of traditional thermoelectric generation in favour of non-programmable renewable sources, what technological and planning solutions are most urgent to ensure the adequacy and stability of the transmission grid in the early years?
«It’s a complicated process that involves the adequacy, stability and flexibility of the system. One priority is to strengthen the transmission grid. In this sense, Terna’s Development Plan is forward-thinking, particularly in relation to increasing secure exchange capacity between different market zones in a scenario of flows which switch back and forth continually between importing and exporting areas by day and by night. We need new European interconnections and increasingly sophisticated digital systems for real-time control. Without an adequate, stable grid, increasing the development and integration of non-programmable renewables would turn out to be a Pyrrhic victory, generating congestion, critical issues in voltage regulation and an increase in the curtailment of solar and wind plants (Ed.: the deliberate and controlled reduction of a plant’s energy production).
The second pillar consists of storage. In Italy, the road ahead for electrochemical and hydroelectric technologies is well mapped out thanks to mechanisms like MACSE. The next challenge, however, will consist of managing seasonal intermittence, which is to say the excess production from renewables — particularly solar — in summer, compared to the lack thereof in winter. It will be vital to manage energy in the long term through so-called Power-to-X technologies (Ed.: technologies that transform excess renewable electricity into other forms of energy, fuels or gaseous/liquid materials) and long-lasting storage systems. As yet, no consolidated solution suitable for large-scale implementation exists.
The third area to focus on is real engagement of demand through demand response in a way which is both timely and aggregate, by opening dispatching services market to as many resources as possible. The new TIDE - Integrated Electricity Dispatching Text is moving in the right direction for the emergence of price signals that can bring value to every form of flexibility.
Finally, the flexibility on offer from existing traditional plants must be increased, for example with combined cycles. These programmable systems must operate with quicker start-ups, lower technical minimums and greater modulation, as they will still be required to provide reserves, balancing and grid services for a long time.
The challenge then lies in integrating these factors: grids, renewables, storage, demand and flexible conventional capacity must all evolve in a coordinated, synergistic manner».
One topic that stands out in your research is Dynamic Thermal Rating (DTR), a technology that makes it possible to calculate the actual transport capacity of electricity lines based on real weather conditions. What effect will digitalisation and advanced sensors have in this area?
«Dynamic Thermal Rating applied to transmission grids clearly shows how digitalisation can securely increase the usage margins of existing infrastructure, thanks to taking a smart approach rather than a “forceful” one. Thanks to increasingly advanced thermal and meteorological models, we can optimise the use of existing infrastructure, expanding the potential for their use and therefore their value.
Traditionally, electricity lines were managed based on predefined, precautionary limits calibrated to ensure maximum security under all operating conditions, including the most challenging weather conditions such as the absence of wind or high ambient temperatures.
DTR, on the other hand, combines advanced sensors and sophisticated meteorological models to produce real-time estimates of the actual transport capacity of lines during the minutes and hours to come, considering the ambient temperature, wind, solar radiation and physical condition of the conductor.
The benefits are clear. DTR optimises existing assets and reduces the curtailment of renewables. Often, analysing the real temperature of the conductor rather than the simple current value reveals some congestions are in appearance only: the current is high, but the conductor is cooled down by external environmental conditions. This is a distinction that the traditional approach is incapable of making. What’s more, analysis of thermal inertia makes it possible to reduce re-dispatching: if a line suddenly switches to high-current status, the temperature does not rise instantly but takes 20 or 30 minutes to reach its acceptable limit. This offers the system a valuable window of time to intervene safely.
In this context, advanced sensors transform the grid from a passive component into an observable, controllable system. The challenge over the coming years will not simply consist of installing sensors everywhere, but to a greater extent of guaranteeing data reliability, cybersecurity, and fully embedding these operating logics into control centres, so that these technological opportunities can be translated into consolidated operating rules».
In terms of the electrification of transport, from the perspective of Vehicle-to-Grid integration, how can electric vehicles represent a widespread source of flexibility and storage?
«Electric vehicles represent an extraordinary flexibility resource: they are left parked most of the time, and carry batteries scattered all throughout the land. From a Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) perspective, if they were aggregated and coordinated in a smart manner, they could support the grid with balancing services, frequency regulation, the management of congestion and reducing curtailments. To pave the way towards this goal, we need two-way charging infrastructure, digital management platforms, dynamic price signals and market rules that allow even small, widespread devices to play a part in grid services.
Significant steps are being taken with lots of room for development still remaining, in terms of both the technology and the large-scale diffusion of V2G. While V1G technology (Ed.: the charging of electric vehicles with a one-way flow) is limited to modulating or staggering charging across time, V2G involves cycles of charging and discharging which can accelerate battery ageing, depending on chemical, thermal and usage intensity variables.
Without reliable mathematical models capable of quantifying this degradation and transforming it from a question for the laboratory into a certain piece of information for the user, citizens will never know the real cost of what they’re offering the grid and, if in doubt, will chose not to take part.
V2G will only take off when the end users have transparent, certified proof that the money they receive in return will not only cover the energy and availability they supply, but also make up for battery degradation. This is a vital algorithmic piece of the puzzle which must be shared and accepted by all players on the market.
There’s a similar issue when it comes to battery swapping (Ed.: physically replacing a depleted battery with a charged one). This model has to contend with people’s underlying diffidence: those handing over their battery want absolute certainty that the one they receive in return will be charged and in an equivalent or certified condition. When these tools for calculating ageing are standardised and beyond dispute, users will feel protected and large-scale development can begin. Transparency generates security and allows consumers to make an informed choice of whether embrace the V1G or V2G routes».
