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By introducing the progresses on Morphing currently achieved within the European Project “AIRGREEN2”, in Clean-Sky 2 GRA platform, this work presents a review of the research step forwards accomplished in the last decade by three Italian Partners largely active in the field: the Italian Aerospace Research Centre, the University of Naples “Federico II” and the Politecnico of Milano. A chronologic overview is at first presented, revisiting the research programs and the achieved results; an organic development path has been then built, starting from low TRL achievements up to arrive at the most complete technical accomplishments, characterized by a high level of integration and targeting specific aerospace applications.

Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from fossil fuels and industry increased by 2.2% per year on average between 2005 and 2015 1 . Global emissions need to peak and decline rapidly to limit climate change to well below 2 °C of warming 2,3 , which is one of the goals of the Paris Agreement 4 . Untangling the reasons underlying recent changes in emissions trajectories is critical to guide efforts to attain those goals. Here we analyse the drivers of decreasing CO 2 emissions in a group of 18 developed economies that have decarbonized over the period 2005–2015. We show that within this group, the displacement of fossil fuels by renewable energy and decreases in energy use explain decreasing CO 2 emissions. However, the decrease in energy use can be explained at least in part by a lower growth in gross domestic product. Correlation analysis suggests that policies on renewable energy are supporting emissions reductions and displacing fossil fuels in these 18 countries, but not elsewhere, and that policies on energy efficiency are supporting lower energy use in these 18 countries, as well as more widely. Overall, the evidence shows that efforts to reduce emissions are underway in many countries, but these efforts need to be maintained and enhanced by more stringent policy actions to support a global peak in emissions followed by global emissions reductions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement 3 .

Abstract Transitioning to sustainability will require innovation, not just in technological and economic terms but also in governance and culture. The work presented here sought a remote, vulnerable island context (Fiji, South Pacific) to enable further insight into the innovation process related to resilience and sustainability. The innovation targeted by this work was off-grid solar renewable energy (RE) systems framed as a development instrument to promote local, community-based resilience to climate change through increased livelihood security and reduction of climate change effects. Applying a local-level resilience framework to solar technology use, we conclude that the RE system can improve resilience, however, unintended consequences included a rush for energy usage causing a “tragedy of commons” of finite stored energy and subsequently increased supplementary fossil fuel use. This suggests that there are still missed resilience opportunities in the way that the innovation is implemented in developing countries and remote areas in particular. Further analysis demonstrated that improved planning at the socio-technological interface has the potential to strengthen communities' resilience. With significant RE investments required for a transition to a low-carbon future in many developing countries, there is a pressing need to effectively introduce innovative uses of technologies. Existential threats to many local communities, and some nations in the Pacific may mean that sub-optimal innovation will not be enough.

In order to develop the technology of carbon dioxide at so-called supercritical state (sCO2) further, quick and reliable design tools for the different system components, e.g. centrifugal compressors, are required. In this study, a computer program is developed to predict the performance of centrifugal compressors with sCO2 as working fluid. This computer program is based on mean-line analysis, calculates the fluid parameters at selected sections of the meridional plane and plots the performance maps. So-called enthalpy loss coefficients are utilized to describe the difference between the isentropic and the polytropic process. In addition to previous studies, the presented model intends to predict the performance of sCO2 centrifugal compressor with a shrouded impeller and a vaneless diffuser. For this purpose, corresponding loss coefficients are incorporated. Subsequently, the predicted results of this work are compared and validated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental results from the EU-project sCO2-HeRo. The prediction of the computer program fits within 5% deviation to the CFD results, and about 4% to the experimental results regarding to pressure ratio. Conference Proceedings of the European sCO2 Conference4th European sCO2 Conference for Energy Systems: March 23-24, 2021, Online Conference, p. 68

Abstract Multiple (inter)national networks and research consortia attempt to capitalise on their emerging experience of integrated smart and green energy solutions by contributing towards the sustainable energy transition of non-interconnected island communities. However, past research at an international level suggests that local opposition might undermine otherwise promising transition plans. In order to minimise the problems of technological transfers, it is, thus, imperative to embark on an early-stage exploration of public attitudes towards such innovations. In light, however, of the routine exclusion of social issues in island energy studies, we present timely data from the first-ever questionnaire survey conducted across the islands of the Aegean Sea. In doing so, we uncover the widespread acceptability of green energy solutions developed as part of the internationally acclaimed TILOS (“Technology Innovation for the Local Scale, Optimum Integration of Battery Energy Storage”) Horizon 2020 project. Simultaneously, though, we draw on the outputs of our unique end-user segmentation analyses and argue that only certain islanders are likely to accept the full replication of the TILOS energy model in their communities. Numerous personal/demographic factors influence the likelihood of accepting specific sustainable energy technologies and, subsequently, only a group of individuals who are young, male, knowledgeable and concerned about the environment are expected to support the proposed technological transition. In turn, we argue that these findings should inform future interventions and research with the ultimate aim of supporting efforts to “green” the Aegean archipelago and other non-interconnected islands at an international level.

Energy supply security is of paramount importance to all countries, however, not all countries present the same capacity to respond to energy security threats. Financial wealth is one of the means that can support access to energy resources and as such countries that have been hit the hardest by the 2008 financial crisis present energy supply vulnerabilities. We focus on Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece and find that they have continuously improved their energy supply diversity. At the same time, we argue that during, and as a result of the financial crisis our focus countries reduced their exposure to expensive imported resources predominantly in the transport sector and increased the role of renewables. Overall, we find improved supply security which could be strengthened further if financial resources were directed towards innovation for renewable energy sources.

Future cumulative CO2 emissions consistent with a given warming limit are a finite common global resource that countries need to share — a carbon quota. Strategies to share a quota consistent with a 2 °C warming limit range from keeping the present distribution to reaching an equal per-capita distribution of cumulative emissions. This Perspective shows that a blend of these endpoints is the most viable solution.