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Battery participation in the service of power system frequency regulation is universally recognized as a viable means for counteracting the dramatic impact of the increasing utilization of renewable energy sources. One of the most complex aspects, in both the planning and operation stage, is the adequate characterization of the dynamic variation of the state of charge of the battery in view of lifetime preservation as well as the adequate participation in the regulation task. Since the power system frequency, which is the input of the battery regulation service, is inherently of a stochastic nature, it is easy to argue that the most proper methodology for addressing this complex issue is that of the theory of stochastic processes. In the first part of the paper, a preliminary characterization of the power system frequency is presented by showing that with an optimal degree of approximation it can be regarded as an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. Some considerations for guaranteeing desirable performances of the control strategy are performed by assuming that the battery-regulating power depending on the frequency can be described by means of a Wiener process. In the second part of the paper, more realistically, the regulating power due to power system changes is described as an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck or an exponential shot noise process driven by a homogeneous Poisson process depending on the frequency response features requested of the battery. Because of that, the battery state of charge is modeled as the output of a dynamic filter having this exponential shot noise process as input and its characterization constitutes the central role for the correct characterization of the battery life. Numerical simulations are carried out for demonstrating the goodness and the applicability of the proposed probabilistic approach.

Attempts to model any present or future power grid face a huge challenge because a power grid is a complex system, with feedback and multi-agent behaviors, integrated by generation, distribution, storage and consumption systems, using various control and automation computing systems to manage electricity flows. Our approach to modeling is to build upon an established model of the low voltage electricity network which is tested and proven, by extending it to a generalized energy model. But, in order to address the crucial issues of energy efficiency, additional processes like energy conversion and storage, and further energy carriers, such as gas, heat, etc., besides the traditional electrical one, must be considered. Therefore a more powerful model, provided with enhanced nodes or conversion points, able to deal with multidimensional flows, is being required. This article addresses the issue of modeling a local multi-carrier energy network. This problem can be considered as an extension of modeling a low voltage distribution network located at some urban or rural geographic area. But instead of using an external power flow analysis package to do the power flow calculations, as used in electric networks, in this work we integrate a multiagent algorithm to perform the task, in a concurrent way to the other simulation tasks, and not only for the electric fluid but also for a number of additional energy carriers. As the model is mainly focused in system operation, generation and load models are not developed. The financial support from EPSRC for Liz Varga on project entitled "Transforming Utilities’ Conversion Points" (no. EP/J005649/1) is gratefully acknowledged.

This Milestone, namely M3.3, is part of Task 3.3 “Downscaling of future climate projections at the case-study scale and their transfer to the Partners”. The aim of M3.3 is to outline the results of the climate change evaluation over the investigated pilot sites. For the future projections of the climate variables (precipitation and temperature), the data provided by EURO-CORDEX initiative under two emission scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) are used. The main information on the pilot sites, available data, analyses and results are presented. The data are freely downloadable from the web repository https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7247977. This project is part of the PRIMA Programme supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 1923.

Microbe-assisted phytoremediation is emerging as one of the most effective means by which plants and their associated rhizosphere microbes degrade organic contaminants in soils. A pot study was conducted to examine the effects of inoculation with Rhizobium meliloti on phytoremediation by alfalfa grown for 90 days in an agricultural soil contaminated with weathered polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Planting with uninoculated alfalfa (P) and alfalfa inoculated with R. meliloti (PR) significantly lowered the initial soil PAH concentrations by 37.2 and 51.4% respectively compared with unplanted control soil. Inoculation with R. meliloti significantly increased the counts of culturable PAH-degrading bacteria, soil microbial activity and the carbon utilization ability of the soil microbial community. The results suggest that the symbiotic association between alfalfa and Rhizobium can stimulate the rhizosphere microflora to degrade PAHs and its application may be a promising bioremediation strategy for aged PAH-contaminated soils.

SummaryEnvironmentally extended multiregional input‐output (EE MRIO) tables have emerged as a key framework to provide a comprehensive description of the global economy and analyze its effects on the environment. Of the available EE MRIO databases, EXIOBASE stands out as a database compatible with the System of Environmental‐Economic Accounting (SEEA) with a high sectorial detail matched with multiple social and environmental satellite accounts. In this paper, we present the latest developments realized with EXIOBASE 3—a time series of EE MRIO tables ranging from 1995 to 2011 for 44 countries (28 EU member plus 16 major economies) and five rest of the world regions. EXIOBASE 3 builds upon the previous versions of EXIOBASE by using rectangular supply‐use tables (SUTs) in a 163 industry by 200 products classification as the main building blocks. In order to capture structural changes, economic developments, as reported by national statistical agencies, were imposed on the available, disaggregated SUTs from EXIOBASE 2. These initial estimates were further refined by incorporating detailed data on energy, agricultural production, resource extraction, and bilateral trade. EXIOBASE 3 inherits the high level of environmental stressor detail from its precursor, with further improvement in the level of detail for resource extraction. To account for the expansion of the European Union (EU), EXIOBASE 3 was developed with the full EU28 country set (including the new member state Croatia). EXIOBASE 3 provides a unique tool for analyzing the dynamics of environmental pressures of economic activities over time.

Ammonia exhibits interesting features as fuel to feed Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. Herein, Ni and La co-doped strontium titanate was synthetized using wet chemistry route. Ni nanoparticles emerged via exsolution in reducing environment to decorate the surface. X-Ray Diffraction measurements exhibits perovskite structure was also preserved after the exsolution, as expected. H2 – Temperature Programmed Reduction highlights the great resistance of titanates in anode operation condition. Ammonia conversion in nitrogen and hydrogen were investigated by catalytic tests. It begins to decompose at 560°C and the full yield was achieved at 720°C. Electrochemical measurements were recorded at 800°C using 10% of ammonia in Ar. They were analysed though the model of equivalent circuit and two processes were attributed. Results certify Ni exsolution strongly enhances the hydrogen oxidation and the total polarisation resistance in ammonia approaches to the one in hydrogen.

The effect of external EGR on knock was evaluated using a CFR engine. Combustion pressure was sampled on a time basis. A band pass filter in the time domain was applied to the pressure cycles. Five knock indices were calculated for each combustion cycle. The problem to quantify knock intensity was focused. At this extent, measurements were carried out on standard iso-octane-n-heptane blends in the test conditions used for the determ of the Motor Method Octane Number (MON). Knock intensity was varied acting on compression ratio. For each index, the conditions of absence of knock were determined using motored cycles. The indices were compared and one of them, showing the lowest C.O.V., was selected for further measurements. The effect of EGR on test fuels having different composition was evaluated varying the compression ratio, at fixed ignition timing. In this way, the same level of detonation, obtained in the absence of EGR, was realized with different amounts of external EGR. Percent variation of compression ratio was used to compare the ability of fuels, having different octane number, to tolerate compression ratio increase in presence of EGR. In particular, the tests were carried out on a matrix of twelve fuels with three levels of EGR. The results show that with all tested fuels the percent increase of compression ratio is strongly dependent on EGR.