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Energy companies trading in derivatives which have a value based on an energy product ( “Energy Trading”) are subjected to a fragmented regulatory framework. They are supervised by a multitude of authorities on a national and European level. These authorities cooperate horizontally (between EU agencies or between national regulatory authorities) or vertically – between EU agencies and NRA’s) and in a formal and informal way. They share information on Energy Trading to detect market abuse. This article aims to provide insight in the effectiveness of supervisory activities within the Energy Trading landscape. In doing so, the obligation for energy companies to report fundamental data on the derivatives they trade in, is used for illustrative purposes and explained in light of the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (‘EMIR’), the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive and Regulation (‘MiFID II and MiFIR’) and the regulation on wholesale energy market integrity and transparency (‘REMIT’). The article finishes with a conclusion which advocates the necessity of information sharing and professional secrecy in the current regulatory landscape and intends to contribute to a discussion on the effectiveness of information sharing within an international context.

Artículos en revistas There has been total unanimity about the vital importance of reliability of supply since the beginning of the electricity sector deregulation process. This paper describes the procedure proposed by Pérez-Arriaga et al. [2005. White paper for the reform of the regulatory scheme of the power generation in Spain. For the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade of Spain (in Spanish)] to improve upon the current scheme to guarantee a reasonable reserve margin, the capacity payment mechanism. This alternative design introduces improvements aimed at guaranteeing at least a minimum capacity reserve margin, as well as at providing a strong incentive for generating units to be available when needed, namely, in situations when supply is likely to be insufficient to meet the total demand. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

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This work analyzes the synergy between two complementary unit operations - adsorbent dehumidification and drying - and presents a mixed integer nonlinear programming approach to optimize energy performance in a two-stage system. Combined with active constraint analysis, the adsorbent properties that promote energy performance are derived. Microporous adsorbents with higher sorption capacities at low vapor pressures and requiring higher regeneration temperatures are preferred for ambient air dehumidification in the first stage. For exhaust air dehumidification, mesoporous adsorbents with lower regeneration temperatures are preferred such that the exhaust air from the first regeneration stage can sufficiently regenerate them. For drying below 50 C, energy consumption reductions of about 70% are achieved compared to conventional dryers without adsorbent dehumidification depending on adsorbent properties. The results demonstrate the usefulness of superstructure optimization in matching the drying process with the capabilities of the adsorbents to enhance process synergy for improved energy efficiency. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

This paper aims at reviewing the life cycle assessment (LCA) literature on second generation bioethanol based on lignocellulosic biomass and at identifying issues to be resolved for good LCA practice. Reviews are carried out on respective LCA studies published over the last six years. We use the classification of lignocellulosic biomass to define system boundaries, so that the comparison among LCA results can be thoroughly assessed based on identified system components. A basis for attributing environmental burden for different biomass feedstocks is also suggested. Despite the non-homogeneous systems, we conclude that second generation bioethanol performs better than fossil fuel at least for the two most studied impact categories, net energy output and global warming. For the latter category, carbon sequestration at the biomass generation stage can even consistently offset the GHG emissions from all parts of the life cycle chains at high ethanol percentage (≥85%). The aspect of biogenic carbon and agrochemical input for energy crops and biomass residues, and the effect of removal of the latter from soil have not been treated consistently. In contrast, the exclusion of upstream chain of biomass waste feedstocks is observed in practice. The bioethanol conversion process is mostly based on simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation, characterized by high yield and low energy input. In this regard, the LCA results tend to under estimate the real impacts of the current technology. The choice of allocation methods strongly influences the final results, particularly when economic value is used as a reference. Substitution of avoided burden seems to be the most popular allocation method in practice, followed by partition based on mass, energy, and economic values.

In the anodisation of Nb in acidic fluoride solutions or warm aqueous alkali, and in that of Mo in concentrated phosphoric acid, impedance spectroscopy provides evidence that 3D film growth proceeds already during the active–passive transition. Indeed, linear potential dependences of both the inverse of the high-frequency capacitance and of the product of the high-frequency resistance times the steady-state current are observed already below the peak potential. Simultaneously, a pseudo-inductive loop at intermediate frequencies is detected in the impedance spectra. In the present paper, we propose a kinetic model for the interpretation of these data. The model assumes that the metal is covered with a non-stoichiometric oxide containing at least two oxidation states of the cation. The processes of oxidative dissolution of the lower valence cations and their transformation to cations of higher valence, leading to passivation, explain the shape of the I–E curve. These processes are limited by both charge transfer at the film–solution (F/S) interface and transport of cation vacancies through the film. Thickening of the oxide film is assumed to proceed simultaneously, and is limited by transport of oxygen vacancies accelerated by an interfacial charge of cation vacancies.

Capítulos en libros This paper presents a general method to convert State feedback controllers to damp power system electromechanical oscillations to the standard structure formed by an Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and a Power System Stabilizer (PSS). The proposed conversion method is based on least squares fitting in the frequency domain. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

It is widely accepted that medium-term generation planning can be advantageously modeled through market equilibrium representation. There exist several methods to define and solve this kind of equilibrium in a deterministic way. Medium-term planning is strongly affected by uncertainty in market and system conditions; thus, extensions of these models are commonly required. The main variables that should be considered as subject to uncertainty include hydro conditions, demand, generating units' failures, and fuel prices. This paper presents a model to represent a medium-term operation of the electrical market that introduces this uncertainty in the formulation in a natural and practical way. Utilities are explicitly considered to be maximizing their expected profits, and biddings are represented by means of a conjectural variation. Market equilibrium conditions are introduced by means of the optimality conditions of a problem, which has a structure that strongly resembles classical optimization of hydrothermal coordination. A tree-based representation to include stochastic variables and a model based on it are introduced. This approach to market representation provides three main advantages: Robust decisions are obtained; technical constraints are included in the problem in a natural way, additionally obtaining dual information; and large-size problems representing real systems in detail can be addressed.

Sul mercato esistono molti materiali adsorbenti (prevalentemente a base di carboni attivi eventualmente impregnati, zeoliti, alcuni ossidi metallici) per la desolforazione e la rimozione di VOC anche a temperatura e pressione ambiente. Tuttavia questi materiali mostrano capacità relativamente basse e/o cinetiche di cattura lente a temperatura ambiente, che inevitabilmente si traducono nella necessità di utilizzare grandi volumi di impianto. La ricerca svolta dall'IRC-CNR Napoli e DSC-UNINA, in stretta collaborazione, parte dalla considerazione che lo sviluppo di nuovi materiali e processi ad alta efficienza per la desolforazione (in particolare attraverso adsorbimento) rappresenta un traguardo cruciale per l'impiego vantaggioso di una fonte energetica rinnovabile e residuale quale il biogas, anche su piccola scala in un'ottica di generazione distribuita di energia. La ricerca è stata indirizzata allo sviluppo di materiali adsorbenti ad alte prestazioni e basso costo in grado di far fronte a condizioni operative assai diversificate in termini di temperature (già a partire da temperatura ambiente) e composizioni dei gas da trattare (es. presenza di altri inquinanti).