• Energy Research
• Restricted close
• Embargo close
• US close
• EU close
• Applied Energy close

Electric vehicles (EVs) are considered a substitute for fossil-fueled vehicles due to rising fossil fuel prices and accompanying environmental concerns, and their use is predicted to increase dramatically shortly. However, the widespread use of EVs and their large-scale integration into the energy system will present several operational and technological hurdles. In the energy industry, an innovative solution known as the EVs smart parking lot (SPL) is introduced to handle EV charging and discharging electricity and energy supply challenges. This paper investigates social equity access and mobile charging stations (MCSs) for EVs, where the owner of MCSs is the EV parking lot. Accordingly, a new self-scheduling model for SPLs is presented in this paper that incorporates scheduling of the MCSs as temporary charging infrastructures while considering social equity access and optimizes SPL energy generation and storage schedule. The main objectives of this research are to (i) develop MCSs accessibility measures and quantify the equity impacts of MCSs locations by modeling prioritized demand based on several indices; (ii) determine the optimal set-points of SPL components (i.e., combined heat and power (CHP), photovoltaic system, electrical and heat-energy storage, and MCSs) to manage electrical peak demand and to maximize the economic benefits of SPLs. Results indicate that the proposed demand prioritization function model can meet the required EV charging demands for prioritized events, and the self-scheduling model for SPLs satisfies the charging demand of the EVs in the SPL location. Also, the social equity access to the EV charging stations is satisfied by analyzing the operation of MCSs around the prioritized demand of the prioritized events and social equity access indices.

This paper deals with an experimental evaluation regarding the real performance of lithium based energy storage systems for automotive applications. In particular real working operations of different lithium based storage system technologies, such as Li[NiCoMn]O-2 and LiFePO4 batteries, are compared in this work from the point of view of their application in supplying full electric and hybrid vehicles, taking as a reference the well-known behavior of lead acid batteries. For this purpose, the experimental tests carried out in laboratory are firstly performed on single storage modules in stationary conditions. In this case the related results are obtained by means of a bidirectional cycle tester based on the IGBT technology, and consent to evaluate, compare and contrast charge/discharge characteristics and efficiency at constant values of current/voltage/power for each storage technology analyzed. Then, lithium battery packs are tested in supplying a 1.8 kW electric power train using a laboratory test bench, based on a 48 V DC bus and specifically configured to simulate working operations of electric vehicles on the road. For this other experimentation the test bench is equipped with an electric brake and acquisition/control system, able to represent in laboratory the real vehicle conditions and road characteristics on predefined driving cycles at different slopes. The obtained experimental results on both charge/discharge tests and driving cycles demonstrate the advantages of using lithium technologies, mainly in terms of their high efficiency, particularly at high current values. That represents a feasible solution to offer vehicle designers and users extended driving ranges and reduced recharging times. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Artículos en revistas Energy, and particularly electricity, has played and will continue to play a very important role in the development of human society. Electricity, which is the most flexible and manageable energy form, is currently used in a variety of activities and applications. For instance, electricity is used for heating, cooling, lighting, and for operating electronic appliances and electric vehicles. Nowadays, given the rapid development and commercialization of technologies and devices that rely on electricity, electricity demand is increasing faster than overall primary energy supply. Consequently, the design and planning of power systems is becoming a progressively more important issue in order to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable energy in timely fashion, not only in developed countries but particularly in developing economies where electricity demand is increasing even faster. Power systems are networks of electrical devices, such as power plants, transformers, and transmission lines, used to produce, transmit, and supply electricity. The design and planning of such systems require the selection of generation technologies, along with the capacity, location, and timing of generation and transmission capacity expansions to meet electricity demand over a long-term horizon. This manuscript presents a comprehensive optimization framework for the design and planning of interconnected power systems, including the integration of generation and transmission capacity expansion planning. The proposed framework also considers renewable energies, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies, demand-side management (DSM), as well as reserve and CO2 emission constraints. The novelty of this framework relies on an integrated assessment of the aforementioned features, which can reveal possible interactions and synergies within the power system. Moreover, the capabilities of the proposed framework are demonstrated using a suite of case studies inspired by a real-world power system, including business as usual and CO2 mitigation policy scenarios. These case studies illustrated the adaptability and effectiveness of the framework at dealing with typical situations that can arise in designing and planning power systems. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

We report the energy performance of a new platinum-free alkaline direct formate fuel cell, equipped with a commercial anion exchange membrane, a nanostructured Pd/C anode and a Fe-Co/C cathode. The cell was investigated both at room temperature and at 60 degrees C for the determination of the following parameters: (i) maximum power density, (ii) delivered energy, (iii) faradic (fuel conversion) and energy efficiency. These parameters show a dramatic dependence on fuel composition. The highest energy efficiency is obtained using high energy density fuel (4 M KCOOH and 4 M KOH) and with a maximum operating temperature of 60 degrees C. This represents a key step in the progress of alkaline platinum-free DFFC technology, demonstrating their potential as power sources for portable electronic devices and remote power generation systems. For example, a fuel load of 750 ml in a DFFC device operating at 60 degrees C would be able to produce 90 W h of energy, that required to fully charge the battery of a laptop computer. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The objective of this paper is to propose a novel methodology to compute the benefit obtained by individual users from each of the transmission expansion projects within an expansion plan. Benefits computed should be coherent with the technical and economic principles that underlie the development of the expansion plan. Thus, this methodology is based on the idea that the benefits produced by each project of a plan should be determined considering all projects jointly, instead of individually. Some benefits obtained by users from projects evolve continuously with the deployment of the expansion plan, while others are discrete, since they occur at certain points of the deployment of this plan. A separate Aumann-Shapley game is solved to allocate continuous benefits, and each discrete one. In the second case, the standard Aumann-Shapley algorithm for the allocation of benefits is modified to cope with the fact that the function of each user s benefits is not continuous with the size of projects deployed. A 9-Bus case study is used to compare the methodology proposed with existing ones. The results show that the methodology proposed is able to overcome problems detected in other methodologies, providing more accurate and sound results. The good properties of the methodology proposed make it applicable to problems related to network expansion regulation, such as the cost allocation of new investments. Although the methodology proposed is particularized to electric power systems, its concept and fundamentals can also be applied in other energy sectors, such as gas. info:eu-repo/semantics/draft

This paper deals with hybrid energy storage system (HESS) management strategies, optimized for urban road electric vehicle applications. These new control strategies aim to extend battery pack durability by reducing charging/discharging current peaks by means of supercapacitors. The optimization is carried out with reference to the case study of a HESS composed of a high power unit, i.e. supercapacitor module plus a high energy unit, i.e. a battery pack, based on nickel-chloride ZEBRA (ZEolite Battery Research Africa) technology. On-board integration of the two storage devices is obtained through a DC/DC bidirectional power converter, as this configuration is particularly convenient for many kinds of urban vehicle operations. The novelty of this work consists in an analytical methodology, based on non-linear programming and calculus of variations theory, to evaluate management strategies characterized by high effectiveness in reducing battery current transients. The identification and optimization of these strategies are initially performed on the basis of a vehicle model, built in the Matlab-Simulink simulation environment. To this purpose, the experimental characterization of the supercapacitor module is obtained with reference to three different models, whose selection depends on the required fitting performance and computational effort indexes, as evaluated in the paper. The energy management strategies identified show promising results in the simulation environment, followed by experimental activities carried out by means of a dedicated 1:1 scale laboratory test bench. The various experimental results presented in this manuscript highlight that the identified ?-control strategy presents effectiveness values up to 57%, close to the ideal results obtained in the simulation environment. In fact, the methodology proposed in this paper, validated by laboratory experiments, definitely reduces the negative consequences of power peaks on the HESS, indicating the real possibility of using these results in the design and control of urban road vehicles.

Abstract Alternative fuels are expected to play a major role in EU in the coming years due European Directives on the promotion of renewable energies and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in transports. However, while in road transports a variety of possible renewable fuels (mainly biofuels, but also electricity) can be considered, in aviation only high quality paraffinic biofuels can be adopted. This means that biomass must be converted through advanced processes into pure hydrocarbon fuels, fully compatible with the existing systems. The aviation sector is responsible for the 2% of the world anthropogenic CO2 emissions and the 10% of the fuel consumption: airlines’ costs for fuel reach 30% of operating costs. In addition, the aviation traffic is expected to double within 15 years from 2012, while fuel consumption and CO2 emissions should double in 25 years. Thus, more than 2 billion people and 40 Mt of good/cargo will have to be moved every year. In this context, the EU Flightpath set a target of 2 Mt per year for aviation alternative fuel by 2020 (i.e. 4% of annual fuel consumption). New processes towards bio-hydrocarbons are being developed, demonstrated and soon industrialized. The present work explores the possible routes from biomass feedstock to sustainable paraffinic fuels, either through bio or thermo-chemical processes, as well as discusses those more mature, focusing on industrial demonstration initiatives. In fact, while the number of possible options towards paraffinic biofuel production is very large, and covers both thermochemical and biochemical routes, as well as hybrid one, only two pathways are today ready for testing a significant large scale: these are FT and Hydrotreating. Major industrial activities and testing experiences are thus reported in the present work. In this context, the ITAKA group is developing a full value-chain in Europe to produce sustainable drop-in Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (SPK) – called HEFA – in an economically, socially and environmentally sound manner, at large scale enough to allow testing its use in existing logistic systems and in normal flight operations in Europe. The generated knowledge will aim to identify and address barriers to innovation. Within ITAKA, possible pre-processing of used (waste) cooking oil (UCO) to make it compatible with current downstream hydroprocessing techniques are being investigated: this can includes esterification of waste oils, as well as catalytic thermal processing, which will be carried out in a pilot unit available at RE-CORD/CREAR. First samples of feedstock oils were collected and characterized, for further investigation towards their conversion into biokerosene through hydrotreatment.