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Selected Papers from MEDPOWER 2022—the 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "F1: Electrical Power System".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2023) | Viewed by 19140

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Brian Azzopardi

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MCAST Energy Research Group, Institute of Engineering and Transport, Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), Corradino Hill, Paola, Malta
Interests: operational research; systems optimisation; energy economics; electrical power; electric mobility; photovoltaics integration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Cyril Spiteri Staines

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Industrial Electrical Power Conversion, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malta, MSD 2080 Msida, Malta
Interests: electrical engineering; electrical energy conversion and efficiency; power systems; control of electric drives; power electronics; RES and microgrids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion (MEDPOWER2022) will take place at the Grand Hotel Excelsior, Valletta, Malta, from 07 to 09 November 2022.

MEDPOWER is a bi-annual conference taking place in the Mediterranean region. The conference is supported by The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), The Malta Group of Professional Engineering Institutions (MGPEI), the IET Hellas, and Cyprus Local networks.

The conference is organised by The Foundation for Innovation and Research—Malta (FiR.mt) and is also supported by The University of Malta, The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), and the H2020 NEEMO Project (neemo-project.eu). The main conference sponsors are The Ministry for Finance and Employment (Malta), Malta MEDELEC Switchgear Ltd., and The Energy and Water Agency (Malta).

MEDPOWER2022 will provide the engineers, scientists, technicians, researchers, scholars, and companies with the opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss the latest research achievements in academia and industry. The conference also aims to create opportunities for networking and collaboration through a series of presentations, talks, exhibitions, and special sessions. The conference will cover all aspects of the power system market, design, operation, and planning, including the integration of ICT and energy systems, and address challenges for future energy markets.

Due to the high level of research material published in the proceedings of the conference in recent years, a Special Issue will be published in the MDPI journal Energies, featuring selected papers from the 2022 conference.

Dr. Brian Azzopardi
Prof. Dr. Cyril Spiteri Staines
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

power system operation and monitoring
renewable energy systems and integration of RES
energy communities and microgrids
power system simulation and analysis
HVDC, FACTS, and power electronics
ICT for future electricity grids
electrical mobility, vehicles, and transport
power engineering education
electricity markets
transient analysis and EMTP modelling
smart grids and smart cities
power quality
energy storage systems
protection systems
power system dynamics, stability, and control
DC-operated power systems
energy efficiency
electrical machines and drives
power industry applications
geographic information systems’ energy system applications
climate change and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2036 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Techno-Economic Evaluation of Energy and CO₂ Abatement Measures in Urban Environment: A Case Study in Malta

by Brian Azzopardi and Matthew Zammit

Energies 2024, 17(2), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17020446 - 16 Jan 2024

Viewed by 672

Abstract

Malta faces a significant challenge in reducing carbon emissions, with energy consumption in its 153,100 occupied residences contributing to 30% of CO₂ emissions. This study focuses on a sample of an 1870s, 80 sq-m footprint, three-story residence, emblematic of similar properties facing marketability issues due to age, structure, and maintenance. The objective is to assess a techno-economic energy and CO₂ abatement framework, including advanced lighting devices, appliances, photovoltaics, wind turbines, energy storage, and vehicle-to-grid possibilities. The research evaluates comfortability and calculates potential 25-year kWh reduction and cost savings for each measure. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of implementing diversified renewable and alternative energy sources in such residences. Over 25 years, approximately 250 MWh of energy could be mitigated, leading to a reduction of approximately 140 metric tons of carbon dioxide. The study emphasizes the importance of housing stock efficiency in both new construction and retrofitting, focusing on building performance for health, comfort, and living standards. While most systems are viable, further research is needed for system-wide strategy implementation, particularly in areas like energy storage and wind turbine solutions. The study concludes that adopting emerging technologies could be advantageous in minimizing system costs through innovative building-integrated designs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from MEDPOWER 2022—the 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion)

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18 pages, 6008 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impacts of Electric Vehicles Charging in Low-Voltage Distribution Networks: A Case Study in Malta

by Brian Azzopardi and Yesbol Gabdullin

Energies 2024, 17(2), 289; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17020289 - 6 Jan 2024

Viewed by 888

Abstract

A high penetration of electric vehicle (EV) charging in low voltage (LV) networks can challenge grid stability due to voltage variations and limited feeder capacity. This research paper examines the integration of electric vehicle (EV) charging in real-life residential low voltage (LV) networks in Malta. The study utilizes smart metering data and presents a methodology framework and tools to analyze the impacts of EV charging on grid stability. The likelihood of challenges in the LV network is assessed by conducting simulations and deriving cumulative distribution functions (CDFs). The study also evaluates the impact of EV charging on the occurrence of network challenges and identifies predominant issues through multi-feeder analyses. Additionally, a regression analysis tool is developed to predict the impacts based on feeder characteristics. The results show strong relationships between feeder characteristics and EV charging processes, offering valuable insights for network planning and operations. However, it should be noted that the current EV charging penetration in the Maltese grid is below 1% in any LV feeder, suggesting the absence of significant technological hurdles at present. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from MEDPOWER 2022—the 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion)

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22 pages, 12382 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Combined High Photovoltaic and Electric Vehicle Charging Penetration in Low-Voltage Distribution Networks: A Case Study in Malta

by Brian Azzopardi and Yesbol Gabdullin

Energies 2024, 17(1), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17010263 - 4 Jan 2024

Viewed by 744

Abstract

High Photovoltaic (PV) and Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Penetration challenges the grid’s Low-Voltage (LV) Distribution Network’s stability due to voltage variations and the overloading of feeders. This research paper investigates the potential of combined PV and Electric Vehicle (EV) charging integration within LV DN, using a representative DN in Malta as a case study. The European Union (EU) has set forth objectives and guidelines that suggest a high likelihood of Distributed Networks (DNs) incorporating a significant number of Photovoltaic Systems (PVs), resulting in overvoltage occurrences, as well as a substantial number of Electric Vehicles (EVs), which may charge in an erratic manner, leading to undervoltage and overloading events. A distribution network (DN) may experience unfavorable situations concurrently due to the simultaneous occurrence of photovoltaic (PV) generation and electric vehicle (EV) charging, particularly in residential case studies. Effectively employing either dispersed or centralized storage is a viable approach to tackle these issues. However, this strategy may defer the requirement for expensive DN investments. The study showcases the extent of automated mitigation attained in the urban zones of Malta. The data presented primarily comprises empirical measurements obtained at the onset of the LV feeder. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from MEDPOWER 2022—the 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion)

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16 pages, 11614 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing the Scheduling of Electrified Public Transport System in Malta

by Satish Sharma, Somesh Bhattacharya, Deep Kiran, Bin Hu, Matthias Prandtstetter and Brian Azzopardi

Energies 2023, 16(13), 5073; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16135073 - 30 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1279

Abstract

In this paper, we describe a comparative analysis of a bus route scheduling problem as part of timetable trips. We consider the current uptake of electric buses as a viable public transportation option that will eventually phase out the diesel-engine-based buses. We note that, with the increasing number of electric buses, the complexity related to the scheduling also increases, especially stemming from the charging requirement and the dedicated infrastructure behind it. The aim of our comparative study is to highlight the brevity with which a multi-agent-system-based scheduling method can be helpful as compared to the classical mixed-integer linear-programming-based approach. The multi-agent approach we design is centralized with asymmetric communication between the master agent, the bus agent, and the depot agent, which makes it possible to solve the multi-depot scheduling problem in almost real time as opposed to the classical optimizer, which sees a multi-depot problem as a combinatorial heuristic NP-hard problem, which, for large system cases, can be computationally inefficient to solve. We test the efficacy of the multi-agent algorithm and also compare the same with the MILP objective designed in harmony with the multi-agent system. We test the comparisons first on a small network and then extend the scheduling application to real data extracted from the public transport of the Maltese Islands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from MEDPOWER 2022—the 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion)

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30 pages, 11447 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy Savings in Elevators by Using a Particular Permanent-Magnet Motor Drive

by Vasileios I. Vlachou, Theoklitos S. Karakatsanis and Antonios G. Kladas

Energies 2023, 16(12), 4716; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16124716 - 14 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1888

Abstract

This paper presents the energy savings achieved by using a particular three-phase permanent-magnet motor drive control strategy in an elevator application. The proposed control methodology, based on a particular variable-amplitude variable-frequency voltage control pattern technique implemented in a permanent-magnet motor, is compared to a standard induction motor elevator case. By adopting appropriate simultaneous changes in the amplitude and frequency of the motor voltage, high speeds can be attained in conjunction with smooth starting and stopping actions involving a reduced supply current during the respective movement of the elevator. In addition, this method exhibits a high power factor with a good driving quality. The control technique introduced achieves the levelling-off of the floor and the group movement of the system using in the programmable memory a speed pattern that is generated targeting proportionality to the position of the lift. In that respect, significant energy savings can be obtained, which, depending on the type of motor implemented, can be up to 30% compared to the conventional techniques. These improvements can be attained with the appropriate handling of the applied pulse width modulation techniques. Various simulated and experimental results are given, illustrating the respective energy savings achieved with the proposed methodology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from MEDPOWER 2022—the 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion)

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21 pages, 1794 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Predictive Fuzzy Logic Model for Forecasting Electricity Day-Ahead Market Prices for Scheduling Industrial Applications

by Konstantinos Plakas, Ioannis Karampinis, Panayiotis Alefragis, Alexios Birbas, Michael Birbas and Alex Papalexopoulos

Energies 2023, 16(10), 4085; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16104085 - 14 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1301

Abstract

Electricity price forecasting (EPF) has become an essential part of decision-making for energy companies to participate in power markets. As the energy mix becomes more uncertain and stochastic, this process has also become important for industrial companies, as their production schedules are greatly impacted by energy costs. Although various approaches have been tested with varying degrees of success, this study focuses on predicting day-ahead market (DAM) prices in different European markets and how this directly affects the optimal production scheduling for various industrial loads. We propose a fuzzy-based architecture that incorporates the results of two forecasting algorithms; a random forest (RF) and a long short-term memory (LSTM). To enhance the accuracy of the proposed model for a specific country, electricity market data from neighboring countries are also included. The developed DAM price forecaster can then be utilized by energy-intensive industries to optimize their production processes to reduce energy costs and improve energy-efficiency. Specifically, the tool is important for industries with multi-site production facilities in neighboring countries, which could reschedule the production processes depending on the forecasted electricity market price. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from MEDPOWER 2022—the 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion)

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12 pages, 4081 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phase Change Material Composite Battery Module for Thermal Protection of Electric Vehicles: An Experimental Observation

by Alexander C. Budiman, Brian Azzopardi, Sudirja, Muhammad A. P. Perdana, Sunarto Kaleg, Febriani S. Hadiastuti, Bagus A. Hasyim, Amin, Rina Ristiana, Aam Muharam and Abdul Hapid

Energies 2023, 16(9), 3896; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16093896 - 4 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1781

Abstract

A composite container for an electric vehicle (EV) battery module filled with a phase-change material (PCM) was experimentally tested at various discharge rates. The average cell temperatures at 1 C, 2 C, and 4 C discharge rates, respectively, might reach 38 °C, 50 °C, and 70 °C in the absence of any heat-absorbing material. The temperature was noticeably lower with PCM present than with a conventional battery module. For instance, at 4 C discharge rates, none of the battery cells inside the PCM-filled module were able to reach 70 °C. Unfortunately, the PCM addition also degraded the composite’s tensile qualities. Further investigations used Paraffin-20 and Caprylone since PCMs provide a notably different thermal performance due to their distinctive latent heat profiles. It was observed that a high melting temperature of the paraffin mixture, despite its slightly lower latent heat capacity compared to Caprylone, could lead to a more uniform temperature. Overall, both PCMs can be used as passive protection against any potential thermal abuses in EV battery modules, while in terms of mechanical strength, the use of a composite reinforcement material is strongly encouraged. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from MEDPOWER 2022—the 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion)

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Review

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23 pages, 6053 KiB

Open AccessReview

Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chain and Critical Materials: A Brief Survey of State of the Art

by Pranjal Barman, Lachit Dutta and Brian Azzopardi

Energies 2023, 16(8), 3369; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16083369 - 11 Apr 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7194

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) have been garnering wide attention over conventional fossil fuel-based vehicles due to the serious concerns of environmental pollution and crude oil depletion. In this article, we have conducted a systematic literature survey to explore the battery raw material supply chain, material processing, and the economy behind the commodity price appreciation. We present significant areas of concern, including resource reserves, supply, demand, geographical distribution, battery reuse, and recycling industries. Furthermore, details of the battery supply chain and its associated steps are illustrated. The authors believe the presented study will be an information cornerstone in boosting manufacturing and understanding the key components and materials required to facilitate EV battery production. Further, this study discusses the major industries, and their policies and global market share in each material category. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from MEDPOWER 2022—the 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion)

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Other

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11 pages, 824 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Perspectives on the Applications of Radiative Cooling in Buildings and Electric Cars

by N. S. Susan Mousavi and Brian Azzopardi

Energies 2023, 16(14), 5256; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16145256 - 9 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1407

Abstract

Cooling energy consumption is a major contributor to various sectors in hot climates with a significant number of warm days throughout the year. Buildings account for 40% of total energy consumption, with approximately ∼30–40% of that used for cooling in geographical areas such as Iran. Energy demand for cooling is an important factor in the overall energy efficiency of electric mobility. Electric vehicles (EVs) consume ∼30–50% of energy for the air conditioning (AC) system. Therefore, the efficient management of the cooling demand is essential in implementing energy-saving strategies. Passive radiative cooling is capable of providing subambient cooling without consuming any energy. This article reviews potential applications of passive radiative cooling in reducing cooling energy for buildings. It also provides a rough estimate of the amount of energy saved when applying a radiative cool roof to a model building. It is shown that by using radiative cool materials on roofs, the share of electricity usage for cooling can be reduced to 10%, leading to a reduction in cooling load by 90%. Additionally, the potential use of radiative cool coats of various types for different EV components, such as shell/body, windows, and fabrics, is introduced. Although the prospects of the design and engineering of radiative cooling products appear promising for both buildings and EVs, further investigations are necessary to evaluate scalability, durability, and performance based on factors such as geography and meteorology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from MEDPOWER 2022—the 13th Mediterranean Conference on Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Energy Conversion)

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