Skip to main content
CODE 108876
ACADEMIC YEAR 2024/2025
CREDITS
SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR ING-IND/09
LANGUAGE Italian
TEACHING LOCATION
  • GENOVA
SEMESTER 2° Semester
TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB

OVERVIEW

The energy transition towards an environmentally and economically sustainable future will see its full development in the next 30 years. Understanding the assumptions and future implications will allow the student to develop the right mindset to face the new challenges introduced by the energy transition.

The student will explore opportunities and risks associated with the installation of innovative renewable and traditional electricity generation systems and their interaction with the environment on a local and global scale. Solutions are presented to make electricity production flexible and adequate through the adoption of electrical and thermal accumulations as well as innovative plant solutions.

The management of the grid and the enhancement on the electricity market of energy exchanges and the supply of ancillary services are explained. The environmental assessment and authorization process of a production plant is presented.


 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to let the students to understand the implications of the energy transition from the point of view of energy systems, presenting: medium and long-term energy scenarios; renewable generation; electricity and heat storage systems; solutions for flexible generation and global and local environmental impact.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Active participation in lectures and individual study will allow the student to:

develop awareness of the orders of magnitude of current consumption and of the improvements achievable through energy transition paths to understand the critical issues introduced and the strategies for their mitigation.

understand the complexity of the management of the electricity grid and the contribution provided by the various renewable and traditional source generators.

understand the dispatching mechanisms of systems equipped with storage and the potential and environmental impact of the different types of generators.

know the Environmental Authorization process and know how to find the associated public information.

assess the intensity of emissions from  fossil and alternarnative combustion plants and estimate the level of possible substitution.

TEACHING METHODS

The lectures in the classroom consist of a theoretical part and a practical application part (numerical exercises).

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Federico Scarpa (federico.scarpa@unige.it), the Polytechnic School's disability liaison.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Lesson 1: Current Energy Balances and Medium and Long Term Energy Scenarios, Evolution of the Energy Mix,Global Impact and Decarbonization Prospects.

Lesson 2: Renewable source generators: photovoltaic systems,  on-shore and  off-shore wind farms.

Lesson 3: Integration of generators with non-programmable renewable sources with electricity storage systems;  Mechanical, Electrical and Chemical Accumulations for Power Balancing, Energy and Energy Storage Applications.

Lesson 4: Management of generation plants.  Ssolutions for flexible operation: increase in operating range, dynamic response and fuel-flexibility.  Integration with thermal and chemical storage.

Lesson 5: Energy markets and grid management;  Analysis of typical production profiles.

Lesson 6: Environmental  evaluation and authorization process of a production plant of national interest (SEA - EIA  - AIA);  Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)

Exercise 1: Estimation of local and global emissions of energy industries (NFR Sector 1.A.1) in different European countries.  Calculation of average emission factors for current and future technology mix.

Lesson 7: Costo of flexibility: Economic and environmental impact of flexible management of traditional generators, Emissions during  start-up transients, impact on maintenance costs.

Seminar: Monitoring andmaintenance of wind and Fotovoltaic plants

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Course material available on Aulaweb (https://www.aulaweb.unige.it)

IEA, World Energy Outlook 2021

EU reference scenario 2020 : energy, transport and GHG emissions : trends to 2050, Publications Office, 2021, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2833/35750

Europe's onshore and offshore wind energy potential - An assessment of environmental and economic constraints

IPCC, Reference Document on Best Available Techniques on Large Combustion Plant

Air quality in Europe —2020 report

EEA Report

EMEP/EEA air pollutant emission inventory guidebook 2019

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ALESSANDRO SORCE (President)

DARIA BELLOTTI

STEFANO BARBERIS (President Substitute)

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral Examination: presentation and discussion of a project selected by the student on one of the topics presented in class; additional question by the lecturer

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The details on how to prepare for the exam and the degree of depth of each topic will be given during the lessons. The oral exam will mainly focus on the topics during the lectures and the purpose of studying whether the student has reached an adequate level of knowledge.

Students with learning disabilities ("learning disabilities", SLD) can use specific methods and supports that will be established from time to time in agreement with the delegate of the Engineering courses in the Commission for inclusion Students with disabilities


 

Exam schedule

Data appello Orario Luogo Degree type Note
10/01/2025 09:30 GENOVA Orale
24/01/2025 09:30 GENOVA Orale
14/02/2025 09:30 GENOVA Orale
13/06/2025 09:30 GENOVA Orale
27/06/2025 09:30 GENOVA Orale
16/07/2025 09:30 GENOVA Orale
09/09/2025 09:30 GENOVA Orale

Agenda 2030 - Sustainable Development Goals

Agenda 2030 - Sustainable Development Goals
Affordable and clean energy
Affordable and clean energy
Climate action
Climate action