Mario Conte

Hydrogen economy for a sustainable development: state-of-the-art and technological perspectives

Sustainable energy is becoming of increasing concern world-wide. The rapid growth of global climate changes along with the fear of energy supply shortage is creating a large consensus about the potential benefits of a hydrogen economy coming from renewable energy sources. The interesting perspectives are over-shadowed by uncertainties about the development of key technologies, such as renewable energy sources, advanced production processes, fuel cells, metal hydrides, nanostructures, standards and codes, and so on. The availability of critical technologies can create a base for the start of the hydrogen economy, as a fuel and energy carrier alternative to the current fossil resources. This paper will explore the rationale for such a revolution in the energy sector, will describe the state-of-the-art of major related technologies (fuel cell, storage systems, fuel cell vehicles) and current niche applications, and will sketch scientific and technological challenges and recommendations for research and development (R&D) initiatives to accelerate the pace for the widespread introduction of a hydrogen economy.

Use of electrochemical storage in substations to enhance energy and cost efficiency of tramways

This paper evaluates, in a case study with real data, the advantages of using regenerative braking in a tram line, both in case of non-reversible substations and substations equipped with battery energy storage. It shows that the addition of storage enhances energy efficiency a lot, and therefore this is a very cost-effective solution.

Assessment of high power HEV lead-acid battery advancements by comparative benchmarking with a European test procedure

Abstract The technical and practical suitability of lead-acid batteries for applications in vehicles with electrical drivetrains (battery-powered or hybrid electric) has been experimentally investigated in a variety of testing programmes. Under the direction and funding support of the Commission of the European Community, since early 1990s, the R&D Organisation EUCAR, a collaborative partnership of most European car manufacturers, has been conducting battery technological assessment projects, through bench tests carried out by different independent laboratories throughout Europe, using agreed test procedures. In this framework, ENEA acted as independent testing institute and tested, among others, three high power lead-acid batteries of various technologies (flat plate electrodes and spiral wound) for EV and HEV applications. In addition, different battery sizes and operating conditions have been tested at ENEA in a separate collaboration with ALTRA-IRISBUS. This paper intends to trace technological and performance improvements of high power lead-acid battery technology through the analysis of experimental data during parameter and life cycle tests, including the effects of battery sizes, charge/discharge profiles and testing procedures, with special emphasis on the reduction of the internal resistance and the variation of peak power and cycle life.

Overview of ENEA’s Projects on lithium batteries

Abstract The increasing need of high performance batteries in various small-scale and large-scale applications (portable electronics, notebooks, palmtops, cellular phones, electric vehicles, UPS, load levelling) in Italy is motivating the R&D efforts of various public and private organizations. Research of lithium batteries in Italy goes back to the beginning of the technological development of primary and secondary lithium systems with national know-how spread in various academic and public institutions with a few private stakeholders. In the field of lithium polymer batteries, ENEA has been dedicating significant efforts in almost two decades to promote and carry out basic R&D and pre-industrial development projects. In recent years, three major national projects have been performed and coordinated by ENEA in co-operation with some universities, governmental research organizations and industry. In these projects novel polymer electrolytes with ceramic additives, low cost manganese oxide-based composite cathodes, environmentally friendly process for polymer electrolyte, fabrication processes of components and cells have been investigated and developed in order to fulfill long-term needs of cost-effective and highly performant lithium polymer batteries.

Design procedures of lithium-ion battery systems: The application to a cable railway

The paper reports about a study that ENEA has been carrying out on the use of a storage system, composed by lithium batteries, in a cable railway plant, by presenting the design phase and the starting field tests. Following a preliminary study on a complete lithium-ion battery system, a cable railway of significant experimental interest was identified with the aim to verify the reduction in power demand and energy consumption, with related increase of overall energy efficiency, by recuperating braking energy. On the base of simulations and experimental data, but also logistic and practical reasons, a commercial battery system was chosen, bought and evaluated firstly by preliminary tests and then under the real working conditions. The experimental activity confirmed the used design procedure and the reliability of the battery management system. In addition, it gave indication about the thermal management, which suggested some changes in the final design. According to this design review process, ENEA modified the battery system to optimize the thermal dissipation by doubling the capacity and venting the cells.

ENEA's energy storage activities in the Italian Electric System Research Project

Since 2006, ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) has been carrying out R&D activities as part of the National Electric System Research Project. In this Project there are activities devoted to the energy storage technologies and their representative applications for the electricity grids. In the third program agreement, started in 2012, ENEA activities have been focused on research of advanced batteries (Li-ion, high temperatures, redox flow), studies of applications and battery “second life” and analysis of environmental and safety aspects associated to the use and recycling of batteries. This paper summarizes major results achieved during the execution of the second year of this program agreement with focus on scale up of Li-ion cells for high power and high energy applications, experimental results of the “second life” campaign, and the technical and economical evaluation of an energy storage application to a tramway system for urban transport.

Energy storage tailored-test programme for HD hybrid vehicles in a European Project

The development and large diffusion of advanced heavy duty (HD) commercial hybrid vehicles are significantly affected by current economic and technical limitations, which can be improved by advanced highly-efficient and less expensive components, such as alternative storage systems configurations, and drivetrain integration and assembly. In the European Project HCV (Hybrid Commercial Vehicles), different types (urban buses and commercial vans) and generations of HD hybrid vehicles (HEV) have been developed by using various types of storage systems in order to optimize performance and reduce costs in combination with the improvement of other components and assembly processes. In this project, performance and reliability of the storage systems have been carefully characterized in relation to the selected HEV architectures, together with mathematical models of two storage technologies: lithium-ion batteries (Li) and electrochemical capacitors (also named supercapacitors). The adopted approach was to adapt, whenever possible, existing testing procedures (and standards) to the performance characteristics and operating conditions of the storage systems in the project HEVs. In this way, electrical behaviour and abuse situations have been verified in controlled environment in the testing laboratories and design and control recommendations, verified with specifically developed mathematical models, have been transferred to the energy storage suppliers and vehicle manufacturers. All these activities have been carried out in a dedicated Subproject “Energy Storage Systems”, having the participation of energy storage system assemblers (Magna and DimacRed), vehicle manufacturers (Altra-IVECO and Volvo) and testing laboratories (AIT, ENEA, University of Pisa and Volvo). This paper initially describes the electrical and safety test programme tailored to HCV storage systems and specific HD HEVs technical specifications. The second part is dedicated to the reporting and analysis of the key experimental results and developed models for Li and supercapacitor cells and modules.

How to Improve Hybrid Vehicles for Environmental Sustainability. A Case Study of Their Impact

ENEA is studying innovative vehicles such as pure electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, aiming to increase their energy efficiency and to reduce pollutant emissions. As part of such activities, a quite large demonstration project for verifying technical and economical viability of hybrid buses under real public transport operation conditions, has been carried out. Furthermore, a controller for an electric hybrid vehicle has been developed that allows to achieve a further 30% fuel economy improvement. The results of such activities are the input information of the TREMOVE model to investigate the potential impact of electric hybrid vehicle deployment in an Italian city, as a case study. The positive effects of new hybrid vehicle introduction for freight transport in terms of fuel saving and emission reduction, have been also investigated.