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- Economic and energy feasibility using photovoltaic solar energy sources as a response to the energy consumption of the municipality of BarcarenaPublication . Simões, Fábio; Viveiros, Carla; Barata, FilipeThis article provides an economic and energy feasibility study for the implementation of renewable photovoltaic energy sources, in the municipality of Barcarena, in order to sustain electric energy consumption, taking into account technological advances, the expected population increase and the energy potential of the study area. The consumption of electricity of the municipality under study is analysed, as well as their distribution among the various types of existing electricity production. The economic and energy influence of this implementation is analysed through different case studies, in order to meet the targets defined by the Oeiras Council with regard to the Sustainable Energy for Oeiras Action Plan (PAESO).
- Decarbonizing Hard-to-Abate Sectors with Renewable Hydrogen: A Real Case Application to the Ceramics IndustryPublication . Sousa, Jorge A. M.; Azevedo, Inês; Camus, Cristina Inês; Mendes, Luís; Viveiros, Carla; Barata, FilipeHydrogen produced from renewable energy sources is a valuable energy carrier for linking growing renewable electricity generation with the hard-to-abate sectors, such as cement, steel, glass, chemical, and ceramics industries. In this context, this paper presents a new model of hydrogen production based on solar photovoltaics and wind energy with application to a real-world ceramics factory. For this task, a novel multipurpose profit-maximizing model is implemented using GAMS. The developed model explores hydrogen production with multiple value streams that enable technical and economical informed decisions under specific scenarios. Our results show that it is profitable to sell the hydrogen produced to the gas grid rather than using it for self-consumption for low-gas-price scenarios. On the other hand, when the price of gas is significantly high, it is more profitable to use as much hydrogen as possible for self-consumption to supply the factory and reduce the internal use of natural gas. The role of electricity self-consumption has proven to be key for the project's profitability as, without this revenue stream, the project would not be profitable in any analysed scenario.
- Protection against direct atmospheric discharges and overvoltages in photovoltaic installationsPublication . Coelho, Gonçalo; Barata, Filipe; Elvas, Luís; Viveiros, CarlaThe increasing global energy demand has led to the expansion of photovoltaic (PV) power plants, particularly in response to climate goals like the European Union's "Fit for 55" initiative to reduce CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030. However, as PV installations grow, their vulnerability to atmospheric discharges, such as lightning, also increases. This study investigates the design and dimensioning of lightning protection systems for PV plants, focusing on two methods: traditional protection per IEC 62305 standards and ionizing devices based on NP 4426 standards. Both methods were analyzed for technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness. A case study of the PV installations at the Lisbon Engineering School (ISEL) was conducted, and a risk analysis determined that Level III protection was required. The study demonstrated that both methods provide effective protection, but ionizing devices offer a more cost-efficient solution, with lower material and labor costs. Consequently, the study showed that ionizing method is around 35% affordable than traditional rods for protecting PV plants in urban environment against atmospheric discharges.
- Intelligent systems applied to buildings' managementPublication . Pereira, Rita; Barata, Filipe; Viveiros, CarlaEnergy efficiency in buildings are an important domain regarding its impact in the global energy consumption. Several efficiency measures are currently available, using different methodologies. In this paper an approach using intelligent systems is implemented through a smart controller able to automatically and efficiently manage building’s energy. This smart controller uses Fuzzy Logic Control (FLC) as a decision maker and is supported by Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) used to forecast the building outside temperature. In addition, and in order to increase overall energy efficiency, renewable energies associated with a storage system are considered. For the designed smart controller implementation, a thermal house model is simulated using a MATLAB toolbox. In this paper emphasis is given to the building´s Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) control and a rough economic analysis is drawn, allowing to infer about the adopted efficiency measures impact.
- Fleet transition from combustion to electric vehicles: a case study in a portuguese business campusPublication . Pinto, Bruno; Barata, Filipe; Soares, Constantino; Viveiros, CarlaThis paper aims to contribute to the urgent reflection as a society about environmental protection, in the ultimate challenge that is the sustainable use of energy resources. Since Portugal is at an early stage of market development internally, governmental and local stimulation policies play a central role and are a key element in the successful diffusion of Electric Mobility. The study will focus on the transition of a company car fleet, which currently consists of combustion vehicles, to electric vehicles. With this change it becomes necessary to understand how the electrical installation will be affected due to the installation of charging stations, allowing the company to have some autonomy from the public grid. The various changes resulting from the installation consumption profile will be studied and compared. The state of the art, the level of maturity and where the development of electric mobility in Portugal is heading will also be appreciated.
- Optimal investment and sharing decisions in renewable energy communities with multiple investing membersPublication . Barbosa, Inês; Sousa, Jorge A. M.; Villar, José; Lagarto, João; Viveiros, Carla; Barata, FilipeThe Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) and self-consumption frameworks defined in Directive (EU) 2023/2413 and Directive (EU) 2024/1711 are currently being integrated into national regulations across EU member states, adapting legislation to incorporate these new entities. These regulations establish key principles for individual and collective self-consumption, outlining operational rules such as proximity constraints, electricity sharing mechanisms, surplus electricity management, grid tariffs, and various organizational aspects, including asset sizing, licensing, metering, data exchange, and role definitions. This study introduces a model tailored to optimize investment and energy-sharing decisions within RECs, enabling multiple members to invest in solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind generation assets. The model determines the optimal generation capacity each REC member should install for each technology and calculates the energy shared between members in each period, considering site-specific constraints on renewable deployment. A case study with a four-member REC is used to showcase the model’s functionality, with simulation results underscoring the benefits of CSC over ISC.